Much Mozart to be admired

Press, 2 June 1981, Page 19

Much Mozart to be admired

Classical reconk review

ALLAN FRANCIS

MOZART. The Great Symphonies — 28 to 41. Karl Bohm conducting the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Six LP set on 2721 220 or cassette 3378 093. Budget issue. Deutsche Gramophon. On hearing Beethoven's sth Symphony for the first time, one authority was sc overwhelmed that he found difficulty getting his hat on his head. If he had been confronted by 12 symphonies of Mozart at one sitting it's anyone's guess how he would have reacted.

With the cream of Mozart's symphonic output in one magnificent parcel there is much treasure readilv available and having so much Mozart to choose fromis an admirable venture on the part of the record company.

That the original issues date from the 1960 s in no way detracts from the quality of this package. Not every conductor would have roused so much interest, nor would I have been captured so easily with manv orchestras I've' heard recently. but Karl Bohm is one of your doyen conductors who rarely turns in a sour performance and the Berlin Philharmonic responds nobly to their task. Haitink, of the new school could have done it, or Jochum of the old. But Karl Bohm has that power, in common with Bruno Walter, to make an orchestra sing, and the symphony which immediately springs to mind in that connection. is the Linz.

Brunn Walter had a magic

with this one and I played it first to see how it would compare with one approximately the same vintage. It was a distinguished reading, full of spontenaity and inner life, while the playing of the Berlin Philharmonic was superlative. The interpretation was totally unmannered and far superior to the Karajan version some years later with the same orchestra. This one set the pattern for most of the works.

To anyone asking how discs up to 20 years old sound in the light of today's technical capabilities. ' I would respond by stating that they sound great! All the richness of DG and the lush string tones, without any gimmickry of any description. add up to pure enjoyment.

Not all of the symphonies respond so well to the full treatment, however, and there are a few which need lightness in the strings and delicacy in the handling to survive. From the angular 28th to the serenity of the 29th. through to the lyrical G minor and the fullness of the Jupiter, there is much to admire.

Played end on end the works explore an apparently endless range of inspiration; the contrast of having the emotive qualities of the composer brought home so vividly removes any grey areas that might exist in the listener’s mind, such as the possibility of needless repetition. Only No. 30 was dull.

Make no mistake, these

are as fresh as the day they were made, under the capable'hand of craftsman conductor.

CHOPIN. The Four Scherzi, played by Sviatoslav Richter on World Records WE 3598. There are several excellent versions of these four very important works, but unfortunately World Records have made a singularly uncharacteristically wrong choice by reproducing the Richter recording.

Vasary. Rubinstein, Askenazy or Lipatti have all current recordings and all far superior to the somewhat lackadaisical Richter. Noted for his frequent offhand playing he runs true to form in this rather insignificant lot.

There are several other versions, some on the budget list, quite acceptable. I believe. but Vasary on the DG Privilege label would be infinitely preferable to this one.

BRANDENBURG BOOGIE. Elena Duran, Flute. Stephane Grappelli, violin. Laurie Holloway, Keyboards. Allen, Bass. Allan Ganley, drums. EMI EMD 5536 — Digital. Stephane Grappelli may have had a thin time when he was overshadowed by his brilliant partner, Reinhardt in the 19305, but he’s certainly made up for it since. Either on his own, or with several top guitarists and latterly the sparkling relationship with Yehudi Menuhin has more than made up for standing in shadows.

From Menuhin it was a short step to Bach, but in order to do this he had to avoid the trap of falling into bad taste. Ralph Waldo de Los Rios was the shining example of how it shouldn't be done, but Grappelli was too caget - for that, and far too experienced to play below his full capabilities. A top combo, a good flute, a good arranger and a suitable composer (and who could be more suitable than J. S. Bach?), and the venture is 90 ner cent there.

No question — Bach would have loved it. I suspect that he may have played like this himself in the quiet moments after a hard day’s composing. Jesu. Joy of Man's Desiring gently sways quite inoffensively Sleepers Awake, Air on’a G String all get their fair share of nicely added syncopation with the question and answer being shared by violin and flute alternately. It's tongue in cheek stuff, never falling below a certain level of discrimination nor rising beyond mild fever pitch. Ably assisted by computer clarity, this digital recording makes a most attractive programme of 14 smiling tracks of Bach done to perfection.