Huang Yi conducting the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, a performance of Beethoven's Fourth Symphony.....
Nobody will mistake the Shanghai Symphony for the Berlin Philharmonic (the size of the orchestra and the hall it performs in is an indicator that it's a relatively low-budget operation), but Mr. Yi gets some spirited and disciplined playing from this band, with a cohesiveness that is often lost with the more glamorous acts..... Most importantly, Yi puts out a superlative read on the B-4, the performance capturing the lyricism that is a hallmark with this particular work. Yi lets this piece move on its own momentum, nothing is forced, and the Shanghai players put forth a solid, if not spectacular show. The melodic line and articulation take a back seat to none.
Sure the Dudamel/Berlin might be more explosive in the opening movement, and Rico Saccani may be more electric in the last two movements, but this a solid performance from start to finish. This performance shows that Beethoven's Fourth symphony is one of the most underappreciated works in the standard repertoire. (Of the Beethoven Symphonies, I only like the 9th, 7th, and 2nd more than the 4th.)
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