Sergei RACHMANINOV
Symphonic Dances
Igor STRAVINSKY
Rite of
Spring
London SO/Eugene Goossens
rec Walthamstow, London, Nov 1958 (Rite); Feb 1960
(Dances)
EVEREST EVC 9002
[69.47]
Amazon
UK £10.99 Amazon US
As a demonstration of the Omega Record Group's skill at remastering the superb
half inch three track originals into 20 bit SBM this evinces the highest
standards. Hiss is defeated and hitting power is preserved. The massed strings
communicate well allowing for some shrillness under pressure. Dynamic range
is wide as is demonstrated from the very start of track 1. The weakness lies
in laid back and overly suave interpretations. Goossens conducting the Symphonic
Dances in February 1960 was already very ill. He was to die barely four months
later. Where the performance should be taut, hunted and haunted this is in
cruise control. Now if you compare Kondrashin, Ashkenazy or even Previn or
Ormandy you will capture more of the nightmare and romance of this work which
is amongst the very finest penned by Rachmaninov. Goossens (ever the colourist)
brings out the voice of Rimsky-Korsakov rather than the verismo ice and lightning
of the mature Rachmaninov.
Goossens was famed for his Rite of Spring. He had a real taste for balletic
music and in the early 1920s his eponymous orchestra made a renewed impact
with the Rite in concert at the Queen's Hall. Here he is almost forty years
later relishing every sour and scabrous note captured in a massive acoustic
that etiolates some of the impact unless you play at high volume. He is however
much more 'at the heels' of this music (11.40 and 16.00 track 1 where the
'young' Goossens is at the helm with imagination on fire) than he is in the
case of the Rachmaninov. There is some adept playing from the woodwind but
this still not quite the 'full article' and the lack of unanimity in The
Adoration at 8.20 is one example. Natural sound silkily communicated but
not a high recommendation in the face of any of Haitink's versions, to take
one example.
Rob Barnett
