In Rome, springtime has arrived early, musically accompanied by Lorenzo Viotti. The Swiss conductor, currently in charge of the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra and Dutch National Opera, returned to the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia three years after his debut on the Roman podium. On this occasion, Viotti proposed a triptych of titles inspired by the season of love and rebirth.
It was impossible not to start with Schumann's delightful Symphony no. 1 in B flat major – also known as “Spring” since the work was originally inspired by an ode to spring by Adolf Böttger – which the conductor paired with Debussy's symphonic suite Printemps and a composition never before performed by the Santa Cecilia, Zemlinsky's cantata, Frühlingsbegräbnis (The Funeral of Spring).
It was with the appropriate spirit and required firmness that Viotti approached the Schumann. From the first bars of the Andante un poco mosso, he showed his ability to navigate the complex construction of the work, which is not based on thematic conflict – as typical in Schumann – but on the continuous and rapid introduction of melodic and rhythmic elements, as well as sudden changes of key. The introduction of the second theme would perhaps have deserved a more delicate and softer sound, but these were qualities that Viotti allowed to fully emerge in the Larghetto, among the most evocative pages composed by Schumann. The best moments, however, came in the Scherzo, where, through the humorous exchanges between strings and woodwinds, Viotti fully demonstrated his engagement, and then in the Allegro animato e grazioso. It was here that the colour of the orchestra fully unfolded.
Printemps is a work that bears the marks of the composer’s youth. In this symphonic suite, divided into two parts (Très modéré and Modéré), Debussy experiments with ideas that would later find a more defined path; consider, for instance, the introduction, which almost foreshadows the Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune. Nevertheless, it remains an engaging composition, offering great interpretative potential. For me, it was the true surprise of the evening, Viotti fully capturing the richness and warmth of the orchestral textures, delivering moments of deep emotion. The intricate interplay of timbres, on which this Dionysian dance for the awakening of nature is built, was conducted with both balance and the right sense of proportion.
Less convincing was the performance of Frühlingsbegräbnis. This cantata for soprano, baritone, choir and orchestra was composed in 1896 to a text by Paul Heyse. It unfolds as a multi-episode journey, musically depicting the procession of woodland creatures making their way to Spring’s grave. Viotti once again offered the audience some beautiful moments, but overall, the orchestral colours felt too homogenous, lacking the nuances that could have made this funeral truly evocative. The solo voices performed very well: the soprano Siobhan Stagg was highly moving, while baritone Oleksandr Pushniak was particularly effective in the most passionate and dramatic section of the cantata, the woodpecker’s funeral oration. As always, the Santa Cecilia Choir provided an excellent demonstration of its qualities.
