Weber: Der Freischutz. (Opera And Oratorio).(Carl Maria Von Weber)(Sound Recording Review)

[] Schnitzer, Stojkovic; Pregardien, Zeppenfeld; Capella Coloniensis des WDR and WDR Rundfunkchor Koln, Weil. Text and translation. Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 05472 77536 2

The distinction of this Freischutz does not lie solely in its being a period-practice performance. Conductor Bruno Weil, citing the weakness of the libretto's dialogues, has opted to replace them with concise narrations in blank verse by novelist/playwright Steffen Kopetzky. The intent is to provide not a straight filling-in of the plot between musical numbers but a kind of running psychological subtext by the character of Samiel. Despite actor Markus John's simple, expository, gently ironic delivery, the pertinence of these elliptical musings, which do nothing to clarify or advance the story, remains unclear, and they sound jarringly out of place in the domestic Agathe/Annchen scenes, for example.

The period-instrument Capella Coloniensis brings the predictable gains in clarity, purging the textures of the heavy sanctimony suggested in other performances of this work, permitting wind detail to cut through nicely. The overture's clean, round-toned horn theme sings easily; here and in Max's aria, the shimmering clarinet magically transforms the mood. But for once, reduced numbers of strings don't mean a loss of quality: the sonority is firm, dark and solid, with the tremolando figures sprinkled through the score taut and incisive. Weil's characterful leadership, not settling for mere "correctness," brings out an unusual variety of mood--the strings evoke nature sounds in Agathe's big aria; the Act III entr'acte is playful, jubilant and ominous by turns--and uses the composer's ...