Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt was among those older conductors
who, luckily for us, lived long enough into the stereophonic age to have left
us any number of fine stereo recordings. He was one of an elite group of
conductors that included people like Bruno Walter, Otto Klemperer, Fritz
Reiner, Rafael Kubelik, Karl Bohm, Eugene Jochum, and their like. There were
other conductors who came along during and after their tenures who offered more
glamor, like Herbert von Karajan, or more pizzazz, like Georg Solti, and
conductors like Roger Norrington and John Eliot Gardiner who performed on
period instruments using period practices. But it’s hard to beat the grace and
refinement the older hands brought to the music, especially to Beethoven. On
the present disc, the folks at HDTT (High Definition Tape Transfers) bring us
Schmidt-Isserstedt’s classic 1965 recording of the Beethoven Ninth, and it couldn’t be better.
Beethoven (1770-1827) wrote and premiered his Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125, in 1824, and it would be his final
completed symphony. Its use of vocals in the final movement gave it the title
“Choral Symphony,” and the work proved to be at least as revolutionary as his Symphony No. 3. There are critics to
this day who consider the Ninth the
greatest piece of music ever written, and it’s hard to argue with them.
We can learn a lot about Schmidt-Isserstedt’s style from
his handling of the first movement, the Allegro,
ma non troppo, un poco. It sounds exactly right (Schmidt-Isserstedt’s
handling, not Beethoven’s tempo markings). To give you an idea of that
“rightness,” I compared his timing for the movement with other recordings I had
on hand: Solti: 17:39; Jochum: 16:31; Schmidt-Isserstedt: 16:26; Bohm: 14.54;
Norrington: 14:13; Zinman: 13:35. So Schmidt-Isserstedt is pretty much in the
middle of the crowd when it comes to tempos, yet the pace actually seems
quicker because he puts such emphasis on dynamic contrasts, making his
interpretation as lively as any of the others. Still, it never seems hurried.
In each movement, Schmidt-Isserstedt takes the time to elucidate, illuminate,
and clarify every note.
And so it goes, always with Schmidt-Isserstedt keeping a
bounce in his step but never overstepping the bounds of classical propriety.
His is a thrilling yet elegant performance. The third-movement Cantabile is as beautiful as any I’ve
heard, and then comes that big finish: the “Ode to Joy,” based on the poem by
Friedrich Schiller and sung here by probably the finest quartet ever assembled
for the occasion: Martti Talvela, bass; James King, tenor; Marilyn Horne,
mezzo-soprano; and Dame Joan Sutherland, soprano. Along with the Vienna
Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the best ensembles in the world, and the Vienna
State Opera Chorus at the top of their game, one could not ask for more.
This is not a flashy Ninth,
not a monumental one, not a grandiose one, not a zippy, rushed one.
Schmidt-Isserstedt’s account is simply a most-fulfilling, most-pleasing,
most-rewarding one. It’s a dignified, spacious reading, well balanced and
relaxed, yet invariably riveting, a performance that is hard to fault and,
thus, a performance easy to live with and easy to enjoy upon repeat listening.
Decca recorded the music in the Sofiensaal, Vienna, in
1965, and HDTT transferred it to HQCD from a London four-track tape. The sound
is as good as any Beethoven Ninth on
record and better than most. Let’s just say there is nothing seriously better.
Clarity is outstanding, without being in any way bright or edgy, and while it
may not be as ultimately transparent as some other recordings, it is more
lifelike than most. The stereo spread is wide; dynamics are strong; transient
response is quick; orchestral depth is moderately good; and bass and treble
appear reasonably well extended. A pleasant ambient bloom and almost no
background noise give the whole affair a natural, realistic feel. Very nice.
For further information about HDTT discs and downloads,
you can check out their Web site at
http://www.highdeftapetransfers.com/storefront.php.
“Top of the world!”
--James Cagney, White Heat
A most enjoyable performance. A very traditional approach by Mr Isserstedt.
ReplyDeleteHi John: for Solti's Beethoven's 9th, do you recommend the 1972 version or the 1987 version? Both Decca. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI prefer Solti's '72 analogue version to his later digital one.
ReplyDeleteQui pourrait m'aider à trouver ce disque sous le label HDTT ?
ReplyDeleteYou'll find HDTT products at https://www.highdeftapetransfers.ca/
DeleteNon, ce n'est pas possible, ce disque n'est plus produit par HDTT.
Delete