Thomas Jensen (conductor)
Legacy Volume 11
rec. 1939-62
DANACORD DACOCD921 [78 + 70]
It’s fortunate – and generous – of Danacord to offer their twofers ‘as for one’ as of late they have been engaged in wholesale reshuffling of their packs. The Jensen Legacy Volume 11 contains things that have previously been reissued under different marques. For example the Liszt and Palmgren derive from volume 4 of Danacord’s series devoted to the pianist Victor Schiĝler; ‘The Great Danish Pianist’ (see review) whilst the Grieg concerto comes from the fifth volume (see review) and I agree with Christopher Howell’s assessment of Schiĝler’s elevated solo playing in the inaugural twofer in the series (see review) in the studio recording of the work. You need to keep your discographic wits about you in an unfolding series such as this, as you’re likely already to have some of the material. Hyperlinking to previous reviews makes a critic’s job easier, though I’m not wholly sure this is the right way for Danacord to go.
The only previously unissued item in CD1 is August Winding’s Concert Allegro, preformed by Boris Linderud (1915-95) in 1960. This fluid rhapsodic piece is cast in a Schumannesque mould with plenty of right-hand filigree. The only non-studio live performance on CD2 is Strauss’ Till Eulenspiegel, in a very competent 1952 reading in the characteristic acoustic of Denmark’s Radio Concert Hall. The remainder of the programme is largely given over to the violin repertoire on the Tono label, played by the country’s then leading player, Emil Telmányi, between 1947 and 1951. He plays Sarasate’s Zigeunerweisen with plenty of slides but also a sure awareness of style. You will find the Introduction and Rondo capriccioso on DACOCD851 (review) where you’ll also find recordings made by Telmányi’s great teacher, Hubay – the recording Telmányi made of Hubay’s Hejre Kati in that disc is a later one than the 1947 Tono here, which features his Chamber Orchestra and offers a less successful accompaniment.
Svendsen’s Romance is in the secure hands of Carlo Andersen in his famous 1939 HMV recording which must have sold by the bucketload as it always turns up on record lists to this day. It’s a valuable snapshot of Andersen’s playing as he only ever recorded a couple of pieces by Lumbye so far as I’m aware. Finally, there’s Tchaikovsky’s ‘1812’, spread across four 78 sides, recorded a few days after the Introduction and Rondo capriccioso. Nothing unduly odd happens in the ‘1812’ – strong, decisive conducting and well recorded.
Till is newly remastered, and everything comes up sounding good. Nevertheless, Danacord doesn’t make it easy to extract a critical recommendation and given the recycling that’s gone on, I duly absolve myself of that responsibility and fling it back to you.
Jonathan Woolf
Contents
Edvard Grieg (1843-1907)
Piano Concerto in A minor, Op.16
Victor Schiĝler (piano)/Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra
rec. March 1962, Helsinki
Franz Liszt (1811-1886)
Hungarian Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra, S.123
Victor Schiĝler (piano)/The Tivoli Orchestra
rec. May 1942, studio recording
Selim Palmgren (1878-1951)
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No.2 ‘The River’
Victor Schiĝler (piano)/Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra
rec. March 1962, Helsinki
August Winding (1835-1899)
Concert Allegro in C minor, Op.29
Boris Linderud (piano)
rec. November 1960
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893
1812 Overture, Op.49
Royal Danish Orchestra
rec. June 1947, studio recording
Pablo de Sarasate (1844-1908
Zigeunerweisen, Op.20
Emil Telmányi (violin)/Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra
rec. August 1951, studio recording
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921)
Introduction and Rondo capriccioso, Op.28
Emil Telmányi (violin)/Royal Danish Orchestra
rec. June 1947, studio recording
Jenö Hubay (1858-1937)
Hungarian Czárda Scenes; Hejre Kati No.4, Op.32
Emil Telmányi (violin)/Telmanyi Chamber Orchestra
rec. May 1947, studio recording
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Romance No.2 in F major, Op.50
Emil Telmányi (violin)/Danish Radio Symphony orchestra
rec. September 1951, studio recording
Johan Svendsen (1840-1911)
Romance in G major, Op.26
Carlo Andersen (violin)/Copenhagen Philharmonic Orchestra
rec. August 1939, studio recording
Richard Strauss (1864-1949)
Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, Op.28 (1894-95) [14:48]
Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra
rec. October 1952, live concert, Denmark’s Radio Concert Hall
