Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Symphony No. 29 in
A major, K201, [29.47]
Serenade No.13 in G major, K525, ‘Eine Kleine Nachtmusik’ [17.42]
Symphony No. 41 in C major, K551, ‘Jupiter’ [30.05]
Philharmonia Orchestra/Otto Klemperer
rec. Kingsway Hall, London, 8-9 October 1954, 25 March 1956, 6-7 March 1962
PRISTINE AUDIO PASC608 [72.33]
Volume 3 of the Pristine series of refurbished recordings of Klemperer’s Mozart follows two collections that Michael Wilkinson has reviewed Vol. 1 (review) and Vol.2 (review). I’ve only heard the first Volume (review). I hope that I may hear the second. It contains my favourite Mozart symphony, No.39 There are two Klemperer recordings ; both enjoyable: the earlier from 1956 but also the 1962, the latter once on LP but unreleased by Pristine so far. These I have in the 2013 8 CD set that EMI released of all the Klemperer orchestral Mozart recordings: review.
For the present CD Pristine have chosen two earlier recordings but for some unaccountable reason, have selected the later “Jupiter” which, in comparison has less spirit and energy than the 1954 recording. I believe that it was partly that recording, following concerts at the Royal Festival Hall, from late 1951 that convinced, Svengali and renowned producer Walter Legge to persuade HMV to sign up the aging Klemperer as a ‘replacement’ for Karajan. It may be remembered that Karajan was destined to abandon the London-based Philharmonia for the Berlin Philharmonic upon the sudden death on 30th. November 1954 of Wilhelm Furtwängler.
As an aside, I must mention how highly I rate Karajan’s Mozart recordings with the Philharmonia. As well as the Symphonies they include the seminal Horn Concertos with Dennis Brain and Cosi Fan Tutte with Legge’s wife Elizabeth Schwarzkopf which I regard as one of the finest sets. It’s such a shame that the stubborn Legge recorded it in mono although it comes from late 1954. Also, interestingly, another conductor who fitted the bill as a potential replacement for Karajan was Gunter Wand (b. 1912) who at that stage was only in his early 40s. However, the lure of a steady income recording for mail order company Français du Disque was too much. For them he made recordings with the Cologne Gürzenich Orchestra. Some of these have been released in the last twenty years by Testament and some of his Beethoven which is in the Klemperer tradition has been made available to stream through Eloquence.
Symphony No. 29 is one of my favourites works and despite being dismissed by some as juvenilia has sufficient qualities to be regarded as a significant composition. Klemperer’s recording, here on Pristine, is surprisingly flowing and certainly lacks the heaviness that typified his later Mozart; I’m thinking of Le Nozze di Figaro and especially the marmoreal Cosi Fan Tutte which he successfully contrives to make sound like Beethoven. This 1954 performance is full of Mozartian good manners but completely avoids sounding like the composer from Bonn. The Philharmonia at the time could lay claim to be the greatest orchestra and they certainly prove it here. The Andante never fails to move me but Klemperer never forgets that this is a composition from an 18 year old. The wind section, including the incomparable Dennis Brain on French horn are in first-rate form and Andrew Rose has perfectly captured the sound from 66 years ago. There are contemporary recordings by Cantelli with the same orchestra, now in an excellent Warner’s box. Karajan also entered the lists, now on Warners. There’s also a live recording of the BBCSO under Beecham from 1955 on Somm. All that said, Klemperer, on this form is unbeatable and I enjoyed it enormously.
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik was the first piece of music that I heard live when an orchestra from Birmingham, (part of the CBSO?), came to my school in Eccleshall, Staffordshire in around 1960. I was 6 and I was transfixed. Klemperer’s recording made in March 1956, from about the time of his famous Brahms’ recordings, has a similar quality. Quite simply, it’s one of the finest recordings that I’ve heard and has been magnificently restored by Pristine. Anyone who feels that this piece has become overplayed or hackneyed should listen in particular to the Romanze/Andante. As well as featuring in Warner’s big Klemperer Mozart set, this recording is on a budget CD with Beethoven’s Grosse Fuge, Handel’s Concerto Grosso Op. 6 No.4, and the Serenata notturna and Adagio and Fuge which I acquired ten years or so ago and often return to. Whichever version you play Klemperer’s is a life-enhancing rendition and I defy anyone not to feel better after the final Allegro. Surely, it has never sounded so fresh.
We are certainly not short of fine performances of Mozart’s final Symphony, The Jupiter. As mentioned above, this 1962 Klemperer recording faces competition from an earlier version from 1954. I do hope that Pristine intend to issue this as well. There are certainly enough recordings in the 8 CD box that could be used as coupling. On its own terms this is a splendid reading of this fabulous work. Firstly, although Klemperer was beginning to slowdown and be less incisive than in the mid-1950s he was certainly still in control of this orchestra. Orchestra and conductor had great mutual respect. This was shown two years later when Legge, acting like a martinet, disbanded the orchestra. Klemperer worked with the members to be a self-governing body as ‘The New Philharmonia’. He continued to conduct them in such great recordings as Bruckner 6 (review) and Mahler 9 (review). The sound from 58 years ago is outstanding in this restoration from original LPs and is a great tribute to the skills of Walter Legge and the re-mastering magic wrought by Andrew Rose. Klemperer’s division of first and second violins produces the much vaunted “antiphonal sound” and the clarity of the music comes shining through. Whilst Beecham, in his much acclaimed 1957 recording (review), is in my opinion unsurpassed, Klemperer and his dedicated musicians produce a really moving and transfixing experience. Yes, there are finer versions but I was delighted to be reacquainted with this performance which adds undoubted quality to the other two works. I just hope to get a listen to Volume 2 and any more that are produced.
David R Dunsmore
Previous review: Michael Wilkinson
