My happy place again – the second floor of the local library.
If not for the increasing pain in my knees (they both need to be replaced), I’d sit here all day. I love this spot.
Anyway, this morning I am listening to German conductor Franz Konwitschny (1901-1962) as he leads the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig‘s performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4 in B flat Major.
I have encountered Franz Konwitschny thrice before, on…
Day 13. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 31. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 49. Rating: “Huzzah!”
What will today bring?
I’ll soon find out.
But first, a quote from the superb liner notes written by Werner Wolf:
All those performances of Beethoven’s works, whether presented separately or as part of a cycle, were remarkable for a spontaneous but sophisticated style of playing far removed from any routine, academic suavity and shallow perfectionism. With his authoritative, flexible and impulsive but relatively sparse gestures, Konwitschny knew how to inspire the orchestra and respond to it. Like Arthur Nikisch, he was carried away by the power of the music. He had as much a flair for the dramatic tension as for lyric tenderness and serenity. His interpretations were the result of a profound knowledge of the score.
Given my three previous “Huzzah!” ratings, I’m rather inclined to agree with Mr. Wolf.
But, first, the facts.
Beethoven wrote his symphonies in four parts (except for the Sixth, which is in five). The time breakdown of this particular one (Symphony No. 4 in B flat Major), from this particular conductor (Kontwitschny, at age 60) and this particular orchestra (Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra), at this particular time in history (Recorded August 17-23, 1961) on this particular record label (Berlin Classics) is as follows:
I. Adagio – Allegro vivace……………………………………………………………….12:11
II. Adagio………………………………………………………………………………………..9:56
III. Allegro molto e vivace – Trio. Un poco meno allegro………………..5:54
IV. Allegro ma non troppo………………………………………………………………..7:18
Total running time: 34.39
My Rating:
Recording quality: 4 (more than the usual amount of tape hiss in an otherwise excellent recording with only a few odd ambient noises)
Overall musicianship: 5
CD liner notes: 5 (two essays that contain exceptional historical and technical detail by Matthias Hansen and Werner Wolf, but no timing of individual tracks – those are found on the CD sleeve)
How does this make me feel: 5
Yet another home run. An instant “Huzzah!”, the fourth in a row for Franz Konwitschny.
This recording is crisp, clean, and powerful. It has punch.
I don’t know what it is about Maestro Konwitschny. Even though his interpretation of Beethoven’s Fourth is longer than that of other conductors, I never once, not for a second, felt it was dragging. On the contrary, I was riveted. I must have listened to this performance a half dozen times. I actually didn’t want to stop.
I was hooked from the first ominous pizzicato thrum of the strings in Movement I until the last triumphant notes of the Finale.
This is one of my all-time favorite recordings, from any conductor of any symphony. It’s masterful.
Plus, it’s just darn cool to have a recording of an exceptional performance that’s nearly 60 years old, from of the great (but largely forgotten) conductors who ever lived. That’s exclusivity, man – one of the sirens that call to me on a much-too-regular basis.
“Huzzah!”
(NOTE: Konwitschny died a year after this recording. So this Beethoven cycle was one of the last of his career.)