Musa Italiana - Chailly

 Musa Italiana

Riccardo Chailly - Filarmonica della Scala

Mendelssohn
Symphony No 4 in A major, Op.90 (“Italian”); 1883/84 version
i. Allegro vivace
ii. Andante con moto
iii. Menuetto - Con moto grazioso
iv. Saltarello. Allegro di moto

Schubert
Overture in the Italian Style in D major, D.590
Overture in the Italian Style in C major, D.591

Mozart
Mitridate, re di Ponto, K.87 (74a) Overture
Ascania in Alba, K.111 Overture
Mozart Lucio Silla, K.135 Overture

With this release, Chailly continues his recording series with the Filarmonica della Scala, this being his sixth recording with them. The previous sets have all focused solely on Italian composers, and on the whole have been successful. The compilation of Overtures, Preludes & Intermezzi is one of the most interesting and rewarding of its type and his Respighi disc, while worthwhile for its rarities, is ultimately too pleasant and smoothly played, particularly at the climaxes; it lacked the smoking intensity found in Toscanini, Reiner and Tortelier's recordings.

With this disc, the focus now lies on the (so-called) "Italian" music from Germanic composers. Of course it had to feature Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony, a work so popular that it is not even Chailly's first recording of it. This is at least in much less popular 'revised' version, which has previously been recorded, rather soulessly, by John Eliot Gardiner and the Vienna Philharmonic. The revisions are mostly in terms of orchestration, and in fact the first movement remains completely unchanged. Much like his recent Brahms cycle, the symphony is characterised by fast tempos, very smooth string textures and a greater focus on woodwind timbre. Whilst the playing is perfect, the performance ultimately lacks the breath and flexibility and is so often missed in Mendelssohn.

The first movement starts promisingly, with bubbly woodwinds and flying tempos, but there is a lack of dynamic contrast in the counterstatement of the main theme, and the moto perpetuo development is somewhat lacking in tension. The second movement is not as fast as some, but it still feels like it lacks space, and the big Italian tune just doesn't sing the way they do in Abbado's Berlin recording. The main portion of the third movement is excellent, flowing and beautifully lyrical. But when we reach the trio, Chailly decides to add pointless crescendos in the horn part, which means that when Mendelssohn actually writes for a crescendo, the horns seem to simply meander around dynamics, ruining the phrasing of one of the symphony's most iconic moments. The finale is where we hear the most substantial of Mendelssohn's revisions. I don't think anyone would argue that this version is superior to Mendelssohn's original, but Chailly appears much more inspired and carries out a fresh and taut performance.

The Schubert Overtures are superb, and some of the best recordings of these works. Whilst it seems that Chailly is interpreting these works as if they were Rossini, it clearly works well for these pieces, and it would be interesting to hear how he would interpret some of his symphonies, particularly the 2nd and the 9th. The final three Mozart Overtures are even more of a rarity. The first two are fine, if not slight flat, but Lucio Silla is thrillingly played, and clearly a precursor to the overture from Don Giovanni. 

Overall, this is a disc that so desperately wants to be unconventional, that much of the music suffers. The overtures are on the whole brilliant, but are unlikely to be a revelation to anyone. Furthermore, if you are desperate to hear Mendelssohn's revision of the symphony, this performance is clearly preferred over Gardiner's.