It’s good to see another
brace of performances by Klaus Tennstedt
gracing the list of new BBC Legends
releases. Here he is with the LPO in
core Austro-German symphonic repertoire.
However, as so often is the case with
BBC Legends, the value of this issue
lies not just in the intrinsic merits
of the performances themselves but also
in the fact that Tennstedt recorded
neither of these works commercially.
Indeed, it appears
from David Patmore’s useful note that
the Brahms symphony was something of
a rarity in Tennstedt’s concert schedules.
Patmore lists only four performances
that Tennstedt is known to have given;
a pair in Pittsburgh in 1979 and two
in April 1983 with the LPO, of which
this was the first. Just as an aside,
since these symphonies are both such
core repertoire items I wonder if there
may have been some less well documented
performances of either of them in what
was then the Eastern Bloc, prior to
Tennstedt moving to the West in 1971?
The Beethoven is placed
first. This actually comes from a rather
special concert, the annual Royal Concert
given in London on St. Cecilia’s Day,
22 November, in aid of the Musician’s
Benevolent Fund. Tennstedt and his players
seem fired by the occasion. The first
movement, in which the exposition is
not repeated, is full of energy. The
music is pushed forward, but not aggressively
so, with much rhythmic verve and good
use of Beethoven’s dynamic contrasts.
The second movement is taken at a pretty
steady tempo – but it doesn’t drag;
it’s purposeful. I was delighted to
note that from bar 19 onwards, when
Beethoven drops the dynamic marking
from p to pp Tennstedt
observes this scrupulously (and on the
occasions when the rubric is repeated)
to excellent effect. It’s a small point
but it’s not always done as well as
here.
There’s a lively account
of the scherzo and then the finale,
in which once again the exposition repeat
is not taken, is driven along with tremendous
exuberance and brio. This is a performance
of conviction that sweeps all before
it. By and large the LPO plays very
well for their chief, though there are
one or two very minor fluffs in the
horn section.
The Brahms is also
very well played. The first movement
glows warmly but Tennstedt is careful
not to permit any autumnal wallowing.
Indeed, the development section moves
forward purposefully and, as usual with
Tennstedt, the orchestral sound is founded
on a strongly defined bass line. Though
the exposition repeat is omitted, as
many conductors do, unfortunately, this
is still a strong performance that I
found very satisfying.
Tennstedt leads a quite
serious, searching account of the Andante.
He brings out the wistfulness in
the music. Indeed it’s arguable that
he probes deeper than that and brings
out a darker side in the music. The
coda is beautifully handled. The third
movement is done with affection. The
main melody, one of Brahms’s loveliest,
is allowed to sing out for all it’s
worth. The finale starts with a fine
sense of suppressed energy until the
more tumultuous music breaks out (at
0:51.). Thereafter Tennstedt imparts
a splendid feeling of propulsion, properly
controlled excitement and, where appropriate,
no little power. But in the more ruminative
passages he gives full value too. The
radiant coda, one of my favourite passages
in all Brahms, is negotiated poetically
and nobly. In Michael Steinberg’s felicitous
phrase: "We are home ... The garden
is softly lit in the glow of sunset."
I found this to be a deeply satisfying
reading.
The sound is very good,
allowing us to hear the relationship
between Klaus Tennstedt and the LPO
at its best. This is an invaluable addition
to Tennstedt’s all-too-small discography.
I hope BBC Legends will unearth more
such performances from this fine conductor.
In the meantime this disc will make
an excellent Christmas present for a
discerning collector.
John Quinn
London Philharmonic Orchestra/Klaus Tennstedt
