The counterpoint of character of the second movement, which places a dotted-rhythm martial march beneath a lyrical song may have symbolic significance, representing the spirit of the patron, Count Franz von Oppersdorff, who battled debilitating physical ailments, and the threat of war that hung gloomily over Europe during the Napoleonic Wars. This symphony follows “Fidelio” by only a few years, and, with the right treatment, a clear incidental-music quality is revealed. Gradually, though, the music reveals affective echoes of the introduction, but these clarifying connections need to be nudged to the forefront, and Francis and all-stars were able to set the dramatic details of the first movement into relief. The symphonies are less easily corralled into Beethoven’s stylistic periods than either the string quartets or piano sonatas, and while the Fourth Symphony dates from 1806, the same year as the “Razumovsky” Quartets, the Violin Concerto and the “Appassionata” sonata, it is perhaps the least-known of the symphonies, overshadowed by the preceding one and the following two.Īt first hearing, the menacing darkness of the opening seems to have little to do with the ensuing Allegro. Extended, vaulting passages of non-legato writing for the clarinet were dazzling in Allakhverdyan’s performance, as he soared over and through the ensemble with alacrity and power.īeethoven’s Fourth Symphony remains something of an enigma. For the first time, outbursts of minor and diminished chords appear to darken the sky, and these caprices of mood were thoughtfully emphasized by tutti and soloist. The Rondo finale is conversational in a way the other movements are not. Allakhverdyan’s masterful control of his instrument’s sound let him highlight precisely that edgeless, luminous timbre that Mozart so admired. Virtually no other instrument in Mozart’s music, including his own piano, seems to be chosen so specifically for its timbral qualities.
The sublime Adagio was taken at an ideal tempo, barely riding the edge of repose, allowing Allakhverdyan to glide on instrumental updrafts in the orchestra. His ability to shape dynamics was especially compelling. Soloist Boris Allakhverdyan sculpted phrases with a mix of polish and muscularity. Late Mozart reveals Bach’s influence, and the brief but vital episodes of imitative counterpoint in the first movement were rendered with clarity and momentum. Fortunately, conductor Francis highlighted the subtle details waiting here.