Anton Bruckner (1824-1896)
Symphony No 4 in E-flat major WAB 104, ‘Romantic’ (2nd ed. 1878-1880 Nowak)
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/Domingo Hindoyan
rec. live composite, 19 January & 12 July 2023, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, UK
Onyx 4244 [67]
Having been very impressed by Domingo Hindoyan’s performance of Bruckner’s Seventh at the Big Bruckner Weekend in Gateshead in March (article), I was looking forward to hearing another of his live performances from last year. According to the cover note, “This recording was put together from rehearsals, a live concert at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall on 19 January 2023 and a patch session on 12 July 2023” – which seems like a sensible way of keeping costs down while retaining the immediacy of a live performance without any of its attendant accidents or intrusions.
Hindoyan’s tempi are on the conventional-to-slightly-faster side compared with my favourite versions of this edition hitherto, which is in line with a more modern approach to the score, and although I confess to preferring a slightly more leisurely manner, the momentum of the first movement after those magical opening horn calls is entirely persuasive and there is no shortage of grandeur in the cascading arpeggios beginning four minutes in, while the soft passages breathe an appropriate air of mystery. The first big climax at eight minutes is really impressive and at no point do I feel Hindoyan’s grip on the structure slackening. There is ample weight in the tutti sections; the acceleration beginning 15:47 is deftly handled and the coda is highly energised. The RPLO plays like a world-class orchestra – which it is.
The Andante is measured and stately, although the pellucid recording reveals quite a bit of ambient rumble in the hall, perhaps discernible only to those listening on headphones. Otherwise, the balances in the recorded sound are ideal; there is absolutely no extraneous noise. Hindoyan maintains a nice sense of flow to the slow march and an attentive listener will appreciate how carefully he grades dynamics such that the true climax of the movement at 13:54 is not pre-empted; the delicacy of the pizzicato figure is transmuted into a triumphant paean before the quiet, enigmatic conclusion – beautiful.
The ‘Hunt’ Scherzo is ideally executed and again one notices how skilfully Hindoyan ensures that each progressive high point slightly exceeds the preceding one, such that each wave of sound is more dominant than the last; in contrast, the quiet pastoral interludes of the Trio are charming. Kudos to the bank of horns here, too.
The finale is really full-on and thrilling; the orchestra makes such a voluptuous sound and Hindoyan’s buoyant, propulsive sense of rhythm ensures the listener’s constant engagement through what can be a rambling movement. The sheer noise they make for a whole minute from 5:50 through to 6:50 is a treat in itself but the ensuing andante passage is equally engaging – and again, the horns are especially impressive. As with the Scherzo, each climax is more energised than the last until the movement concludes in a peroration as grand as any I have ever encountered. Wonderful.
A brief but pithy introductory note by John Williamson presents a neat overview of the composer in general and this specific work.
There are now so many excellent recordings of this symphony that I cannot in all honesty say that this is necessarily outstanding – but it is completely satisfactory in every way and anyone encountering this symphony for the first time in this recording will be richly served.
Ralph Moore
(This review is reproduced here by kind permission of The Bruckner Journal.)
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