A few to tide me over....

I've had some serious "writer's block" of late which, unfortunately, has made blogging oh so difficult for me. Perhaps I've hit a wall or something, I don't know. Well, as not to deprave my patient and loyal readers, I'm going to to offer up a half dozen transfers that I've had in the can, albeit without commentary...

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Note:  The Beethoven and Bruckner are the only stereo recordings here. Enjoy!

Beethoven and Chopin played by Istvan Nadas

Two Period label lp's are highlighted featuring the 10 insightful fingers of Hungarian born pianist, Istvan Nadas. Practically forgotten today, he like Marian Filar, was able to overcome significant trials in a concentration camp and become a respected soloist and teacher of the keyboard.  Here's what the www.bach-cantatas.com has to say about him:

The Hungarian pianist, István Nádas, began his musical studies at the age of 10. He studied piano under Louis Kentner and Béla Bartók, composition under Zoltan Koday and chamber music under Leó Weiner.

Once launched on his career as concert pianist, he appeared frequently with the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, his repertory including standard works in addition to less usual ones by B. Bartók, Igor Stravinsky, and Arthur Honegger. Until the beginning of World War II, István Nádas toured Europe extensively, but with the beginning of hostilities he had the misfortune to be put into a German concentration camp. His bitter experience left its marks, but did not take from him the ability or desire to continue his career.

After the end of the war István Nádas appeared at the Bach Festival in Rome and won a high decoration from the Italian government. Then came the decision to settle in Venezuela where he became head of the Post-graduate Piano Course at the National Conservatory of Music. There followed numerous recitals in South and Central America. As a citizen of Venezuela, Nádas represented his adopted country at the International Music Festival in Venice, playing for the first time in Europe a recital composed entirely of modern Venezuelan composers.

Since 1953, at the invitation of Xavier University of Louisiana, István Nádas has been teaching piano master-classes at this university. He has appeared as soloist several times with the New Orleans Philharmonic Orchestra under Alexander Hilsberg. On the occasion of his New York Town Hall concert on October 5, 1954 the critics were enthusiastic about his “technique, musicianship, breadth of taste, freshness and individuality of vision,” his “ease and dramatic poetry,” his “tenderness, sensitive tone adjustments.” To a man they were amazed at the fact that “in a program that would have tested the capacities of the giants of the keyboard he more than held his own.” The contents of this formidable program in which Nádas distinguished himself included a J.S. Bach Partita, L.v. Beethoven’s Hammerklavier Sonata, a Prokofieff Sonata, a Chopin Ballad and DeFalla’s Baetica. Among his recordings are L.v. Beethoven Piano Sonatas (The Tempest, The Appassionata and the Les Adieux) on Period Records, Schubert: Wanderer Fantasie and Moments Musicaux on Period Records, J.S. Bach: Two and Three Part Inventions (BWV 772-801) on Repertoire Records, J.S. Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier Books I +11 (BWV 846-869, BWV 870-893) on Repertoire Records and 2 Volumes on Period Records of Contemporary composers. He was most famous for his performances of the cycle of the complete 32 L.v. Beethoven Sonatas and cycle of the complete L.v. Beethoven Concerti. He was an outstanding Bach specialist who performed many times at the famous Carmel Bach Festival in Carmel, California.

István Nádas was a Professor of Piano at San Francisco State University from 1965 to 1968. From there he founded the Doctoral Program in Piano at Washington State University, continued to travel and concretize throughout the world including the program in music at Grass Valley Nevada. He subsequently took a teaching position in Mexico City, Mexico and spent much time in Italy and Europe. He passed away quietly in Mexico in the year 2000.  

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Albeneri Trio play the Op 1 Trios of Beethoven

Benar Heifetz, cello

Arthur Balsam, piano

Here's a very nice stereo Music Guild release by the Albeneri Trio;  Arthur Balsam on piano, Giorgio Ciompi violin and Benar Heifetz playing the cello. Presented are two of the very lovely Op 1 trios by Beethoven. Recording date is 1962 or 3, it escapes me at the moment.

 The three musicians here were all accomplished chamber partners and that sensitivity to the idiom is quite apparent throughout. What makes collaborations like this vital and satisfying is when all parties privy listen to each other and strive to blend and compliment one another. When this occurs, instrumental tension is lessened leaving room to explore the tensions brought on by the composer's intention in writing the piece. And with that, the Albeneri comes up all spades for their music making is a glorious display of respect for one another and musical maturity, an understanding of the score and what needs to be done to effectively realize Beethoven's intentions.

Very satisfying playing here, not indulgent like the Casals/Schneider/Istomin tends towards but rather clear, true and open.

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Jorge Bolet and Gyorgy Sandor play Liszt and more

Couple lps offered up today by two fine pianists, both coincidentally noted as specialists in the music of Ferenc Liszt. Gyorgy Sandor plays an all Liszt program on a Columbia Special Products reissue (with judicious removel of the awful electronically stereo enhanced effect) and Jorge Bolet performs a recital program, featuring Liszt, on one of his first recordings, that being Boston Records B301. Appian has repackaged the Boston issues B300 and B301 but I thought it would be fun to have a go at it myself.


Gyorgy Sandor, piano

LISZT: Sonata in b; Funerailles; La Leggerezza; Liebestraum #3; Hungarian Rhapsody #15
Columbia Special Products P14138, reissue of ML4084

Jorge Bolet, piano
1 SAINT-SAËNS: Etude en form de valse Op 52 No 6 
2 MOSZKOWSKI: En Automne Op 36 No 4
3 MENDELSSOHN: Hunting Song (Song Without Words Op 19 No 3)
4 MENDELSSOHN: Rondo Capriccioso Op 14
5 LISZT: Funérailles (Harmonies poétiques et religieuses No 7)
6 BEETHOVEN : Andante Favori in F WoO 57
Boston Records LP B300 Recorded 1952

There is some fine playing here. Sandor, I think, was quite underrated and unappreciated while Bolet is remembered for his later records, which in places are quite mannered. Here, both play with an unfettered style which is clean, direct and quite appealing. The older I get, I really appreciate the Liszt gems for they are introspective in places, possessing a somberness at times which is both world weary but telling.

The Beethoven Andante Favori will melt your heart, it is absolutely brilliant!

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Two Centuries of Austrian Piano Music with Joerg Demus

Here's my transfer of the monaural edition of the Music Guild lp above. An enterprising issue, I think, of music composed by great Austrian (consider that Austria was once an empire composing territories in Germany, Hungary, Bohemia etc.)  composers from Johann Friedrich Fux up through Alban Berg. All works are played marvelously by that quintessential Austrian pianist, Joerg Demus.

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Fritz Busch conducts Beethoven and Brahms

Two lp releases, in sequential order, on the Relief label today. Both contain live performances of Beethoven's 7th Symphony  and Brahms' 4th Symphony, from October 1950, featuring Fritz Busch conducting the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.

I have tremendous respect for the Busch brothers, Fritz the conductor and Adolf the violinist. Both were men of great integrity and sense of purpose and the recorded documentation they left behind, in terms of performance, is among the most consistent in artistry of anything out there. In particular, Fritz's series of Mozart operas from Glyndebourne have long been viewed as benchmarks in performance.

These two recordings capture Busch's sense of line and organic structure extremely well. Both Beethoven and Brahms were core to his repertoire so the performances combine a great sense of authority with a deep knowledge of what the works are about. In spite of some untidiness in the playing, these are afterall live recordings, the orchestra responds to Busch touchingly and with great respect. We are fortunate to have these documents, considering they were made only months before Busch's untimely, and early, death.

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Beethoven and Paul Paray

In the mood for a little Beethoven? Good! because I am today.

Here is one of Paul Paray's later stereo lps with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra on a Wing reissue. We're served up the first two symphonies in typical forthright performances that were characteristic of Paray during his decade tenure in Detroit.

Unfortunately, critics were none too kind about these two when they were released. There were issues about orchestral sloppiness, problems with momentum and also conductor commitment. My listening reveals the Paray Detroit sound which is lean and mean and a sense of propulsion which lacks in many recordings of these overrecorded pieces. Maybe I'm wrong but I think that there is a spontaneity present that is the hallmark ofth best of Paray performances. Interestingly, I find so much to connect Paray and Munch - lean textures, excitement and a desire to break away from the label of "French music specialist." I love it!

Paul Paray was a truly great conductor. I cannot but marvel how he achieved the results he did with Detroit. He was a great interpreter, superb orchestral builder and singular musician. The real deal.

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Friedrich Wuhrer performs the 4th Piano Concerto of Beethoven

A very fine performance of the 4th Piano Concerto of Beethoven is up today. Accompanied by the Bamberg Symphony under Jonel Perlea, this partnership of like minds turns in a taut, yet flexible, reading which focuses on details that other gloss over.

Friedrich Wuhrer was an excellent craftsman and a sensitive interpreter of the classical and romantic repertoire. Though he recorded many lps for Vox, he never achieved the status of the most elite of pianists. I'm not sure why this is the case because he had the chops and fine musicianship of the best of the best. Whatever the reasons, I've not heard a recording of his that I did not find probing, intelligent and satisfying. This Beethoven concerto is one of the great ones and I believe much credit must be given to the excellent Jonel Perlea. Rather then go on, I'll point you to the third movement as proof of a collaboration that is vital and highly musical.

Coupled with the 4th concerto is the Choral Fantasy, this time from Vienna with Clemens Krauss conducting. Krauss' Akademie Kammerchor and VSO turn in spirited work and the more then competent choral soloists come from the ranks of the Kammerchor.

The Choral Fantasy dates from 1954 and I think the piano concerto is 1956/7 on this momaural record.

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The Kroll Quartet plays Beethoven and Haydn

What good fortune one has sometimes! Sometimes the "three for a buck" god casts his/her glances my way enabling me to acquire great music played by great musicians at about the price of a gumball. Here the contents of two lps released by that "other RCA" on their Allegro Elite label. Haydn's Op. 54 No. 2 and Op. 77 No. 1 along with Beethoven's second and third Op. 18 quartets played by the Kroll Quartet.

In its heyday, the Kroll Quartet was justly renowned and often mentioned in the same breath as the famed Budapest Quartet. As we all know, many have held the Budapest to be a gold standard though admittedlly personal changes through the years often played havoc with the end result. Well, no bother, here it is the magnificence of the Kroll, an ensemble truly made of peers who play for, and to, each other.

The Haydn and Beethoven quartets are immaculately played and oh, so intimate in style and texture. If you are tired of quartets that try to find the "symphonic" in these rather personal works, this is your antidote. I cannot stress the intimacy of the playing and the apparent joy that these musicians convey by the act of purely playing together. It reminds me of the famed Casals-Schneider-Istomin recordings. So refreshing and beautiful! Such a shame that the "other RCA" could not provide the recording excellence that the Kroll richly deserved though the mono sound is quite listenable.

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Dorati, Minneapolis and Beethoven

Gosh! I don't  know how many copies of these recordings that I have!? (Well I do!) From this issue, the Wing in artificial stereo, to the European Pergola, they have all been beat to all hell. I mean, it is IMPOSSIBLE to find these recordings in a good shape!.....until now.

And with good reason. When Gunther Schuller remarked that Antal Dorati was one of the best conductors of Beethoven, he wasn't exaggerating. And, when my late photographer friend Bill, when seeing Dorati's face on the cover of the Beethoven 7 with the RPO, remarked that "this is a face of great intelligence and strength," he knew right away that here was a man of  impressive insights and capabilities. This Beethoven 5th, for me, is about as good as it gets. Inspired playing, strong attention to the letter of the score, and an ability to really get inside of the music drives this legendary recording. All of those scratched and nearly destroyed copies that I have (5, count em 5!) are the result of being played out and played with. This is a Beethoven performance to die for, one, where any weaknesses in the structure are tightened by an orchestra playing their hearts out for a conductor who is determined to present a performance that is individual but all Beethoven. Listen to the phrasing and attention to dynamic markings and you'll understand what I mean. These folks are inspired because they are LEARNING this music for the first time and NEED to be fully alert!

Antal Dorati 1906-1988

The overtures too, are very well done. Egmont is driven and highly dramatic (though Scherchen rmains my favorite here) Coriolan is heroic and strong while Lenore 3 becomes almost a tone poem of sorts, encapsulating the opera "Fidelio" into less than 15 minutes. The Minneapolis orchestra offers a kind of commitment not usually heard on studio recordings and this more then compensates up for admittedly less then top drawer playing.

Overall, I am happy enough with the transfer though there were a couple spots in Coriolan that were less then ideal. Again, I cannot stress the sense of urgancy here, and I believe that this Beethoven 5 beats out the remakes that Dorati made with the LSO and the RPO. A true sense of occasion!

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Beethoven's Pastorale Symphony with Karel Sejna

Here is the most rustic sounding Pastorale that I have ever heard. This original early 50's record features the glorious Central European sounds of the Czech Philharmonic (in its postwar magnificence) under its longtime principal or resident conductor Karel Sejna.

Karel Sejna is a name that is all but unknown in the United States and vaguely remembered in Western Europe duein part from tours during the 1950's. He is one of those musicians that devoted his art and life to his land of birth and fortunately, a recorded legacy preserves a highly individual and gifted talent. No doubt that Sejna understood the sounds and temperament of his Czech colleagues, able to coax out of them timbres and phrasing that add a delightful freshness to old warhorses. Case in point is his terrific Mahler 4th available on the European Archive and this Beethoven Pastorale.

Notwithstanding some technical issues with the recording and pressing (the opening note in movement 1 is clipped, something that the Gramophone  reviewer in 1960 complained about), Sejna treats us to an intimate, village setting for his Pastorale which combines lyricism with a raw and rustic peasant quality. This approach is so refreshing because countless recordings add a sheen and gloss over the "little people" aspects of this groundbreaking (I think so) music. The Pastorale is a celebration of the country, the hardworking people of the land and the imperfections and mysteries of life. Sejna gets it down to the "T." His Mahler 4th has a very similiar approach and it is a marvelous achievement.

Enjoy a Pastorale whose likes is probably not to be heard again.

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Erich Leinsdorf and the Rochester Philharmonic in Beethoven

One of my first transfers, redone and offered again..however for the first time on this blog.

I find Leinsdorf a frustrating conductor. His greatest, and best opportunity, for immortality was during his tenure with the Boston Symphony however, that time was marked with frequent discord with players, administration and in the end, the public. I do suppose that following a conductor like Munch, who was positively electric did not help matters either. To properly assess his promise, I think one needs to look back to his early career at the MET, in Cleveland and then Rochester, to get a really great picture of what potential he had but somehow lost, maybe frittered away, during his later years in Boston and as a roaming guest conductor for hire.

If you have not had a chance to hear his Cleveland recordings, do so. The Internet Archive offers up 7 wonderful documents of his brief, but somewhat unhappy, Cleveland tenure - the Dvorak 6th is terrific and the Schumann Spring is sparkling. It is a shame that Szell undermined Leinsdorf's talents, which of course led to the latter's not having his contract renewed. There was great promise in Cleveland since it was a super orchestra, honed to excellence by the great orchestral builder Artur Rodzinski. I chuckle when I think of Szell's wild claim that "he" made Cleveland. When I think of a conductor "making" an ensemble, I inevitably think of the wonderful Maurice Abravanel and his miracle in Utah. Szell too a very good orchestra and honed it to perfection.

Leinsdorf retreated to Rochester NY as a successor to Iturbi. Even though Leinsdorf disliked Rochester as a community, the orchestra was good and a number of convincing recordings came from this partnership. All were released on CBS' budget Entre and Harmony labels. I think this Eroica is the best of the lot. Though lean in texture, it is honestly delivered and well played by the Rochester band. Though Leinsdorf would re-record the Eroica in Boston, this earlier edition has an energy and enthusiam that the  later account fails to deliver on. Boston, one of the top seven in the orchestral world, is just too much on autopilot for Leinsdorf.

I believe this record was from 1952. Correct me please if I'm mistaken!

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Couple more Remingtons - The Jilka Sextet and Felicitas Karrer in Beethoven

Two additional Remingtons to offer today: The Jilka Sextet performing Beethoven's Septet and pianist Felicitas Karrer, along with conductor Kurt Woss, in the immortal "Emperor" Concerto.

The Jilka Sextet, or rather septet, was an augmented version of the Jilka Trio, an ensemble led by violinist Alfred Jilka. A search yielded surprisingly little other than a reference to them on the Remington Records site. References aside, this is an enjoyable and vivid performance of this delightful work from Beethoven's early period. This is Beethoven without the angst and working within set forms, rather than stretching them to their melodic and harmonic ends as is best illustrated in the last quartets.

Felicitas Karrer offers more of a biographical background. Born in Vienna, she was quickly recognized as a gifted artist and embarked on a recording career shortly after her 21st year. Karrer, though, chose personal and family affairs over that of a busy concert artist so by her 30th birthday, she had practically receded into the background as a significant concert performer. A very fine detailed biography of Felicitas Karrer can be found here.

In the Beethoven "Emperor" she is well paired with the fine conductor Kurt Woss and his Austrian Symphony Orchestra (known today as the Tonkünstler-Orchester Niederösterreich). Woss had organized this orchestra after the war as the "official" state orchestra of Lower Austria and remained its principal conductor until being called to Japan to help reorganize the NHK Symphony. Later, Woss would return to Austria and rebuild the Bruckner Orchestra Linz. He is best remembered as an orchestral builder and trainer. There is an excellent recording of Woss conducting Bruckner's 4th symphony available at abruckner.com.

Karrer and Woss are two very likeminded partners on this recording of the Emperor. Though Karrer admitted that these Remington affairs were often recorded "on the fly," there is little sign of this based on what I hear. Piano and orchestral contributions compliment each other throughout and there is a healthy elasticity in the performance. In short, this is a joyous collaboration, one where everything just seems to fall into place with ease, naturally unfolding for the ears. There is no "Her versus Him' here. So pleasing are the proceedings that one overlooks any instrumental inadequacies from this hardworking, though technically challenged orchestra.

As always, working with these early 50's records poses challenges and difficulties. It is darn near difficult to get perfect results, unless one wants to dedicate literally hours to the process. I admittedly don't! What I strive for is something eminently listenable and honest. I hope that you enjoy these two Remingtons as much as I do.

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Wind Music by Beethoven performed by the NY Woodwind Ensemble

Delightful music, perfect for thoughtful relaxation. Impeccably played by the NY Woodwind Ensemble, this occasional music by Beethoven will bring a smile to your face. Players like David Glazer and Arthur Weisberg were among the very best on their respective instruments during the 50's and 60's and they set a standard that has kept the NY Woodwind Quintet, of which the ensemble in this recording is the augmented group, a viable and important institution for over 50 years. You'll enjoy this!

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Munch and the BSO perform Haydn and Beethoven.

Here's one one that I have had "in the can" for a few weeks. Charles Munch and the "aristocrat of orchestras" in Beethoven's Symphony No. 1 and Haydn's "Drumroll" Symphony. I was lucky enough to obtain a fairly clean copy of LM 1200 and here it is for your listening pleasure.

Munch is too often pigeon holed as a "French" specialist and this is not at all a fair assessment of his abilities and talents. People tend to overlook the fact that he was, for the most part, German trained and, while a violinist with the Gewandhaus, he had the opportunity to play the German-Austrian masters under the likes of Furtwangler, Klemperer, Walter, to name but a  few. In short, his background and training provided him the authority to present credible renditions of works by these composers. Munch himself,
did not appreciate the "French" tag in much the same way as Paray and Monteux bristled at it.

There is good Beethoven and Haydn here, played with spirit, panache and, a sense of earthiness. I suspect the Beethoven suffered in sales since it was released near about the same time as Toscanini's early 50's traversal of the complete set for RCA. In regards to Haydn, probably the shadow of Beecham in this music was tough to overcome? Be that as it may, no excuses need be made for vital music making by a conductor who had the ability to electrify and an orchestra that was as refined and beautiful instrument. as any out there.

There are a couple of slight skips in the Drumroll that I believe are the result of the pressing and not human damage. I don't think these are enough to deter you from a pleasant listen. As I have said before, transferring from shellac or vinyl is not an exact science.

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Beethoven - The Young Prometheus

Several weeks ago, I came across this fascinating lp in a second hand shop in West Dover, VT. The album features orchestrations by musicologist Alexander Brott of contrapunctal and fugal exercises done by Beethoven early on in his career. These delightful "etudes" pay homage to the past masters and are examples of the "rote" that students go through as they begin to grasp the dsicipline of composition.

Brott's orchestration are for traditional "Beethoven" size orchestra and they are quite faithful to the master's style of instrumental orchestration. I would advise all that this is not revolutionary music but evolutionary, a step on the way towards Beethoven discovering his own, unique voice. In other words, the "text" here contains no forgotten masterpieces. A curiosity you could say but listening is well worth while since it will give you additional appreciation of Beethoven's genius and, the hard work that he put into his craft.

These recordings date from the early 70's, I believe, and were made by the CBC "Festival" Orchestra. I'm not sure if Alexander Brott is the brother of conductor Boris Brott. Both centered their careers in our neighbor to the north.

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Pierre Monteux, Beethoven and the San Francisco Symphony

A couple of years ago, I had the pleasure of reading John Canarina's illuminating biography of Pierre Monteux. Titled "Maitre," French for maestro, the book lovingly reminisced on the great musician's life and the impact he had on countless musicians and the public at large. My takeaways from the book were: 1. Monteux was a diligent worker and thorough man with impeccable taste and manners and,  2. Monteux absolutely hated, fumed at really, the notion that he was a specialist in French music. Given that Monteux was so darn authoritative on "French" music from Gluck to Honegger, it is not at all difficult to understand why the public, and orchestral management pegged him into this hole.

Well, here is ample, rather profound evidence, that Monteux was indeed more of a generalist,  a man with a catholic taste and understanding that bridged national borders. This Beethoven 8th from San Francisco circa 1950 is superbly paced and wonderfully effervescent. Phrasing is the way it should be and detail, especially from the woodwinds is immaculate. What we have here is natural, unfussy and right. This Beethoven is a document that is textbook on how the great composer should be approached - with awe, careful preparation and respect. This is a great listen in spite of sonic limitations, make no mistake!

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Beethoven's Music to Egmont with Eduoard van Remoortel

I've long enjoyed Beethoven's music to the drama/play Egmont ever since I first heard a radio broadcast from Minnesota led by Neville Marriner, some, gosh, thirty years ago. We all know the wonderful, highly charged overture but the other numbers of the incidental score contain small gems and ideas that Beethoven would incorporate into such mega scores as the 9th symphony years years into the future. Beethoven was quite adept at "rehearsing" new thoughts before employing them full blown into the scores that would enshrine his name forever.

This Egmont, and the accompanying original version of Schumann' 4th symphony are led by Dutch conductor Eduoard van Remoortel. Previously, I had posted the conductor's take on Prokofiev with the St Louis SO where Remoortel served as a short term successor to Vladimir Golschmann's long, and I'd say, brilliant tenure of a quarter century. Remoortel was a highly regarded young maestro but he lacked tact and patience so by the time he left St Louis, he had pretty much done irreparable damage to a career that should have moved in the direction of his countryman Bernard Haitink's. Remoortel would spend his remaining years in Europe conducting mostly radio orchestras and releasing lps on smaller, less prestigious labels like Vox. Kind of sad given that the man had strong, authoritative conceptions that, when put into practice under favorable conditions, yielded very positive results, like the Schumann and Beethoven that we have here.

Both these recordings date from the 1960's though the Schumann is in mono. The orchestra is the SWR Orchestra Baden-Baden. At the time, the orchestra was a decidedly secord tier band; only during the long tenure of Michael Gielen would it begin to approach a world class designation. FLACs. Enjoy!

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Hermann Scherchen conducts Beethoven overtures

Here's a little more Scherchen for you Scherchen lovers. A bunch of Beethoven overtures from Vienna circa 1952 or so. European Archive had this available but it was a mess so I obtained a copy of the record and transferred it myself.

Scherchen includes a couple of less often played overtures, namely Consecration of the House and Namensfeier along with the usual suspects, Coriolan, Creatures of Prometheus etc. All works are whipped up into a proper frenzy though one gets the impression at times that the maestro is pushing the envelope with these Viennese musicians. Oh bother, Scherchen is just a wonderful advocate for Beethoven...nuff said!

You know, I often wonder what Scherchen would have done if he had had access to truly world class orchestras, like the BSO, Cleveland Orchestra, Concertgebouw. The man had such an incredibly huge and varied repertoire and his creative mind was second to none. Was it is socialist politics that closed some doors? Was it his acceptance of often slipshod orchestral execution? Again, I am left wondering, what if and why?

Mono recordings in FLAC files for your listening...

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Heroic Beethoven from Charles Munch and Werner Janssen

In order to end the work week on a high note, here is a little Beethoven from Charles Munch and Werner Janssen. We have two "heroic" works, the  Symphony No 3, of course, and maybe the first recording of the much maligned "Wellington's Victory at the Battle of Vittoria."

As previously discussed, there is much controversy around the merits of Charles Munch's Beethoven. Some have found it without substance, others have felt it too driving and intense, yet others have thought it not thoroughly German enough! Well, what I will say is that it is in a class by itself, difficult to pigeonhole, yet merits do abound. One obvious advantage is that Munch has a glorious BSO at his disposal and they play marvelously for him. Whatever you can say about Munch, he did have this singular ability to whip up the forces into a froth of excitement with purpose. This is a vital reading and deserves a place on your shelf. Regarding the transfer, I did not have the stereo disc at my disposal, this is the "LM" mono record.

As a filler, I thought "Wellington's Victory" would be kind of cool. A lightweight work, but with its moments of fun, it does not require great concentration  and can be absorbed with little cognitive response...whew, what does that mean?! I believe the date of this recording is from the late 40's and Janssen originally set this down along with the "Jena" symphony, long attributed to Beethoven, however pretty much regarded now as being from the pen of Friedrich Witt. Sound contraints limit the full effect of the work and Janssen does not employ the various fireworks that Ormandy had at his disposal for his 70's RCA record. Still, worth a listen and a reminder of how good some of those Hollywood musicians were that comprised the Janssen Symphony of Los Angeles.

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