Günter Wand (1912-2002)
was an outstanding conductor of Austro-German
symphonic music. He came to prominence
only in later life and during his 80s
frequently guest-conducted the Berlin
Philharmonic, making various live recordings
along the way. This recording is billed
as his last word on the subject (i.e.
Schubert’s Great C major) and
may have come from one of his last concerts.
However, frustratingly, the documentation
does not provide information on where
(presumably the Philharmonie in Berlin)
or when it was made. Not having a copy
to hand, I can only assume that this
is not the live recording made in 1995
with same forces and already issued
in conjunction with Schubert’s Unfinished
Symphony.
As one would expect,
this is a fine interpretation and performance,
caught on the wing, and well worth a
hearing. It gathers power as it goes
and the finale is a fittingly grand
culmination. Unfortunately, and to my
surprise, Wand’s Schubert does not smile
a lot, particularly in the andante,
and there is little Viennese charm.
Against my prior prejudices (as an admirer
of Wand’s Bruckner), I do not clearly
prefer this recording to either Böhm’s
1963 reading with the same orchestra
or Solti’s 1981 version with the Vienna
Philharmonic.
The recording is quite
closely balanced and the audience is
also intermittently intrusive (for example
at the end of the slow movement). At
times there is a slight harshness in
the tuttis and dynamic contrasts could
have been greater.
Overall, a qualified
welcome to this disc. Despite many good
things, it is not the greatest of memorials
to this conductor (that I suggest might
be his final take on Bruckner’s 8th
Symphony), nor would it be my first
choice for this symphony.
Patrick C Waller
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/Günter Wand
