Missing Mariss, all is not lost
Album Of The WeekFrom the Lebrecht Album of the Week:
Just how much we miss Mariss Jansons is manifest in this Munich concert of three sacred works. Jansons, who died in November 2019, aged 76, was not principally noted for religiosity or choral masterpieces, but his shaping of this triptych is so masterful that one can hardly imagine them presented with greater coherence or sincerity.…
Read on here.
En francais ici.
If only the BBC would release his Proms Heldenleben with the Pittsburgh Symphony, 25th August 1999. They have the recording in their archive. The Pittsburgh brass were on fire. It was a great, classic Proms evening, with Mahler thrown in to for extra atmosphere, sadness and nostalgia.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/events/en4zc8
There is no soprano solo in Symphony of Psalms.
I have great respect for the conducting of Jansons, and fond memories of an exciting performance of Shostakovich 5 with Cleveland. But the Symphony of Psalms on this recording is dull and smoothed over. No comment on the other two pieces, since I don’t know them.
A first rate conductor certainly. One of the best of the recent decades.
But one of the greats? Not so sure…
Much less known as he recorded little (perhaps Mravinsky made sure of that?) was his father Arvids Jansons whose many concerts with the Halle were inspirational. Sadly, he died too young, in the Midland Hotel.
Heck, I miss him just for his Shostakovich.