Mozart: Symphonies 35/36, Violin Concerto no. 3 • Emelyanychev

I really liked the debut album in this series from Il Pomo d’Oro and Maxim Emelyanychev. This album continues the strong start to the series, featuring two symphonies and the third violin concerto, soloed by Aylen Pritchin.

Violin Concerto

The director and violinist have already collaborated on an earlier album. While not a strict HIPP violinist, the approach here is historically-tempered. The orchestra and violinist both project a period-sound insofar as timbre. I very much like Pritchin’s sound, although he’s not using a wide vibrato, there’s a kiss of it enough to liven his tone. The balance of violin against orchestra is excellent.

Things are less successful for me in the second movement. I’ll admit this not my favorite movement, feeling that the piece can really sag if it’s too slow. There’s just a bit too much going on with Pritchin’s sound. I can’t say what Mozart would have expected this to sound like, and it’s not that it’s a bad sound. It’s just somewhere in between a flatter period tone and what almost comes across here as nervous with the small touch of vibrato.

The third movement has excellent bounce. The clarity of the recording, the intimate presentation, despite the orchestra’s size, and again, the balance between soloist and ensemble, all add to the attractiveness of this performance.

Symphonies

No. 35, the Haffner, is presented first. The orchestra is tight. Enough youthful energy comes forth to dupe us into thinking, just maybe, that the boy genius composer is at the helm? Of course not, but Emelyanychev is experienced but still looks young. Aparte made this recording in Padua, and I can’t say if it’s the hall or the engineers, Ambroise Helmlinger and Hugo Scremin? But this recording sounds nearly ideal in terms of dynamics, the color of the winds, and bass presence. The reverb gives us theater vibes, but the presentation is very clear.

We are of course somewhat jaded in our understanding of Mozart due to the movie Amadeus (no shade for what Will Sharpe will bring to the composer). But it’s hard to believe the man didn’t have a sense of humor, given the opening melody of his second movement in the Haffner. It’s got that touch of fancy that Il Pomo d’Oro gives us, without shame, and without trying to come off as polite. Emelyanychev doesn’t so much go to humor in the third movement, but I love how he makes the full-ensemble theme come across in the Menuetto, strong as we might want, with that little pause that reminds us the composer, if it wasn’t humor, had a personality. This music has personality.

The final movement feels too fast and like a bad idea. Feelings aside, I loved it! They have the chops to play that loud and dynamically.

The Linz symphony I’m less a fan of than the Haffner. It’s different in that it opens with a slower introduction; it adds weight to the overall design. In the second statement of the main theme after the tempo switches, the big tomato nearly makes us jump out of our seats with their weight. They seem to be channeling a trick from Haydn here.

The Mannheim rockets are set aflame in the last movement. The liner notes mention that the period in which these symphonies were written was a good time for Mozart; the optimism in this final movement is clearly brought to life by these musicians.

I do not plan on reviewing all the installments of this traversal of Mozart’s symphonies from Il Pomo d’Oro, but this new recording would easily be my go-to for nos. 35 and 36. The playing is tighter and far more dynamic, than say, my reference, the set made some years ago by Pinnock’s English Concert. The palpable freshness is enhanced with excellent sound capture and mastering.

I think the violin concerto rounds out this 80 minute album well for a good concert experience; I might recommend Isabelle Faust’s Mozart concertos directed by Antonini is a set for those who a more solid period sound from the soloist, although it can’t compete with this album for the sound.