★★★★☆ Better than Gergiev's Brahms cycle, but still not back to greatness

Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique and Waverly Overture

Perhaps in preparation for his upcoming post with the Munich Philharmonic, Gergiev has lately turned to the traditional romantic repertoire with the LSO.  He just finished his Brahms symphony cycle and now he's back to Belioz's Symphonie Fantastique, a decade after recording it with the Vienna Philharmonic.  Unfortunately, I found the Brahms set to be a great disappointment and I've worried that he is sacrificing too much of his own personality in an attempt to adapt with the romantic style.

The work opens with a soft hush, Gergiev almost tip-toeing his way through the opening lines.  Unlike Jansons in a thrilling recording earlier this year, Gergiev doesn't have an overriding air of spookiness.  He prefers a sense of classical refinement, with intrinsic sensitivity.  As the movement develops, Gergiev slowly warms up, although he's still surprisingly unaggressive, without taking advantage of the potential swirling, jagged sounds.  The execution is great, just rather timid.

We enter the 2nd movement's Ball with a gentle swagger.  The mood is subdued and not overtly mysterious, although Gergiev's phrasing is beautiful with its own air of unsettledness.  I still wonder if it's too reserved, though.  Once again, Gergiev seems to be understated, perhaps trying to acclimate himself with the traditional style?  If so, I wonder if the idea is backfiring.  

Gergiev does have a gift of sustaining interest in slow movements.  He was best in the inner movements in his Brahms cycle, and here the Scene aux champs flows effortlessly.  He doesn't match Jansons for underlying drama, but it's an accomplishment to achieve freshness.  The mood continues to be predominately gentle and the LSO plays with sincerity.  It's really the antithesis of Jansons' reading, though.  Jansons was decidedly modernist, while Gergiev finds his beauty in refined classicism.  

Most conductors compete to sound frightening and menacing in the March to the Scaffold, and thankfully Gergiev allows himself to bite into notes, leaving aside much of his restraint.  Fundamentally, this is still conservative-sounding Berlioz, but there's an inner energy that grabs the ear.  For the first time, the orchestra seems to be let loose, and the brass and timpani in particular are outstanding.  

The finale is a wild ride of abandon that was revolutionary in its day, leaving room to question the validity of Gergiev's seriousness.  He is far from mundane, though, and the LSO plays with vigor and compelling virtuosity.  Is this truly a standout interpretation in the way that Jansons' was earlier this year?  I'm not convinced, as much as I admire Gergiev for finally entering the realm of visceral energy.  It's thrilling and involving while stopping short of greatness.

I'm new to the Waverly Overture, but Gergiev is convincing and moves with spontaneity.  The music isn't thrice familiar like the Symphonie Fantastique, so I'm not sure if the added sense of novelty is due to the music or Gergiev.  I'm inclined to credit Gergiev, though; in any event, the playing is exuberant. 

A rather mixed review, then, since I admire many aspects of Gergiev's conducting yet find him too conservative throughout much of this recording.  In fairness, this disc is substantially better than his Brahms set, helping paint a brighter picture for his future.  On the other hand, I think this reading falls short of Gergiev's previous reading with the Vienna Philharmonic.  And the sound of the Barbican only makes the LSO sound more dry, making the music less luscious.  One looking for a new recording of this work should plump for Jansons' stellar account with the Bavarian Radio Symphony, which has a more involving interpretation in addition to the better playing and sound.