My listening post today – which is Christmas Eve – is my office.
Playing through my Altec Lansing speakers, which is connected to my iPod Classic – is The James Gang.
Straight ahead of me (obviously) is my Lost in Space robot and an editorial comment regarding today’s listening project: German conductor Franz Konwitschny (1901-1962), Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D minor.
I’ve encountered Maestro Konwitschny eight times previously, on…
Day 13. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 31. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 49. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 67. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 84. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 103. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 121. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 139. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Eight “Huzzah!” ratings in a row!
To my knowledge, no other conductor has earned eight straight “Huzzah!” ratings from me.
Will today be nine straight for Maestro Konwitschny?
I’ll know soon enough.
Beethoven wrote his symphonies in four parts (except for the Sixth, which is in five). The time breakdown of this particular one (Symphony No. 9 in D minor), from this particular conductor (Kontwitschny, at age 58) and this particular orchestra (Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra), at this particular time in history (June 11-26, 1959) on this particular record label (Berlin Classics) is as follows:
I. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso………………….17:59
II. Molto vivace………………………………………..12:21
III. Adagio molto e cantabile……………………………..16:11
IV. Finale…………………………………………….25:16
Total running time: 71:07
My Rating:
Recording quality: 5 (a superb recording for its age, noticeable, but not distracting tape hiss; rich, dynamic sound, an exceptional recording)
Overall musicianship: 5 (inspired, magical, engaging)
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 (“Huzzah!”)
I’m actually hearing passages in this recording that I’d never heard before!
I have no idea how the engineers at Berlin Classics (or the original recording engineers 60 years ago) did it. Despite a persistent tape hiss (that never gets very loud), this recording sounds as fresh as if it were recorded yesterday. And with no loss to the top end! This is crystal clear – even the choir in Movement IV. Every voice, from baritone to soprano, rings out loudly and clearly.
This is the stuff of which chills are made.
I cannot possibly express how much these Konwitschny recordings have meant to me. They are the musical equivalent of a sunset, ineffable.
I was hooked on this recording from the first few moments. Every movement contained sounds so vibrant, recorded so well, that it was as if I was hearing them all for the first time, finding instruments and passages that I swear I’d never heard before.
The choir portion is astounding – and I hate opera!
Movement II gave me the aforementioned chills.
This entire performance is recorded in such a way that I feel like I’m there, hidden away in a dark corner, watching what I wasn’t even invited to watch. Like I sneaked in and was experiencing something special – a private concert just for myself.
THANK YOU, Berlin Classics!
Do you have any more Konwitschny recordings lying around?
“Huzzah!”
“Huzzah!”
“Huzzah!”
Merry Christmas to all….
…and to all a Good Night!