Maryla Jonas performs Chopin

Every now and then, something catches my eye and I take a chance on it. Not knowing what it is can lead to either a ho hum or, in the rare and perfect instance, an oh boy! Such is the case with this special Columbia Entre lp that I bought yesterday. When I got home and looked up Maryla Jonas, I was positively stunned that I had never heard of this unique and tragic artist. Posthaste, I laid the lp on the turntable and within 90 minutes, listened to these Chopin mazurkas in an awestruck state. Never had I heard such melancholy, such world weariness, from these brilliant miniatures. Indeed, Chopin had painted, below the surface, a sadness of seeing his Polish nation subjected to rule and desecration by others, something that Jonas was pained about as she saw her beloved country, and its heroic people,  tormented by Nazis and Communists.

Maryla Jonas lived a tragic life which was shattered by World War II and  its aftermath. Death followed her and it affected both her physical and mental state during her short life (she died at age 48.) If not for the dogged efforts of her countryman Artur Rubinstein to get her back to the keyboard,  her story, and great talent, would never have been known. Rubinstein was a genius and knew genius - you can read more about this story here .

Please listen to these recordings with an open mind. This is not the Chopin that you are used to hearing and it is a polar opposite from the elegant, aristocratic approach of Rubinstein. It is music making of a kind that comes along once in a blue moon...if you are lucky.

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Scherchen's First Messiah from London

Several months ago I was extremely fortunate to come across a near mint Bach Guild issue of this 1953 recording at one of my favorite haunts. It was to be a good day as I blew the dust off of the box set and set down my wrinkled one dollar bill on the proprietor's counter.

Indeed, this is the Scherchen Messiah to have, NOT the Vienna remake from 1959. I'll cut to the chase and tell you that yes, Scherchen pulls and stretches tempos, some are almost glacial while others bounce around merrily; His Burden is Light is simply incandescent. Orchestral textures are light for the times and the LSO is not at all first rate and yes, portamento slips in when you least expect. Soloists are ok if strained in certain passages, since Scherchen challenges their breathing and control like no other conductor. This is, a very personal Messiah, maybe too personal but...the choral contributions are well, simply excellent. The London Philharmonic Chorus is rather smallish but under renowned chorus master Frederick Jackson, their phrasing and diction is magnificent. I stress diction, you can understand every word, it is that immaculate. I absolutely love it - they listen to each other!

Back to personal. Scherchen's Messiah is like no other. It is so well thought out and it is appropriately dramatic and inspirational. This is of the first "complete" versions ever recorded and one that faithfully adheres to the orchestration specified by Handel for 1742 Dublin, no more, no less. At about 2 hours and 45 minutes, this is not Messiah lite but rather, a lesson to be learned properly and fully, digested as a whole. We need to be thankful to Scherchen for brushing the cobwebs off of tradition and presenting works, like Messiah, as close to the composer's intent as possible. A remarkable achievement in itself.

There are three downloads here, two lp sides per download. I have not broken down lp sides since these recordings have no bands. I read that this was done this way in order to accommodate the work onto 3 lps. I have included notes that list what sections are included on respective lp sides. I do not find this arrangement to be at all inconvenient.

I'd like to stress, again, that this Messiah requires careful reflection and must be taken on its own, special terms. For most listeners, the suggested Colin Davis LSO version is well suited to meet their listening requirements as it presents Handel's masterpiece in a straightforward and inobtrusive way. Scherchen, like everything Scherchen, is not so simple. As a deeply intellectual man, there are discoveries to be made as layers are pulled back, much like peeling an artichoke. But, time and patience is worth the effort. And, I cannot stress the really fine contribution by the chorus here!

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Another curiosity - Gregor Joseph Werner's The Curious Musical Instrument Calendar

Gregor Joseph Werner is known today, if he is known at all, as the predecessor to Haydn at the court of Prince Esterhazy. Much older, and musically conservative than Haydn, Werner's association with Haydn was tense and brusque, the older man considering Haydn ill suited for the demands and responsibilities of the illustrious Esterhazy family. Though it went so far as Werner recommending the dismissal of Haydn, the latter apparently bore no grudges to the old man. In later years, Haydn would refer to the compositions of his predecessor out of respect for tradition and, in a few cases, musical inspiration.

Though Gregor Werner was highly prolific, few of his works remain in print. Most likely this is because, as an employer of the Esterhazy's, Werner's output would have become their personal property. This relationship between composer and prince would, of course, change dramatically during Haydn's tenure as Haydn would sell a good deal of his output to competing publishers and retire a very well off man as a result of the proceeds. I suppose much of Werner's work remains in various Austrian libraries and collections waiting to be rediscovered and appraised. I'd be interested in his liturgical compositions since contemporary writings speak of them very highly.

The lp featured here offers selections from Werner's extended suite, The Curious Musical Instrument Calendar of 1748, which is a musical depiction of the months of the year. This is a rather extended work of about 90 minutes in length and conductor Paul Angerer presents roughly half of the composition here. Orchestral suites or ouvertures were highly popular n France and Germany throughout the first part of the 18th century and Werner's effort capitalizes on the tastes of the times. I would say that Werner probably knew of Telemann's suites, especially the ones that feature instruments representing sounds of nature, like a frog croaking or a bird singing. Werner does faithfully depict much of the spirit of the musical movements as you will hear as you listen.

This is a nice recording and Werner's voice is original enough to warrant a reappraisal and rediscovery of his art. It is sad that his tense relationship (a generational gap) with Haydn overshadows his significant musical output.

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Pictures at An Exhibition in the Tushmalov orchestration

An interesting lp from 1974 containing yet another orchestration of Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition," this time from the pen of one Mikhail Tushmalov.

From Wikipedia:

Mikhail Tushmalov (1861 - 1896) was a Russian Georgian opera conductor who held posts in Warsaw and Tiflis (Tbilisi). He died in what is now the nation of Georgia.
The opening bars of Tushmalov's orchestration of Pictures at an Exhibition. Tushmalov is most widely discussed today as the first person to have prepared an orchestral version of Modest Mussorgsky's 1874 piano suite Pictures at an Exhibition. Tushmalov's version sets an abridged version of the piece. It may have been completed as early as 1886, when Tushmalov was a student of Rimsky-Korsakov. Reports circulate that Rimsky-Korsakov sketched the beginning of his own orchestration of Mussorgsky's piece, but abandoned the project when Tushmalov took up the task. The role possibly played by the teacher in shaping the orchestration by his student is not known. The first performance of Tushmalov's orchestration was conducted by Rimsky-Korsakov in Saint Petersburg on November 30, 1891.

Tushmalov's version of Mussorgsky's score is one of the least complete, as it omits 'Gnomus', 'Tuileries' and 'Bydlo' together with all the 'Promenades' except the fifth—which it puts in place of the first. Tushmalov's score is often described as dark and restrained in colour, and thus more authentically 'Russian' in its approach to the score than the later, more virtuosic orchestration by Ravel.

The Swiss conductor Marc Andreae leads very straightforward performances with the Munich Philharmonic. I've read a couple reviews describing these as "businesslike" and that is probably an apt description. The orchestration, however, has its moments and is somewhat reminiscent of Stokowski's, which too, is abbreviated from the original piano score. All in all, Ravel does provide the most color, which should not be surprising since he was one of the greatest masters of orchestration of all time.

An interesting curiosity indeed.

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Ruggiero Ricci plays Vivaldi and Tchaikovsky

Ruggiero Ricci is one of the greatest violinists that this country has produced. His career as a virtuso and teacher has spanned over 75 years and he is still with us, as he celebrated his 92nd birthday several months ago. Renowned as probably the greatest authority on the works of Paganini, Ricci has given over 6,000 concerts in 65 countries. He has been a great musical and cultural ambassador for the United States and is a living musical treasure.

I'm offering two special recordings by Ricci. First up is the Four Seasons, played by what is billed the Stradivarius Chamber Orchestra, since all musicians are playing valuable, and rare stringed instruments by Stradivari. Ricci's instinct for Italian string music is legendary and his feeling for these most over recorded four concerti is spot on. There is joy in his playing and the technique, combined  with his "earthy" approach makes this requisite listening. The 1964 stereo recording by American Decca holds up well.

The Tchaikovsky reading is also very fine. Malcolm Sargent proves a strong collaborator and Ricci's  approach to the Tchaikovsky is like a 180 degree turn from a Heifetz or Milstein performance. Where those two artists emphasize technique and the "Russianness" of the piece, Ricci injects that bit of Mediterranean sunshine that again, brings a degree of the "soil" to the piece. I guess what I'm trying to say is Ricci, though a virtuoso, projects a human quality to the proceedings rather then towering above all as a superman of sorts. Do you all get what I'm trying to say? This recording dates from around 1950 or so, I believe.

Ruggiero Ricci, a belated happy 92!

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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.

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Sylvia Marlowe on Remington

Back around 1950, about the time this recording was made, the harpsichord was pretty much an oddity in the concert hall. Considered an ancient instrument for specialists, it was going the way of the Latin language, in other words slowly breathing its final breaths on the world stage. If not for a resurgence of interest in Bach and his contemporaries, new music by such luminaries as Manuel de Falla and the superb, dogged advocacy of two remarkable ladies, the harpsichord might have gone the way of the serpent or chalumeaux.

The ladies are, of course, Wanda Landowska and New York born Sylvia Marlowe. Both women, through recordings and concert appearances, deftly illustrated how the harpichord and clavichord were capable of tonal colors, contrasts in dynamics and timbre and, expressive beauty.

This particular issue features music by the three greatest composers for keyboard during the baroque, J S Bach, Couperin and Domenico Scarlatti. I'd like to call special notice to the Scarlatti sonatas. Hardly sonatas in the traditional sense, these are more like quick glimpses into Scarlatti's interior as they display mood and feeling in a way that is not anguished, self centered or protracted. There is contemplation, happiness, brooding, melancholy, all presented in a way that was acceptable for the time and place. These works are also technical gems, requiring an artist of intelligence and skill to execute them in a convincing way. Marlowe is certainly up to the task as is my favorite performer of this genre, the great Dubravka Tomsic, albeit the latter on piano. Listen carefully and you will hear magic from Marlowe's fingers; what a coup this record was for Don Gabor!

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More from Rodzinski and the PSONY

I've heard gazillion recordings of the Nutcracker Suite and so have you. After a while, the music just seems to play itself for god's sake. Well, if you are tired of the hum drum, cookie cutter, totally auto pilot approach, give this a listen. In short, this is the finest take on this overrecorded ballet suite that you are apt to lean an ear towards. There is a bounce in all the numbers and articulation, which often is glossed over, is crisp and clean. Most important, sunshine and a child's sense of merriment abounds in this most childlike of scores. My only regret is that there are a couple of unfortunate skips in the Miniature Overture due to the poor quality of the lp; everything else cleaned up rather well. A gem!

Nutcracker is not the end of the story. Tchaikovsky's Suite No 4 "Mozartiana" is served up in spades, the "prayer" will make your heart melt. To be truthful, I've never much cared for any of these suites or given them much thought but this Rodzinski recording opened my eyes up to Mozart's melodies brilliantly realized by the great Russian master. This is superb arranging and orchestration folks and, Rodzinski knows how to present the palette of colors truthfully and tastefully. 

And....as a fill, I've incorporated a 10 inch by Ormandy of Rimsky's Russian Easter Overture and Prokofiev's Classical Symphony. Each is immaculately performed by this great Philadelphia orchestra. These recordings made during Ormandy's first 20 years in Philly are the real deal.  There is an excitement level, an intensity you might say, that wore off as the stereophonic era took hold and made its way into digital.  Note: The cover above is not from my copy but from the French edition of the record.

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Symphonies by Frederick the Great

Frederick II of Prussia was a true renaissance man. As a stateman and soldier, he laid the foundations for Prussia's rise as the dominant German state which would, less then 100 years after is death, unify Germany into a mighty empire. As a man of learning, he encouraged and fostered philosophical dialogue, most notably with Voltaire, led great architectural projects that built his capital into a European showplace and, he actively supported the great musicians and writers of his time in performance and composition. Surely, it is no wonder why Frederick became known as the "Great."

Frederick, himself, was a talented musician, played the flute on what would appear a near professional level, and he dabbled extensively in composition, especially in his younger years. Here, we have four examples of his symphonies, works that are tuneful, structured accordingly to the methods of the times, and comparable to what comtemporaries were writing throughout the continent. These works are typical of Frederick's views on music: they have sunshine and little darkness and require no analysis or deep thought. Music, for Frederick, was a pleasurable experience, a diversion from the cares of the day, in sort, not at all a philosophical or biographical experience. In fact, much that was written at his court has pretty much faded for that reason; it is not all that memorable. Though the great CPE Bach was a fixture of Frederick's court for a number of years, most of the corpus of his writing lends itself from the Hamburg years, not from Berlin and Potsdam. In Hamburg, the free city allotted a composer greater freedom of "thought" then a royal court.

For some reason, these late 70's recordings never appeared on cd. Its too bad because they are worthy if taken as they are and, they are a great historical reminder of an extraordinary royal person.

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