If Beethoven's symphonies benefit from being performed by small orchestras, then it should come as no surprise that the exceptional Orchestra di Padove e del Veneto offers something new to these masterpieces. Through its concentrated tone, agility, and clarity, this chamber orchestra treats Beethoven as a Classical composer, decidedly closer to Mozart in spirit than to Wagner; and the immediacy of the ensemble's sound is accordingly more ingratiating than awe-inspiring. Under
Peter Maag's scrupulous direction, details emerge that are fresh and sometimes startling, even if the scores seem overly familiar. Beethoven's orchestration, often regarded as average, is explored in depth, and the distinctions between timbres are emphasized, not blended away. Furthermore,
Maag allows each work to stand on its own historical merits and avoids anachronistic guesses at Beethoven's intentions. The Symphony No. 2 is buoyant and brusque, and
Maag and the orchestra play it with charm and vitality, clearly aligning it to the Symphony No. 1 in mood and purpose and not in urgent anticipation of the innovative "Eroica." Similarly, the Symphony No. 4 is allowed its own identity -- amorous, witty, and exuberant -- without a hint of things to come in the intensely dramatic Symphony No. 5. The recorded sound is acceptable, if a little thin at times.