Now let’s get Jupiter down from his Olympus, Gordan Nikolic must have said to himself as he conducted Mozart’s 41st Symphony into the Tacet microphones set up around him. The recording is Real Surround Sound, which means the listener sits in the middle of the music and hears the strings in front, the winds more in the middle, and the bright winds even more in the back. The effect is enchanting, as it displays the sound very clearly. But let’s get to the interpretation. Nikolic strips it of all solemnity, all pomp, and conducts lightly and casually. No, not in the way you might think. His tempos are not fast and rushing, on the contrary, but it is the textures that make the symphony youthful and fresh. In the 39th Symphony, the conductor does no differently, serving us a fresh and buoyant interpretation in the fast movements. The particularly gentle and lovely Andante is also remarkable.
Remy Franck<< back