Karajan's supreme insight
Classical records review
ALLAN FRANCIS
Puccini — La Boheme Excerpts. , Herbert von Karajan -.Berlin Philharmonic. Highlights on World Records WD 3452 From Decca SET .579,; From Decca SET 565-6. HERE we have brilliance from several quarters, starting with the lead role of Mimi, -Mirella Freni who sang for Schippers in the same role 10 years before just as beautifully, the fine baritone, Rolando Panerai, efficiently singing his role as Marcello, and the mighty Luciano Pavarotti (everyone must get to know Pavarotti), as Rodolfo.
But riie real lead role goes to the conductor, Karajan,- who blows aside Toscanini, Beecham, and others equally; distinguished, so convincingly that one wonders who is eventually going to head him off, as that situation of almost unassailable triumph arising from tremendous insight and dedication and all the other factors in his favour makes the set such a positive force. Niggling imprecisions apart, Karajan adds yet another to his list of Italian operas which have’ inspired from him recordings of supreme insight. He has a great cast of supporting singers/ an - orchestra perhaps the finest in most respects in Europe, ‘the experience of some of the best technicians to give him the “concert hall” sound, and some most, subtle touches which make musical history.
These excerpts are taken from the complete
issue on DeCca SET ■ 565-6, wisely . chosen, showing sensibly long sections; so that While the listener-has some satisfying pieces (about half. the . opera ,in fact), in -which to .revel J in, in Karajan’s sensuously’ slow tempos, it-eventually makes one wish he had gone that short step further and bought the lot. Why so special — when all the great Italian conductors such as Serafin, Schippers, and even Colin Davis, much later,' are forced to play second fiddle, so to speak? The answer partly lies in the approach of Karajan. Where all others have leapt into the sparkling Bohemian measures, Karajan has held back, showing the Bohemians; for all their good humour, have an underlying dire, necessity, and it is only when the goodies are brought in that Karajan let the exuberance flow.
The voices are kept in right perspective, and here again one marvels at the wonder of that superb Pavarotti and the rich experience of M. Freni. She must win all hearts as Mimi. It all makes up an opera for those who hate opera, and the definitive account for othets. A musical milestone. >;c St
Violinromanzen, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Berloiz, Svendsen, Wieniawski. Ar-
thur Grumiaux with the New Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Edo De WaarL Philips! 6580 047.
THIS is a curious collation of pieces played by one who has such aristocratic, refined quality" purity of tone, poise, 'and emotional reticence dealing with works which are usually fillers to major items, certainly nothing woHd-shattering though pleasant enough in their way.- ■.
Most of them have already been recorded by Grumiaux at some time or another, but Philips have undertaken to record them again in all the lush sound, at their command. This is quite considerable. The pieces concerned < are the two Romances of Beethoven, the Reverie et Caprice of Berlioz, theSerenade Melancolique of Tchaikovsky, and the Romances of Wieniawski and Svendsen respectively/ all rendered down into the common denominator of “easy listening” — the classical pops if you like, but so beautifully played you .could never discount them, entirely; These sorts of works .will always earn respect recorded and played under these conditions, but what the significance of photos of Wordsworth, Marx, Bismarck, and Charles. Darwin on the cover is, I do not know, as there is not one whisper of English .in the liner notes. * * * Sibelius — Symphony No. 2.' Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Herbert von Karajan on World Records
WI 3451. From HMV SXLP 30414. THIS goes back to the rich ’era of the Philharmonia when Walter Legge and all concerned with him and EMI struck a purple patch of form, the result of which remains as a fine legacy to the found-. ing father/as much as it does to Karajan and his talent. The conductor recorded Sibelius’s . fourth Symphony no fewer than three times, the fifth as manj’ as, four times but this is his only account of the second, but, considering the high quality and impressive nobility of the reading, the.fact that it is 20 ■ years old is of no account. All the cragginess of the composer’s! landscape is amply portrayed, but there is also a sunny geniality ■ which almost, belies the sheer.. strength of the work. It has been spoken of as “dramatic, longbreathed, and carefully prepared, yet austere”; and this would apply equally to the conductor as to the composer. The commonly-held view that Barbirolli is the master of this symphony is not shared, by this reviewer. Not even Czell, also held in high esteem, can match this 1961 classic from Karajan. Highly recommended.
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