Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Symphony No. 1 in C major Op. 21 [27:40]
Symphony No. 3 in E flat major Eroica Op. 55 [49:19]
Philharmonia Orchestra/Otto Klemperer
rec. live, Vienna, 29 May (No. 3), 7 June (No. 1) 1960
ISTITUTO DISCOGRAFICO ITALIANO IDIS 6610 [77:09]
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Symphony No. 2 in D major Op. 36 [46:01]
Symphony No. 5 in C minor Op. 67 [35:32]
Philharmonia Orchestra/Otto Klemperer
rec. live, Vienna, 29 May (No 2), 31 May (No. 5) 1960
ISTITUTO DISCOGRAFICO ITALIANO IDIS 6612 [71:46]
It is best to start with the downside of these discs. The actual recording,
presumably taken from radio tapes and digitally re-mastered by Danielo Prefumo,
is no more than adequate even compared with other live recordings from this
period. However no one is likely to buy these discs for the quality of sound,
and it is certainly never less than adequate and does not get in the way of
enjoyment or understanding of the performances. One oddity is that the woodwind
seem to be balanced closer than the brass. In the first movement of the Fifth
for example the famous moment where the bassoons are given the solo passage
earlier given to the horns is by no means the problem that it is in some performances,
where the bassoons tend to sound puny. The bassoons here are at least as loud
as the horns if not louder. There are some occasional minor slips from the
orchestra, mainly of ensemble, but nothing worth bothering about. There is
understandably enthusiastic applause at the end of each work, easy to omit,
and the presentation of the discs is meagre - little more than a list of movements.
In a very crowded market these might all be good reasons to ignore these discs,
and under these circumstances the performances have to be very good indeed
to tempt the purchaser.
They are, and I can start with complete confidence that I have never heard
an Eroica which manages to be both exciting and understanding of the
structure and content of the work as this is. The two studio recordings that
Klemperer made with the Philharmonia before and after this performance are
both very much worth hearing, especially the earlier one, but they do not
have quite the sense of excitement and recreation that is found here. Two
key factors are the conductor’s care over the distinction between forte
and fortissimo and over balance and phrasing. In addition whilst it
would be wrong to describe these performances as free in rhythm they are much
more so than are most of Klemperer’s studio recordings. I do not know
whether the gaps between movements represent what they were at the concerts,
but they seem natural and wholly appropriate. A minor matter, perhaps, but
the very short gap here between the third and fourth movements of the Eroica
for example does add greatly to the coherence of the work. I regret the lack
of the first movement repeat in this work - they are taken in all of the others
- but overall this is a performance which reveals to a remarkable degree Beethoven’s
astonishing imaginative logic. The listener, or at least this one, is kept
on the edge of his seat wondering what Beethoven will do next, even if he
or she knows the work backwards. I do not for one moment dispute the value
of more recent recordings, especially those which are better historically
informed, use period instruments or are better recorded, but I regard this
as being a performance of very special strength and understanding.
The other symphonies are also worth hearing, if not all to the same degree.
The Second is the best (it was also recorded on 29 May 1960), bringing out
every facet of this curiously relatively undervalued work. The Fifth is exciting
but cogent. Like all the performances here there is a real sense of forward
motion and logical progression. The First is perhaps the least interesting
as a performance with little advance on the much better recorded studio versions.
Even so the first chords are placed to such perfection that it too is well
worth hearing. I understand that these recordings have been available in other
transfers before although I have not heard them in those versions. On their
own merits, however, I have no doubt that these discs are an essential adjunct
to more recent and better recorded versions, and I look forward with great
eagerness to the remaining volumes in the series.
John Sheppard
These discs are an essential adjunct to more recent and better recorded versions,
and I look forward with great eagerness to the remaining volumes in the series.