If I recall my conductors correctly, German Eugen Jochum (1902-1987) was one of the best of the best when it came to Anton Bruckner’s symphonies. I know because I listened to Jochum 18 times as he conducted Bruckner’s nine symphonies from two different box sets. (See 144 Days With Bruckner And Me.) I think I awarded Eugen Jochum a “Huzzah!” on more than one occasion.
So, naturally, I wanted to hear Maestro Jochum conduct Beethoven’s symphonies to see if he had the same affinity for Ludwig that he did for Anton.
This morning’s orchestra is…hmmm. That information isn’t readily apparent. It’s not in the liner notes. Maybe it’s on the front or the back of the CD sleeve.
Nope.
So where is it? The back of the box set itself?
Nope.
This is a major oversight on the part of Warner Classics, a record label usually known for doing things right.
On the back of the box set there is a listing for three or four orchestras. But no indication regarding who the orchestra is playing Beethoven’s First.
Okay. Maybe that critical information is buried in the liner notes somewhere.
Nope.
Believe it or not, the name of the orchestra playing Beethoven under the leadership of Eugen Jochum is not clearly indicated anywhere in the entire box set.
What’s up with that, Warner Classics?
Oh, there’s a slight inference – based on several clues – that the orchestra may be the London Symphony Orchestra. But I don’t like to base my understand on an assumption, no matter how many clues.
Speaking of which, here they are:
1. This particular symphony was recorded in London
2. Every few pages the liner notes list an orchestra/symphony in bold face
3. On page 5 of the liner notes, after the listing for Symphony No. 9, the words London Symphony Orchestra are printed in bold face.
You can see how I could infer the orchestra is the London Symphony Orchestra, can’t you?
Yet, I could also make the case that it isn’t the London Symphony Orchestra because Daniel Barenboim conducted Staatskapelle Berlin at Carnegie Hall when we saw him on January 28, 2017. Just because Barenboim was in New York didn’t mean he used the New York Philharmonic. Jochum could have played a gig in London using any orchestra he chose.
Also, just because the words “London Symphony Orchestra” appear after the last Symphony doesn’t mean it was the symphony for all previous symphonies, especially not in a box set that features performances from 3-4 different orchestras…and especially not in a box set so cryptic in its listing of performance credits.
How hard would it have been for someone at Warner Classics to write something like this on the back of the CD sleeves, the back of the box set, or in the liner notes:
The London Symphony Orchestra played on all nine Beethoven symphonies
Or, just put an asterisk after the symphonies and the corresponding asterisk beside “London Symphony Orchestra.”
Would that have been too much to ask?
Apparently so.
From the liner notes (written by Kenneth Woods), comes this information about Maestro Jochum:
The Bruckner Specialist
Jochum’s name and career were tied to the music of Anton Bruckner from the moment of his first significant professional success, when he conducted Bruckner’s Seventh Symphony with the Munich Philharmonic in 1926. Jochum himself said of the piece “this symphony made my whole career.” From the beginning, Jochum found himself to be completely comfortable with Bruckner’s distinctive sound world.From his debut in Munich to his final, triumphant Bruckner performances in the 1980s, many critics and musicians considered him the leading Brucknerian of his era.
“He should be de-Bruckner-ised”
– Veronica Jochum and daughter of Eugen Jochum“Today, everyone thinks of me as a specialist in Bruckner’s symphonies,” Jochum said in a 1983 interview. “But I began with the music of Bach, Mozart and Beethoven. And it is to there music that I still feel closest.”
It’s actually a very fine essay about Jochum’s life. My hat is off to Mr. Woods for capturing Jochum’s career for this 20-CD Complete EMI Recordings box set.
Beethoven wrote his symphonies in four parts (except for the Sixth, which is in five). The time breakdown of this particular one (Symphony No. 1 in C Major), from this particular conductor (Jochum, at age 76) and this particular orchestra (London Symphony Orchestra), at this particular time in history (October 12-13 1978) on this particular record label (Warner Classics) is as follows:
I. Adagio molto………………………………………………………………………………..9:36
II. Andante cantabile con moto………………………………………………………6:34
III. Menuetto. Allegro molto e vivace……………………………………………….4:00
IV. Adagio – Allegro molto e vivace…………………………………………………6:10
Total running time: 26:22
My Rating:
Recording quality: 5 (Warner Classics is known for high-quality recordings)
Overall musicianship: 5
CD liner notes: 4 (big booklet with lots of information, except for pertinent key details, and an essay about Jochum in English, German, and French)
How does this make me feel: 5
I was tempted to knock off a point or two from “How does this make me feel” because of the time I wasted trying to ascertain who the orchestra was in the recording. That really bugs me.
However, the joyful, playful, mercilessly upbeat Fourth Movement prevented me from doing so.
I truly enjoy the Adagio – Allegro molto e vivace to this symphony. I find my head bobbing and my toe tapping to the enthusiastic passage that starts around 1:32 or so, and is repeated around 2:50, and then again around the 4:45 mark.
I simply cannot be a weenie when I’m listening to that music.
Therefore, this performance earns a resounding “Huzzah!” from me.
Highly recommended.