Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Violin Concerto in A minor BWV1041 (1717-23) [15:29]
Violin Concerto in E BWV1042 (1717-23)
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Violin Concerto in D, Op.61 (1806) [45:51]
Roman Totenberg (violin)
Poznan Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra/Stanislaw Wislocki
rec. 1950s
FORGOTTEN RECORDS FR700 [79:58]
This recording was released in the wake of Roman Totenberg’s recent
death
at the glorious age of 101. Glorious, too, that he remained alert, active
and
industrious to the very end. He was still dispensing advice during his
last
days. I recently reviewed an important two disc set from Arbiter that
collected
concert and radio performances of the Polish violinist. This one from
Forgotten
Records digs out Polish studio LP recordings made in the 1950s. The
repertoire
may be standard, but most of Totenberg’s discs await CD transfer, so
this
marks what I hope will be a steady reappraisal of his art.
This concerto sequence was made with the collaboration of conductor
Stanislaw
Wislocki. I’ve noted the orchestra as the Poznan Philharmonic though
Forgotten
Records identifies the orchestra for the Bach as the Warsaw Philharmonic.
The
recordings appeared first on the domestic Polish label Muza, which houses
some
splendid things, many yet to appear on silver disc. Subsequent reissues
came
via Heliodor, Eterna and, in the case of the Beethoven, Westminster.
Totenberg’s Bach is clean-limbed, patrician but not cool. Portamenti
are
very sparing, and whilst there is a quite weighty bass line in the slow
movement
of the A minor, the playing is never expressively inappropriate. Here
Totenberg’s
tone takes on greater colour and warmth but, as in the companion concerto
in
E, it remains quite elevated playing. BWV1042 has a slightly more
recessive
recorded sound for some reason, and tuttis need a bit of a boost, but the
playing
is of a piece. Nothing is especially personalised, but everything is
appropriate
for the time and place.
Seriousness informs the Beethoven. It’s quite closely recorded but
dynamics
are good. It’s not an especially fast reading but it is occasionally
quite
an elastic one in terms of phrasing. His slowing in the first movement
reminds
one, perhaps, of pre-war performances rather than those predicated on
leaner
and more linear readings. The first movement cadenza is rather too long,
for
my tastes. Totenberg’s Larghetto is reverential, and his
Rondo
finale solidly musical. His tone is expressive but not glutinous; his
trill
is fast, rhythm good, phrasing elastic, once more, in places. I
wouldn’t
say it’s the most Olympian or indeed exciting of performances but it
is
a congruent and in many ways fine one. Of near-contemporaries Schneiderhan
and
Grumiaux offer more consistent rewards, but admirers of Totenberg will
rejoice
that these rather elusive discs are back in the catalogue.
Jonathan Woolf
Admirers of Totenberg will rejoice that these rather elusive discs are back in the catalogue.
availability
Forgotten Records