This collection of Boulez conducting Webern (now subsumed as part of his second 'complete' Webern edition--it isn't complete, though it's more so than the first) concentrates on early works and arrangements of works by other composers. Accordingly, it's an ideal introduction to Webern for those who are afraid of atonal music.The Passacaglia was Webern's first published work, and is a striking essay in late Romanticism. This work is bursting at the seams with suppressed energy and chromatic lyricism, and Boulez and the Berlin Phil let rip here. It's not the more subtle reading that Webern's later scores merit, but I think the overheated interpretation is entirely appropriate to this work.
The Five Movements are one of Webern's early atonal pieces--there are still occasional hints of tonal harmony here--and we hear the lush transcription for string orchestra rather than the original version for string quartet. Here, Boulez's more romantic approach is more of a mixed blessing--the first movement gains from the extra broadness but the finale is a little slack.
The Six Pieces are the last works Webern wrote before turning to hyper-concise forms in the Four Pieces for Violin and Piano. Once again, there are still a few hints of tonal harmony in these pieces, particularly the powerful monolithic funeral march (the last such work in Webern's entire oeuvre) that forms the fourth piece of the set. I slightly prefer Boulez's earlier recording of this--the extra tightness of ensemble outweighs the broader sound for me.
The disc then moves onto arrangements. Webern's orchestration of Bach's Ricercare a 6 from the Musical Offering is one of his finest achievements. The melodies move from one instrument to another every few notes, creating an ever-changing coruscating range of colour. This is one of the few arrangements that really add to the original work--what we here is not Bach or Webern but a fusion of the two, both at their best. Both of Boulez's recordings are basically the same, clear and crisp, avoiding the lushness that other conductors have brought to this work.
Less ambitious is the orchestration of Schubert's German Dances. Unlike the Bach transcription, Webern here avoids writing in his own style and instead opts for a generically classical style. The work is thus a touching homage to Schubert, but it is not as powerful as the Bach.
Finally, Im Sommerwind is a early unpublished nature idyll in the style of Wagner or Strauss. It will probably appeal to fans of late Romanticism, but I found it left me somewhat cold, even though it is surprisingly well-written for a 20-year-old.
This would make an excellent introduction to Webern from the point of view of a lover of late Romanticism. Convinced Webern fans may be less attracted.
