Richard STRAUSS (1864-1949)
Don Juan, Op. 20 [17:58]
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40* [47:25]
London Philharmonic Orchestra/Bernard Haitink.
rec. 3 December 1992, Royal Festival Hall, London, ADD; *29 August, 1986, Royal Albert Hall, London, AAD
LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA LPO-0079 [65:23]
Before discussing this disc it’s appropriate to say that the LPO
have dedicated it to the memory of the late Nicholas Busch (1939-2013).
Busch was the son of composer William
Busch, a pupil of Aubrey Brain and the LPO’s principal horn
for more than three decades (1973-2006). Before joining the LPO he occupied
the same position with the New Philharmonia (1966-72): he is the horn
soloist on Barbirolli’s famous recording of Mahler’s Fifth
(review).
It’s hard to think of a better memorial to such a distinguished
orchestral player than a coupling of these two scores in which the horn
section – and the first horn – is so often to the fore.
The performance of Don Juan is a very fine one. The music bounds
along at the start, Haitink injecting excellent momentum. The Love Music
is sumptuously played by the strings but the sound is by no means overweight:
Haitink knows how to deliver Straussian opulence without making the sound
too saturated. Later, the passage between 7:00 and 10:00, introduced by
a beguiling oboe solo is played with great delicacy and shortly after
(at 10:12) Nicholas Busch and his fellow horn players make their instruments
ring out in triumph to celebrate the Don’s latest conquest. Overall
the performance is a vivid and colourful one and I enjoyed it very much.
One of the finest recordings I’ve encountered of Ein Heldenleben
is the 1970 recording by the Royal Concertgebouw conducted by Haitink
(review).
On the disc that I have the coupling is not Tod und Verklärung
but a distinguished 1973 version of Elgar’s ‘Enigma’
Variations in which Haitink conducts the LPO. Sadly, that Philips
Heldenleben is no longer available, I understand, but if you
come across a copy – with either coupling – snap it up; it’s
very fine. This present reading, which was given at the 1986 Proms, is
just as distinguished. It’s not a technicolour spectacle, nor is
the performance hard driven for effect. On the contrary; it feels ‘just
right’ – as is so often the case when this conductor is on
the rostrum.
When we first encounter the Hero his music sounds confident and virile
– the horns nicely to the fore – but the mere swagger that
one sometimes hears in a performance is, thankfully, absent. The clamour
of the critics is suitably acerbic and so too, initially, is David Nolan’s
portrayal of the Hero’s Companion (aka Frau Pauline Strauss). Nolan
plays his demanding solo very well, skilfully going beyond mere pyrotechnics
into characterisation. Gradually the Companion’s music melts and
the love music (track 4, from 6:46) is rapturous. Listen to how the horn
section’s glorious unison (9:30) crowns the love scene.
The urgent call to arms of the offstage trumpets is ideally distanced
at the start of the battle scene. The LPO plays this section vividly and
with great virtuosity. The percussion section is perhaps a bit more prominent
than might be the case in a studio recording but their contribution is
not excessive and the balance offers a truthful representation of what
one would hear in a concert hall. From 6:20 the horns take over the restatement
of the Hero’s theme from the strings and their climactic top E-flat
is a gloriously exultant moment, as it should be.
Haitink has delivered an exciting account of the battle but you may not
be surprised to read that he’s at his very best in the music that
follows. His conducting of Strauss’ ingenious tapestry of self-quotation
is masterly; above all this is a recollection in tranquillity of past
achievements. Then the long closing section, as the Hero retires from
the world, is serene and warmly glowing apart from those occasions when
the carping critics or moments of self-doubt intrude briefly. Eventually,
David Nolan’s sweet-toned violin is heard again (track 7, 7:26)
and he’s joined very shortly by the horn of Nicholas Busch as the
two portray Pauline and Richard in warm serenity. The solo playing by
both in this passage is very eloquent.
This is an exceptionally fine account of Ein Heldenleben and
one that I’m delighted to have alongside the earlier studio version.
Each is as fine as the other though I fancy that in this present account
Haitink is a touch more expansive in the final section of the work. In
both works the LPO is on very fine form indeed. The recording of Ein
Heldenleben was made by the BBC while Don Juan was recorded
by the LPO themselves. Both recordings are good and in each case there’s
no applause at the end, which is good given the quiet endings. The very
useful notes are by Stephen Johnson.
Admirers of this greatly distinguished conductor should not hesitate.
John
Quinn
Masterwork Index: Don
Juan ~~ Ein
Heldenleben
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