Fono Forum: outstanding.
Michael Gielen's reading of Four Pieces for Orchestra is notably different from those of Pierre Boulez, Leon Botstein, and David Robertson. Whereas they emphasize the beauties of Bartók's orchestration, Gielen probes deeply, uncovering awesome dramatic power. Connections to Bartók's stage works become obvious: The second movement Scherzo could be inserted into The Miraculous Mandarin with nary a hiccup (Four Pieces was written prior to The Mandarin, but orchestrated after it), and the finale, Marcia funebre, an epilogue to Bluebeard's Castle. Suddenly Four Pieces, usually considered a Romantic early effort, becomes pure Bartók.
After which, the 1908 First Violin Concerto seems a treacly mess, youthful indulgence in romantic excess. Not even Gielen can rescue the opening Andante sostenuto. He does make a case for the Allegro giocoso, finding a certain sincerity and dignity in its calmer moments and wallowing in the few explosive outbursts. Christian Ostertag fiddles to perfection throughout.
