Weber: Overture from Oberon
Mozart: Symphony No. 40 in G minor
Sibelius: Symphony No. 2
Berlioz: "Rákóczy March" from Damnation of Faust
Cleveland Orchestra
George Szell (conductor)
This recording of a May 1970 Tokyo concert by George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra documents a great conductor and orchestra in peak form. And it takes on a poignant cast as one realizes that two months later Szell died at 73. Sick as he was at the time, Szell's conducting here is full of fire and commitment, and his reputation as a perfectionist is strengthened when we hear the amazing accuracy of the Clevelanders, even in concert during a grueling tour. The program opens with Weber's Oberon Overture, the opening magical in its otherworldly scene-painting. The Mozart G minor is forward-moving, yet Szell elicits playing of great warmth (the Andante is what you'd hear if velvet could sing). He captures that Mozartean warmth and elegance without heavy emoting or radical tempo changes; discreet rubato and well-honed musicians suffice. Tempos are flexible within Szell's strict overall framework here and again in the Sibelius Second, where the Clevelanders really strut their stuff. Fine as his commercial recording with the Concertgebouw on Philips is, this live version is preferred for its extra power and virtuosity. Solo moments in the orchestra are stunning, the strings shine in the Scherzo, and the finale is overwhelming. The encore, Berlioz's "Rákóczy March", is as exciting as any on disc. That all this was "live," without studio retakes or patches, is even more impressive. The filler on this two-disc set is an extensive interview with Pierre Boulez, who was on that 1970 tour as guest conductor. Boulez speaks warmly of Szell, the man and the conductor, and of Szell's influence on his career. The sound throughout is more than acceptable. This mouth-watering set is available direct from the Cleveland Orchestra at their website.
