EUROPEAN TOUR — MARCH 2007

 
Everyone who attended the concert was delighted. Delighted with Beethoven's “Egmont" Overtureper formed as real, dramatic stage music, powerful, rough and wild. ... A fresh, young, cheerful and dynamicper formance full of joy that exploded in three encores full of verve and tenderness following Schumann´s third Symphony with a juicy Rubato and a delightful fourth movement.
... (Renaud Capuçon) is an emphatic and fiery violinist. And not only in his devoted encore, Kreisler's song of Gluck's Orpheus. How Capuçon sings Bruch's long melodies in a wonderfully buoyant manner, how he integrates every harsh outburst while keeping up their very own fresh expressiveness — that's musicality on the highest level and a compelling view of the whole work.

The reputation of the Swedish Chamber Orchestra hasn't been restricted to its home country for some time now. In 1997 conductor Thomas Dausgaard took over the orchestra and ever since then the ensemble gained attention through its tours and recordings. The latest release of their cycle with Beethoven's complete orchestral works features Symphony No. 8 coupled with six overtures. With the recording of Schumann´s second and fourth symphony the orchestra has also embarked on a new CD series which will explore the romantic symphonic re per toire up to and including Bruckner. What immediately springs to mind when listening to each of these new releases is the emphasis on the wind instruments and the energy of the interpretation. At the Tonhalle in Zurich the guests introduced themselves with Beethoven's “Egmont" overture. In connection with the visual impression it became obvious how Dausgaard raises the energy of his orchestra. Whenever he needs an increase in the tension he stands in wide stance, with extended arms, palms up and throwing demanding stares at his musicians who cannot but react accordingly. In Dvorák's Symphony No. 6 Dausgaard kept the idea going of a constant change, pushing forward.

Applause rarely lies. The “Rheinische" was just what the audience in the Dresdner Frauenkirche had hoped for. On Saturday this popular symphony by Schumann closed the debut of the wonderful Swedish Chamber Orchestra. Such a fine string sound is equally rare as the enjoyable playing with the God-given acoustic in that place. Thomas Dausgaard, who has been the orchestra's Music Director for ten years now, apparently is looking for chances like this. He sent brisk tempos and lively dynamics out into the room.  Its answer on the other hand seemed to inspire him to even further climaxes: in the “Feierlich" movement he compressed the austere mingling of melodies that was characterized by wind instruments to a high, almost sublime intensity.

 
In this country the Swedish Chamber Orchestra is still an insider's tip. But judging from its recentper formance in Berlin this will definitely change in due course. This was an ensemble that is undoubtedly heading towards world class. The orchestra plays nearly everything from classical to modern re per toire. It doesn't only look for the lesser known works — like it did with the recording of the complete orchestral works by Joseph Marin Kraus. It also just completed a CD series featuring Beethoven's complete orchestral works. The musicians obviously are not afraid of their big competitors, and they don't have to be.
 
Antonín Dvorák's Sixth Symphony is one of the most melodic works by this composer but it tends to lose focus during its 40 minutes playing time. There are a couple of recordings that occasionally suffer from boredom. Nothing of that during theper formance of the Swedish Chamber Orchestra. Thomas Dausgaard showed what lies hidden in that symphony. Just by chosing a smaller instrumentation the wind instruments could be heard — and with them a couple of details that we at best know from reading the score because it usually disappears under the dominance of the strings. From the first until the last note the symphony was exciting and almost unpredictable. Of course Dausgaard savoured the bacchanal, idyllic moments and the never ending melancholy and images of nature. But then he started to really bear his teeth: He celebrated embracing progressions but also real breaks and edges. There was everything from almost inaudible whis per ing to explosions. Dvorák is on the list for the next recording; we can all look forward to that.
 

 
Håkan Hardenberger, the trumpet player from Malmö, doesn't need to show off with his instrument (even though he very well could), he can even allow himself a little understatement. His intonation is brilliant anyway, the phrases swing easily and force is not necessary. Instead he displays playfulness and wit that is so important in Joseph Haydn's Trumpet Concerto and even more in HK Gruber's MOB pieces. Wonderful to listen to in the Tonhalle on Monday.
 
Hardenberger was supported by the Swedish Chamber Orchestra under Thomas Dausgaard. The sound of the young ensemble might sometimes lack a unity and tenderness -  these attributes aren´t its greatest qualities but then neither are they the ensemble´s goal.  It sounds strong, vital, full of energy and zest and then, in the solo parts, beautiful, too. In short: it has character.
 
This is a plus for the “Egmont" overture as well as for Dvorák's Symphony No. 6 and especially for the encore: Sibelius' “Valse triste", so often played too languishingly, it suddenly gains a profound expression and melancholic darkness that you've never heard in the piece before.

 
Håkan Hardenberger thenper formed the “3 MOB Pieces" by HK Gruber on the highest possible level. Supported by livelyper cussion and aper fectly playing Swedish Chamber Orchestra, Hardenberger danced through the three jazzy pieces with breathtaking technique .... Whoever still wasn't convinced by the Swedish Chamber Orchestra by then surely made up their minds when Dausgaard interpreted Dvorák's Symphony No. 6. Again the conductor created a close dialogue and placed supporting voices that have never been heard next to the leading instruments. Nothing ended in itself though but served to demonstrate the contrapuntual density of the symphony. Under Dausgaard's direction imitating cues, canonical lines etc. could be heard everywhere. Next to pointing out all these little details he also knew how to create embracing climaxes. In a way that is beyond comparison he let the symphony flow and sometimes even push forward ... An exceptional interpretation thanks to the commitment of the musicians of the Swedish Chamber Orchestra.

Tobias Pfleger, 8 March 2007, www.klassik.com