Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911)
Symphony No 1 (1888) [52:13]
Symphony No. 5: Adagietto [9:51]
Richard STRAUSS (1864-1949)
Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche (1895) [15:33]
Boston Symphony Orchestra/Erich Leinsdorf
rec. live, Sanders Theatre, Harvard University, 4 December 1962 (Mahler 1)
and 13 November 1962 (Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche). Symphony
Hall, Boston, 12 November 1963 (Mahler 5).
Picture format: NTSC 4:3. Black and White
Sound format: LPCM Mono
Region code: 0 (Worldwide)
Menu language: English
Booklet notes: English, French, German
ICA CLASSICS ICAD 5051 DVD [78:00]
Respected for his Mahler interpretations, Erich Leinsdorf (1912-1983) was
known both for his work in opera as well as his convincing performances of
orchestral music. Leindorf’s esteemed recording of the composer’s First Symphony
is best encountered through a sound recording, currently available on Red
Seal CD 63469A, a two-disc set that includes Leinsdorf’s recording of Mahler’s
Third Symphony.
Even though the sound on this DVD is mono, the result is quite effective.
More than that, the release gives a vivid image of Leinsdorf at the podium,
which also reminds modern audiences of his regular television broadcasts with
the Boston Symphony Orchestra on the station WGBH. In fact the performances
are from 4 December 1962 (Mahler: Symphony no. 1), 13 November 1962 (Strauss:
Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche), and 12 November 1963 (Mahler:
Symphony No. 5: Adagietto only). The images recall television in its first
decades as it brought the arts from its point of origin to the world. Camera
angles are good for the day, with the close range reflecting more the limitations
of technology than the creativity at the core of broadcasts like this. Yet
the sound stands out in this recording, as Leinsdorf moves from the somewhat
wooden gestures at the opening of the first movement to the lively manner
with which he handles the first theme. When the introduction reprises, Leinsdorf
appears warmer, as he leads an inspired performance of this now familiar work
conducted entirely from memory.
In this video it is possible to see how Leinsdorf offers a supple approach
to tempo, which offers appropriately spacious phrasing throughout. His cues
give a sense of the style that he wanted from the players, and the result
is evident in the performance. While Leinsdorf’s manner at the start were
somewhat overstated, when the orchestra is at the full tutti of the
recapitulation, he held back on his movements as the players reached the climactic
point. He captures the style of the second movement from the outset, in an
extrovert performance of the Scherzo that benefits from the single gesture
per measure. Part of the success of the interpretation comes from Leinsdorf’s
decision not to use the baton, and so his hands offer a clue to the ways in
which he made this performance expressive.
The third movement is particularly effective for the woodwind sonorities in
the passages that evoke the “Bohemian” musicians to which Mahler referred
in some of his own descriptions of the piece. If Leinsdorf was at times minimal
in his gestures, it had an excellent result in the allowing the performers
to arrive at a tight-knit ensemble. The Finale has the conductor in outstanding
form, as his mastery of the score emerges in a completely convincing reading.
Never overindulgent, his conception is present in almost every expression
Leinsdorf used in this compelling reading of the Finale and, ultimately of
the entire piece.
As a live broadcast, the performance of Mahler’s First Symphony has some imperfections,
but the strength of the interpretation and strong response of the Boston Symphony
overweigh them. With the video, too, the superimposed image of the conductor
over the orchestra, a technical feat of the day, has its place in the period
when this was recorded. The occasional bump that jerks the camera is a good
reminder of the spontaneity involved in this broadcast. Most of all, the quality
of the performance stands out.
Leinsdorf’s command of Strauss’s famous Till Eulengspiegel is equally
fine, with the subtleties from the podium contributing to the irony of the
tone poem. The performance is strong on clarity of detail and tight ensemble.
At the same time, the “bonus” track offers Leinsdorf’s impassioned reading
of the Adagietto from Mahler’s Fifth Symphony. It has all the ‘earmarks’
of a romantic reading, with fine details, such as portamento, brought
out expressively.
It is good to have Mahler’s First Symphony and the other two performances
from Leinsdorf’s maturity available now on DVD.
James L Zychowicz
It is good to have Mahler 1 and the other two performances from Leinsdorf’s
maturity available on DVD.
Masterwork Index: Till Eulenspiegel ~~ Mahler 1