Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61 (1875) [41:40]
Coriolan overture, Op. 62 [8:14]
Symphony no. 1 in C major, Op. 21 (1893) [26:00]
Isaac Stern (violin)
Orchestre National de RTF/Josef Krips
rec. 18 September 1958 (Concerto and Coriolan), 28 August 1956 (Symphony);
no venue given. ADD
CASCAVELLE VEL 3154 [75:54]
The Viennese conductor Josef Krips has been enjoying a renaissance of late,
with his recordings of Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert and Mendelssohn being released
on Eloquence. The French recording company Cascavelle has also been mining
the archives for Krips’ recordings with French orchestras. In this release
Krips conducts the Orchestre National de la Radio-Télévision
Française in Beethoven repertoire he would have known very well.
Beethoven’s Violin Concerto, op. 61 has long taken its place with the
Brahms, Mendelssohn and Elgar concertos as one of the peaks of the violin
repertoire. It has an eloquent simplicity that it shares with the “Archduke”
piano trio, the slow movement of the “Appassionata” sonata, and
other works from Beethoven’s middle period. This recording by the 38-year
old Isaac Stern has a freshness that a great player can bring to a thoroughly
familiar work. The opening timpani notes come across clearly, followed by
some rather acid-toned woodwinds. Krips sets a spacious tempo for the first
movement, which he does not deviate from to any great extent. Stern’s
solo entry has warmth and sweetness of tone; he is very closely recorded,
being unnaturally forward in the balance. Fortunately he is in great form,
playing the long phrases of arpeggios and other passage-work eloquently and
with very accurate intonation. He and Krips have a good understanding, and
the performance flows very naturally. There are a few sonic speckles and rattles
which I suspect are coughs from the audience. The chorale-like phrases which
begin the second movement are carefully built up, and Stern’s exchanges
with the woodwinds are sensitively done. His legato playing is very fine,
especially in the high-lying passage with pizzicato accompaniment. There is
a patch of watery sound towards the end of the movement. The resolute opening
of the finale is enthusiastically attacked. Krips again sets a near ideal
tempo, fast enough to be lively but not so fast as to feel rushed. Stern plays
this movement with impressive agility and an infectious sense of enjoyment.
This is really sparkling playing, and the applause at the end is generous.
Arthur Grumiaux recorded the Beethoven twice to my knowledge. The earlier
of these was with the New Philharmonia conducted by Alceo Galliera, and dates
from 1966. Grumiaux’s approach is more elegant than Stern’s, and
the first movement is even more spacious at 24:07 (versus 23:15). The recording
is superior, with a more natural balance. However there is a visceral excitement
about the music-making in the Stern that makes one forgive its occasional
rough edges.
Krips and the ORTF continue with an intense performance of Coriolan.
The beginning has terrific impact and unanimity, and the sense of drama is
strong. Unfortunately the tuttis, and the pizzicato chords at the end, are
not quite together. Even with these reservations, the performance is certainly
a lot more exciting than Stephen Gunzenhauser’s with the Slovak Philharmonic
Orchestra on Naxos.
Unfortunately the performance of the Beethoven First Symphony that concludes
the disc is not up to the standard of the first two works. Krips’ tempos
are again well chosen, allowing the music to breathe but the orchestra tends
to lag the beat, giving a sogginess to the ensemble. As a result this is dogged
rather than invigorating. Despite being recorded seven years later, the sound
is raw and edgy. Kurt Masur’s 1990 recording with the Gewandhaus Orchestra
Leipzig has far more refinement and vivacity: the first movement is almost
a minute faster than Krips’, at 8:28 as against 9:23. The Gewandhaus
may not be in the same league as the Berlin, Vienna or Concertgebouw orchestras,
but the superiority of this performance provides a stark reminder of how standards
of orchestral playing have improved since 1965.
Guy Aron
This Beethoven disc with Josef Krips and Isaac Stern is a mixed bag, with
an exciting Violin Concerto, a terrific Coriolan, and a rather dull Symphony
no. 1.