ICA Classics’ Fourth BBC Box of “Legends”

from the Amazon.com Web page for this collection

My last encounter with the BBC Legends recordings released by ICA Classics was the third volume in the series. On that occasion, I chose to take a disc-by-disc approach to writing about the content of the twenty CDs in the collection. However, I had taken a “blanket” approach to the two preceding boxes, writing a single article that focused on the most memorable listening experiences.

According to my records, the fourth volume was released this past October; but it took me longer than usual to acquire it. Thus, I find myself in what is probably the busiest shopping time of year with twenty new CDs staring me in the face after having listened to each for them for the first time! As a result, I shall try to account for this package with briefer impressions of each of the albums as follows:

1. The collection begins with a recording of Klaus Tennstedt leading the London Philharmonic Orchestra in a performance of Gustav Mahler’s seventh symphony. The first CD accounts for the first four of the five movements. There are many that view this symphony as enigmatic; but I really enjoy its overall “arch” form, with a brief Scherzo in the middle, flanked on either side by “Nachtmusik” movements. The “envelope” for these three movements is a dark (nocturnal) movement at the beginning and an almost frantic rondo at the end. I am definitely delighted with Tennstedt’s approach, which presents the overall structure with crystal clarity.
2. The second CD couples the final movement of the Mahler symphony with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s K. 551 (“Jupiter”) symphony. This makes for an engaging study in contrasts. Fortunately, Tennstedt’s approach to Mozart is as expressive as his command of Mahler symphonies.
3. Constantin Silvestri conducts the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. This is a name I vaguely recall from my youth. (The recordings were made in 1963 and 1967.) Most interesting is his decision to perform Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Opus 58, which he called the “Manfred” symphony. Any previous encounters on my part were few and far between; so this could pass for a “first contact” account, which will definitely deserve further listening experiences. The remainder of the CD is taken by Ottorino Respighi’s “Pines of Rome” tone poem.
4. The fourth CD brings me back to familiar ground. The recording accounts for a solo piano recital by Sviatoslav Richter on March 31, 1979. The program consists of a “chronological order” of three sonatas by Franz Schubert: D. 575 in B major, D. 625 in F minor, and D. 664 in A major. The encore selection is the first (in the key of C major) of the six short “Moments musicaux” D. 780 compositions.
5. This is an album of John Barbirolli conducting the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Most of the album is taken up by Mahler’s fourth symphony (which is not to be found in the EMI and Warner Barbirolli anthologies, making it definitely “worth the price of admission”). Ironically, the album concludes with an overture, Hector Berlioz’ Opus 21 “Le Corsaire.”
6. This album has pianist Clifford Curzon playing two piano concertos from the First Viennese School. The first of these is Ludwig van Beethoven’s Opus 73 (“Emperor”) concerto, followed by Mozart’s K. 537 (“Coronation”) concerto in D major. Pierre Boulez conducts the BBC Symphony Orchestra. One does not associate Boulez with the First Viennese School, but the performances definitely deserve attentive listening.
7. I was not prepared for the seventh CD, which featured recordings of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and BBC Symphony Chorus conducted by Nadia Boulanger. The major work on the album is the final selection, Gabriel Fauré’s Opus 48 setting of the Requiem text, scored for soprano (Janet Price), baritone (John Carol Case), chorus, orchestra, and organ. There is also three compositions by Lili Boulanger. Her setting of Psalm 130 is about half an hour in duration, scored for contralto (Bernadette Greevy), tenor (Ian Partridge), chorus, orchestra, and organ. There are also two of her sacred settings for smaller groups (which also include the organ).
8. Jascha Horenstein conducts Anton Bruckner’s fifth symphony in B-flat major, and that is enough to promise very satisfying listening!
9. The ninth CD involves a Mahler recital by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau accompanied at the piano by Karl Engel. The program is framed by the Songs of a Wayfarer at the beginning and the Rückert-Lieder at the end. Between these two cycles is a selection of early songs taken from the Lieder und Gesänge collection.
10. Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli is presented on a CD with both a concerto and a solo piano offering. The concerto in Edvard Grieg’s Opus 16 piano concerto in A minor, performed with Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos conducting the New Philharmonia Orchestra. This is followed by the twelve selections in Claude Debussy’s first book of preludes.
11. Adrian Boult conducts two different orchestras on his CD. He leads the Philharmonia Orchestra in Georges Bizet’s in the orchestral version of his four-hand suite Jeux d’enfants. This is preceded by Schubert’s D. 759 (“Unfinished”) symphony and followed by the second of Maurice Ravel’s suites taken from his score for the “Daphnis et Chloé” ballet. The jewel in this particular crown, however, is Boult’s account with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of Jean Sibelius’ Opus 105, his final (seventh) symphony in C major.
12. It was somewhat of a surprise to find Carlo Maria Giulini conducting Benjamin Britten’s Opus 66 War Requiem (particularly with Britten conducting the Melos Ensemble). Personally, I still prefer the original recording with Britten in charge of everything. Peter Pears is again the tenor soloist. He has aged but still knows how to deliver his part.
13. Like Michelangeli, pianist John Ogdon plays both concertos and solo piano music. All of the selections are by Franz Liszt. He plays the first concerto in E-flat major with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra conducted by Constantin Silvestri. The second concerto in A major is performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra led by Colin Davis. The CD then has three “encores,” Liszt solo piano compositions that tend to overstay their welcome!
14. The three selections of music by Russian composers are led by Russian conductor Evgeny Svetlanov. One of them, Alexander Scriabin’s Opus 54, “The Poem of Ecstasy,” was recorded in 1968 with the USSR State Symphony Orchestra. During his 1978 visit to England Svetlanov conducted the London Symphony Orchestra in a performance of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Opus 35 symphonic suite Scheherazade. This is introduced by an “overture” of the “Procession of the Nobles” from Rimsky-Korsakov’s Mlada suite.
15. Like Tennstedt George Szell is allocated two CDs. These are for the last two symphonies of Beethoven. He leads the New Philharmonia. The first CD consists entirely of Opus 93, the eighth in F major. Yes, it is a bit short; but the following CD provides compensation.
16. As expected, Opus 125, the “Choral” (ninth) symphony fills an entire CD. The New Philharmonia Chorus is joined by soprano Heather Harper, mezzo Janet Baker, tenor Ronald Dowd, and bass Franz Crass. Personally, this is not one of my favorite interpretations!
17. This CD featured horn player Dennis Brain. Brain was in his mid-fifties when he died in an automobile accident on September 1, 1957. His album accounts for the widest diversity of repertoire in the entire collection. Personally, his account with tenor Pears of Britten’s Opus 31 serenade is the high point, but others may differ!
18. Rudolf Kempe conducts the BBC Symphony Orchestra in what might be called a “profile of twentieth-century modernism.” My personal favorite is Alban Berg’s violin concerto; and Edith Peinemann (totally unfamiliar to me) holds her own in negotiating the composer’s tricky passages. I can also confess to having a weak spot for Leoš Janáček’s sinfonietta. The album begins with Michael Tippett’s concerto for double string orchestra, and the best I can say is that he deserves a place in this collection.
19. The penultimate CD features cellist Paul Tortelier. It includes two concerto selections, Edward Elgar’s Opus 85 concerto in E minor and Johannes Brahms’ Opus 102 “double” concerto with Yan Pascal Tortelier as the violin soloist. The final selection is Debussy’s sonata for cello and piano, for which I can confess a weak spot.
20. The collection concludes with pianist Rudolf Serkin playing two late Beethoven sonatas: Opus 106 (“Hammerklavier”) in B-flat major and Opus 110 in A-flat major; and, since I have been listening to Serkin recordings since childhood, I have no trouble letting these selections speak for themselves.

That accounts for the package; and, while I had to wait for it longer than anticipated, I am definitely glad to add it to my collection!