Ring in the New Year with Rossini!

Oh gosh, a while back I posted a transfer of Luciano Sgrizzi performing the piano pieces comprising Rossini's late opus the "Sins from My Old Age." That transfer was immensely popular and I had numerous requests for the companion lp from Nonesuch which features the choral pieces. Well, here it is! Found it last weekend at the Goodwill and it is a near mint copy. What luck!

I can understand why this record won the coveted Grand Prix du Disque in 1965. It is a beautifully recorded, superbly prepared and a highly idiomatic reading of these gems from Rossini's salon soire years. I think it's  fitting to present it now since the record opens up with a salut to the New Year!

What strikes me most about these pieces is the invention behind them. Rossini was a great experimenter and he obviously loved the interplay between melody and accompaniment. This music captures your attention and really wraps itself around you, in a loving and comforting way. Maestro Loehrer leads elegant performances and he is fortunate to have Luciano Sgrizzi on board for his dazzling pianistic virtuosity. I have listened to this collection three times straight and each time, I hear something new and positively delightful!

Happy New Year!

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Piano Music of Latin America with Charles Milgrim

Here's one I forgot about. From 1967, on Epic's "Crossroads" label, we have some "off the beaten path" piano music from a number of Latin American composers. The pianist is Charles Milgrim of whom I know nothing other than he seemed to specialize in the piano repertoire of Central and South America.

Sit back, grab a glass of wine and a good book and, have a listen. Some cute little miniatures here.

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Morton Gould conducts music of Herbert and Ketelbey

A "Symphonic Serenade" for my distinguished colleague Buster at the  Big Ten Inch Record . Buster has posted some really nice work of Morton Gould in the past so here's my chance to reciprocate. Here we have Gould leading the Rochester "Pops" in light classical fare of Victor Herbert and Albert Ketelbey.

This is a fine collection led by an extremely talented and gifted man. Morton Gould was the alter ego of Leonard Bernstein, possessing the latter's immense musical gifts as a composer, conductor, musician, and impresario albeit in a more quiet, conservative and less controversial way. In fact, Gould bore many of the attributes of what would be characteristic of the finest "kapellmeisters" of the 18th century, that is patience, flexibility, endurance and consistent craftsmanship. Please note that I do not use "kapellmeister in a negative way, but rather as a tribute to Gould as I compare him to men like Bach, Telemann and Haydn. Gould could, quite simply, do it all and he did, being highly regarded as one of the leading American musicians of the mid to latter half of the last century. Lest not forget that Gould was practically a household name too!

We don't hear a lot of Herbert and Ketelbey and it is really too bad. Their music used to play an integral role in "pops" concerts but has since been displaced by others, often inferior, and its really too bad. The music on this album is very well crafted, tuneful and highly creative. Just listen to Herbert's "Suite of Serenades" and you'll get an idea of why this composer was one of the most famous and well regarded in his day. This piece brings the world in a rather cute way to the listener's doorstep.  Morton Gould's superb musicianship and ear for detail make this lp a real treat. You can hear the Rochester orchestra enjoying themselves and, so will you!

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The Music of Artur Schnabel

Artur Schnabel was a genius. I say this because, like the controversial John Cage, Schnabel recognized that the music was in the silence between the notes. What this means is that the greatest of artists know that the pause, the space, if done "right" creates the necessary "tension" that glues the music together. Nobody did this better than Schabel and the proof is in the pudding - if he never left anything behind other than the Beethoven "32" his place as one the greatest of recorded artists would be self assured.

Yes, Schnabel was a very great performing musician but, like another superb performing musician,Wilhelm Furtwangler, he thought of himself first and foremost as a creator, a composer. Indeed, Schnabel left behind a small but impressive catalogue however neglected it is today. Perhaps this is so because as a performer, Schnabel was supreme in the early romantics but his own compositions are anything but romantic; his works are highly indebted to his friend Schoenberg and their structure is at home in the second Viennese School.

From the original album notes on ML5447 by Cesar Saerchinger

Schnabel's String Trio of 1925 (for violin, viola and cello) is the last of four chamber works written during successive summer holidays from 1921 to 1925 and may be regarded as representative of his "middle" period. He was still under forty and in the midst of a highly successful European season as Germany's top-ranking pianist when he suddenly retired from the concert platform to spend the winter alone in a remote Austrian mountain village. Here he put his creative powers to a new and severe test — to explore the resources of the "linear" contrapuntal style, free from the current traditional harmonic conventions and rhythmic patterns, but also from the newly invented devices of atonality adopted by the radical contemporaries of the day. The result was the first movement of a new string quartet, his second, which was to be completed the following summer. It was a radical break with the past and specifically his own. And it was the beginning of what we now know as Schnabel's mature style.

This new and highly individual manner of writing was to produce some of his most remarkable works, including the third and fourth quartets as well as the String Trio of 1925. This work, though shorter and more concise than its immediate predecessors, constitutes the epitome of this chamber music group, and was the last to appear for over five years. It consists of three relatively short movements. The first (Allegro energico) is forceful and expressive, clear and characteristically rich in its contrapuntal design. The second (Larghetto) opens with a virtually diatonic two-voiced theme which combines stateliness with serenity. The same theme is quoted literally in the strong third movement (Vivacissimo), but in an entirely different light.

 When first performed by the International Society for Contemporary Music in Vienna, ten years after it was written, its composer was hailed by the critics as a "creative musician of power and originality." No other works of Schnabel had been heard in Vienna where he had spent his youth and "learned his trade."

The "Duodecimet"  1950 is, as its name implies, a piece for twelve voices, or parts. According to sketchy indications in the manuscript score, and the nature of the music itself, it is meant for twelve solo instruments — strings, wind instruments and percussion. It is Schnabel's last composition, finished one year before his death, at Axenstein (Switzerland) within sight of Lake Lucerne and the mountains beyond it — a view "beautiful beyond description" in Schnabel's own words.

 These four short movements, as close to abstract music as he had ever written, seem nevertheless to reflect the beauty of the idyllic scene. In them the composer achieved what he had long striven for: the utmost freedom in melodic, rhythmic and polyphonic design and expression. The first movement is a vigorous, moderately fast Introduzione; the second, presumably slow, is followed by a Scherzo and an Epilogue (moderato).

 The whole work is characteristic of what Krenek calls "Schnabel's peculiar kaleidoscopic technique of motivic design," i.e., each movement has its characteristic melodic unit which appears again and again to form ever new combinations. While this use of a tone-group in ever-changing juxtaposition may be reminiscent of the so-called "twelve-tone" technique used by certain contemporary composers, it is important to remember that Schnabel regarded this or any prescribed method or system as incompatible with complete freedom of invention.

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Menahem Pressler plays Debussy

Here's some wonderful solo piano playing by a remarkable man, Menahem Pressler. Known primarily for his incredible 55 year tenure as the pianist of the Beaux Arts Trio, Pressler excels in the highly individual solo sound world of Claude Debussy. This MGM monaural record dates from the late 50's

When you think about it, 55 years of excellence in such an intimate ensemble as a trio is downright astonishing! Pressler was the anchor of the Beaux Arts Trio and during its run, this trio was probably the best and most consistently fine of its time. We think so highly of Pressler's work as a chamber musician that his work as a soloist is all but neglected. And its a shame because in Debussy, he is in complete sympathy with the writing and his artistry really shines out here. I would characterize Pressler's playing as clean, unfussy, honest and forthright. His tone is beautiful and fingerwork immaculate.

I will have more from Pressler in Bartok in coming weeks.

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Music of Ravel conducted by Pedro de Freitas Branco

Today, the 1954 Westminster issue of the album above and then some. Awarded a Grand Prix du Disque, this is a terrific hour spent in Ravel's sound world. The Champs Elysees Theatre Orchestra is conducted by the fine Portuguese conductor, and father of Portuguese orchestral conducting, Pedro de Freitas Branco.

This lp piqued my interest when I picked it up a couple weeks ago. I had heard of the conductor's brother Luis, the composer, but the former was a mystery to me. Catching my eye was the seal on the lp cover signifying a Grand Prix du Disque so I thought it would be a a worthwhile purchase for a couple bucks. Am I glad I bought this one!

The interpretations are highly individual and stunning. Obvious to me is the great care that Freitas Branco has given to each composition. He makes the most out of Ravel's brilliant orchestrations and brings out details that are often glossed over. The dynamic range of each piece alone is hugely impressive! In addition, the Champs Elysees orchestra, though a second tier ensemble at best, provides the conductor with highly idiomatic and focused playing. This theatre orchestra is giving it their all and they are entralled by the presence of a a very fine conductor whom they hold in high respect. Munch, Paray and Martinon of course bring a special authority to Ravel but Freitas Branco makes you sit up and take notice in these gripping readings. No wonder this lp was awarded the coveted Grand Prix du Disque!

What a pleasant discovery! I'll have more "colorful" French music shortly with Menachem Pressler in Debussy.

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Arthur Mendel leads Schutz's Weihnachts Historie

I was most fortunate to find this important REB issue of musicologist Arthur Mendel conducting Schutz's "A Christmas Story." From 1950, it is a performance which most definitely heralds the beginning of a new movement in music, that of period performance.

If you have studied music history, you most likely would have spent some time with the epic "The Bach Reader," a virtual wealth of first hand documents which, at its core, presents a faithful "biography" of sorts on J S Bach. Arthur Mendel and Hans David spent years assembling this important tome and the excellence of the scholarship has meant that it has never gone out of print, some 50+ years after the publishing of the first edition. Mendel was a great scholar of the baroque while he primarily focused on Bach, Buxtehude and of course Heinrich Schutz.

Schutz's influence on the German "Protestant" baroque was immense, probably on the level of Beethoven's ninth symphony on all symphonists that followed him. Schutz's religious music is dramatic, stark & severe, and incredibly in "tune" with the spirit of the text. Bach, Handel, Telemann and knew of Schutz well and drew inspiration from his genius.

Mendel's performance is absolutely splendid. I believe the Cantata Singers are New York based, and they deliver committed singing while the orchestra is purposeful and sensitive not to overwhelm the singers. Compared with Grishkat on his recording from roughly the same time, Mendel delivers more drama and a highly stylistic reading. Frankly, I'm amazed that the recording dates from 1950 as it was made, by the way, about a year after Mendel published his edition of this masterwork.

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Random Classics hits the magic number of 100 Followers!

Random Classics now has 100 followers! what a wonderful Christmas gift. Thank you all for visiting this site often, leaving your thoughts (of which I don't nearly respond to enough) and sharing valuable information and insights to the many readers of this blog.

I extend to every one of you the most joyous wishes of the season and I hope that 2012 brings us all peace, prosperity and magical finds in the dusty bins at used record shops!

Cheers!

Henry Krips conducts overtures by Suppe

A fellow on Symphonyshare requested this partiular album of Suppe overtures, conducted by Henry Krips, the younger brother of the fine conductor Josef Krips. This mono album dates from, I think 1956, and features the excellent Philharmonia Orchestra in its "Philharamonia Promenade Orchestra" guise.

Henry Krips is practically forgotten but it seems that he had a career that flourished in the land of "Down Under" - Australia. Based on this record, I'd say he certainly had the wherewithal to whip up a dazzling froth with these tuneful cuties. At one time, the  music of Suppe figured highly in orchestral programs, especially "pops" ones. Sadly, this composer's lot has rather faded over time. Though the music is hardly the last word in being probing or revelatory, it is nonetheless tuneful, engaging and good fun!

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The Roth Quartet performs Mozart

A fine Mercury recording from the late 40's featuring the the K 499 and K 575 quartets of Mozart performed by the "second" edition of the famed Roth Quartet.

I like the playing here very much. It combines elegance with unpretentiousness yet has a degree of earthiness to it. In other words, its not prissy, prim or too careful.

The Roth Quartet, in both "editions" was a fine ensemble and it was blessed with consistency in presentation while possessing a wide and urgent repertoire. I'm glad I found this old lp.

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Messiah from Boston

A very fine Messiah, from Boston, featuring the Handel and Society conducted by Thomas Dunn. From 1977, this record was one of a handful of excellent "local" issues recorded and released by the now defunct Sine Qua Non label.

Messiah is magnificent work, in my opinion, the greatest work in its genre. No other oratorio so captures the meaning of the text in its music as this one does. If Handel had written nothing else, Messiah would have marked him as a genius of music and words. For me, Messiah is a desert isle work; I could not live without it since it is a constant rediscovery for me everytime I listen to it.

This performance is a marvelous document of the high choral and orchestral standards that conductor/musicologist Thomas Dunn set while he directed Boston's Handel and Haydn Society, the oldest organization of its kind in America. When Dunn took over the directorship of H & H, the performing organization was a quasi professional ensemble whose programs were often inconsistent, both musically and technically, from year to year and concert to concert. During his tenure, Dunn fully "professionalized" the organization, envisioning it as a resource that could, as its core, set performance practice standards for the great choral literature. In addition, Dunn expanded the concert series to include strictly orchestral programs and settings for smaller choral pieces, usually presented in churches or smaller halls rather than the imposing Symphony Hall. Dunn's reputation and work was such that upon his retirement, the H & H hired the highest profile artistic director it ever had, to that point, in one Christopher Hogwood.

This particular Messiah incorporates period practice with the benefit of modern orchestra and mid size chorus. In short, Dunn's Messiah is sensible and moderate and listeners should find the experience to be thoroughly enjoyable. The soloists are all quite competent and well prepared but they are not an "all star" cast. I am delighted that one of my heroes, Armando Ghitalla, is the featured trumpet soloist alongside the  bass David Evitts. The word and message is the real star in this glorious work and I suppose Maestro Dunn has chosen wisely in his staffing for this record. A real pleasure.

One note: The entire contents excepting "Behold a Virgin Shall Conceive" have been transferred. Unfortunately Behold was at the begining of side 2 and was marred by a deep scratch. I could not repair the track in a way that would do justice to the text.
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Howard Hanson leads Americana for Solo Winds

A little homage today to Howard Hanson and his tireless efforts to promote, educate, and record modern American music of the midcentury. This is volume 4 of Mercury's "American Music Festival" series, MG40003, recorded in 1954 at the Eastman Theatre. Here, we have pieces written for solo winds accompanied by string orchestra.

The composers on this record are pretty much forgotten, what with the exception of Hanson and Copland. Bernard Rogers, Homer Keller, Kent Kennan, and Wayne Barlow were contemporaries of Howard Hanson and worked with him frequently at the Eastman School. All of them write in what might be called a "romantic" style which features lovely melodies and easy harmonies. It's conservative music led by a conservative composer conductor who reveled in full, rich, string passages and welcomed extended solo lines for woodwinds.  This is a lovely album and a bit of an antidote to the spiky rhythms and often disjointed melodic lines of these composers' colleagues on the other side of the spectrum.

I don't think that enough can be said for the work done by Howard Hanson and Robert Whitney to promote and argue the validity of modern American composition during their lifetimes. These recorded documents remind us of a time when offering and nurturing culture to the masses really mattered.

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Roman Totenberg performs Baroque Violin Concertos

Here's a special record by one of the greatest, and most respected, teachers and performers of the last century, Roman Totenberg. From time to time, I'm privileged to offer music by musicians who have given much to the City of Boston and Totenberg is right up there with the very best of them. On this MHS record, Totenberg performs violin concertos of Pisendal, Handel, Fasch and Heinichen. He is able supported by the Vienna Chamber Orchestra under the Bulgarian conductor Zlatko Topolski. These stereo performances were recorded around 1966 or 67.

Roman Totenberg is happily still with us as he approaches his 101st birthday! Totenberg was a student of the great pedagogue Carl Flesch and he embraced the latter's views that violinists are not merely skilled virtuosos, but creative, thinking, organic artists. Certainly, the repertoire chosen for this lp was not conceived as a virtuoso display but rather has an intelligent, educational exercise on the development of the violin as a solo instrument during the baroque period. This is not to say that Totenberg plays these rare pieces as exercises - he treats them in an intelligent, musical way by using his knowledge and skill in the position as advocate for this music. Totenberg's beautiful tone and sure phrasing make this record a sincere pleasure to listen to and he makes the best possible case for these "lost" concertos.

I'm so happy I rescued this lp from the 50 cent bin!

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Music of Henry Cowell and Harold Shapero

Another wonderful issue from the golden years of Columbia Masterworks and God Bless Goddard Lieberson for imaginative programming. Henry Cowell's first violin sonata is paired with Harold Shapero's Sonata for Piano Four Hands. 

I really enjoy the music of Cowell. The breadth and scope of his work is immense. I don't think we really have a full grasp of his talents, from being ultra modernist to embracing the simple, native tunes of this large and complex country. Perhaps much of this has to do with his "lifestyle" which was indeed hardly conforming to the norms of the day, resulting in a prison time in which he never wore off the stigma of. Happily, the violin sonata is fairly conventional and classical in sound and style. Included is one of the "fuguing tunes" which would be a hallmark of Cowell's later works. The soloist here is the great Joseph Szigeti, supported by pianist Carlo Bussotti. I'm not sure if Cowell indeed wrote this piece for Szigeti but, in my opinion, the great Hungarian would seem to be the wrong soloist for the work as I do not hear a complete sympathy with the writing and Szigeti's tone is kind of thin for the required fullness, almost Ivesian gutsiness, needed for this distinctly American composition. I would love to have heard say, a Louis Krasner, Louis Kauffman or even John Corigliano in this work.

Harold Shapero, neoclassicist, is best known for his Symphony for Classical Orchestra which Leonard Bernstein championed. Shapero in short would be considered an American Stravinsky for his writing bears a strong resemblance to Stravinsky's neoclassical compositions. The Sonata here is a delightful work with neat melodies and some spiky, lively harmonies. Shapero plays along with Leo Smit, the latter being one of the greatest and tireless advocates for piano music written by American composers.

My record is the CSP reissue of the record pictured above.

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Music of Andrew Imbrie and Cecil Effinger

Someone asked me the other day if I had a violin concerto in the works and well, here is not another Beethoven, Mendelssohn or Tchaikovsky but the seldom heard, if heard at all, concerto by American composer Andrew Imbrie. Paired with it is the delightful little "classical type" symphony of Cecil Effinger. Both of the works on this disc were Naumberg award winners and they are given persuasive performances by Carroll Glenn and Zoltan Rozsnyai. The orchestra is Columbia's "house band," the Columbia Symphony Orchestra though I have my suspicions that it is really the NYPO or maybe the LA Phil in disguise.

Andrew Imbrie was  a teacher of composition and theory at the University of California-Berkeley for some 42 years. His two main sources of compositional influence were Bartok and Roger Sessions. Imbrie's writing uses atonality balanced with a strong respect for the melodic line so his compositions are quite listenable and engaging. At some 40+ minutes, this violin concerto harks back to the format of the 19th century though the sounds and phrasings are very mid 20th century. Carroll Glenn proves the ideal soloist as she weaves her lines beautifully in and out of the orchestral colors. Rozsnyai, an underrated conductor but for a time a well recorded one, provides sensitive and balanced accompaniment. A wonderful work and collaboration.

Cecil Effinger too, was a teacher of composition for some 40 years at the University of Colorado at Boulder.  His Little Symphony for some reason reminds me of Prokofiev's masterpiece as it looks back to a time not so distant but far enough away. The music language is reminiscent of Roy Harris and Don Gillis making this work immediately accessible. I think it would be a delightful opening work on a symphony program.

I've come into possession of a number of  these Columbia Special Products issues of American music recently. A pleasant reminder of when the majors invested in the creative artists of the United States.

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Six Overtures of William Boyce conducted by Anthony Lewis

A little music by William Boyce today. These are six overtures culled from festive pieces and not the more familiar eight symphonies or overtures of Op 2. Anthony Lewis conducts the Lamoureux Orchestra from a 1962 stereo record issued by L'Oiseau Lyre. Admittedly, I find it a bit odd that this very English of composers would be led by an English conductor with a French orchestra but, no matter,  this record represents the work of composer Gerald Finzi as an arranger, editor, and musicologist.

Anthony Lewis, of course, was one of the pioneers in resusitating the music of the contemporaries and predecessors of Handel. Through his efforts, the public came to appreciate and become of aware of such fine craftsmen as Arne, Stanley and Boyce. These men were highly influenced by Handel yet they developed stylistic peculiarities that set them apart from the great German-English giant. By he time these "overtures" were written, they were somewhat dated, at least by continental standards, but they do contain tuneful, well crafted and appropriately festive music. If anything, Boyce is always pleasant on the ear and easy on the heart.

I do wish that Lewis had had the opportunity to record with English musicians. The English always bring some sort of authority to their homegrown composers much like a Czech performance of Ma Vlast is easily distinguishable from one originating in say, Australia. Whatever the reasons for recording this in Paris, we are lucky to have this document of less frequently heard Boyce, reconstructed by a fine English composer of the 20th century.

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Norman Dello Joio's "New York Profiles"

A rather rare 10" incher in red vinyl today. Norman Dello Joio's "New York Profiles" of  1949 in its premiere recording with Nikolai Sokoloff leading the Orchestral Society of La Jolla California. Sokoloff is best known as the founding conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra and this record was made rather late in the maestro's career.

The Profiles are titled "The Cloisters," "The Park," "The Tomb," and "The Park." They depict locales in Dello Joio's native New York and the written music is strongly influenced by Gregorian Chant, of which the composer was studying intensely during the 1940's. This music is immediately accessible and represents a different path from those taken by such contemporaries as Hanson, Copland, and Cowell to name a few. Dello Joio, throughout his career, looked back to ancient musical models for inspiration and guidance and New York Profiles is a result of his exhaustive study.

Included in this download are two previous offerings, the Serenade with Swarowsky and the VSO and the Symphony "The Triumph of Saint Joan" performed by Robert Whitney and the Louisille Orchestra. I have done a little more cleanup on both of these lps and the results are better then previously offered on this blog.

Norman Dello Joio was an important composer and teacher and I fear that his legacy is fading as time goes on and tastes evolve. This is too bad since he was a super musical historian and his output represents an effort to find a continuity with the past.

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Friedrich Wuhrer performs the 4th Piano Concerto of Beethoven

A very fine performance of the 4th Piano Concerto of Beethoven is up today. Accompanied by the Bamberg Symphony under Jonel Perlea, this partnership of like minds turns in a taut, yet flexible, reading which focuses on details that other gloss over.

Friedrich Wuhrer was an excellent craftsman and a sensitive interpreter of the classical and romantic repertoire. Though he recorded many lps for Vox, he never achieved the status of the most elite of pianists. I'm not sure why this is the case because he had the chops and fine musicianship of the best of the best. Whatever the reasons, I've not heard a recording of his that I did not find probing, intelligent and satisfying. This Beethoven concerto is one of the great ones and I believe much credit must be given to the excellent Jonel Perlea. Rather then go on, I'll point you to the third movement as proof of a collaboration that is vital and highly musical.

Coupled with the 4th concerto is the Choral Fantasy, this time from Vienna with Clemens Krauss conducting. Krauss' Akademie Kammerchor and VSO turn in spirited work and the more then competent choral soloists come from the ranks of the Kammerchor.

The Choral Fantasy dates from 1954 and I think the piano concerto is 1956/7 on this momaural record.

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Malcolm Arnold conducts.......Malcolm Arnold!

My 9 year old started to formally take trumpet lessons this school year at my urging and, because he sees what a great time it is when dear old dad is frolicking about during the Oktoberfest season. That said, we started talking one day about bands I've played in and the subject came to special ensembles, "honor bands." Here in Massachusetts that means district and all state bands. Well, to illustrate what I meant, I pulled out an lp of my first such band, back in 1978, and lo and behold, on the program was Malcolm Arnold's "Four Scottish Dances." No, I did not transfer THAT record but instead, dug out a gem of a stereo lp from around 1960 of Arnold conducting the Dances plus his Symphony No 3. I know that Everest did once release the symphony on cd along with  Boult's premiere recording of Vaughan Williams' Symphony No 9. However, for some reason the Dances were forgotten, well as far as I know. A damn shame too!

I've loved the Four Scottish Dances ever since I first heard and played them. This is Arnold at his absolute irresistable best. These short dances are tuneful, beautifully orchestrated, and delightfully crafted - they are  prefect in length and form. Based on folk tunes of Scotland, Arnold displays an ease with the material and communicates the substance as well as any past master who worked in this mode, whether it be Telemann, Bartok, Vaughan Williams or Schubert. His leadership of the LPO is beyond reproach. I think his former orchestral colleagues respond to his music with utter delight and they convey the wit and charm better than any other recording of these works. As for the third symphony, it is a more difficult work to bring off due in part to its length, density and complexity. Arnold acquits himself well but it is obvious that the shorter dances lend themselves better to his conducting skills. Arnold was first and foremost a composer and excellent trumpet player, not a conductor a by trade.

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Manoug Parikian and Walter Goehr in Mozart Violin Concertos

A little Mozart for the soul. This is a beautiful partnership between two excellent musicians who both played "under the radar." Being half Armenian, I was delighted to find this lp since it features the great Armenian violinist-conductor Manoug Parikian partnered with one of the finest accompanying conductors of the last century, Walter Goehr. Your day will be all the better after listening to the concertos numbers 3 & 4!

Manoug Parikian was one of those players who played with practically everybody in his adopted country of England. Like many Armenians living in the Turkey during the first half of the 20th century, he left to seek better, more favorable opportunities elsewhere. Settling in the UK as a student, Parikian would remain there, making it his home base, first as a concertmaster of numerous orchestras, and then later as a soloist and conductor. Walter Goehr, of course, fled Germany prior to the second world war and settled in the UK as a conductor with, I think the BBC. Goehr made a ton of records, mostly with second and third rate orchestras however, he is recognized today as having the ability of coaxing terrific results from these lesser orchestras often under very tight recording and rehearsal schedules.
Parikian and Goehr make wonderful, wonderful partners. Goehr does a marvelous job of getting his recording chamber orchestra to match Parikian's sweet tone and earthy approach to these concertos. I always enjoy these recordings where it is not soloist vs orchestra and here is a fine example of how the proceedings should go, always! A fine tribute to two strong, vital musical personalities.

I'm not sure of the dates of this monaural release but probably mid 50's.

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The Kroll Quartet plays Beethoven and Haydn

What good fortune one has sometimes! Sometimes the "three for a buck" god casts his/her glances my way enabling me to acquire great music played by great musicians at about the price of a gumball. Here the contents of two lps released by that "other RCA" on their Allegro Elite label. Haydn's Op. 54 No. 2 and Op. 77 No. 1 along with Beethoven's second and third Op. 18 quartets played by the Kroll Quartet.

In its heyday, the Kroll Quartet was justly renowned and often mentioned in the same breath as the famed Budapest Quartet. As we all know, many have held the Budapest to be a gold standard though admittedlly personal changes through the years often played havoc with the end result. Well, no bother, here it is the magnificence of the Kroll, an ensemble truly made of peers who play for, and to, each other.

The Haydn and Beethoven quartets are immaculately played and oh, so intimate in style and texture. If you are tired of quartets that try to find the "symphonic" in these rather personal works, this is your antidote. I cannot stress the intimacy of the playing and the apparent joy that these musicians convey by the act of purely playing together. It reminds me of the famed Casals-Schneider-Istomin recordings. So refreshing and beautiful! Such a shame that the "other RCA" could not provide the recording excellence that the Kroll richly deserved though the mono sound is quite listenable.

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Ivry Gitlis performs Stravinsky

My apologies for kind of falling down on the job. As most of you know, it is Oktoberfest season and I've been especially busy bringing the sounds of Munchen to the good people of New England.

This Dover release of Stravinsky compositions is a compilation of Vox issues from the 50's. The featured works are the Violin Concerto, the Duo Concertante and Jeu de Cartes. The very fine, and somewhat forgotten though still living, Ivry Gitlis performs in the concerto and the duo. Harold Byrns conducts the Concerts Colonne Orchestra and Charlotte Zelka accompanies Gitlis in the duo. Filling out the program is a highly enjoyable performance of Jeu de Cartes under Heinrich Hollreiser with the Bamberg SO.

I like Gitlis' playing very much. His musicianship is spot on and he possesses a sweet, loving tone which helps to smooth out, in a positive way, Stravinsky's spiky melodies. Both Byrns and Zelka provide strong partnership. Hollreiser's Jeu de Cartes was a pleasant surprise for me. I've always thought of him as rather a kapellmeister type but he fully immerses himself into the humor and spirit of this rather "French" music.

Enjoy!

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Robert Shaw's first recording of Ein Deutsches Requiem

Robert Shaw made two recordings of Brahms' masterpiece Ein Deutsches Requiem. Though separated by some 35 years, both represent well Shaw's devotion to the score and his understanding of the deep sense of humanity captured in the words and brilliantly supported by the music. Here from 1948 is the first recording with Shaw leading the RCA Victor Chorale and Orchestra with soloists Eleanor Steber and James Pease.

Robert Shaw was a remarkable man. When I was in college, he visited and gave several lectures which culminated in a marvelous performance of Bach's St Matthew Passion. What struck me most about Shaw was his inner strength and spirtuality. His communicative style was based on personal reflection and the need to include everyone in the dialogue while his words were measured, humble, yet authoritative. I found him to be a man that spoke to one's soul through music and philosophy in an engaging, inclusive manner. Truly a wonderful human being.

Perhaps Shaw's personal characteristics play a major, if not pivotal role, in the interpretation of this Brahms masterwork. I find the sense of "line" to be just right and the singing is impassioned with a lyric gentleness to it. Though the RCA Victor orchestra cannot match the tonal lushness of the later Atlanta Symphony, these seasoned musicians from the Philharmonic and NBC Symphony propel the music along nimbly and with a lean sound they prevent the "full cries" of the chorus from becoming garbled and bloated. Though other conductors might have more outward passion, listening to this and the later recording are antidotes to a world of rush, rush, rush and grave inpersonalism.

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Karl Haas and his London Baroque Ensemble in the Brandenburgs

I'm on a bit of a Bach "binge" lately and here's the complete Brandenburgs conducted by scholar-conductor Karl Haas with his London Baroque Ensemble. Recorded in the early 50's, this set was held in high regard into 60's surpassed only by versions featuring Menuhin, Richter, Marriner and Pailliard. With musicians such as Jean Pougnet, Georges Tessier, Emmanuel Hurwitz  Anthony Pini, Frederick Riddle, Richard Adeney, Carl Dolmetsch and Sydney Sutcliff, it is not difficult to understand why this set held ground for such an extended period of time.

As mentioned in a previous post, Haas was one of the more important influences on what we know as today's style of period performance. A German refugee, he settled in London and spent many years there teaching, conducting, and doing scholarly research. It's no wonder that London was probably the "capital" of the early music movement due to, in no small part, to Haas' presence and that of his numerous students and acolytes. 

Karl Haas

For sure, this set peels away a lot of the varnish and exposes Bach's intricate and detailed writing in a clear and precise manner. Details are abundant and lines that were formerly buried in excess string personnel leap off the score. If I have any criticism it is that some of the tempos, notably the first movement of No 6, are somewhat slower than what we are used to today. And, the recorder substituting for the clarino in No 2 is far less satisfying than the brilliant trumpeting that we would have afew years later by the likes of  Andre and Scherbaum. Still, the sum of this accomplishment of Haas is greater than the parts so we should be fortunate to have this document which, when all is said and done, is a step on the road to a better historical understanding of the needs, demands, and wants of J S Bach.

I'd like to mention that for some reason, the first lp (featuring No 2) of this three lp series was recorded in the UK while the remaining two were recorded in France. Looking at the personnel on these records, I noticed a mixed French and English ensemble for the French recordings and an "all" English crew for the record from the UK. Quite interesting and if anyone knows the tale behind this, I'd love to hear it!

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Agi Jambor performs Bach

Followers of this modest blog probably figured out long ago that I love Bach's keyboard works played on piano. There is just something completely satisfying and mesmorizing when listening to one masterpiece after another brought to life on a concert grand piano. My latest installment features Toccatas and Fantasias as realized by the Hungarian-American pianist/teacher Agi Jambor.

Jambor was a fascinating woman, an excellent pianist and a true citizen of the world. From a 1993 Baltimore Sun profile, Stephen Wigler writes:

" She achieved fame as a pianist twice, and was forgotten each time; she used to play duets in Berlin with an amateur violinist named Albert Einstein; she arrived penniless in America after World War II, unable to speak English and without a piano, and resumed her career by practicing on a battered upright at a YWCA in Washington; she married and divorced a Hollywood star; and she was a hero of the anti-Nazi resistance in her native Budapest, where she narrowly escaped death several times by passing herself off as a prostitute named Maryushka."

Incredible stuff I would say. If Jambor did not play Bach with such conviction, she would surely have won an Emmy for a reality television series! Her mastery of the material is without a doubt absolute and it is quite obvious that the fingerprints of her esteemed teacher Edwin Fischer are liberally spread throughout this program. This is strong, reverential Bach played with a masculine touch by a remarkably feminine but strong willed woman. That is fascinating in itself. I am pleased to have come across this unique 2 lp set for it adds to another dimension of my listening from this greatest of masters.

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The American Brass Quintet in Modern American Music

The old brassman in me really loves the terrific playing on this lp. Modern American Brass Music as interpreted by the "original" members of the American Brass Quintet.

There is great sensitivity, insight and intuitiveness here. Let me point you, the reader and listener, to the original Gramophone review from 1969. I cannot better the critic's assessment of this challenging program. What I will say is that it was a damn shame when esteemed conductor Gerard Schwarz placed his trumpet in the case and closed it in place of a baton. Schwarz was one of the most gifted young trumpeters of his day - he had awesome technique, incredible chops and was blessed with keen musical insights  for a trumpet player!  I guess those qualities played a mjaor role towards him developing as an international conducting sensation.

This music on this record is not for the weary by any stretch of the imagination. It is demanding, atonal, and requires a fair amount of study and above all, an open mind. I don't usually post music such as this but the virtuosity of the musicians compels me to do so. Hopefully, you will not be disappointed.

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George Szell and Thomas Scherman conduct Brahms

From a Music Appreciation issue, the glorious music of Brahms juxtiposing perennial favorites, the Academic Festival Overture and Variations on a Theme by Haydn with the less heard "New" Liebeslieder Waltzes. The orchestral selections are led by George Szell with "his symphony orchestra" while Thomas Scherman conducts the choral waltzes.  Vocal soloists are Lucine Amara, Frances Bible, David Lloyd and  Hugh Thompson. The duo pianists are the excellent Abba Bogin and Eileen Flissler.

Music Appreciation, Book of the Month, Musical Masterpieces of the World were great services in their day. Marketed to the masses, their issues introduced many a lay person to the great classics by "assisting" the listener in choice of repertoire and performance. In essence, the services made choices for listeners who might have not made a choice at all if left to their own devices. For the most part, performances were well chosen and the artists often musicians overlooked or underappreciated by the big labels.

As you would expect, George Szell leads pointed and detailed renditions of the Haydn Variations and the Academic Festival Overture. A total unsentimental approach ensures an orchestral approach which is above all, based on precision with respect to the architecture of each piece. With Szell, the overall structure does not break down into mere episodes. If one can say anything about Szell, he was a consistent artist whose recordings came to symbolize "quality," both in sensible interpretation and immaculately prepared performances.

Scherman's New Liebeslieder waltzes are more thean adequate though strangely, I feel that vocal contributions are rather pushed and pulled at times. With a solid quartet, I find this quite odd however, there is an  upside in that Bogin and Flissler are quite effective as duo pianists. These waltzes are beautiful examples of Brahms' mastery of the human voice though Scherman could have introduced a little more subtlety to the proceedings.

Both recordings are decent mono and date from the mid 50's.

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L'orchestre Hewitt performs Handel's Water Music

I'm not exactly being "random" what with two baroque posts in a row but I came into possession of a very clean copy of the Haydn Society issue of the French lp pictured above. Maurice Hewitt conducts L'orchestre Hewitt in Handel's Water Music in more or less an edition which presents most of this wonderful music.

Maurice Hewitt is one of the pioneers in the performance of the the baroque masters. In fact, you might say that he laid the groundwork for such artists as Rampal, Pailliard, Pierlot, Andre, Veyron Lacroix and others. The performance here is faithful to the score, free from large orchestral excesses though admittedly, one must recognize the fact that the Hewitt Orchestra was not a first rate band since there are some obvious technical issues especially with intonation in the winds. Still, we have to be grateful for musicians like Hewitt who took time to blow the cobwebs off of "ancient" music and present it in a more faithful fashion then many of his predecessors.

The Haydn Society issue lists a release date of 1954 but this record was probably recorded two to three years earlier.

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Sylvia Marlowe performs keyboard concertos of Bach with Daniel Saidenberg conducting

Today, concertos for multiple harpsichord of Bach performed by Sylvia Marlowe with Pamela Cook, Robert Conant and  Theodore Saidenberg. The "Baroque" Chamber Orchestra (not sure if this is a pickup group or the Saidenberg Little Symphony) is led by the longtime leader of the Saidenberg Little Symphony, Daniel Saidenberg. My transfer is from an American Decca release, DL10028, though the cover above is from a different issue on another label.

These early attempts at "authentic" baroque always fascinate me. Here, the harpsichords are obviously large and somewhat clanky and the orchestra hardly is observant of what we now consider period practice and balance. Still, there is a delight here in the playing as the musicians relish the way Bach's melodies and harmonies intertwine and develop like peeling the layers back from an artichoke. This is definitely not "run through" Bach since Marlowe and Saidenberg have given careful time and preparation to this lp. Definitely a byway on the road to where we are today in performance and practice of baroque classics.

I think records like this are important  because they document the work of individuals who, in their day, worked tirelessly to promote good music and culture to wide swaths of people from varied backgrounds. Marlowe was a gifted and energetic ambassador of the harpsichord and Daniel Saidenberg a great founder, builder and leader of numerous orchestras in the US. As years go by and tastes change, we slowly forget these pioneers and finding records like this one are important in jogging the collective memory.

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Hindemith from Henry Swoboda

The Swoboda festival continues! Squirrel and I are keeping the Swoboda flame burning.

From 1951, this Westminster lp features Kammermusik No 4 (also known as the Violin Concerto No 3) and the Four Temperaments. Soloists are the fine Czech-Austrian violinist Peter Rybar and the excellent Czech pianist Franz Holletschek. The orchestras are the Winterthur SO and the Vienna SO respectively.

As mentioned previously, Swoboda's best results were with works that were really out of the orchestral mainstream. For whatever reason, his level of inspiration and creativity tended towards pieces that were not old warhorses. Here we have have engaging and insightful interpretations of two, at the time "fringe" pieces, that are prepared well and presented with flair.  You know, a  few months ago, I offered an excellent recording of the Four Temperaments with Victor Aller and Felix Slatkin, one that I consider a near benchmark. Well, here is another equally fine record, a bit less edgy, smoothed out a bit if you will, but no less vital and committed to Hindemith's soundworld. I believe this and the Aller are much better then Lukas Foss' recording with the Zimbler Sinfonietta, a recording that is a bit detached for me. The Violin Concerto receives a splendid go but I think it an inferior piece to the Four Temperaments since it is far less engaging.

I wish that Swoboda had recorded the symphony "Mathis der Maler," an all time favorite of mine and a piece that is a great masterpiece, at least to my ears.

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Albert Spalding's Last Recital at Boston University

This was a terrific find.  It shot to the top of the queue based on my own selfish, personal preferences. From a Halo lp, this record contains the contents, minus Spalding's vocal introduction to Malguena, of the violinist's last public recital (really a master class presentation) at Boston University, a mere two weeks prior to his death at sixty four in 1953. This program features piano accompanist Jules Wolffers.

The style of playing here is from a time when people were still fascinated by the sight of a horseless carriage and musical entertainment was most convenient for people by attending a band concert in the park. With gentle and lyrical phrasing and judicious use of portamento, Spalding coaxes the listener into special, personal musical world. Just listen to the two Hungarian Dances of Brahms and you'll get my drift. This is not to say that Spalding is a relic from the past, he is in perfect tune to the music of  deFalla and Albeniz and he creates quite an authentic Iberian sound if I say so myself. This is playing, that though it is far from technically perfect, is nevertheless self assured, direct, and well, joyful. Oh, and if Ave Maria does not cause your knees to buckle......

This Halo recording has ok sound and was probably recorded in some cheap setup. However, it is an important document of one of the first great American born violinists and that's treasure enough for me!

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The Curtis Quartet performs Schumann's Op 41 Nos. 1 & 3

This post is specifically for my admirable colleague Squirrel of  "Squirrel's Nest." You all know Squirrel is the absolute king and connoisseur of chamber music and I, for one, am most grateful for his terrific posts, often introducing me to artists that I only might have heard of or even NEVER heard of. One such group that I came to admire through Squirrel is the Curtis Quartet whose members were: Jascha Brodsky - 1st Violin, Louis Berman - 2nd Violin, Max Aronoff - Viola, and  Orlando Cole - Cello. Here is an absolute splendid album by this group - Schumann's  Op. 41, Nos. 1 & 3. 

These quartets were conceived quickly and were written while Schumann was inspired by ,after close study,  the quartets of Haydn, Mozart, and Schumann. I must say that I find Schumann a singularly fascinating character. He could go weeks, months even, without any real compositional activity of note and then bam! in a flash of inpiration and white heat, turn out pages and pages of excellent music. Often Schumann found his muse when he was very high with excitement or, low in despair. Incredible. The works here are delights in that they contain stylistic hints ranging from Bach through Schubert but in the end, they are very much works of high romanticism.

In the good old days, there were many quartets playing the US, often associated with the preeminent music schools and universities. The Curtis Quartet is certainly of that ilk and they had a long, probably 30 year association with the Curtis School. Interestingly, the group started their existence as the "Swastika Quartet"...I kid you not! When Hitler came to power in  Europe, Mary Louise Curtis gave the quartet permission to formally incorporate Curtis into their name. Prior to the war, The Curtis Quartet was  the foremost American born and bred ensemble of its kind and for many, it was a near household name. After the war, as the members took on other teaching and playing responsibilities, concerts and touring became less though the nucleus of the group was together through the 1970's. Among the most famous works written for the Curtis was Barber's masterpiece, his Op 11 which contains the famous "Adagio."

This Westminster issue, WL 5166, dates from 1952. If only the Curtis had recorded Number 2!

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Simon Barere and Witold Maluczynski perform Liszt, Chopin & Franck

 

Genius. Listen to Simon Barere play Liszt's arrangement of the Waltz from Faust of Gounod. Genius.

 

I was absolutely overjoyed that this beat to hell Remington lp cleaned up as well as it did. It is magnificent. Why? Because Simon Barere combines the technical virtuosity of a Richter with the pure musicianship of a Schnabel. Plain and simple. I can't really say anything more.

 

I have included in this download the contents of a Columbia Entre lp featuring the fine pianist Witold Maluczynski. The album features two works: Chopin's second sonata and the Franck Prelude, Chorale and Fugue. Maluczynski was especially reknowned as an interpreter of his countryman's works and the sonata comes off quite winningly in his hands.

 

But, in the end, you will want this download for Barere and you will treasure his artistry.

 

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Music from Columbia's Modern American Music Series

During the  1950's and 60's, Goddard Lieberson, Columbia Records longtime president, fostered a great project in which he knew little would be made back in actual sales. Columbia was awash in dollars, thanks to such well recorded, and selling, artists as Ormandy, Walter and Szell on the classical side and therefore could afford to indulge in a pet project by this sometime composer and well, recording visionary. Thus was born the "modern American Music Series, " a chronicle of the development of American classical composition from roughly the 1920's through the present era.

This particular issue, ML4987, is both an enterprising and entertaining one. First off, The Juilliard Quartet presents a convincing performance of Virgil Thomson's Quartet No 2. Admittedly, Thomson had, I think, a bit of a habit of taking ideas and using them over and over again in his compositions. One can at times hear phrases from "The River" or his "Symphony on a Hymn Tune" but no bother, when played by a crack ensemble like the Juilliard, the results are pure pleasure for the ear. The folksy tunes and strong tonal writing lend this quartet a certain freshness. Obvious to the listener is the enjoyment that the music brings to the excellent Juilliard quartet.

William Schuman, on the other hand, is far more probing and intellectual and I am delighted to have made the aquaintance of  his Voyage. If you know Schuman primarily by his orchestral works, this piano set will captivate because it presents an intimate side of Schuman that was not easily captured in his larger scale compositions. Esteemed pianist Beveridge Webster proves the ideal guide as he was a highly gifted interpreter of 20th century piano music. On this blog you will find Webster performing a marvelous recital of piano works by Stravinsky of which he was a noted interpreter.

I have some other lps of this series in the works, notably Carlos Surinach leading a performance of Antheil's Ballet Mechanique. I'll get to these down the road. As you know, I am rather "random" in my approach so as to keep you all constantly guessing! I will say that more Simon Barere is close at hand...

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Sherman Walt plays four bassoon concerti of Vivaldi

 My! I'm glad that I found this lp. What a wonderful reminder of the artistry of the greatest American bassoonist of the last century, namely one Sherman Walt. Joined by his colleagues from the Boston Symphony, in Zimbler Sinfonietta guise, Walt offers sterling renditions of four of the maybe twenty or so bassoon concertos of Vivaldi.

Sherman Walt was for some 30 years, give or take, the principal bassoonist of the BSO and one of the most respected musicians in my fair city. Walt had a distinctive timbre and keen musicianship and his presence, along with the likes of Joseph Silverstein, Harold Wright, Jules Eskin and Armando Ghitalla were reason enough for guest conductors to die to come to Boston. Walt, as he displays in this recording, makes the funky bassoon sound so effortless though it is in fact mighty challenging and not easy to master. The sad thing about Walt is that he was killed in a car accident only months after retiring from the BSO after a distinguished, and  highly influential, tenure, one that reached far beyond the city limits of Boston.

No doubt everyone here is having a bit of fun and I'm at a loss why this record has been lost. Well, I found it albeit in the mono edition, and here it is. Enjoy some terrific playing! Released in 1959 by RCA.

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HiFi Feast for Orchestra with Argeo Quadri conducting

Today, a really neat orchestral compilation conducted by Italian maestro Argeo Quadri. With the Philharmonic Symphony of London (I believe it is the LPO in disguise though it could be the RPO too), Quadri leads bouyant performances of  Dukas' The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Saint-Saens' Danse Macabre and Bacchanale from Samson and Delilah, Chabrier's Marche Joyeuse and  Espana, Mossolov's The Iron Foundry, and Revueltas' Sensemaya and Cuauhnahuac. This is mid 50's Westminster monaural sound with an impressive dynamic range.

 Argeo Quadri was primarily a conductor of opera and he spent many years as a resident in Vienna. Westminster, obviously playing into the Toscanini craze and legend of the 50's, signed Quadri as their resident Italian, probably in the hopes that another Italian, known for firm technical control and a fidelity to the score, would increase their sales exponentially. Quadri made a number of records, a very fine Sheherazade, a strong Respighi issue (posted here on this blog) and surprisingly, an excellent set of Corelli's Op 6 Concerti Grossi. Unfortunately for Westminster, Quadri did not develop into a seller like Scherchen, Rodzinski, or Boult. Probably a lot of that had to do with the fact that Quadri did not have much of a physical presence on this side of the Atlantic nor was he a larger than life figure as was Westminster stallwart Scherchen. Quadri also was not a martinet or an excessively ruthless person. All speculation, of course.

Argeo Quadri

The surprise of this program has to be the inclusion of the two pieces by Revueltas. I suppose that these were new to the London players and I find it fascinating that this Italian opera conductor would program these little known works when no one else did, maybe with the exception of Stokowski. The results are positively splendid, with the orchestra playing in a "by the seat of the pants" fashion. Juxtaposed with warhorses Espana and The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Quadri manages to craft a varied and interesting program. I think you will like this alot. Oh....and if Iron Foundry doesn't get your attention!?

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David Glazer and the Kohon Quartet performing Hummel and Weber

A transfer of a lovely lp that I made some time ago. I was listening to it today and thought I'd better post it here before it slipped my mind....I am getting old too fast! David Glazer and the Kohon Quartet performing the clarinet quintets of Hummel and Weber. This Vox lp dates from 1963 and my copy is the mono edition in very good sound.

Of the two pieces presented here, the Hummel, I think, is the superior offering. At his best, Johann Nepomuk Hummel bridged the years between Mozart and Beethoven by taking composing elements of both and incorporating them into his own, relaxed, Viennese kind of way. You can hear Mozart in the quick passages and Beethoven in the softly lyrical slow movement. Its really exquisite music beautifully performed by one of the great 20th century clarinetists with this very underrated American string quartet. Hummel really was at his best in the works he wrote for smaller ensembles.

The Weber is enjoyable but does not plumb the depths of inspiration that this composer found in his dramatic writing for the human voice. Weber wrote a lot for the clarinet and his compositions display a great understanding of the technical capabilities of the instrument. The Weber is a showpiece for clarinet accompanied by string quartet rather than a work written for 5 instruments in equal partnership as is the case with Hummel. However, paired as they are, the styles work well and the variety makes this an engaging, nearly hour listen.

Wonderful stuff..pour a glass of wine or crack open a good ale and relax in your favorite easy chair!

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Hans Swarowsky leads excerpts from Berlioz's "Romeo and Juliet"

Excerpts from Berlioz's dramatic symphony "Romeo and Juliet" and Dukas' "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" led by Hans Swarowsky on a Musical Masterpieces (Treasures) of the World issue. Probably recorded in the mid to late 50's, this monaural lp features the "Musical Masterpieces Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra" better know as the Vienna State Opera Orchestra though not, of course, the orchestra that comprises the famed Vienna Philharmonic. Whew!

Much has been written about Swarowsky and his actual, and non actual, recordings. Considered by many the greatest conducting professor of the twentieth century Swarowsky, himself, cut many recordings from Vienna during the 1950's and 60's, often for budget labels that worked on shoestring budgets and within tight time constraints. I'd suspect that Swarowsky's pay as a professor was not all that terrific and churning out records was a great way to supplement his, and his musical students', income. Since Swarowsky probably knew intimately many of his orchestral colleagues, the results he got were most often faithful and fully representative of the score and composer, though admittedly not the last word in technical perfection.

All that said, the performance here of the Berlioz is quite good indeed. Overall, I find Romeo and Juliet to be a bit wayward, not as cohesive as Symphony Fantastique, and in the wrong hands it can become a colossal bore. Happily, Swarowsky has the right hands, a strong sense of line, and an intuitive sense of drama. The listener's attention is held firm and one can only wish that Swarowsky had taken on the complete score. Dukas' perennial favorite too is afforded a splendid reading and the story is brilliantly etched from the musical score.

A rather nice remembrance of an influential man whose legacy has often been tarnished by careless marketing and the natural pitfalls of the bargain basement recording business.

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