Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Symphony no.36 in C Linz K.425 [23:45] (1)
Piano Concerto no.24 in C minor K.491 [34:08] (2)
12 Minuets K.568 [23:16] (3)
Louis Kentner (piano) (2)
London Mozart Players/Harry Blech (1, 3), Philharmonia Orchestra
(2)/Harry Blech
rec. 22-23 December 1954 (1), 23-24 May 1959 (2), 4 December
1956 (3), Studio No. 1, Abbey Road, London
FIRST HAND RECORDS FHR15 [81:10]
Not all that long ago I reviewed
a coupling of Schubert’s 4th and 5th
symphonies by the LMP under Harry Blech on Forgotten Records.
I gave an account of my personal recollections of Blech’s
conducting and of his long reign on the South Bank platforms.
So here I’ll just reiterate the main point that, during
the first decade of their activity, the LMP brought something
new to London concert life - an orchestra of approximately the
dimensions Haydn and Mozart would have heard and, equally importantly,
an exploration of the less well-known works of these composers.
By the time he retired, Blech had conducted all the symphonies
of both composers.
At the same time, Blech tended to use his small forces to propound
interpretations that, to today’s ears, seem essentially
romantic. We can hear this immediately in the introduction to
the “Linz” which is gravely paced and romantically
- almost Brahmsianly - coloured. The Allegro spiritoso
goes with a good deal of vigour while the Andante is expounded
with much breadth and considerable warmth. So far so good, but
the Minuet is not especially characterful and the Finale has
a rather portly gait for a “Presto”. In its majestic
way it convinces, but I’m not sure that the performance
delivers on its initial promise.
In the concerto Blech is conducting the Philharmonia. The opening
ritornello establishes no especial character. Louis Kentner’s
playing, however, is very strongly characterized. His tone is
lucent, but with slowish tempi, allowing the music to unfold
spaciously, the effect is of a dark lucidity. I find this very
interesting and the pianist deserved to work out his interpretation
with a kindred spirit. Blech follows him well enough while he
is playing, but in orchestral passages of any length his evident
tendency towards more suavely flowing tempi gets the better
of him, and Kentner has to re-establish his tempo every time.
By the finale they seem to have given up on each other and both
parties agree that sleepiness should be the name of the game.
Kentner’s own first movement cadenza is fascinating in
a slightly Medtnerish way and this little-recorded pianist probably
deserves investigation.
It is the 12 Minuets that make this record worthwhile. Blech
sees to it that each has its own specific character, lilting,
majestic, pompous and gently humorous by turn. He also has some
of the finest woodwind players on the London scene at the time
and he lets them enjoy themselves. In particular, every contribution
from the bassoonist Archie Camden is a delight. This, perhaps,
was what Blech and the LMP were all about: taking a set of “minor”
Mozart that nobody else back then, not even Beecham, would have
thought worth bothering about, and making each tiny piece a
delight.
A souvenir of a conductor and orchestra that had something of
its own to offer even in a city where the likes of Beecham,
Klemperer, Boult and countless more were regularly plying their
wares. A reminder of HMV in its halcyon days, too, with Berthold
Goldschmidt and Lawrance Collingwood named as producers. The
LMP performances were recorded in experimental stereo which
is seeing the light of day only with the present release. It
doesn’t sound its age. Blech’s left and right separation
of the first and second violins is a definite plus factor in
the “Linz”.
Christopher Howell
It is the 12 Minuets that show what Harry Blech and the LMP were all about.