A Stunning Firebird led by Eugen Szenkar with the RIAS Orchestra

Every so often, one record just absolutely blows me away based on a combination of factors: musicianship, interpretative insight, suitable sound quality and a sense of occasion. I hardly thought that THE record would come on a Remington reissue (Masterseal) featuring a relatively obscure Hungarian conductor leading the RIAS Orchestra in of all things, Stravinsky's Firebird Suite. Surprises, surprises!

The conductor, Eugen Szenkar, is a name totally unknown to me. At first, I thought this was a pseudonym, but no, Szenkar is the real deal. As a conductor, he had a thriving career in prewar Germany but the Nazis put an end to that since Szenkar was a Jew. Like many other scores of displaced musicians, Szenkar had the most difficult time sustaining momentum and jump starting his career after hostilities ended. He landed lesser assignments in Germany and Central Europe along with guest conducting stints, mainly in Israel. That 10-12 years in "limbo" saw others surpass Szenkar while he, himself, could not get back on "fast track" to bigger and better opportunities.

Szenkar's Firebird with Fricsay's RIAS orchestra is absolutely magnificent from start to finish. Everything is perfect:  tempos, transitions between sections, articulations and dynamics, excellence of solo passages. Make no mistake that in 1952-3, when this record was cut, the RIAS orchestra was the creme of Berlin orchestras. Fricsay might have been the greatest orchestral builder at that time and his efforts are on full display in this brilliantly orchestrated piece of music. And the sound is incredible for the age of the record and well, for Remington in general!

The filler is Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet with another orchestral builder, Kurt Woss, leading his Tonkunstler Orchestra, Vienna (Austrian Symphony). This is a credible performance but no where near the extreme excellence of the Szenkar led Firebird. The latter is in a class of its own.

DOWNLOAD

Ivry Gitlis performs Stravinsky

My apologies for kind of falling down on the job. As most of you know, it is Oktoberfest season and I've been especially busy bringing the sounds of Munchen to the good people of New England.

This Dover release of Stravinsky compositions is a compilation of Vox issues from the 50's. The featured works are the Violin Concerto, the Duo Concertante and Jeu de Cartes. The very fine, and somewhat forgotten though still living, Ivry Gitlis performs in the concerto and the duo. Harold Byrns conducts the Concerts Colonne Orchestra and Charlotte Zelka accompanies Gitlis in the duo. Filling out the program is a highly enjoyable performance of Jeu de Cartes under Heinrich Hollreiser with the Bamberg SO.

I like Gitlis' playing very much. His musicianship is spot on and he possesses a sweet, loving tone which helps to smooth out, in a positive way, Stravinsky's spiky melodies. Both Byrns and Zelka provide strong partnership. Hollreiser's Jeu de Cartes was a pleasant surprise for me. I've always thought of him as rather a kapellmeister type but he fully immerses himself into the humor and spirit of this rather "French" music.

Enjoy!

DOWNLOAD

Piano Music of Milhaud, Villa Lobos and Stravinsky

Interesting twentieth century piano music today. Lenore Engdahl performs Milhaud's Saudades de Brasil along with short works of Villa Lobos and the estimable French pianist Marcelle Meyer does great justice to Stravinsky in Three Movements from Petrushka and Serenade in A.

Admittedly, I know little of these two ladies of the keyboard. Engdahl had a long career as an artist, performing from the 1940's through the 80's. It would appear that she was a renowned teacher too, as witnessed by a quick google search. Though from the upper midwest, Ms Engdahl plays these pieces inspired by Brazil with great authority and is fully within the idiom. Really nice listening and I am pleased to have found this old MGM lp. I'd like to find more by Lenore Engdahl

Marcelle Meyer

Marcelle Meyer was one of the greatest French pianists of the last century, an artist well regarded by Ravel, members of Les Six, and Stravinsky. These masters apparently valued her musicianship since she served their music with an equal and total devotion and always avoided over dramatising the score. In other words, she was not one for effect but let the music speak directly and honestly to the listener. Her performances of Stravinsky are absolutely magnificent - Petrouchka is not easy stuff and she makes it sound so natural and unforced, like watching Fred Astaire dance.

I am not totally sure on the date of the Engdahl - MGM record and the Meyer - Haydn Society lp. I would guess late 40's for Meyer and mid 50's for Engdahl. This two records really make for some neat listening...really.

DOWNLOAD

Stravinsky played by Beveridge Webster

This was a great find, a two lp set, released by Dover in 1968 of important piano works, and arrangements, by Stravinsky. Played by the Beveridge Webster, these lp's fit conveniently onto one cd. This is an  indispensable recording for the fact that Webster was closely aligned with Stravinsky and these interpretations are probably as close to the composer's intent as is possible.

Beveridge Webster is a name that has been largely forgotten by the listening public. Though he lived a long life, into his 90's, his performing career gave way, rather early on, to the demands of teaching and adjudication. However, during his 20's through his 50's, he was in great demand as an intepreter and he premiered many works by American, as well as European, composers. Notably, his most famous premiere was that of Ravel's Tzigane, given when Webster was still a teenager! Webster was highly regarded as an artist that did his best to understand and interpret a composer's writing first and foremost. He was an honest musician.

Strangely, the piano works of Stravinsky are recorded few and far between. This is too bad since they are colorful, accessible, and wrought with genius. This particular collection belongs on your shelf.

DOWNLOAD Pt 1

DOWNLOAD Pt 2