Conductor
Klaus Mäkelä was already surrounded by heavy publicity, and his elevation to the music directorship of the
Chicago Symphony has only intensified it. Curious listeners haven't had a lot of recordings to choose from; there is some
Sibelius and a pair of early
Stravinsky recordings with the
Orchestre de Paris, of which this 2024 release is the second. Perhaps it was listener curiosity that propelled this recording onto classical best-seller lists in the spring of that year. What listeners get may not be what they expect from the charismatic young conductor; these are fairly low-key recordings of
Stravinsky and
Debussy. The good news is that concern over
Mäkelä possibly being overextended with all his high-profile assignments (he is also set to take over the
Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam) may be misplaced; the
Orchestre de Paris plays as if
Mäkelä had been on its podium for 30 years. In
Stravinsky's
Petrushka and especially in
Debussy's subtle, rhythmically difficult ballet
Jeux (1912), the orchestra is perfectly coordinated and sharp, and
Mäkelä wisely chooses the slimmed-down 1947 version of
Petrushka, which fits his style. On the other hand, this is definitely low-key
Stravinsky, and listeners should sample to see whether it accords with their tastes. The sharp Russian dance rhythms are taken straightforwardly, and even the strictest prude would be hard-pressed to object to the level of eroticism in
Debussy's
Prelude à l'après-midi d'un faune. Yet again, however, the opening of that piece is magical, with the solo flute seeming to hang in the air. It is not clear how
Mäkelä achieved this effect; seating placement may have had something to do with it, but one may be thankful that he did. One awaits further early 20th century music from this wunderkind, but at this point, it is already clear that his ability to control musicians twice or three times his age is not in question. ~ James Manheim
