This is a good performance, closely recorded in Columbia's manner of the time. The Pittsburgh musicians don't possess the sheen of their cross-state counterparts, but the orchestral details are vivid and well balanced. It's not clear why Columbia and Serkin decided to redo the concerto only six years later.
The cover above is from the second LP issue. I actually transferred this from a near-mint first generation LP with a tombstone cover. (Scans of both are in the download.) You'll notice that the inset illustration at top depicts Brahms at the piano behind an open door. The scene is a detail pulled from the 78 album art, below. Making use of the 78 set's artwork to provide some color for the LP was a common technique for Columbia at the time. The illustration is pasted onto the cover, which uses a standard design. The art direction for both covers is by Alex Steinweiss; I don't know who did the drawing of Brahms.
 |
| Cover of 78 set |
Link (Apple lossless):
ReplyDeletehttp://rapidshare.com/files/395852176/Brahms%20-%20Piano%20Concerto%20No.%201%20(Serkin%20Reiner).zip
I did the drawing of Brahms. Thought you might want to know. ;)
ReplyDeleteNice work, Ern!
ReplyDeleteThanks Buster
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff
Review from The Gramophone April 1949 for you so you know what this side of the pond thought of it.
Rudolf Serkin (piano), Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (Fritz Reiner) : Concerto No. i in D minor, Op. 15(Brahms). Columbia LX1162-7 (51s. 9d.). Auto. LX8655-60.Score: Eulenburg.
A rich recording, especially pleasing in the slow movement. In this respect the set seems (by the report of memory) to equal, and I should say surpass, the Curzon (Dccca) set ; the orchestral product (i.e. playing, not recording) is superior to that, and the only recording that I would like to hear against this is Backhaus's ; he, like Serkin, is an admired classical player. I find Serkin a wee bit dry-toned nowadays. In the article of orchestral subtlety, interplay, and balance between the parts, I doubt whether this will be beaten by any other we now have: but without hearing the Backhaus again, I would reserve final judgement. The Schnabel interpretation I do not much care for.
I wonder if Serkin is quite the man for the Gothic aspect of the first movement, with, we may think, something of Brahms' fears and grief for Clara Schumann. The slow movement impresses me deeply, in this recording. We remember that over the melody at the beginning, Brahms had written " Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini." The mind runs to Bach, for comparable distinction. There is a shining clarity about the orchestral tone here (e.g. opening of side 8): the leisurely ripeness of a great spirit. Resistance, resignation ; and in the finale what ? A young man's hopes for life. The light tone and the crisp virility of the reading here arc excellent: I don't expect a better spirit anywhere, and the whole is grandly concluded, in a style that would be difficult to Surpass: Brahms waving goodwill, in that final horn arpeggio (after the piano trill), which echoes the first notes of the concerto: onward and upward, despite all fears. W.R.A[nderson]
Hi Jols,
ReplyDeleteInteresting - I have spent many, many hours reading old Gramophone reviews, and I have to say I often don't know what the heck W.R.A. is talking about: "the leisurely ripeness of a great spirit" - heh? But thanks, of course, for passing the review along!
It must have meant something to WRA I suppose - he liked it, anyway I like it.
ReplyDeleteThe leisurely ripeness of that great spirit Sibelius comes to mind "Never pay any attention to what critics say. Remember, a statue has never been set up in honor of a critic!"
Jols
Many thanks!
ReplyDeleteI regret that I just found this post and the link is no longer available. Could you re-post this one? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteNew link:
ReplyDeletehttps://mega.co.nz/#!OFUymYLL!SCS2Ejox0XU4Xut3wcI8DhBmL-0zoa8xRpueo8wJHIw
Thank you for sharing this great recording. Unfortunately, mega will not allow access without a "decryption key." Could you fix this or provide a new link, please. Many thanks.
ReplyDeleteMega is picky about browsers. You need to use Firefox with the Mega extension or Chrome. I don't think it likes IE or Safari. If no luck, I can reup to Zippyshare.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your very quick reply and offer of help. Sorry to report the same problem with Firefox and Chrome. I tried both; mega refuses access without a "decryption key," whatever that's supposed to mean. Many thanks for anything you can do to reup to Zippyshare or comparable friendly service.
ReplyDeleteI downloaded it from Mega without a problem - no idea what the encryption key issue was, but regardless here's Zippyshare:
ReplyDeletehttp://www72.zippyshare.com/v/22103731/file.html
It worked on Zippyshare! Thank you so very much. As for the strange problem with mega on three different browsers, maybe it had something to do with the fact that I am working with a Mac computer. Anyway, thanks again for all your kind help with this. I very much look forward to listening to this great recording .
ReplyDeleteRemastered version:
ReplyDeletehttps://mega.co.nz/#!HJFBHbib!Y-en0nSc5uQIgJvI-v-38N65tum014Jy_2DydDDnuKo