Beethoven Perer, Cond
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Schiirhoff, contralto; Erich Majkut, tenor; the Munich Residenztheater made history Otto Wiener, bass; Vienna Academy in the period between the two World Choir; Vienna Symphony, Otto Klem- Wars. Strauss formed a theory, which was Beethoven perer, cond. Vox STL 511430, $4.98 (two then thought to be very controversial, discs). that most of the great music by Haydn, Lenore Kirschstein, soprano; Jeanne Mozart, and Beethoven was conceived in on Records Dehroubaix, contralto; Peter Schreier, one fundamental tempo. For example, tenor; Günther Morbach, bass; Chorus of he conducted the whole finale to Act II Cologne; Giirzenich Symphony Orchestra, of The Marriage of Figaro in such a way able. This is a distinct drawback to the Günter Wand, cond. Nonesuch HB 73002, that every section stood in precise mathe- whole, but one day we may hope that $4.96 (two discs). matical relation to its preceding and fol- Brendel will do all these performances (ha Graf, soprano; Grace Hoffman, lowing number. Sometimes such a pro- with better forces. Anything that Brendel mezzo; Helmut Kretschmar, tenor; Erich cedure is perfectly obvious, as in the touches is always marked by devoted Wenk, bass; North German Radio Chorus Adagio introduction and the following study and careful preparation, and the and Orchestra, Walter Goehr, cond. Van- Allegro in the first movement of Haydn's Choral Fantasy is no exception. The per- guard Everyman SRV 214/15, $4.96 (two Symphony No. 98: the tempo of the Al- formers take the music much more slowly - discs).- 1:12 .,- .) legro is surely double that of the Adagio. than Serkin /Bernstein, but 1 believe this Luis Marshall, soprano; Nan Mer- Nowadays, this theory is almost univer- tempo -which is only slightly slower than riman, mezzo; Eugene Conley, tenor; sally accepted by musicologists the world Katchen's -is basically the right one. But Jerome Hines, bass; Robert Shaw Cho- over. Klemperer has always taken this as I said above, the over -all sound is not rale; NBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo view himself and the entire Missa Solem- terribly enticing, and the orchestra, choir, Toscanini, cond. RCA Red Seal LM 6013, nis is quite obviously built around this and conductor are not of the first rank. $11.96 (two discs, mono only). principle. If you therefore analyze the Much the same also applies to Baren - p a r+.....c.r Gloria and Credo, you will see that Klem- boim's Westminster version. He is par- As I have observed at the beginning of perer has precisely worked out the tempo ticularly put at a disadvantage by a slug- this article, the assertion that Beethoven relationships so that even as enormous a gish orchestra and a not very distin- did not write well for the voice is at best movement as the Gloria, with its many guished conductor. Barenboim has obvi- a half -truth. By the time Beethoven was changes of tempo, hangs together in a ously thought out his conception carefully composing the Missa Solemnis and the thoroughly convincing way. Once this and it seems convincing. The recording, Ninth Symphony, he did expect his vocal principle is understood, Klemperer's mon- made five years ago, is adequate but not soloists and choir to perform very diffi- umental and panoramic view of the Missa in the class of Columbia or London. cult passages and he often wrote for the Solemnis becomes so natural and so right Barenboim's second version, with the voices in their highest registers. The con- that I, at least, find it difficult to accept New Philharmonia conducted by Klem- versation books written when Beethoven other versions in which this principle is perer, is a revelation. The pianist has ma- was rehearsing the Ninth Symphony in not followed. But even apart from this tured immensely in the intervening years, 1824 (at which concert parts of the technical device, Klemperer's perform- and Klemperer, as might be expected, Missa Solemnis were also first per- ance of the Missa Solemnis possesses an provides magnificent and massive orches- formed), show us that the two female overwhelming grandeur and majesty. The tral and vocal support. No doubt under soloists, Karoline Unger and Henriette soloists do not perhaps sing with the the influence of the great conductor, Sontag -both of whom were to become spectacular beauty of those in Karajan's Barenboim's timing is now somewhat famous prima donnas-came frequently DGG set, but obviously Klemperer was longer, making this version the longest to Beethoven to discuss various points in more intent on achieving rugged grandeur of all those discussed. Yet, as always with connection with the forthcoming pre- than incidental beauty of tone. It is not, Klemperer, the slow tempo does not miere. Both women complained bitterly perhaps. a spontaneous reading, but it is mean a slow pace. In many ways this is about the high tessitura of their parts. But a very great one, and we must be thankful the most impressive of all the existing Beethoven would not change a note and that Klemperer was able to put it on rec- versions, thanks primarily to the presence we find Karoline Unger writing in one ords at the height of his kaleidoscopic of Dr. Klemperer. of the conversation books, "Well, in God's career. Angel's Klemperer recording puts name, we shall go on trying!" The Ninth completely into the shade the old one he Missa Solemnis, in D, Op. 123. Symphony and the Missa Solemnis are made many years ago for Vox. now performed all over the world. Bee- A quite different reading, but really Elisabeth Söderström, soprano; thoven knew the parts were not impos- very exciting indeed, is the one that Leon- Marga Hiiffgen, contralto; Waldemar sible and he quite rightly thought that one ard Bernstein gives us. He too has obvi- Krnentt, tenor; Mariti Talvela, bass; New day choirs could be found able to nego- ously had serious thoughts about the Philharmonia Chorus and Orchestra, tiate the extremely high parts of both Missa Solemnis and his is by no means a Otto Klemperer, cond. Angel SB 3679, these works. casual or superficial interpretation. What $11.96 (two discs). There is an anecdote, which appears to particularly strikes one is the wonderful Eileen Farrell, soprano; Carol Smith, be authentic, in which Otto Klemperer feeling of spontaneity and energy that contralto; Richard Lewis, tenor; Kim was conducting a work by Beethoven radiates from this interpretation. There Borg, bass -baritone; Westminster Choir; with the Philharmonia Orchestra in Lon- are times when the effect is positively New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bern- don and one of the orchestral players hair- raising, as in the timpani solos in stein, cond. Columbia M2S 619, $11.96 afterwards remarked to the maestro: bars 326 ff. and especially 342 ff. towards (two discs). "That is a very slow tempo, isn't it, Dr. the end of the Agnus Dei. Although of an Gundula Janowitz, soprano; Christa Klemperer ? "; Klemperer replied, very entirely different training and tempera- Ludwig, mezzo; Fritz Wunderlich, tenor; serenely, "You will get used to it." This ment, Bernstein approaches the final Walter Berry,. bass; Vienna Singverein; anecdote came to mind as I listened to fugue of the Credo in much the same way Berlin Philharmonic, Herbert von Kar- this conductor's grandiose performance of as Klemperer -a deliberate tempo which ajan, cond. Deutsche Grammophon the Missa Solemnis on Angel. Many of is seen to be necessary if you adhere to 139208/09, $11.96 (two discs). the tempos, particularly in the Gloria and the one -basic -tempo theory. Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, soprano; Credo, will sound slow to many people; Karajan has recently been devoting a Christa Ludwig, mezzo; Nicolai Gedda, but there is a reason, and a very compli- great deal of his efforts toward producing tenor; Nicola Zaccaria, bass; Philhar- cated one, for Klemperer's choice of these a physically cultivated and beautiful monia Chorus and Orchestra, Herbert von slow tempos. Richard Strauss, as many sound. Those who have heard his Wagner Karajan, cond. Angel SB 3595, $11.96 people know, was not only a famous com- operas will realize that he is almost al- (two discs). poser but an equally famous operatic con- Ilona Steingruber, soprano; Else ductor, whose Mozart performances in Continued on page 103 72 HIGH FIDELITY MAGATJNB www.americanradiohistory.com.