This disc is for connoisseurs of Toscanini. There are better performances
and recordings of these pieces which show their vintage. Nonetheless they
are workmanlike performances and have much to commend them.
Beethoven often became cross at people who made arrangements of his chamber
works. The glorious Septet, Op 20 appeared in many guises in his lifetime
and while was is due to its deserved popularity it fares best as Beethoven
wrote it. Toscanini's arrangement is fundamentally for a larger number of
strings and, as a result, the intimacy is gone.
But what a splendid piece it is. The tempo di minuetto is the composer's
own reworking of the minuet from the Piano Sonata, Op 49 No 2.
The scherzo is sheer joy but the intimate sparkle is not here.
The Egmont Overture is almost a miniature symphony and was often the
subject of ridicule by Britten. But it is a good piece. The age of the recording
has lost its freshness and exposed notes are very dry.
And so to the incredible Symphony No 7, probably Beethoven's finest.
The opening poco sostenuto is a shade too slow but the first oboe
has a beautiful tone. The mystery and expectation is effectively realised
but the cello and double basses are too heavy bars 15ff. The oboe theme in
bar 23 seems more romantic than classical and the recording cannot convey
the brass punctuation at bar 34 ff. The transition from four time to 6/8
for the vivace is well caught but the tempo is a shade too slow and,
unusually for Toscanini, his sense of rhythm is lost. Everyone loves the
braying horns at 89 but the age of the sound does not convey this enough.
The big repeat is omitted and why is it that some conductors interpret
crescendo as an accelerando as well? This symphony often suffers
from this unauthorised trait. In addition, Toscanini slows the tempo in the
vivace at bar 309 to linger over the woodwind solos and then has to
speed up to regain the correct tempo.
The allegretto starts with some poor wind intonation and the tempo
isn't quite right but the counterpoint is brought out very well. The clarinet
and horn duet at 117ff is quite ravishing and the fugal string passage is
also well realised and the woodwind chords at 238ff are ravishing. The final
four bars are exaggerated and stand out like a sore thumb but most conductors
err here.
The scherzo is curious because the assai meno presto sections
are so hurried. Some of the timpani passages needed more attack (bar 91ff,
for example).
The finale begins a little sluggishly and we have to wait to about bar 330
before we have allegro con brio. In common with many conductors only the
last 150 bars are played as Beethoven intended. There are no tempo variations
in this movement so why is the 100 mph only reserved for the end? If Beethoven
wants his 467 bars all at the same quick speed then that is
what we expect.
As before, I cannot 'award stars' for performances and recordings for obvious
reasons.
Reviewer
David Wright
Symphony Orchestra,
Arturo Toscanini.
