Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770 - 1827)
Coriolan overture, op. 62 (1807) [9:29]
Symphony No. 5 in C minor, op. 67 (1807-8) [32:53]
London Philharmonic Orchestra/Klaus Tennstedt
rec. live, Royal Albert Hall, London, 30 August 1990 (Symphony), Royal Festival Hall, London, 23 February 1992 (Overture)
LPO LPO-0087 [42:22]
This reissue sees one of my favourite performances of this
famous work back in circulation. It was on a Lake District youth group holiday
in August 1990 that I heard the live broadcast with two other youth leaders.
We were transfixed by the music and the excitement has stayed with me since.
One of my wife’s cousins was at The Proms that night and he was deeply
impressed. Incidentally the first half was Alfred Brendel playing Brahms'
First Piano Concerto so, it was quite a night. It’s also the only recording
I’m aware of with Tennstedt conducting Beethoven’s Fifth;
there is no EMI studio version.
The Overture to Heinrich von Collin’s tragedy "Coriolanus"
prompted a great overture but for me Tennstedt’s performance here is
underwhelming. It starts without conviction and in certain parts sounds hectoring.
Being unfair, I played a 1947 Furtwängler live recording — various labels
but mine is on Andromeda ANDRCD 9093 (6 CDs) — and was absolutely blown
away. For sure this recording is mono, seventy years old and has some annoying
coughs but I find it a much greater experience. Whilst I appreciate the present
disc’s modest price, these recordings are 25 years old and it would
have been better to fill out the disc with the original BBC
Legends’ coupling of the First Symphony.
Heaven knows how many times or versions one hears of Beethoven’s Fifth
but this first class performance blows one away. Right from those opening
bars there is a real feeling of an occasion such as concert series like The
Proms bring. There is a pulse throughout the first movement and the brass
in particular shine through. It's all well captured by the BBC engineers
despite the problems presented by the Royal Albert Hall. The Andante con
Moto follows, lead by the strings. Here the odd audience noise can be
heard but this is in no way a distraction. The main theme is so powerfully
executed but there is a humanity to it all, which is one of the appealing
aspects of Tennstedt.
Played at a decent volume one can recreate the sensation of that evening.
I recall when I heard the live broadcast how impressed I was and hearing this
again, I still am. The Allegro seems perfectly paced before the drama
of the transfer into the Allegro positivo. The final triumph radiates
real emotion. The London Philharmonic must be given special praise here; I
was aware of their loyalty to Tennstedt and this shines through to the supreme
finale. The applause, or at least a short amount, is left in and rightly so.
This is a wonderful version of a much performed work. It will always be special
and whilst the disc is short in mere playing time the price is modest. This
Beethoven Fifth will appeal to all lovers of this conductor and to those who
look for the life-enhancing and the thought-provoking in music-making.
David R Dunsmore
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