The Complete Schubert Symphonies Vol. 2 - Symphonies Nos 1, 3 and 8

Symphony No. 3 follows No. 1 in Volume 2 of the cycle. I was recently relistening and allowed the third to roll along right behind the conclusion to the first, and I was struck by the perfectly natural fit of the two symphonies and the performances here. Oh, the music is different, of course. But the playing style, the energy, the humor, the sound field of the recording, are as one, all of a single fabric. The consistency is most satisfying. (...) So, if you are looking for just a single volume from this cycle to sample, I suggest Volume 2 as a good starting point.

I will refrain from repeating my general remarks about Schubert (available here: Schubert: Symphonies 2 & 4 - de Vriend), neither will I dwell too much on the two youth symphonies included in this release. Not because they aren’t worth mentioning, but rather because the most impressive item here is number 7 (former 8), commonly called the ‘Unfinished’, or ‘Unvollendete’ in its native language, which deserves all our unmitigated attention.

When I was much younger, the ‘unfinished’ was one of the greatest war horses in the concert hall. Very in vogue by audiences, orchestras and … hall directors, with its beautiful melodies and catchy themes. This was Schubert’s “first Romantic symphony due to its emphasis on the lyrical impulse within the dramatic structure of Classical sonata form”, usually dished up with a fair amount of mellowness and pleasantly dreamy speeds. All of it in line with the views of the influential German critic, Hanslick, as published after the premiere in 1865: “The whole movement is a sweet stream of melodies, in spite of its vigor … “.

How utterly wrong they were (and some still are). A dramatic misunderstanding of Schubert’s deepest emotional creation. And how right Jan Willem de Vriend is in his reading of the score and all that’s hidden inside!

Here we have the ultimate combination of sorrow, angst, and resilience so immensely powerful unraveled by de Vriend’s masterly underlining the almost fatal dissonance in the first movement’s development and the dramatic outburst after the final repeat of the first theme. Most impressive!

Although the lyrical start of the second movement leaves the listener with an initial impression of ‘rural’ friendliness, in de Vriend’s reading it is soon overtaken by tragedy and waves of internal struggle. No sweetness here. De Vriend ably draws a befitting degree of harshness from the players of the ‘Residentie Orkest The Hague’, to bring into focus the composer’s recurrent mixed feelings of despair and resolve. This is for me the real Schubert at this point in life.

Ever since de Vriend became Principal Conductor of The Residentie Orkest The Hague, a shift in sound has occurred, at least whenever he is at the helm. It may be recalled that he originates from a historical practice background (Combattimento Consort, Amsterdam), which had a decisive effect on the period of his tenure at the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra, completely reshaping the sound of this provincial orchestra. This hybrid historical way of playing suits very well Schubert’s youth symphonies as recorded here with high spirited accounts of the first and third.

With such an impressive seventh, the almost unprecedented recording technique of Bert van der Wolf’s Northstar Recording Services, and depending on one’s personal take on Schubert, de Vriend’s release must now be reckoned to be amongst the very best available, trusting that the final installments (5, 6, and 8) will uphold the same high standard.

The liner notes give ample information and I was happy to learn from Jan Willem de Vriend’s bio that a recording of Mendelssohn’s concerti for two pianos is in the offing.