Despite his having studied Suk’s Asrael Symphony with Vaclav Talich (who knew the composer personally), Charles Mackerras never made a studio recording. Happily, Supraphon was on hand to record this live performance from 2007.
As with other recordings made in a fruitful Indian summer shortly for his death, Mackerras leads the Czech Philharmonic in a powerful, idiomatic performance, full of rich color and depth of feeling that reflects his long experience with this composer. The music’s darker moods figure prominently in this reading, perhaps not surprisingly as Mackerras had recently lost his daughter to illness (the death of Suk’s wife, as well as that of his father-in-law Dvorák was the impetus for this composition). But the overall mood is mournful rather than angry, and by the end we are left with a sense of hard-won acceptance.
The Czech Philharmonic, having this music practically in its DNA, plays beautifully, rendering Suk’s very personal passages with great character. It’s perhaps ironic that the strongest competition today comes from artists far afield. Vladimir Ashkenazy’s dark and imposing version with the Helsinki Philharmonic and last year’s exciting version by the Malaysian Philharmonic led by Claus Peter Flor are both powerfully compelling, with the Flor especially offering more surface excitement than Mackerras (along with spectacular SACD sound). Supraphon’s recording, while very good, suffers a bit from the acoustic dampening endemic to live recordings.
Still, there are many passages–the aching strings in the second movement, the phantasmagorical woodwinds–where Mackerras exhibits rare mastery and depth, making his version a must-hear. Strongly recommended. [6/27/2011]
