This CD is a glorious reminder of the inheritance of Leonard Bernstein
the conductor. He is the focus of this eclectic disc and features
on the front cover. These are historic recordings from 1957 (Beethoven)
and 1947 (Gershwin). They are described as “Live Studio Recordings
- aren’t they all? Anyway, the young Bernstein meets Beethoven
head-on. Is it a collision?
The first problem you will meet is
the sound of these fifty and sixty year old recordings. Perhaps
it’s unfair to say that it is rather boxy and that many details
are inaudible. Perhaps I shouldn’t comment that there is at
times distortion in the loud passages and as a result of the
higher frequencies in woodwind and strings. No, it’s the performance
that matters and it is a powerful one especially in the finale
which bounds on with unflagging energy and vim - typical Bernstein
you might say. His popularity was such at this time that the
following year he was made musical director of the New York
Philharmonic.
When judging older recordings you may
be concerned about sluggish tempi. Well I don’t have a problem
with Bernstein’s; he is quite modern in this regard despite
what sounds like the huge almost unwieldy vastness of the Boston
Symphony Orchestra at this time. They play their hearts out
for him; nothing thin and emaciated here except, that is, the
transferred sound.
Let’s just make a comparison with more
recent recordings played by ‘authentic ensembles’. Bernstein’s
overall playing time of 34 minutes is amazing. John Eliot Gardiner
in 1994 takes almost 39 minutes on Archiv. That’s the same length
as the version by Anima Eterna under Immerseel in 2006 on Zig-Zag
Térritoires. Harnoncourt in the ground-breaking set for Teldec
(c.1990) takes a minute longer than these. I won’t go on but
as you can see there is no flabbiness with Bernstein.
Surprisingly enough the recorded quality
of the Gershwin is much better in every way. In addition this
is a really terrific performance: energetic, fun and yet full
of romance when it’s most needed. At this time Bernstein was
in the midst of a three year contract with the New York City
Symphony Orchestra and only a few years previously had been
a sensation when standing in for Bruno Walter. The orchestra
is playing on home turf as it were and Bernstein whips them
into line in repertoire that was very much his own. The strings
sound fresh and the woodwind playing is neat and clear. This
is a very successful transfer. If applause worries you then
the Beethoven has about two seconds of it and the Gershwin none;
it’s rather a pity.
The booklet notes are non-existent:
just a picture of a thoughtful Bernstein with his iconic ‘ciggy’.
It might have been nice just to have had a few remarks about
the recordings and/or the music.
So if you’re a Bernstein fan you know
what to do, if not then you could just add this disc to your
library in the ‘curiosities’ department.
Gary Higginson
Boston Symphony
Orchestra/Leonard Bernstein (Beethoven) 
