One for Gieseking Fans
Posted by: Todd A on 26 February 2003
So impressed was I with Tahra’s release of Gieseking playing Beethoven’s sonatas that when I stumbled across the opportunity to buy the second Tahra set of Gieseking recordings on the cheap - this time in a 4-disc “digipak” set - I could not resist. The set contains radio broadcast recordings of works by Beethoven, Brahms, Schumann, Scriabin, Debussy and Ravel.
When I first opened the box I was delighted to find that a substantial booklet included. I figured there would be a substantial, multi-language biography or something similar. I was wrong. The booklet contains a purportedly complete discography of Walter Gieseking! (I did note that the war-time recording of the Grieg Concerto with Furtwangler is missing from the list of recordings.) The discography is listed twice, first chronologically and then by composer. This alone is worth the price I paid. I perused and drooled. So many recordings, so many reissues, and so many recordings not yet reissued! And so many questions. Why have EMI not reissued all 17 Beethoven sonatas recorded in 1955/56? Where is The Well Tempered Clavier once reissued by DG? (Maybe it will reappear as part of the Original Masters series. Let’s hope.) Why has Carnaval been out of the catalog for decades? Why have his recordings of works by Walter Piston and Francis Poulenc not been seen for a half century? Some as of yet un-reissued highlights that I eagerly look forward to hearing are:
A 1948 Beethoven C Major Concerto with Rafael Kubelik conducting the Philharmonia.
A 1934 Emperor with Bruno Walter conducting the Vienna Philharmonic, and a 1956 recording with Guido Cantelli leading the New York Philharmonic.
Schubert’s Impromptus
Seven Scarlatti sonatas recorded over several years.
As to the recordings on this set, well, they are definitely worth a listen for Gieseking fans. The 1953 Debussy is, as one would expect, marvelous. I can’t really say that they are better than the EMI studio set. They are merely as great. The 1950 recording of Ravel’s Miroirs comes off better here than in the EMI studio set, with some truly astonishing virtuosity on display. The effort required is clearly audible in the heavy breathing. The Kreutzer Sonata is a fast, energetic affair with Gerhard Taschner spinning out notes in Old World fashion and with Gieseking strangely relegated to the background. Beethoven’s G Major Concerto with Antal Dorati at the helm of RIAS Orchestra comes off very well, indeed. The first movement cadenza is dazzling, the second movement slowed down and mesmerizing, and the finale more rousing than usual. It’s not the best Fourth around, but it is near the top. I like it about as much as his slightly later recording with Karajan, but for different reasons. The early Scriabin Preludes, Op 11, come off very well. Better Scriabin pianists have recorded the works, but I’ll listen to these again. The Brahms First Concerto is somewhat of a letdown, which is unfortunate since this is the only recording Gieseking left of the work. The sound is the culprit: it is distorted and uneven. Listening past that reveals a very good if not exemplary performance. Gieseking just does not deliver the work with the required heft; he is no Pollini or Gilels, that’s for sure. I do welcome it to my collection, though.
The peach of the set is the Schumann disc. A truly sublime Fantaisie takes up the first half. This is one of the best performances I have heard, easily capable of challenging Pollini’s other-worldly version. It is not note-perfect, being a broadcast performance and all: there are clearly audible slips at several points in the second movement and one very noticeable slip in the third movement. But this is an inspired performance. Perfectionists should look elsewhere, but I love it. An electric Concerto finishes the disc. This recording rather easily outdistances his earlier recording with Furtwangler, and most others, for that matter. The opening movement moves along with notable thrust, allowing not even a moment to catch one’s breath, as it were, and the finale crackles with energy. Just what is it about Kurt Schroeder and his band? These same forces delivered what simply must be one of the greatest recordings of Debussy’s Fantaisie, and then there is this. Okay, so the orchestra is not of the same quality as the contemporaneous Philharmonia or Cleveland Orchestra, but they sure can play. This recording is just plain great.
As to sound, well, except for the Brahms, sound is generally very good given the period in question (1949-1955). A hearty recommendation to all Gieseking fans out there.
When I first opened the box I was delighted to find that a substantial booklet included. I figured there would be a substantial, multi-language biography or something similar. I was wrong. The booklet contains a purportedly complete discography of Walter Gieseking! (I did note that the war-time recording of the Grieg Concerto with Furtwangler is missing from the list of recordings.) The discography is listed twice, first chronologically and then by composer. This alone is worth the price I paid. I perused and drooled. So many recordings, so many reissues, and so many recordings not yet reissued! And so many questions. Why have EMI not reissued all 17 Beethoven sonatas recorded in 1955/56? Where is The Well Tempered Clavier once reissued by DG? (Maybe it will reappear as part of the Original Masters series. Let’s hope.) Why has Carnaval been out of the catalog for decades? Why have his recordings of works by Walter Piston and Francis Poulenc not been seen for a half century? Some as of yet un-reissued highlights that I eagerly look forward to hearing are:
A 1948 Beethoven C Major Concerto with Rafael Kubelik conducting the Philharmonia.
A 1934 Emperor with Bruno Walter conducting the Vienna Philharmonic, and a 1956 recording with Guido Cantelli leading the New York Philharmonic.
Schubert’s Impromptus
Seven Scarlatti sonatas recorded over several years.
As to the recordings on this set, well, they are definitely worth a listen for Gieseking fans. The 1953 Debussy is, as one would expect, marvelous. I can’t really say that they are better than the EMI studio set. They are merely as great. The 1950 recording of Ravel’s Miroirs comes off better here than in the EMI studio set, with some truly astonishing virtuosity on display. The effort required is clearly audible in the heavy breathing. The Kreutzer Sonata is a fast, energetic affair with Gerhard Taschner spinning out notes in Old World fashion and with Gieseking strangely relegated to the background. Beethoven’s G Major Concerto with Antal Dorati at the helm of RIAS Orchestra comes off very well, indeed. The first movement cadenza is dazzling, the second movement slowed down and mesmerizing, and the finale more rousing than usual. It’s not the best Fourth around, but it is near the top. I like it about as much as his slightly later recording with Karajan, but for different reasons. The early Scriabin Preludes, Op 11, come off very well. Better Scriabin pianists have recorded the works, but I’ll listen to these again. The Brahms First Concerto is somewhat of a letdown, which is unfortunate since this is the only recording Gieseking left of the work. The sound is the culprit: it is distorted and uneven. Listening past that reveals a very good if not exemplary performance. Gieseking just does not deliver the work with the required heft; he is no Pollini or Gilels, that’s for sure. I do welcome it to my collection, though.
The peach of the set is the Schumann disc. A truly sublime Fantaisie takes up the first half. This is one of the best performances I have heard, easily capable of challenging Pollini’s other-worldly version. It is not note-perfect, being a broadcast performance and all: there are clearly audible slips at several points in the second movement and one very noticeable slip in the third movement. But this is an inspired performance. Perfectionists should look elsewhere, but I love it. An electric Concerto finishes the disc. This recording rather easily outdistances his earlier recording with Furtwangler, and most others, for that matter. The opening movement moves along with notable thrust, allowing not even a moment to catch one’s breath, as it were, and the finale crackles with energy. Just what is it about Kurt Schroeder and his band? These same forces delivered what simply must be one of the greatest recordings of Debussy’s Fantaisie, and then there is this. Okay, so the orchestra is not of the same quality as the contemporaneous Philharmonia or Cleveland Orchestra, but they sure can play. This recording is just plain great.
As to sound, well, except for the Brahms, sound is generally very good given the period in question (1949-1955). A hearty recommendation to all Gieseking fans out there.