Gossec, Vanhal, Mahaut, Kraus - Symphonies (Cappella Coloniensis, Hans-Martin Linde) (2009)

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Gossec, Vanhal, Mahaut, Kraus - Symphonies (Cappella Coloniensis, Hans-Martin Linde) (2009)

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The inaccurate and ineptly translated Wunderkind by a generation, and Mahaut was born 36 years before him. It’s not surprising that they share so little stylistically with the younger composer. What they do present are various solutions to the question of how to write a pleasing symphony at different stages of the Viennese and Parisian Classical traditions. Each succeeds, in his own inimitable way.

Gossec’s five-movement Symphony in B? is a relatively early work for this master who continued vigorously composing almost to his final days, at the age of 95 in 1824. One can hear in this music by a great experimenter the Mannheim rockets deployed after a deceptively tentative, downwardly walking theme in the first movement; a gallant, long-breathed Larghetto that includes elements of the passacaglia; a solemn, lengthy introduction, leading to a quirky Fugue; and a Minuet that finds sly humor in the alternation between elegance and heavy-footedness. The unusual harmonic richness and individuality of this work, as well as its easy adaptation to chamber orchestration, explains why the composer became a favorite in the early 1760s, his op. 5 symphonies quickly going through three editions, and his op. 6, two.

With Antoine Mahaut we step into an earlier sound world. All three movements of his String Symphony are in the Corellian style, though homophonic elements begin creeping into the second, a pastoral siciliano simply described here by its tempo, Andante. It’s an attractive piece by a composer largely overlooked, today.

Vanhal’s symphonies were noted for many of the same qualities found in Haydn’s early works: lyricism, energy, imagination, thematic economy, and structural unity (notable here between the first and final movements). He was highly regarded in Vienna in the 1760s, and paid according to his worth—enough, at any rate, to buy his way out of serfdom. This minor-key symphonic work was one of several composed during the same period by several composers. Only the Andante in 6/8 time, for solo violin and accompaniment, begins and stays in the major. The grim Minuet and frenetic pair of outer movements are notable both for their range of inspiration and elaborate construction.

The Symphony in C Minor, one of many by Kraus, is the only well-known work on the album. Contrary again to the liner notes, it does not begin “lost in thought,” with dissonant fragments that “prepare an atmosphere of languor and affliction.” It is instead an excellent example of a minor-key Classical symphony that glances back at Baroque grandeur, while possessing a chromatic, nervous sensibility pointing to Haydn’s own so-called Sturm und Drang works. Typically for Kraus, the development of his ideas is primitive for its time, while the ideas themselves are both prolific and striking.

All of these recordings have appeared before, in various combinations, on Capriccio releases, though I can find no indication that they have been previously reviewed in Fanfare . The strings of Cappella Coloniensis employ a vibratoless tone, while the instruments themselves are modern. These performances are precise, reasonably paced, and well balanced, though lacking in bite and clarity. They aren’t helped by a slightly distant, reverberant acoustic, often applied to vibratoless ensembles to compensate for—well, the lack of vibrato. The results are less clear and plusher than one would hope for. The sound is silky, but vitality is compromised to an extent.

While many recordings exist of the Kraus, however, and Vanhal is becoming increasingly well covered, the Mahaut and Gossec remain isolated in the current catalog. They’re fine examples of their kind; and if you want them, you’ll find no other versions at this time. Recommended, with reservations.
FANFARE: Barry Brenesal