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Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major K467 (1785) [27:28]
Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major, K488 (1786) [24:46] Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Italian Concerto in F major BWV971 (publ.1736) [12:33] Jean-Philippe RAMEAU (1683-1764)
Pièces de Clavecin – Les Cyclopes (1731) [3:02]
Monique
Haas (piano)
SWF Symphony Orchestra/Hans Rosbaud (K467)
NDR Symphony Orchestra/Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt (K488)
rec. 9 November 1956 (K467), Musikhalle
27 January 1956 (K488),
Decca, London 1946 (Bach, Rameau) TAHRA TAH629 [68:41]
Monique
Haas fully deserves the extensive discography printed in
Tahra’s booklet. It ranges from her first discs, made in
1938, to her last which were made in 1975 though it would
be more pertinent to concentrate more on the more fertile
years of 1946 to 1970 Charles Timbrell’s affectionate sleeve-note
also presents an informative picture of an obviously charming
and delightful woman, as well as musician of great stature.
There are two colour plates of French magazines of the time – late
fifties, a record guide and the local equivalent of Radio
Times. This adds personality and representation to the
disc and is warmly welcomed.
Looking
through her discography is to be reminded of certain nuggets;
that early 1938 recording as part of a four pianist team
(herself, Ina Marika, Edward Staempfli and Max Vredenburg)
in a record of the quarter tone Also sprach Zarathustra by
Vichnegradski (reissue anyone?); the Gendron Fauré Second
Cello Sonata for Decca in London in 1946; the well-known
Ravel Concerto recording with Schmidt-Isserstedt, Hamburg
1948; the Stravinsky Capriccio with Fricsay and the Jochum-led
Schumann concerto in Berlin in 1951. From then on her career
in the studios clarifies though it would also be good to
be reminded of her devotion to her composer-husband the Romanian
Marcel Mihalovici – she recorded the Ricercari in 1951 though
the Toccata the following year was off–air and issued on
Tahra TAH567. His fascinating Op.45 Violin Sonata was taped
with Max Rostal later still in 1958. Mozart looms increasingly
large in the discography in the later 1950s, and that is
the link to this latest disc.
She
recorded K488 commercially with Leitner in Berlin in January
1953 for DG but she left behind no such evidence of her way
with K467. This latter she performs here with the SWF Symphony
Orchestra under Hans Rosbaud, always a dependable and indeed
superior accompanist in his concert and radio broadcast performances.
Haas reveals a strongly independent left hand, voicings are
powerful and communicative and ever alert. It’s a shame that
the piano is rather over-recorded relative to the orchestra
because it sometimes robs her playing of a true pianissimo
but her pellucid, rubato-free and rather aristocratic touch
in the slow movement is compensation enough. Maybe the finale
strikes ears now as a touch heavy in places but it is consonant
with her performance of the concerto as a whole and if the
final flourish is not quite as triumphant as it might have
been, the performance shows her in very fine light.
K488
pairs her with the conductor who had accompanied her in the
Ravel, Schmidt-Isserstedt. His genial and leisurely work
accommodates her playing attractively but whilst she plays
with distinguished nobility the meeting is not especially
productive, the conductor sounding rather over-indulgent
throughout. The sound is a little unforgiving in a way different
from K467 – it’s a touch cloudy and this can blunt the responsiveness
of her tone somewhat, though not enough to dampen the pretty
buoyant finale.
There
are two commercial extras. The Italian Concerto was recorded
for Decca in London in 1946. It’s a relatively sedate performance.
The finale has a muffly sound, which indicates that the noisy
Decca pressings have given problems to the engineer and that
noise suppression has lopped off too much top along with
the crackle. Aptly the Rameau, which served as a filler to
the Bach on the original two disc performance, is included
here.
So
a welcome disc – an item new to her discography, another
valuable slice of a more known interpretation and the restoration
of early post-War Deccas. Plus an important discography into
the bargain.
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