Search - Franz Schubert, Hausmusik :: Octet in F for Strings & Winds

Brisk, lively, dramatic, with fine instrumental contribution

Discophage | France | 12/28/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Other than a recording made in the late 70s by the grand-pop' of all chamber ensembles performing on period instruments, the Collegium Aureum, on Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, Schubert's Octet had (to my knowledge) remained the exclusive game of modern instrument ensembles until the late 80s. Then within a few years came a spate of recordings on period instruments, starting with the Academy of Ancient Music (Schubert: Octet in F Major D803, Oiseau-Lyre), closely followed by the Atlantis Ensemble (Schubert: Octet by the Atlantis Ensemble or Octet by Schröder & Atlantis Ensemble, Virgin) and then this one, recorded in April 1990 by the London-based Hausmusik. One from the Aston Magna festival followed shortly after (Schubert: Octet Music from Aston Magna, Harmonia Mundi); and this flurry of recordings was finally topped off by the joined forces of L'Archibudelli and Mozzafiato on Sony, in 1995 (Schubert: Octet L'Archibudelli & Mozzafiato) - see my reviews for all these. This one by Hausmusik shares striking interpretive similarities with the earlier recording by the Academy of Ancient Music - no wonder, as both ensembles share three players: Pavlo Beznosiuk, from second seat in the former to first seat in this one, clarinettist Antony Pay and hornist Anthony Halstead - and it might have been four, as Monica Huggett, the Academy's 1st fiddler, is the usual first of Hausmusik as well: but somebody must have considered that it would have been a case of selling the same wine under a different name. Anyway, this octet by Hausmusik remains one of the best.



The sound of period strings and winds is not as dramatically different from modern instruments as that of the fortepiano compared to the modern grand. What one gains with them is an array of sound color that is more raw and vivid (and sometimes a string tone that by modern instrument standards would be called thin and sour). It also seems consistent, when one elects to play on such instruments, to reconsider the received notions of articulation, balance and particularly tempo, as there are good reasons to believe that an Allegro or an Adagio for Mozart or Schubert was significantly faster than what early 20th century tradition has passed on. Of course not all period instrument ensembles adopt brisk tempos (and not all modern ensembles or orchestras plod!), but Hausmusik is a good case in point for such a renewed and fresh approach, and I find the results particularly convincing.



At their hands the first movement's slow intro doesn't linger and is dramatically accented, and the ensuing Allegro is lively and dynamic, unrelentingly brisk, even urgent, with great rhythmic snap and vivid instrumental color (at 11:13 the bassoon's reedy tone almost likens it to a bagpipe), aptly conjuring echoes of the great C major (9th) symphony (try the passage at 9:07). It is reminiscent of the Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields first recording from 1977 (Octet, D.803 or Schubert: Great Chamber Works, Philips), one of my favorite on modern instruments, but those preferring a more genial and easy-going Schubert are likely to find the approach hard-pressed and inflexible. But there's no gainsaying the awesome virtuosity that the players command on their respective instrument, and their tonal production is much more honed and silky than what one is accustomed to hearing on period instruments. Halstead's's horn solo at 2:56 is particularly impressive, and as I have remarked with the other period instrument ensembles, bassoon and horn in their little dialogue at 12:05 sound so alike as to be almost undistinguishable; Beznosiuk's violin tone is commendably free of the sourness that marks some of his period instrument colleagues on other versions (Jaap Schröder from Atlantis and Daniel Stepner from Aston Magna come to mind).



The "Adagio" (2nd movement) is flowing and forward-moving, but with fine nuances and no loss of the long lyric line, making it all sound very natural and appeased. The solo contributions of violin, horn, cello and bassoon are again outstanding, and Pay's clarinet floats aloft, dream-like. True to Schubert's "Allegro vivace" tempo indication, the 3rd movement is brisk and boisterous, with cantering rhythms and a wonderful hunt-like horn. The tempo and general approach is similar to Kremer's on modern instruments (Schubert: Octet, DG - see my review), but with even more vivid instrumental alacrity. The ensemble commendably applies no slow down in the middle trio, which consequently is lively and full of zest.



The Ensemble's utterance of the fourth movement's theme doesn't linger and is fortunately devoid of the fussiness of phrasing that others apply to it, and a fine sense of tempo unity is maintained in the variations until the 6th (each variation is cued by the way). Var. 2 is forward-moving and firmly accented, and each solo contribution (violin in 2, horn in 3, cello in 4, clarinet in 5) displays again its respective player's richly romantic warmth of tone. Variation 5 is particularly felicitous, with its tango-like dramatic accents and pent-up menace, and variation 6, with the "white" sound of its vibratoless 1st violin, nicely conjures the atmosphere of a music box.



The Menuetto (5th movement) comes as a relief after the pedestrian to ponderous approaches of the Boston Symphony Chamber Players (Octet, Nonesuch), Academy of Saint Martin in the Field's second version (Schubert: Octet in F major, D. 803, Chandos), Aston Magna and Atlantis Ensemble. Tempo is brisk (and maintained in the central trio), character is march-like, joy is infectious. The carefree and merry trio finely conjures the atmosphere of a Viennese café terrace. And, at 5:51 in the coda, as if to remind us that even in Schubert's divine lengths this is still a world of human imperfection - the hornist misses a note. Until the Finale the approach of Hausmusik was strikingly similar to the interpretation of the Academy of Ancient Music from two years before. But whereas the latter's finale was genial and laid back, Hausmusik's is brisk and spirited, with vigorous accents and zestful winds.



Though a close call with L'Archibudelli and the Academy of Ancient Music, if I kept only one version on period instruments, this would probably be the one. It is now available 5 CD Box from Virgin, with recordings of Mozart, Beethoven, Hummel and Mendelssohn, that was released as a budget issue but apparently isn't any more on this website (I'm out of authorized links, see ASIN B0001ZM8TU).

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