Some years ago I
reviewed
a set containing the recordings of all four Brahms symphonies which
Felix Weingartner made in London between February 1938 and February
1940. Now Pristine Audio has released the last two of these symphonies
in new transfers by Andrew Rose. He has processed the first two symphonies
separately (PASC281) but I’ve not heard the results.
I don’t find that my view of either interpretation has changed.
Last time I described Weingartner’s approach to the Third symphony
as “lean and muscular”; indeed, that description could
be applied equally well to all his Brahms interpretations. It’s
possible that part of that may be attributable to the recorded sound
but mostly it’s a question of style. In many ways I like it;
it’s direct and bracing. However, since writing that review
back in 2006 I’ve heard the performances of all the Brahms symphonies
by both Sir Charles Mackerras and Sir John Eliot Gardiner. The approach
of both conductors is similarly lean and direct, shorn of any extraneous
padding. By comparison with them Weingartner fails to shape the phrases
quite as winningly. These more recent conductors shape the wonderful
conclusion to the Third symphony more satisfyingly - though Weingartner’s
way with this passage is convincing and of a piece with his clear-eyed
approach to the symphony as a whole.
Last time I wrote of the Fourth that Weingartner’s view of the
work is “clear and forthright”, not least in his disciplined
control of rhythms. In his hands I found the finale trenchant and
darkly powerful; I still do. The performances of both symphonies are
well worth hearing.
What of the transfers? Andrew Rose admits in a booklet note that he
found both recordings a challenge, as he has found several recordings
emanating from Abbey Road in the late 1930s. However, he has persevered,
using Columbia LPs from the 1960s. It’s been interesting to
compare these, movement by movement, with those which I’d previously
heard that David Lennick made for Living Era.
In comparing the Third I listened to each movement in the Living Era
transfer first. In each case I found the Pristine audio transfer is
preferable. Rose’s work offers warmer, fuller sound with rather
better bass definition. For example, the sound of the woodwinds and
then of the answering string phrases at the start of II has better
definition. It’s a similar story in I and III; the Living Era
sound seems a little flatter. At the opening of the finale the Pristine,
as reproduced on my equipment, evidenced a better, fuller bass response
and the jagged chords (from 0:50) have more body; they sound somewhat
shrill on Living Era. Unsurprisingly, perhaps, the wonderful coda
(from 6:43) is more satisfyingly reproduced on Pristine, the sound
having a bit more warmth and presence.
When it came to the Fourth I reversed the process and listened first
to each movement in the Pristine transfer. In the first movement I
found I had a slight preference for the Pristine over the Living Era
but that the difference between the two was slight. I assessed honours
as even in II. Andrew Rose commented that the recording of the Fourth
is less well recorded than the Third in the louder sections and goes
so far as to describe the sound as sometimes having a tendency to
“coagulate into a rather heavy mush”. There’s evidence
of this in III where the booming timpani tend to compromise the
tutti
sound. In some ways the leaner, dare I say thinner sound from the
Living Era transfer alleviates this problem but the Pristine sound
is more pleasant to hear. On balance I prefer the sound that Pristine
offers over the course of the symphony as a whole but, as indicated
earlier, the differences between the two transfers are not as marked
in this symphony.
If you already own the Living Era transfers I would not suggest discarding
them - I won’t be doing so. Their set is offered with good notes
by David Patmore whereas Pristine Audio merely reprint an extract
from
The Gramophone’s 1938 review and a brief note about
the transfer. The Living Era transfers are offered as part of a two-disc
set of all four symphonies; The Pristine transfers reproduce Weingartner’s
performances of the last two Brahms symphonies, which are well worth
hearing, to best advantage.
John Quinn
Masterwork Index:
Symphony
3 ~~
Symphony 4
