Gramophone August 2022

This article celebrates Artur Schnabel (1882-1951), one of the most significant pianists and pedagogues of the early 20th century. Born in Lipnik, Austria, and trained by Leschetizky (who had studied with Czerny, who studied with Beethoven himself), Schnabel was guided by the principle that the composer's text must be the performer's guide. He earned an authoritative reputation in the Austro-German canon, particularly Beethoven and Schubert, viewing performance as service to great music rather than self-display. Schnabel's playing was characterized by seamless phrasing, intense concentration, and an uncanny ability to individualize each note, though critics often noted his rushing and imperfect technical control. Despite being dubbed an 'intellectual' pianist, his playing combined luminous sound, melting cantabile, and romantic spontaneity. Schnabel came late to recording due to his resistance to freezing a single interpretation. His landmark 1932-37 project at Abbey Road Studios—the first-ever complete recording of all 32 Beethoven piano sonatas—proved revolutionary, shifting recording industry emphasis from showcasing performers to honoring the music itself, influencing countless subsequent complete recording projects.

Manfred Honeck explores Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 'Pastoral' with David Patrick Stearns, discussing his interpretive approach to this challenging work. Honeck, Music Director of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra since 2008, presents his new recording on the Reference label, clocking in at just over 41 minutes—quicker than Otto Klemperer's 1957 version at 46 minutes. He takes Beethoven's controversial metronome markings seriously while employing rubato, and uses varying degrees of vibrato and adjusted balances for repeated passages. Honeck interprets the symphony as 'one journey, one feeling with different variations,' rejecting the notion of the storm as climax. His Austrian heritage deeply informs his interpretations—he hears yodeling, identifies peasant dance rhythms with foot stamping, and connects personally to the shepherd's hymn. He sent musicians to YouTube to study actual bird calls that Beethoven named in the score, and added piccolo doublings so the birds can be heard. The article notes the recording is reviewed on page 32, positioning it as a significant new interpretation worth attention.

This August 2022 Gramophone feature profiles conductor François-Xavier Roth and his period-instrument ensemble Les Siècles as they release a new recording of Mahler's Fourth Symphony with soprano Sabine Devieilhe. Roth discusses his longstanding relationship with this intimate symphony, admitting he was initially intimidated by its apparent simplicity and structure before finding his interpretive approach. The article explores how Les Siècles' use of historically appropriate instruments—gut strings, period winds and brass—allows players to achieve the extreme dynamic shifts Mahler demanded, creating effects more pronounced than modern instruments permit. The conductor credits lessons learned from their earlier recording of "Titan" (an early hybrid version of the First Symphony) and discusses research into both instruments and the performance practices of Mahler's era. Roth also reflects on his conversations with Pierre Boulez about Mahler's unique approach to tempo and rubato, noting how the composer provides guidance through his scores while leaving deliberate mysteries unresolved. The feature highlights how Roth's extensive experience conducting contemporary music, including premieres of works by Lachenmann, Boulez, and Benjamin, informs his fresh perspective on the Austro-German repertoire.

This feature article profiles Anna Lapwood, an organist and conductor who serves as Director of Music at Pembroke College, Cambridge, appointed at age 21. The piece highlights her innovative approach to classical music outreach, particularly her successful use of social media—she garnered five million views on a Saint-Saëns video that sparked 90,000 people to engage with the organ. Lapwood also founded a girls' choir at Pembroke to provide opportunities traditionally harder to access for women, with 60 percent of members coming from state schools. The article explores her philosophy around music education, performance authenticity, and the democratization of classical music through streaming and social media, arguing that showing imperfection can inspire young musicians more effectively than polished perfection. It also describes recording sessions with the combined Pembroke choirs, including a Christmas release of modern repertoire featuring works by composers such as Melissa Dunphy.