Recent Releases No. 54 (CD Reviews)

by Karl Nehring

Gershwin: An American in Paris; Lullaby (version for string orchestra); Promenade (version for chamber orchestra); Cuban Overture; Catfish Row: Suite from Porgy and Bess. Leonard Slatkin, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. VOX-VV-3019CD

 

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36; Romeo and Juliet: Fantasy Overture after Shakespeare. Maurice Abravanel, Utah Symphony Orchestra. VOX-XX-3022-CD

 

It’s exciting to see some more recordings from the Vox vaults being given new life thanks to the good folks at Naxos, who have begun digging out some of the old analog master tapes that had been recorded by Elite Recordings back in the 1970s and preparing new digital masters using state-of-the-art 192 kHz/24-bit technology. As the note on the back cover proclaims, “The Elite Recordings for Vox by legendary producers Marc Aubort and Joanna Nickrenz are considered by audiophiles to be amongst the finest sounding examples of orchestra recordings.” We have reviewed several of the previous Vox “Audiophile Edition” releases (Mozart piano concertos and a Rachmaninov symphony here and Rachmaninov piano concertos here). Those recordings featured the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Leonard Slatkin, as does this recent release of orchestral music by the American composer George Gershwin (1898-1937). Although I might be overstating the case, it seems to me that the majority of classical music fans in America do not really think of Gershwin when they think of American classical music composers – they are more likely to think of Copland, Barber, Ives, Hanson, or perhaps even John Adams. But maybe I’m wrong, and they remember Rhapsody in Blue, the Concerto in F, or some of the Gershwin works included on this recording. Slatkin obviously enjoys this music and delights in bringing out the joy that Gershwin always seemed to be able to infuse into his scores. You hear it especially so in the hustle and bustle of An American in Paris as well as in the vigorous Latin rhythms of the Cuban Overture. The closing Catfish Row selections are swinging and tuneful. Overall, it’s a fun disc, well recorded, full of hummable melodies, an American classic.

The late American conductor Maurice Abravanel (1903-1993) was of Spanish/Portuguese ancestry. Although his name may be unfamiliar to many music lovers, his story is an interesting one and his musical achievements are noteworthy. He was born in Greece and raised in Switzerland, where his family lived in the same house as the conductor Ernest Ansermet, with whom young Maurice played four-hand piano music and was able to meet composers such as Stravinsky and Milhaud. He later studied under Kurt Weill in Berlin, then moved to Paris, where he was music director for Balanchine’s Paris Ballet for three years. Abravanel then moved to the United States and became the youngest ever conductor ever hired at that time by the Metropolitan Opera. In 1943, he became an American citizen, then in 1947 left New York to become the conductor of what was at the time a rather provincial orchestra in Salt Lake City, Utah. He built that orchestra into what became the Utah Symphony Orchestra, the orchestra over which he presided until his retirement for health reasons in 1979. On a personal note, I saw them perform a few times in the 1970s, one of those occasions being a performance being a performance of the Dvořák Cello Concerto with soloist Gregor Piatigorsky (who filled in at the last minute for an ailing Mtsislav Rostropovich) in what would turn out to be his final public performance. 

Abravanel and his orchestra made numerous recording for several labels, including the first complete Mahler symphony cycle by an American orchestra, for the Vanguard label (their recording of the Fourth Symphony with soprano Netania Devrath is still one of the finest available), and the complete orchestral works of Tchaikovsky for Vox, from which this new remastering was taken. Although the Salt Lake Tabernacle was far from an ideal recording venue, its oval domed shape being highly reflective, the Elite Recordings team did their best to deaden the space, draping blanket over the seats and taking special care with microphone placement. The end result is excellent, the orchestra sounding as though it is playing in a large hall, but nothing is blurred. As for the performances, they are also excellent, Abravanel careful not to overplay the dramatic elements to the point where they start to sound hysterical. That is not to say the playing lacks energy, for it certainly does not. This is simply very good, straightforward, well-played, and excellently recorded Tchaikovsky. Good stuff.  

Beethoven: The Late Quartets. (CD1) String Quartet No. 1 in E-flat Major, Op. 127; No. 14 in C-Sharp Minor; (CD2) No. 13 in B-Flat Major, Op. 130; Grosse Fugue in B-Flat Major, Op. 133; Finale, Allegro (Op. 130, replacement finale); (CD3) No. 15 in A-Minor, Op. 132; No. 16 in F Major, Op. 135. Calidore String Quartet (Jeffrey Myers & Ryan Meehan, violins; Jeremy Berry, viola; Estelle Choi, cello). Signum Classics SIGCD733

It is certainly natural to be skeptical when encountering yet another boxed set of the late Beethoven quartets; however, it is tempting to become cynical. I will freely confess to being a skeptical sort of person, and I’m sure any attorney worth his hire could find plenty of character witnesses willing to testify to that under oath. And although there have been days when my prayers not to be led into the temptation of cynicism have gone unanswered, I do especially try to avoid being cynical about the motives of musicians regarding what and why they choose to record what they do. After all, the late Beethoven quartets are great masterpieces, music that any serious string quartet would want to record at some point. “Our quartet is continually drawn to Beethoven’s music for the enduring relevance of his humanistic perspective,” begin the Calidore Quartet in their introductory essay before going on to explain that “these great works are also the result of Beethoven’s struggles to overcome the challenges of his own life. In this spirit, our project came together in a very ‘Beethovenian’ way. …[concert cancellations caused by the COVID pandemic] made space for and propelled us towards the idea of recording this cycle of immortal works… and we were fortunate enough to be introduced to the legendary producer Judith Sherman, an artist whose passion for these works and uncompromising standards have made her the perfect partner in chronicling our interpretation of Beethoven.” 

The end result of their collective effort is a fine set indeed, one worthy in both musical and sonic terms to be a first choice for someone looking to acquire a set of these incomparable string quartets. Sonically, in fact, this may well be the finest set of all the many I have ever heard. The natural warmth of the recorded string tone combined with the realistic sense of space makes it especially easy to be drawn into the fascinating music. To be skeptical means to be inclined to look -- or in this case, listen -- quite closely. Those who listen closely to this set will be well rewarded both musically and sonically.