The restoration of Scherchen’s Westminster recordings
has now reached volume six. Mahler, Liszt and Saint-Saëns
are the rather unlikely disc-fellows for this twofer whilst
the conductor directs the Vienna State Opera orchestra, and
also Beecham’s RPO in the Liszt Hungarian Rhapsodies.
Scherchen was a convinced exponent of Mahler. He recorded symphonies
1, 2, 5 and 7 as well as the Adagio from the Tenth for Westminster.
He seems to have conducted the song-cycles rather less often.
There are three definitely known performances of the Lied
von der Erde, five of Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen
and seven of Kindertotenlieder. For his Westminster recordings
his contralto in the latter two cycles was Lucretia West, herself
a distinguished Mahler exponent. I suppose that she is best
known for her Mahler 2 with Scherchen (with Mimi Coertse) and
her 8 with Mitropoulos, though this has now been augmented by
Barbirolli’s Third [SBT1342].
Scherchen was a powerfully incursive conductor, one prepared
to dig into the wrenching string lines of Nun she’ich
wohl in Kindertotenlieder to strong effect. West
was an equally vivid presence, her throaty, vibrato rich singing
of Wenn dein Mütterlein matched by the searing cello
line. Some studio spotlighting alters perspectives - the solo
violin in Oft denk’ich for example is a particular
example of a general practice, as is the very forward wind playing
in the final movement - but the playing is certainly immediate
and wholly committed. West’s most dramatic flaring depth
of tone is reserved for In diesem Wetter though she lightens
her tone appreciably as the song draws to its close.
Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen proves equally capable
in respect of the association between singer and conductor.
West gauges her tonal weight cannily, whilst Scherchen sculpts
his orchestral forces with vivid declamation. The studio engineers
again ensure that the front-on balance brings solo statements
forward and the somewhat one-dimensional nature of this adds
its own particular gloss.
The set of Liszt Hungarian Rhapsodies is something else. He
recorded the set of six in stereo with the Vienna State in 1959
but here we have the London 1954 monos. They’re split
between discs one and two but no diminution of tension-fuelled
colour or pleasure results. The first is delightfully caprice-laden,
whilst the second is full of blistering vitality, its solo violin
line brandished with aplomb, the orchestra on genuinely energised
and ultra-communicative form. Scherchen’s bass up sonority
here pays rich dividends. The Royal Family of winds are a boon
in circumstances and repertoire such as this, the folkloric
fiddle excursions of the third equally so. The inclusion of
a cimbalom in the Fourth provides an authentic dash of paprika
whilst the trumpet’s rhythmic song in No.5 is augmented
by some deft flute and dazzling harp to ripe effect.
To end we have Carnival of the Animals (Vienna, 1957,
stereo) with reciter Garry Moore and pianists Josef and Grete
Dichler. It utilises the words of John Burt not the more familiar
and more entertaining Ogden Nash. One peculiarity of the recording
is that overdubbed animal noises sit behind the reciter and
the music. This even applies in the case of The Swan,
where it intrudes into the cello solo, though it can be intrusive
elsewhere, if you are sufficiently minded to resent the practice.
The performance is however notably well put across by pianists
and orchestra and Moore is a pleasing presence.
This is the last of the 1950-64 Westminster series licensed
to DG that Tahra will be issuing. It’s been an invaluable
series for Scherchen collectors - well transferred and covering
interesting repertoire.
Jonathan Woolf
Lucretia West (contralto: Mahler) 
