Some more music from the Northern countries on this lp conducted by German conductor Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt. Featured are the first and third symphonies of the rather enigmatic Franz Berwald. These recordings date from the mid 60's, I think, and were probably the earliest recordings of these symphonies by this pretty much overlooked composer.
Berwald's symphonies are among the most unusual works that I know. When you place them alongside contemporary works of Schumann and Mendelssohn, they stand out in a stunning way for their abrupt time changes and striking harmonies. I can imagine contemporaries of Berwald were probably left perplexed and shocked by what they heard since these works do not bear a logical progression from the models of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, at least that I can hear. It takes some getting used to but beauty can be found among the quirkiness and Berwald's talent was such that these are important documents on the musical highway.
The conductor Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt is little known in the US as he apparently enjoyed his work in Germany and conducted rather infrequently beyond the West German and Austrian borders. He's an important figure in German orchestral traditions since he was one of the conductors who was picked out to rebuild orchestral life in Germany after the second world war. In Schmidt-Isserstedt's case, his contribution was the North German Radio Symphony Orchestra (NDR) in Hamburg, which along with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in Munich, was considered as the finest of the radio orchestras in West Germany. Among Schmidt-Isserstedt's recorded achievements is a Beethoven 9th from Vienna, which many collectors consider one of the very best ever.
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a fantastic post! Schmidt-Isserstedt has left some wonderful records (I have just listened to his Dvorak Serenades, recorded by DG in 1960's)
ReplyDeleteWOW! Thank you, thank you, thank you. This is not only a very good recording but the ONLY recording of Berwald symphonies most of us could lay our hands on (at least one we could afford) untill well into the 70's. Man, do I miss the Nonesuch recordings, quirky covers and all. Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteGary
Perhaps not the very earliest: my Heliodor copy of Markevich conducting the BPO in the 2nd and 3rd is dated 1963.
ReplyDeleteBought it c1967 and have loved Berwald, especially the "Singuliere" ever since. It's probably my favourite mid-19th century symphony.
You are absolutely right about the harmonic language, especially remarkable as Berwald was born the year after Schubert, more than a decade before Schumann and Mendelssohn.
Looking forward to this - can never have too much Berwald.
I just came across a torrent of the Schmidt-Issersted, complete with scan of the original LP cover, which gives the recording dates as 19 & 22 Ferbruary 1962.
DeleteWhich leaves the question of who was first still open.
Thanks for this rare recording!
ReplyDeleteWasn't there a companoion volume in Nonesuch that included the "Estrella de Soria" overture?
I don't remember if it was conducted bt Schmidt-Isserstedt.
Berwald is one of my favorites --- any amazing case, isn't he? And Schmidt-Isserstedt is one of my favorite conductors. This Schmidt-Isserstedt recording was released on an Accord CD, which is the only way I have heard it before now. As it turns out, the incredibly murky sound I was used to was in large part Accord's doing; your transfer of the Nonesuch LP is great, like night and day. Thanks for this and the many other recent posts (I have Wuhrer's Schubert from another online source --- maybe Neal's Historical? --- but I couldn't resist adding your transfer to my collection (good work on that one too!)
ReplyDeleteWow...a terrific response to this one! And yes, I have the "companion disc" of overtures conducted by the eminent Swedish conductor Sixten Ehrling. I made an unsatisfactory transfer last year but I'll try again! Thanks all!
DeleteIn the UK, Schmidt-Isserstedt was a pretty familiar name: the complete Beethoven symphonies and concertos with Backhaus in stereo, for example; before that a quite terrific mono Dvorak 7 with the Hamburg RSO (all Decca).
ReplyDeleteHis son was the highly regarded record producer Erik Smith.
I did not know that Erik Smith was his sone. I wonder why he anglicized the name???
DeleteI cannot disentangle Berwald from the beautiful summer in the early sixties when I listened repeatedly to the E flat symphony conducted by Markevich. And I'm always interested to hear interpretations. Such a neglected composer. Did you know he also invented many of the physiotherapy rehabilitation devices and exercises that were in use well into the 20th century? And was such a dreadful man that the Mendelssohns deeply regretted inviting him to stay with them for Christmas? A character as fascinating as his music.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks.
r
Actually, all of Berwald's completed symphonies were recorded on 78s, by the Swedish label Radiotjänst:
ReplyDeleteNo.1 'Sérieuse' Gothenburg Radio Orch, Tor Mann (October 1946), RD 515-18, RE 728-31
No.2 'Capricieuse' Radiotjänst SO, Sten Broman, RD 504-07, RE 732-35
No.3 'Singulière' Gothenburg Radio Orch, Tor Mann, ND 501-04, RE 736-39
No.4 Gothenburg Radio Orch, Tor Mann, RD 508-11, RE 740-43
Mann's No.1 is on a 2-CD set from Caprice, along with a 1938 radio recording of No.3 also issued by Radiotjänst (on LP?):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Berwald-Historic-Recordings-Vol-4-Franz/dp/B000025W37/
There's probably more out there too. Caprice's website is a bit annoying so it's hard to tell. I see Dorati did a 'Capricieuse' with the Stockholm PO, which I believe was issued on CD by Discofil but is long deleted.
Nick