Search - Berlioz, Bychkov, Pso :: Symphonie Fantastique

The young Bychkov was always interesting

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 10/23/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Thanks to a rash of new SACD recordings from Cologne, where Semyon Bychkov conducts the well-regarded radio orchestra, he may be coming into his own once more. This CD dates from his meteoric rise as a young maestro, roughly from 1989 to 1993. At that time Bychkov had a recording contract with Philips and two major orchestas -- the Orchestre de Paris and the Berlin Phil. -- at his disposal. I dodn't know what happened to bring about his fall, because to my ears Bychkov was always interesting, and his Shostakovich recordings still rank among the best.



He's not on fire here, however. Bychkov's ability to avoid routine readings is immeditely evident in a beautifully shaped Roman Carnival Over. that emphasizes relaxed elegance, as opposed to Munch's runaway excitement. In the main work, Symphonie fantastique, there's tons of competition, needless to say. Bychkov doesn't find any original things to say. Even so, his ability to shape each movement is quite satisfying -- once again he remains on the elegant side. Many fanciers of this work want maximum sound effects in the various delirious scenes, so Bychkov won't be meat for them.



In the end, I remain dedicated to his early career, and despite his plunge into relative obscurity during the following decade, I hope Bychkov finds his footing again as a world-class conductor."