|
Back
11/05/2026
“Beethoven Extended”
Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphonies n° 5 in C minor, opus 67, & n° 7 in A major, opus 92
Insula Orchestra, Pablo Gutiérrez Ruiz (concertmaster), Insula Camerata, Laurence Equilbey (conductor)
Recording: Auditorium Patrick Devedjian, La Seine Musicale, Boulogne-Billancourt, France (September 2025 and February 2026) – 69’ 77
harmonia mundi HMM 902418 (Distributed by [integral]) – Booklet in French, English and German
 
With the 200th anniversary of his death to be observed in 2027, admirers of Ludwig van Beethoven may be looking for new ways to approach his music without compromising historical authenticity. To meet this need, we are invited to look no further than “Beethoven Extended”, an album that revives the practice of the double orchestra. In this recording, conductor Laurence Equilbey leads the Insula Orchestra and Insula Camerata—two separate ensembles performing, often simultaneously—in performances of Beethoven’s Symphony n° 5 and Symphony n° 7.
Double orchestras were once the rage, taking advantage of musicians who flooded into cities and towns during festival seasons. A craze for double orchestras swept through Italy during the Baroque era, but there was another wave of enthusiasm in the late classical era in London, a period in which Beethoven was learning the craft of symphonic composition. Before the invention of surround sound, this was a method for increasing richness of texture and volume that could be heard over long distances.
Equilbey, who is also founder, musical and artistic director of these ensembles, knows that Beethoven enjoyed the occasional unexpected blast of sound in his works. Now this strategically amplified music is recorded for us to enjoy.
And enjoy it I did. In her booklet notes, the conductor explains how she was able to enrich the sound (and to my mind, the meaning of the sound) by doubling the orchestra during tutti passages (when all the musicians are instructed to play together). The result is very smooth and more than commanding for today’s volume-hungry audiences. For best effect, the two orchestras must consist of superior musicians and a leader of exceptional insight, endurance and stamina. You can add “sound judgment” to that list as well. All of these qualities are present in this recording.
There is only one difficulty and that is when the musicians are not playing tutti, and a single phrase or solo passage is heard. After the robust musical doubling with all the performers engaged, the non‑doubled portions can sound pale by comparison. If I were reviewing this album unaware of the double orchestra, I would probably berate the conductor for allowing the ensemble to “drown out” the lighter passages. But, as I am aware of the doubling effect and the reasons behind it, I do not feel inclined to complain.
The choice of these two highly familiar symphonies is a good one. They are works that can be played in a bombastic manner with timpani and drumsticks slicing through the air. Or they can shine thoughtfully in contemplative reserve. So many extremes, yet all cradled in an expression of controlled passion: the coolness of reason on one hand, a blazing bonfire of emotion on the other.
The double orchestra effect works especially well with performances on period instruments (as they are here), lending heft and attitude during those passages when the two orchestras merge. I found the tutti passages appropriate for both historical and contemporary incursions, especially with one additional element: Equilbey must have sensed the necessity of this add-on as well, as she herself wrote and contributed that item, namely, a well-written explanatory booklet. I hold to the philosophy that art can, and perhaps should, be well appreciated on its own terms, without explanation or fancy window-dressing. But there is no doubt that commentary can help us listen with greater understanding and insight, as the popularity of pre‑concert conversations has proven around the world.
Do I want all performances of Beethoven to follow the double orchestra model? No, of course not. But it adds much that is fresh and delightful, especially when we know in advance just what to expect.
Linda Holt
|
