Classical Editor: Rob Barnett


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Len Mullenger: Len@musicweb-international.com


Reviews from other months
WILLIAM WALTON Symphony  no 1 (a) Cello Concerto (a) Belshazzar's Feast (a & b), Coronation Te Deum (a & c) Coronation March: Crown Imperial (d) Anniversary Fanfare (d) Coronation March: Orb and Sceptre (d)    Ralph Kirshbaum (cello) Sherill Milnes (baritone) George McPhee (organ) Royal Scottish National Orchestra Chorus (b & c) Scottish Festival Brass bands (c) Royal Scottish National Orchestra (a & d) Philharmonia Orchestra (d) conducted by Alexander Gibson (a) David Willcocks (d) CHANDOS 2for1 CHAN 241-10

 


Crotchet

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WILLIAM WALTON Symphony  no 1 [DDD]  (a) Symphony No 2 (c) Cello Concerto (b)  Violin Concerto (d) Portsmouth Point (c) Scapino (c) Paul Tortelier (b), Ida Haendel (d), Philharmonia Orchestra (a), Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (b & d), London Symphony Orchestra (c) conducted by Bernard Haitink (a), Paavo Berglund (b & d), André Previn (c)  2CD EMI double fforte CZS5 733712 two for the price of one

 


Crotchet




These two sets have in common the first symphony (1931-5), which I discussed in detail last month, and the cello concerto. The Gibson  performance of the first symphony was the first to be released on CD, and grateful we were in spite of reservations about the rather lightweight performance and the rather scrawny CD transfer. I do not have that original transfer for comparison so can only comment that the sound is now quite presentable - and that, I suppose, is what one can say about the performance. It is only in comparison with greater performances that one realises what is missing. My problem here is that my first recommendation for this symphony (Previn 1967) is currently unavailable but I think you would do well to wait for a re-release; it has been popping in and out of the catalogue for years. The Haitink performance is staggering and a refreshing eye-opener to the hidden contents of this score but it is so different that I feel it should not be your sole choice of performance.

The cello concerto (1955 rev 1974) is a work of autumnal, lyrical beauty with the cello phrasing seamlessly over the orchestra - but the work must not be allowed to drag. The comparative timings here are Tortelier (EMI) 26.50 and Kirshbaum (Chandos) 32.57 - an incredible difference. Gibson is not just slow but occasionally almost comes to a standstill (try 6'45" in track 1). Kirshbaum does not flow at these speeds. His phrasing is awkward, angular (spiky even), unidiomatic and unsympathetic and all this impedes the flow. Lyn Harrell and Rattle (EMI) do show that the concerto can work at this sort of speed in the coupling with the first symphony discussed last month (but at full price). Tortelier's performance has been previously available on an EMI Studio recording coupled with the first cello concerto. In this re-issue it comes up even fresher with the remastering and is infinitely the  preferable of the two recordings under review.

So having discounted the Chandos symphony and concerto is there anything left to recommend? Well yes there is because there is an excellent account of Belshazzar's Feast  (1930) with Sherill Milnes. Because my eyes are not what they were I at first thought I was going to hear the 1990 Willcocks Chandos recording with Benjamin Luxon because there are some Willcocks performances on this disc. This is a much earlier recording originally issued by RCA in 1977, which suffered at the time by being released in the same month as the highly regarded Solti performance for Decca. Apart from slight tape hiss this is a spectacular recording and there is particularly clear enunciation from the Royal Scottish National Chorus and from Sherill Milnes. Even so, there is an even better version available from  André Previn on the mid-price EMI British Composers  CDM 7647232.

The other works on this disc are just make-weights.

The EMI set is a much more sensible option (and cheaper) containing two concertos (violin and cello) and both symphonies with Portsmouth Point and Scapino as superb bonuses. Furthermore EMI make it clear which tracks are DDD or ADD; it is not possible to tell this with the Chandos issue.

I had not heard Previn's performance of the second symphony ( (1957-60) before, having lived with recordings by Szell (now re-issued on Sony) and Thomson (Chandos) - and there's a contrast! The performance from Szell is fiery and dramatic but even the transfer to CD has not been able to tame the original, fizzy, Columbia Epic recording. Previn is a similar fast, jazzy interpretation with a smooth recording that I can certainly make a first recommendation for this work. I would urge anyone who thinks of this symphony as being inferior to the first to give it another try. I am sure Previn's infectious whooping horns in the first movement will win you over and just hear Walton having a laugh at himself in the opening of the last movement.

I don't know how Ida Haendel's reputation has fared abroad but she has always been highly regarded in the UK. Hers is a languid, warm reading of the violin concerto ((1938 rev 1943) (previously memorably issued in coupling with the Britten Violin Concerto). The recording is a little close so that the odd intake of breath is noticeable.

Whichever way you look at it the Chandos two-fer is very much an also-ran whereas the EMI 2CD set is a superb presentation, with ideal couplings, and  carrying an interpretation of the First symphony to set you totally reconsidering this work.

Reviewer

Len Mullenger

Chandos

EMI

Reviewer

Len Mullenger

Chandos

EMI

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