Gramophone Notes
Eighteen New Recordings: OF all the records which have been produced during the last two months, the set which claims most attention is undoubtedly that of Toscanini's_ performance of Beethoven's Seventh Symphony with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra (H.M.V. DB2986-90, 30s.). It must be said at once that the performance is really wonderful. No one has a clearer vision of the structure and moods of this Syniphony than Toscanini, and though the treatment of an occasional detail may disturb one's preconceptions, the performance is always perfectly consistent. And since he can extract eVery subtle nuance of phrasing and complete precision of tempo from his orchestra, the effect is something quite out of the ordinary. But here unfortunately the reproduction some- times parodies the performance. In the loud passages the strings often scream painfully, so much so that on at least two occasions they totally obscure the entrance of the brass. The trumpets come through much less well than do the wood-wind, and in the soft passages as often as not every- thing sounds dead and muffled. In addition surface-scratch is more prevalent than it should be throughout. In short, those who prefer thelo records to the admirable set which Weingartner made with the Vienna Philharmonic a few months ago will be chiefly those in whom hero-worship of Toscanini outweighs more objective considerations of merit.
Since his recording of the Seventh Symphony, Weingartner has recorded two other Beethoven SymphonieS, the Eighth and the Third, in both eases again with the Vienna Phil- harmonic Orchestra (Columbia LX563-5, 18s., and LX532-7, 36s.). In both of them the performance is really admirable, beautifully phrased, clear, and dynamic, and I think that most people will feel, as I do, that these arethe best sets of these Symphonies that there are. The reproduction is in both eases much more satisfactory titan that of Toscanini's version of the Seventh Symphony, and has indeed, apart from a curious swishing quality sometimes to be noticed in the strings,
nothing with which one could reasonably quarrel. Two months ago I reviewed, and recommended enthusiastically, Huberman's performance of Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D_ major. E.M.G. are now distributing yet another recording, by- Georg Kulen- jcampff and the Berlin Philharmonic Orehestra (Telefunken E201622021, 36s.); and at the risk-of confusing choice I have to admit that I like it just as well. In the orchestral playing there is nothing to choose between the two recordings, but Kulenkampff's phrasing seems to me sometimes definitely . preferable, and the reproduction is much more accurate than t is usual with -records' made on the Continent. Beethoven's lovely and too ieldOni played So'natii in A major, Op. 69, No 3 for 'Cello and Piano is exquisitely played by Paul Grammer and Wilhelm Kenipff (*pia CA8259-61, 12s.). So far as I know only one previous recording of this work (by Casals and Schulhof) existed, and this is much to be preferred to it. Of . the eight Beethoven recordings in this list this is indeed the one which I am most glad to have. There are three recordings of Beethoven'pianh,scinatai. In the Sonata in F minor, Op. 57 (the Appassionata) C2879-81, 12s.), Rudolf Serkin, whoie-playing in-partnership with Adolf Busch has often been praised, diSapp-oints expectations. Thoroughly dull in the slow movement, and too theatrical elsewhere, this performance is also much Under-recorded. - The other two recordings, of the Sonata in F sharp, Op. 78 (Co!..' LX576, Os.) and the . -Sonata in. E minor, Op. 90 (Col. LX544-5,:12s.), are both by Egon Petri, who with every performanceOf his that one hears, whether in the concert hall or in recording, seems to strengthen his claims to be thought the best interpreter of Beethoven living. These are both Magnificent ileiforMances, beautifully clear in articulation and eicomisite in tone, and it is a matter for great satisfaction that, now that the first volume of the Beethoven Sonata Society is out of print, all the works in it have been recorded by Petri.. Quite apart from the question of ex:Pense, I think that most people will prefer Petri's record- ings to Schnabel's.
So much space has been absorbed by theie eight Beethoven recordings that I must deVote the rest of my space to a mere catalogue. of other records that I can recommend, making it as varied as possible. There are ten of them, all thoroughly good. Firsf, thereeording by Scluiabel and the Pro Arte Quartet of Schtimann's Quintet in E Flat Major (H.M.V. DB2387-90, 24s.), a delightfully clean and well-balanced performance of this most charming of Schumann's chamber --- Music Works ; second, the recording by Bruno Walter and the *Vienna PhilharMonic Orchestra (H.M.V. DB2933-6, 24s.) of liraluns' Symphony No. 3 in F Major, a superbly - perceptive recording- which should have a column of appreciation to itself ; third, .- the recording Of Sibelius' _Symphony No, 1„.in Minor, Op. 39, by Ormandy and the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra DB2709-13, 30s.), keen, dramatic, and well defined ; fourth,- a beautifully clear recerding by Sir Thomas' Beechqn, Obviously enjoying himself, and the London PhiIliain-ionic Orchestra, of Bizet's Arksienne Suite No. 1 (Col. LX541-2, 12s.) ; fifth, Handers Concerti Grossi, Nos. 1, 2 and 3, carefully but gaily played by the Boyd Ned String Orchestra, conducted by Boyd Ned (Decca X119-124, 30s. ; the remaining nine concertos Will be issued, and will be-reviewed at greater length, in the near future) ; sixth, the Overture to Die Meistersinger, gtandly played and grandly recorded by Sir Thomas Beecham and the London Philharmonic Orchestra (Col. LX557, 6s.) ; seventh (a very welcome set this, since the only other com- parable recording is now very old), Tchaikowsky's Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 74, played in a truly masterly way by L'Orchestre de la Societe des Concerts du Conservatoire, Paris, conducted by Philippe Gaubert (Col. LX552-6, 30s.) ; eighth, Mozart's Piano Concerto in E Flat Major, K271, played with exemplary simplicity by Walter Gieseking and the Berlin-State Opera Orchestra under Rosbaud (Col. LX559- 62, 24s.) ; ninth, Brahrits' :magnificent Variations on a Theme by Haydn, magnificently played by Toscanini and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra (H.M.V. DB3031-2, 12s.) ; and tenth, last but to me by no means least, a very charming recording by Iska Aribo (E.M.G. Treasury of Music Series,
.6s.) of,Delissy's Joyeuse and Riverie, the second an exquisite and relatively little known piece which I have always enjoyed as much as anything of Debussy's.
Previous page
