The Dutch conductor,
Willem van Otterloo (1907-1978) is an
artist whose reputation may have faded
somewhat with collectors. Accordingly
it may be helpful to start with a few
brief biographical details, drawn from
the excellent booklet that accompanies
this set.
He studied cello and
composition at the Amsterdam Conservatory
and first came to prominence by winning
a composition competition organised
by the Concertgebouw Orkest. The work
with which he achieved this success
was his Third Orchestral Suite (1932)
and when Willem Mengelberg was unable
to conduct the piece in a Concertgebouw
concert van Otterloo took over.
About van Otterloo,
the composer, I know precious little,
I’m afraid. I only know of one work
of his. This is the short, bracing Symphonietta
(1943), scored for sixteen wind instruments.
A recording of a 1944 concert performance
in which van Otterloo conducted the
Concertgebouw Orkest (as it then was)
is included in the set of CDs, Anthology
of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra,
Volume I, 1935-1950 (Q Disc 97017).
I strongly suspect that little of his
creative output has made it onto disc.
Van Otterloo began
his conducting career with the Utrecht
Municipal Orchestra, whose assistant
conductor he became in 1933. After holding
a number of conducting posts in Holland
he became chief conductor of the Residentie
Orkest in 1949, at a time when the orchestra
was, to quote Otto Ketting, author of
the booklet note "a lacklustre
ensemble". Some of the recordings
included in this collection date from
quite early on in van Otterloo’s tenure
and I think it’s fair to say that on
the evidence we have here it seems that
he did improve the orchestra’s standards
pretty quickly.
He stayed with the
orchestra until 1974, I believe, conducting
well over 1000 concerts. However, he
was bitterly disappointed that he was
not chosen to succeed Eduard van Beinum
as chief conductor of the Concertgebouw
Orkest and Ketting suggests that he
became disillusioned with the musical
life of his native country as a result.
Van Otterloo subsequently took posts
in Germany, Japan and Australia, where
he was eventually appointed in 1974
to head the Sydney Symphony Orchestra,
a post he occupied until his death.
In July 1978 he was killed in a road
accident in Melbourne just the day after
he completed the sessions for a Chandos
recording of Le Sacre du Printemps
with the Sydney orchestra.
I think it’s worth
quoting some of Otto Ketting’s comments
on van Otterloo’s conducting style.
He avers that van Otterloo "was
by no means a dictatorial conductor,
nor was he a glamour-seeker or showman.
The music itself had the highest priority.
His thorough knowledge of each and every
score was legendary ….. [and] above
all he was a true orchestral trainer
…. He preferred taut, forward-moving
tempos; he demanded orchestral discipline
and total control; he had the uncanny
ability to maintain a coherent musical
line and never lost sight of the structure
and form." I have quoted these
observations because it seems to me
that the virtues that Ketting describes
are on display pretty consistently throughout
this set.
Disc 1
This opens with the
Berlioz Symphonie fantastique. It
was one of the conductor’s favourite
works and this is one of three recordings
by him, the others dating from 1951
and 1974. Ketting tells us that van
Otterloo "knew the score like the
back of his hand" and it shows.
He brings out very well the light and
shade in the first movement, which is
not an easy structure to hold together,
and the orchestra plays sensitively
for him. The second movement is light
on its feet – a smiling waltz –while
the Scène aux champs
is most carefully balanced and voiced.
The march has power and no little menace
and the concluding Songe d’une nuit
du Sabbat is darkly imagined. Here
van Otterloo brings out the gothic side
of the music – the bells are suitably
eerie. Van Otterloo seems to have a
real affinity for Berlioz and this reading
of the symphony strikes me as an unqualified
success.
Eight years separates
the recordings of the Berlioz (1959)
and the Weber/Berlioz piece that follows.
Otto Ketting quite rightly points out
that the intervening period saw great
advances in recording technology. Here
the earlier recording sounds boxy and
much more closely miked but the sound
is still perfectly acceptable. It’s
a good performance too, with the waltz
itself put across with excellent verve.
The two concert overtures
by Johan Wagenaar were both new to me.
The first, De Getemde Feeks (The
Taming of the Shrew), is a vivacious
offering and I much enjoyed both the
music and the lively performance that
van Otterloo leads. Near the start of
Cyrano de Bergerac there comes
a big tune for the strings. The melody,
which is a fine one, is played for all
it’s worth but never to the point of
self-indulgence. For most of its course,
however, the piece is lively and it’s
played with fervour and brio – and the
central lyrical section (from around
7:00) is done with no little affection.
Both of these overtures are well worth
hearing.
Disc 2
There’s more Dutch
music in the shape of Diepenbrock’s
Music to Sophocles’ Tragedy Electra.
It’s rather a pity that the excellent
notes don’t include a very brief synopsis
of what the music is illustrating. However,
notwithstanding that, the music can
still be appreciated. Much of it is
quite powerful and dramatic. Due to
some tape deterioration the sound quality
is a bit iffy but that can’t hide the
fact that this is a charged performance.
I suspect van Otterloo
was something of an enthusiast for the
music of Max Reger - we are told that
the two works in this present set were
included in his programmes quite frequently.
The performance of the Variations
and Fugue on a Theme of Mozart is
a fine one. The theme itself, which
lends itself well to variation, is graciously
laid out and thereafter van Otterloo
proves himself highly sympathetic to
the music. He keeps things on the move
and he avoids the heaviness of which
Reger is often accused – not always
fairly. This is evident, for instances,
in variations 3 – 5 while the next two
variations are shaped most persuasively.
I admired the warmth and the length
of line that the conductor brings to
the substantial eighth variation. The
extended fugue accounts for nearly one
third of the length of the entire work.
Here van Otterloo achieves welcome clarity
and so avoids stolidity. When the theme
reappears just before the end its apotheosis
is given a nice touch of grandeur.
No less admirable is
the account of Eine romantische Suite.
As Otto Ketting says, the first movement
is in thrall to Debussy’s Prélude
à l’après midi d’un faune.
Van Otterloo performs it sensitively
and sensuously – the latter not a word
one would often associate with Reger.
There’s nimble and delicate playing
to admire in the second movement while
the last of the three movements has
plenty of light and shade at the outset.
Later on there’s ample vigour and the
final pages are imposing. One gets the
feeling that van Otterloo really understands
this music intuitively – he certainly
presents it very well.
Disc 3
Ravel is to the fore
on this disc. Firstly there’s his own
Valses nobles et sentimentales.
It’s quite clear from this performance
that van Otterloo knew how to perform
Ravel. The reading is alert and idiomatic
and I admired the transparent orchestral
textures that the conductor achieves.
There’s also an excellent lift to the
rhythms – sample the sixth section,
Assez vif - and the music surges
splendidly in the seventh section, Moins
vif. The epilogue is beautifully
handled – Ketting is right to single
this out for special praise in his notes.
I enjoyed this performance greatly and
wondered what a van Otterloo La Valse
would be like.
Helpfully all the sections
of Valses nobles are separately
tracked. That’s not the case with the
recording of the two suites from Daphnis
et Chloé and I rather regret
that. The other regret I have about
this performance is that we’re only
given the suites. Van Otterloo’s account
of this wonderful music is so good that
one laments the fact that the whole
ballet was not set down – would it have
been the first complete recording, I
wonder? From the opening measures of
Suite 1 you sense that this is going
to be an atmospheric and idiomatic reading.
This can’t have been familiar music
to the players for the First Suite in
particular was much less frequently
heard in those days than is the case
now. However, the orchestra plays really
well. The choral contribution is also
very good. Van Otterloo builds the second
section of this suite to a marvellous
climax and then the third section is
incisive and dynamic. The famous Daybreak
in Suite 2 is beautifully controlled,
unfolding splendidly. The conductor
is patient and unhurried and this very
patience, allowing the music to speak
for itself, yields dividends. The second
section of this suite is sensuous and
beautifully shaped, with the first flute
player deserving bouquets for some tremendous
playing. Happily, but unsurprisingly,
there’s no grandstanding in the concluding
Danse générale.
Van Otterloo keeps a tight rein
on the proceedings and as a result the
performance perhaps lacks the last degree
of abandonment but it’s still exciting.
Ravel’s orchestration
of Pictures at an Exhibition
makes a logical coupling. In this performance
van Otterloo brings out the different
characteristics of the individual pieces
well. There’s bite in ‘Gnomus’ and the
somewhat menacing heavy peasant tread
of ‘Bydlo’ is good. The little chicks
cluck and scurry to good effect and
the sharply etched ‘Samuel Goldenburg
und Schmuyle’ features a wheedling trumpet.
There’s dark power in the depiction
of the Catacombs. ‘La cabane sur des
pattes de poule’ is driven forward purposefully
while its more eerie passages are tellingly
realised it. Finally van Otterloo and
his forces convey well the grandeur
of the Great Gate of Kiev.
Disc 4
I rather like van Otterloo’s
way with Haydn, as demonstrated here.
Generally his approach is brisk, clean
and energetic. In his hands the music
may not smile as readily as it did for,
say, Beecham but it’s still very enjoyable.
By eschewing first movement repeats,
three symphonies can be accommodated
on one disc. The performance of Symphony
45, made like Number 55 for DG, typifies
the approach. The first movement is
crisp, the second graceful. The minuet
is nicely turned, with some good horn
playing, while the finale has excellent
impetus and the adagio ending, during
which the orchestral forces are gradually
depleted, is well managed. The recording
of Symphony 92 is much earlier but the
sound is still decent. I admired the
way the first movement allegro
springs forward after a well-shaped
introduction. The finale bowls along
effervescently and with no little brio.
To complete the disc
we get a brooding, taut performance
of Schumann’s Manfred Overture.
In this piece the allegro section
moves on with great purpose and effect.
Disc 5
Otto Ketting describes
the performance of the ‘Unfinished’
Symphony as "dark, severe and sober."
I’m not quite sure I agree with "severe"
but the rest is right. Personally I
prefer the first movement’s basic tempo
to be just a notch quicker than the
pace chosen here but van Otterloo is
still convincing. He leads a very well
balanced and proportioned reading. The
Residentie Orkest plays very eloquently
for him and the performance displays
inner conviction. The second movement
glows darkly, once again benefiting
from some excellent playing. Where Schubert
calls for it there’s weight in the strings
and listeners can enjoy some fine work
by the woodwinds and the mellow horns.
Overall this performance is an excellent
one, bespeaking great integrity and
fidelity.
I’m afraid I’ve never
been able to work up much enthusiasm
for the Rosamunde music, which
I just find dull, especially the Entr’acte.
However, I can report that van Otterloo
plays these two excerpts with grace
and Ketting is right to single out the
principal oboe and clarinet for praise.
The soloist in Kindertotenlieder
is Herman Schey (1895-1981), who was
German-born but who based himself in
Holland after 1936. The close recorded
balance is something of a drawback but
Schey sings well. He is very controlled
and some may find him cool beside the
likes of Janet Baker or Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
but I’d prefer to term his approach
"objective". His even, clear
tone gives pleasure though perhaps his
performance of the first song is a bit
unvaried and monochrome in timbre and
expression. Thereafter he’s much more
expressive for the remainder of the
cycle. His voice is quite light, which
helps him when Mahler’s tessitura is
high lying. However. He has sufficient
amplitude at the bottom of the voice
too. In the last song, ‘In diesem Wetter’,
Schey – and van Otterloo - displays
suitably urgency at the start but in
the second half of the song, where Mahler
becomes nostalgic and regretful, the
performance avoids maudlin sentimentality.
Disc 6
There’s more Mahler
in the shape of the Fourth symphony.
Otto Ketting observes that this performance
"exhibits all the standard van
Otterloo trademarks: faithfulness to
the score, lyrical continuity and emotional
restraint." Van Otterloo doesn’t
"dig into" the music of the
first movement in the manner of, say,
Bernstein or Tennstedt. In this symphony
in particular his somewhat fastidious
approach has much to commend it but
those looking for more of the "wild
side" of Mahler to be brought out
may be disappointed. For me, the profile
of the second movement isn’t quite sharp
enough. In particular I don’t feel that
quite enough is made of accents.
The third movement
suits van Otterloo much more. The opening
string paragraphs are tenderly sung
and overall there’s a good deal of lovely
playing all round. The big Heaven’s
Gate climax [16:33] is splendid, the
horns ringing out superbly. The finale
is interesting in that for this release
a different take has been used since
the one issued on the original LP was
thought to be too closely balanced.
Teresa Stich-Randall sings beautifully,
mixing sophistication and wide-eyed
innocence in the correct measure. The
hushed last stanza (from 4:58) flows
wonderfully and so there’s no danger
of the music becoming stagnant, as I’ve
heard more than once in other performances.
Overall, despite one or two reservations,
this is a good performance of the symphony.
The disc also contains
a performance of Rachmaninov’s Paganini
Rhapsody in which the soloist is
the American, Abbey Simon (b. 1922).
This is a somewhat lean, muscular performance
but in saying that I don’t wish to imply
that it’s devoid of feeling for that’s
not the case. In the earlier variations
Simon is lithe and gets excellent, deft
support from the orchestra – the wind
are somewhat prominent in the balance
but I don’t mind this. The partnership
between pianist and conductor is equally
successful in the lyrical stretches
of the work. The famous variation 18
is presented in a dignified, straightforward
way and is certainly not milked for
excessive emotion. The final payoff
sounds a touch abrupt and matter of
fact but this doesn’t mar a most enjoyable
performance, which is of no little merit.
Disc 7
This is devoted to
Bruckner. The Overture in G Minor
is not too often heard even today and
was an enterprising choice back in 1954.
It’s an early work and, frankly, not
that interesting. It contains few touches
that are characteristic of the mature
composer. However, van Otterloo plays
it boldly and makes a good case for
it.
It’s in the Fourth
symphony that van Otterloo’s Brucknerian
credentials are properly displayed.
He brings to the reading the concentration
and length of view that’s so necessary
in Bruckner. There’s something of a
sense of wonder at the start of the
first movement, after which the second
group is invested with grace and lightness.
The brass contribute sonorously where
required and I like the way that the
wind decorations of the horn theme’s
calm return [6:51] have a fresh, open-air
sound. The climaxes are impressively
powerful and there’s genuine nobility
in the brass playing during the section
from 9:24.
The second movement
is taken very steadily - a fraction
too steadily, I fancy. After all, Bruckner
qualified his marking of Andante
– which in itself should imply walking
pace – with the words quasi allegretto.
It just feels to me that the music should
move on a fraction more. Yet other versions
I admire, such as Wand’s 2001 performance
(RCA) and Jochum’s first recording (DG)
from 1965, actually take longer overall
than van Otterloo’s 16:15, lasting for
16:51 and 16:46 respectively. For my
money Karl Böhm gets things just
right in his 1973 Decca reading, coming
in at 15:28. I should report, however,
that van Otterloo’s powers of concentration
and the committed playing of his orchestra
make this a rewarding listen nonetheless.
In particular the string playing in
the first 5 minutes or so is very eloquent
and when the great climax arrives [13:55]
it brings grandeur and a proper sense
of release.
The scherzo has fire
and bite and the trio is nicely moulded.
Having expressed some reservations about
the conductor’s pacing of the second
movement I should say that in the finale
he moves the music along very well while
retaining the grandeur. There’s a sense
of space and the performance is full
of conviction. The build up to the concluding
peroration is expertly controlled and
the symphony ends in a blaze of glory.
This reading may not quite have the
sheen and tonal opulence of, say, the
aforementioned Wand and Böhm recordings
and perhaps the interpretation doesn’t
quite match those readings in terms
of vision. However, it’s still a pretty
impressive traversal.
Disc 8
We’ve already heard
van Otterloo to excellent effect in
Ravel and here’s a little bonus in the
shape of his very first Ravel recording,
the lovely Pavane. By a whisker
the tempo is just too slow, I feel –
only by a whisker, though - but
it’s lovingly shaped. Then it’s off
to Spain for three dances from El
sombrero de tres picos. In these
the rhythms are pointed very well and
there’s ample bounce and fire in the
music. Worthy of special mention is
the excellent cor anglais solo at the
start of the ‘Dance of the miller’.
The exciting tumult of the ‘Final dance’
is colourfully realised in a performance
of much energy.
I was pleasantly surprised
at the enterprise that sees the inclusion
of two works by Morton Gould. These
may well have been done largely for
the benefit of the recording company
since Otto Ketting tells us that van
Otterloo never performed Interplay
live and Spirituals only featured
on his concert programmes a couple of
times. Interplay, which I hadn’t
heard previously, is a small-scale piano
concerto that "brings Broadway
to Carnegie Hall" (Ketting). It’s
good to hear as soloist that fine Dutch
pianist, Cor de Groot (1914-1993). This
piece can’t have been at all familiar
to van Otterloo or his players but the
performance is unbuttoned and yet rhythmically
precise. I love the tongue-in-cheek
way in which the perky second movement,
a Gavotte, is despatched and the slow
movement, entitled ‘Blues’, is gently
melancholic – de Groot is really convincing
here. The finale is exhilarating. This
may not be a first rank work but these
Dutch musicians put it across really
well and the performance, which is more
suggestive of Harlem than Haarlem (sorry!)
is most entertaining.
Spirituals,
which is one of Gould’s best-known works,
is more serious. It too is done very
well. The blues-inflected ‘Sermon’ is
played with feeling while ‘A little
Bit of Sin’, which follows, is put over
with relish. The last movement, ‘Jubilee’
has a Copland-esque feel to it and makes
a suitably festive conclusion.
This disc is something
of a Cook’s Tour. Having taken us to
France, Spain and America, the last
stop is Russia for Prokofiev’s Third
Piano Concerto. Alexander Uninsky (1910-1972)
is a nimble and skilled soloist whose
playing also has adequate power when
necessary. In the first movement Prokofiev
mingles energy and lyricism and the
performers here respond equally well
to both aspects. The variations that
form the second movement call for several
changes of mood and the challenges of
these often-abrupt changes are well
met. The finale receives a dashing,
energetic reading. At 2:43 the big,
soaring lyrical melody, so typical of
this composer, is ardently phrased by
van Otterloo and his band. This performance
of my favourite Prokofiev concerto gave
me a lot of pleasure.
Disc 9
Having been round the
world, as it were, with the previous
disc, this CD sees van Otterloo very
much back on home turf. It’s quite clear
from the booklet that he took seriously
the task of championing native Dutch
composers. Earlier in the set we sampled
some music by composers of an earlier
generation but now the focus switches
to what were, at the time, pretty much
contemporary works. All of the music
here was completely new to me.
Léon Orthel’s
Second Symphony is a concise wartime
work, which is both tonal and accessible.
At the start we hear "sombre, elegiac
opening phrases" (Ketting). Then
a faster, energetic passage for the
strings ushers in a powerful section
in which the brass are much involved.
Around 4:10 the music becomes slower
and more pensive; here the strings and
a regretful flute solo are to the fore.
The passage between 5:20 and 7:00, which
mainly features the strings and woodwind,
put me in mind of Vaughan Williams’s
Fourth and Sixth symphonies. This is
followed by a more cheerful section,
which could be taken for a brief scherzo,
after which a short fugue paves the
way for an exciting climax. A doleful
clarinet solo [11:00] ushers in a slower,
more reflective episode and then the
brass lead a powerful ending. This impressed
me as a serious, compact and worthwhile
piece and so far as I can judge it is
played with conviction and purpose.
The offering by Sem
Dresden is altogether lighter in hue
and is very approachable. It consists
of seven short sections, the longest
of which plays for only 3:01. The second,
a ‘Siciliano’, is delicate and it’s
followed immediately by an invigorating
‘Tempo di valse’. My ear was also caught
by the charming fifth section, ‘Menuetto’
while the bustling, vivacious ‘Alla
tarantella’ is a delightful conclusion.
Hendrik Andriessen’s
Variations and Fugue on a Theme of
Kuhnau is for string orchestra,
though that’s not made clear in the
documentation. It’s an interesting work,
based on a stately melody and I think
there are five short variations – I
haven’t seen a score. What I believe
to be the fourth variation is particularly
impressive; it’s quite searching and
deeply felt. The concluding fugue occupies
about the last two minutes of the piece.
The music doesn’t really break any new
ground but it’s a good piece and I wasn’t
surprised to learn that it quickly became
a favourite among Dutch amateur orchestras.
Here, of course, it’s in the very capable
hands of professionals. Andriessen’s
Ricercare is for full orchestra.
Like its companion piece it’s not a
mould-breaker but it’s accessible and
well worth hearing. The music is interesting
and sounds to be well written for the
orchestra.
The most substantial
of these Dutch offerings is Henk Bading’s
Third Symphony, written when its composer
was twenty-seven. Scored for a large
orchestra it’s an ambitious piece. The
first movement is strong and vigorous
and the music is assertive. Even when
the tempo and dynamics relax the tension
doesn’t and there are some truly powerful
passages. The second movement is described
by Ketting as the "high point"
of the work. It’s a scherzo that’s driving
and energetic. It sounds to be very
difficult to play but the problems are
successfully surmounted on this occasion.
For me it’s actually the Adagio
that follows that is the pinnacle of
the piece. The music is solemn and earnest
and for much of the first three minutes
or so the strings carry the burden of
the argument. At that point a plaintive
oboe solo paves the way for greater
involvement by the woodwind section.
This is a movement that expresses genuine
emotion and I found it to be an impressive
statement. The finale is possessed of
an energy that almost seems manic at
times. Frankly, the music of the finale
is in a style of music that doesn’t
greatly engage my emotions but it’s
most interesting. In summary this is
a symphony of some substance and it
appears to be well served in this recording.
It many ways this disc
is the most valuable part of the collection.
It’s good to be able to benchmark van
Otterloo in familiar repertoire. However,
his work on behalf of native composers
was surely a crucial element of his
role as Music Director of one of the
country’s leading orchestras and we
need to be able to understand and appreciate
this aspect of his work in order to
evaluate him fully. Otto Ketting points
out that today’s conductors of Dutch
orchestras are nowhere near as assiduous
in playing home-grown music.
Disc 10
The Grieg dances are
nicely done. In particular a nicely
turned oboe solo in the second one sets
the tone for a charming performance
while the third dance has a genuine
spring in its step.
Most of the disc is
given over to a complete performance
of Beethoven’s ballet, Der Geschöpfe
des Prometheus. I have to say that
I’m in two minds about the inclusion
of this item. I have no complaints whatsoever
about the standard of the performance
and it’s good to find van Otterloo –
and Phillips – straying off the Beethovenian
beaten track. That said, this is not
exactly top-drawer Beethoven and part
of me would have liked to see either
another symphony or, perhaps better
still, a concerto included instead.
Also, while I’m in grumpy mood, though
I think the documentation is excellent
I wish the notes had included just a
little detail about what this fairly
unfamiliar music was actually illustrating
in the ballet itself. For instance,
the fifth number, marked Adagio –
Andante quasi allegretto, includes
a pretty prominent part for a harp.
So far as I know this use of a harp
is unique in Beethoven’s music and I’m
intrigued as to why – and why only in
this one number? In fact, this is one
of the most engaging numbers and it
also features a nice cello solo, which
is well taken here.
Though most of the
music shows the lighter side of Beethoven
there’s depth in the seventh movement,
a Grave. Section nine is good
too: here Beethoven’s nobility shows
through in the Adagio opening
after which there’s an entirely characteristic
Allegro. I admired the lovely,
mellow clarinet solo in the Adagio
section of number 14 and the finale
employs material familiar from the ‘Eroica’
Variations Op. 35 and, of course,
the Third symphony. The performance
of this ballet score is a good one but
on balance I wish we’d been given something
a bit more substantial. Incidentally,
Otto Ketting points out that, despite
its "complete" billing there
are a few cuts. As he puts it, three
movements "have been wisely reduced,
removing several altogether tedious
repeats."
Disc 11
This disc contains
another Beethoven rarity in the shape
of the overture, Die Weihe des
Hauses. I’m unsure why the piece
isn’t played more often, even if its
material isn’t as memorable as that
of some of Beethoven’s other overtures.
The solemn, grand opening eventually
gives way to a bustling, festive allegro.
The Dutch musicians give it a committed
performance.
This very generously
filled disc opens with a performance
of Beethoven’s Eighth symphony, a piece
I like very much. I’m a little surprised
to find that Ketting characterises this
as "a subdued, serenely pastoral,
almost tentative performance."
I’m not sure I’d agree with "tentative".
True, the first movement isn’t as driven
as I’ve heard sometimes but it’s still
purposeful enough. The second movement
ticks along in a genial way, but that
doesn’t mean it’s not alert. The third
movement, however, I find a touch severe
– perhaps the pacing in a bit too solid
for comfort – and the trio sounds a
mite stodgy, though the horn and wind
solos are well played. The dynamic finale
comes off well. On the whole, though
I’ve heard better and moiré joyful
accounts, I think I’d rate this reading
a little more highly than Ketting seems
to do.
The recording of the
Brahms First symphony sounds somewhat
muffled after the cleanliness of the
Beethoven 8th and in the
main allegro of the first movement
the violins sound more wiry that I suspect
they truly were. Van Otterloo propels
this section along strongly after the
steady, almost deliberate way in which
he lays out the introduction. Taken
as a whole this traversal of the first
movement is bracing and I enjoyed it.
The second movement is ideally paced,
I think, and it’s played with an excellent
combination of affection and purpose.
The contribution of the principal oboe
is distinguished and there’s elevated
playing from the leader and from the
first horn in the last couple of minutes.
The radiant close is beautifully managed.
There’s more fine playing
to enjoy in the third movement and this
time it’s the principal clarinet who
excels. I don’t know why but I wasn’t
completely convinced by the handling
of the introduction to the finale. To
me it just seems to lack a bit of bite.
All is well when we reach the famous
horn melody, however. The Big Tune is
nobly sung by the strings, presaging
a taut and well-disciplined account
of the main body of the movement. The
ending is exciting, bringing to a satisfying
close a highly recommendable, traditional
– in the best sense – reading by a conductor
who clearly knew his Brahms.
Disc 12
We being with more
Brahms; a trenchant performance of the
Tragische Ouvertüre.
This was van Otterloo’s
second recording of the piece. His previous
effort, also with the Residentie Orkest,
dates from 1948, before he began his
permanent association with them. The
bulk of the disc is given over to Beethoven’s
Ninth Symphony. I detected a rare error
in the booklet, where the timing of
the scherzo is given as 4:29. In fact
the track lasts for 11:05 and the correct
overall timings both for the performance
of the symphony and for the CD as a
whole are as shown in the review heading.
The first movement
of the symphony proceeds at a relatively
measured speed but the conducting has
real grip. I admired the contribution
of the woodwind in particular, though
the whole orchestra plays well. Van
Otterloo shows himself to be very good
at building and releasing tension. In
his hands the coda demonstrates quite
clearly where Bruckner learnt the knack
of cumulative power through the use
of crescendo.
The scherzo is very
well articulated and the trio trips
along nicely. The slow movement is nobly
sung at a generous but not turgid tempo.
The strings and woodwinds play with
great commitment and no little finesse.
Van Otterloo impresses by controlling
the entire piece as a seamless, flowing
entity.
When it comes to the
finale the opening passages of rhetorical
recitative and reminiscences of previous
material are handled sagely. The Ode
to Joy melody unfolds very naturally
and during the course of this episode
the bassoon countermelody, something
for which I always listen out, is delivered
delightfully. Herman Schey does not
have the biggest voice one has heard
in this work but he more than compensates
for any lack of amplitude through the
clarity of his vocal production. Also,
the top notes present him with no problems
at all. The soloists are nicely placed
in the balanced but are not excessively
prominent while the choir is realistically
balanced behind the orchestra. The tenor,
Frans Vroons, does what he can with
his martial solo but almost inevitably
he sounds strained – I’m afraid this
solo is a prime example of Beethoven’s
frequently ungrateful writing for the
human voice. The demanding fugal section
for orchestra that follows is strongly
and clearly projected and after this
the choir sings the Ode as if their
lives depended on it. I agree with Otto
Ketting that they do indeed "give
it their all." The male voices
in the chorus are especially impressive
throughout. The solo quartet is dependable
and the slow bars at "Alle Menschen"
[21:37] are firmly anchored by Schey
while Erna Spoorenberg soars beautifully
over the top of the ensemble.
This is a very convincing
performance of the Ninth and must be
counted as one of the prime achievements
of this set.
Disc 13
Beethoven’s Fourth
symphony opens this final CD. This was
a work that van Otterloo seems to have
performed infrequently. The brooding
introduction to the first movement is
dark and well sustained, after which
the allegro explodes into life. There’s
splendid forward momentum in this movement.
The slow movement is not, I think, one
of Beethoven’s most inspired symphonic
movements but van Otterloo plays it
with warmth and affection. I’m always
a bit puzzled as to why Beethoven termed
the third movement ‘menuetto’ when,
to all intents and purposes, it’s a
scherzo. It’s well played here, with
a sturdy rendition of the trio. The
description "sturdy" also
applies to the playing of the finale.
There’s enough energy but I’d have liked
more lightness and the impression given
is one of fierceness. Overall, though,
this is a pretty good account of the
symphony.
Another, but very different,
Fourth completes both the CD and the
anthology. This was van Otterloo’s favourite
Tchaikovsky symphony and this particular
recording had the distinction of being
the first classical LP made by Phillips
with a Dutch orchestra – although Ketting
suggests that the engineering may actually
have been done by Decca. Certainly the
recording is, as he says, very sensitive
and picks up not only a great deal of
orchestral detail but also a few extraneous
noises – such as a pronounced thump
at 0:11 into the slow movement.
The first movement
is forthright and direct. There’s bite
and power in the playing and van Otterloo
controls everything strongly. In the
bridge passage to the second subject
there’s some excellent work by the solo
clarinet and bassoon and, indeed, in
the second subject itself all the winds
acquit themselves well. The development
section is tremendously exciting. Perhaps
there are a couple of occasions hereabouts
when van Otterloo could have eased up
a bit but the listener is borne along
on the tide of the performance. The
Residentie Orkest play as if on the
edge of their seats and in the coda
a real storm is whipped up.
The acoustics of the
Concertgebouw provide a resonant surrounding
for the oboe solo at the start of the
second movement. The playing is good
but the phrasing struck me as a bit
mannered. That this is down to the conductor
rather than the player is confirmed
by similar phrasing every time the melody
recurs. There are quite a number of
tempo modifications during this movement
and I’m not sure I find all of them
convincing. The melancholy bassoon solo
at 7:35 is beautifully played but it’s
distractingly over interpreted by van
Otterloo. Overall I found the treatment
of this movement a bit fussy. A sensible
speed is adopted for the third movement.
In this the strings play their pizzicati
dextrously but with a nice amount of
weight and the woodwinds gambol merrily.
There’s plenty of openhearted merrymaking
at the start of the finale. However,
when the folk-like second subject is
introduced on oboe and bassoon [1:35]
the chosen tempo seems too slow and
it’s noticeable that van Otterloo gradually
speeds up when the full orchestra enters
shortly thereafter, only to slow up
again, just for a few seconds, at 2:39.
I’m afraid this is irritating. From
around 5:00 he conducts with electric
energy in the passage leading up to
the dramatic reappearance of the Fate
motif. The coda brings an appropriately
thrilling finish. There’s a great deal
to admire in this recording. I feel
it’s just a pity that van Otterloo over
interprets parts of the second and fourth
movements. For me this means that a
very good Tchaikovsky Fourth doesn’t
become an excellent one. Nonetheless
this provides a rousing conclusion to
this collection.
Summary
It’s been an absorbing
and rewarding project to listen to these
thirteen discs. My enjoyment has been
greatly enhanced by Challenge Classics’
presentation of the set, which is all
that can be desired in an historical
set. The quality of the recordings is,
inevitably, a bit variable but the sound
quality is never a serious issue and
the remastering seems to have been done
very successfully. The 99-page booklet,
which is in English and Dutch, is a
model of its kind. There are copious
black and white illustrations, including
photographs of conductor and orchestra
and many reproductions of the original
LP sleeves. The notes by Otto Ketting
are superb, presenting an excellent
amount of information and comment about
both the conductor and also the recordings
themselves.
As to the music making,
well I think I’d describe this set as
revelatory. I must admit that Willem
van Otterloo was a conductor to whom
I’d not paid a great deal of attention
in the past and, in truth, his star
has rather faded since his death. His
recordings have not had the highest
profile since then but this set shows
what a considerable musician he really
was. He’s firmly in the Dutch tradition
– which I much admire – of sensible,
un-flashy, thoroughly musical conductors
like Eduard van Beinum and, especially,
Bernard Haitink. I’m left with four
overriding impressions.
Firstly, van Otterloo
must have been a considerable orchestral
trainer. The playing on these CDs is
remarkably good even if on occasions
one realises one is not listening to
an orchestra that possesses the tonal
weight and refinement of, say, the Concertgebouw
Orkest. Also, it would seem that van
Otterloo achieved pretty high standards
quickly for the earliest of these recordings
dates from 1950, within a year of his
appointment to lead the Residentie Orkest.
Secondly I’m struck
by the range of van Otterloo’s tastes.
There’s plenty of central repertoire
here, to be sure, but that sits alongside
Reger and Morton Gould. And, as we’ve
already seen, he was a fine advocate
of Dutch music. Furthermore, we should
remind ourselves that one or two of
the pieces by established composers,
such as the Bruckner overture, were
not common fare in those days. The fact
that these were recorded reflects credit
on Philips as well as on van Otterloo.
Then there’s the musicality
and integrity of the conductor. There’s
no grandstanding here. Furthermore,
though none of the interpretations is
dull or routine there were very few
occasions when he does something unusual,
prompting me to say to myself "I
don’t like that".
Finally, and above
all, this set offers a strong and poignant
reminder of a lost tradition. Nowadays
we read all to often that a particular
jet-setting maestro has been appointed
Music Director of an orchestra and that
"Maestro X will spend a minimum
of eight [or it might be as much as
twelve] weeks each year with the orchestra".
Contrast that with the likes of Barbirolli
or Ormandy who spent years with one
orchestra – and, moreover, spent the
bulk of each of those years with their
orchestra. Van Otterloo was like that:
he’d regularly spend eight months
of every year with the Residentie Orkest
and by 1961 he’d chalked up 1000 concerts
with them! Of course, such a commitment
is a two-way thing and perhaps orchestras
don’t want to be tied down to the same
conductor for long stretches these days.
However, the beneficial results of such
a mutual commitment in terms of understanding,
consistency and rapport, are self-evident
in these recordings.
If I’m honest I suspect
that today few of these recordings would
be the first choice for the work concerned.
However, were they to be issued separately
I think that quite a few – the Symphonie
fantastique, the Reger variations,
most of the Ravel items and the Brahms
First symphony among them – could stand
comparison with most competitors. But
to think in terms of library choices
is to miss the point, I think. It’s
hearing these recordings as a set that
shows the scale of van Otterloo’s achievement
with this orchestra. Otto Ketting explains
that the poor acoustics of the hall
where the orchestra regularly performed
were pretty unsatisfactory – hence the
use of the Concertgebouw as a recording
location. This means that there’s no
real legacy of recordings of live concerts
by van Otterloo that is suitable for
issue on CD. That’s a pity but I’d warmly
welcome a follow-up volume of his studio
recordings.
In his centenary year
Challenge Classics has done Willem van
Otterloo proud with this set and has
done a great deal to restore the reputation
of a seriously undervalued conductor.
John Quinn
CD Contents Listing
CD 1
Hector Berlioz - Symphonie fantastique
Carl Maria von Weber / Hector Berlioz
- Aufforderung zum Tanz
Johan Wagenaar - De Getemde Feeks (Overture)
(The Taming of the Shrew)
Johan Wagenaar - Cyrano de Bergerac
(Overture)
CD 2
Max Reger - Variations and Fugue on
a Theme of Mozart
Max Reger - Eine romantische Suite
Alphons Diepenbrock - Music to Sophocles’
Tragedy Elektra
CD 3
Maurice Ravel - Valses nobles et
sentimentales
Maurice Ravel - Suites No.1 and No.2
from Daphnis et Chloé (Nederlands
Kamerkoor)
Modest Moussorgsky / Maurice Ravel -
Pictures at an Exhibition
CD 4
Joseph Haydn - Symphony No.45
Joseph Haydn - Symphony No.55
Joseph Haydn - Symphony No.92
Robert Schumann - Overture Manfred
CD 5
Franz Schubert - Symphony No.8 ‘Unfinished’
Franz Schubert - From Rosamunde:
Entr’acte No.3, Balletmusic No.2
Gustav Mahler - Kindertotenlieder (Herman
Schey, baritone)
CD 6
Gustav Mahler - Symphony No.4 (Teresa
Stich-Randall, soprano)
Sergei Rachmaninov - Rhapsody on a Theme
of Paganini (Abbey Simon, piano)
CD 7
Anton Bruckner - Symphony No.4 ‘Romantic
Symphony’
Anton Bruckner - Overture in G Minor
CD 8
Maurice Ravel - Pavane pour une
infante défunte
Manuel de Falla - Three dances from
El sombrero de tres picos
Morton Gould - Interplay ‘American Concertette’
(Cor de Groot, piano)
Morton Gould - Spirituals
Sergei Prokofiev - Concerto No.3 for
piano and orchestra (Alexander Uninsky,
piano)
CD 9
Léon Orthel - Symphony No.2
‘Piccola sinfonia’
Sem Dresden - Dansflitsen (Dance flashes)
Hendrik Andriessen - Variations and
Fugue on a Theme of Kuhnau
Hendrik Andriessen - Ricercare
Henk Badings - Symphony No.3
CD 10
Edvard Grieg - 4 Norwegische Tänze
(4 Norwegian Dances)
Ludwig van Beethoven - Die Geschöpfe
des Prometheus
CD 11
Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphony
No.8
Ludwig van Beethoven - Overture Die
Weihe des Hauses (The consecration of
the House)
Johannes Brahms - Symphony No.1
CD 12
Johannes Brahms - Tragische Ouvertüre
(Tragic Overture)
Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphony No.9
(Erna Spoorenberg, soprano, Maria von
Ilosvay, alto, Frans Vroons, tenor,
Herman Schey, bass, Toonkunstkoor Amsterdam)
CD 13
Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphony
No.4
Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky - Symphony
No.4
