This post continues my survey of recordings by the Szell-era Cleveland Orchestra under other conductors and different names. Previously we have heard from long-time Szell associate
Louis Lane. Today the maestro is the famed choral conductor Robert Shaw in performances taped early in his spell as associate conductor and chorus director in Cleveland (1956-1967).
 |
Shaw, shortly before
his Cleveland appointment |
Although Cleveland is not mentioned anywhere on the packaging, it is likely that this record of two Bach cantatas involves both members of the orchestra and its chorus. When it was recorded (May 1958), Shaw was an RCA Victor artist. The orchestra, however, was under contract to Epic Records and could not be identified as such for this RCA disc. In any case, Shaw uses a relatively small complement of instrumentalists, so the issue is not a major one, save for the presence of Cleveland Orchestra oboist Marc Lifschey, who is credited with the important obbligato solo in BWV 56 ("Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen"), and is certainly also the uncredited soloist in the opening aria of BWV 82 ("Ich habe genug").
 |
| Marc Lifschey |
I make a point of this because as far as I can tell, this is the only credited solo on record by Lifschey, principal oboe from 1950-65 save for one year, and a musician who was revered by other orchestra members. [Correction: Lifschey is also credited on the Mozart Divertimento K131 recording of 1963 - thanks to Derek Katz for sending a note about this!]
The oboist is repeatedly cited in the recent book of anecdotes about the orchestra under Szell,
Tales from the Locker Room, assembled by longtime principal bass Lawrence Angell, who himself remarked, "The sound that came from [Lifschey's] oboe was often a miracle; so miraculous it astounded his colleagues." Said violinist Michael Goldman, "He was the soul of the orchestra. I got chills up and down my spine when he played." And fellow oboist Eldon Gatwood said, "I have never heard such a musical line," a particularly appropriate observation considering Lifschey's playing here.
But I am neglecting the principals in this recording, Shaw and baritone Mack Harrell, who is front and center in these cantatas: BWV 56 has but one chorale, and BWV 82 is entirely solo. Harrell's singing is flawless. He is a baritone tackling these cantatas for bass voice, but there is no sense of strain, with the voice always beautifully produced.
 |
| Mack Harrell |
This production came late in Harrell's career - he died at age 50 in 1960, shortly before this LP was issued. It marked his second recording of BWV 56; he had done it as early as 1939 under Edward van Beinum in Amsterdam. Harrell's son Lynn, the famed cellist, was principal in the Cleveland Orchestra for several years in the 60s and 70s.
Robert Shaw had joined the Cleveland conducting staff in 1956, and was already a star in the choral universe. He had founded the Robert Shaw Chorale in 1948 and had produced many LPs of both pop and classical music for RCA, while preparing choirs for Arturo Toscanini and the NBC Symphony. Following his Cleveland tenure, Shaw would go on to become the music director of the Atlanta Symphony for more than two decades.
 |
| Cover of original issue |
Virtually all Shaw's Victor recordings are credited to the Shaw Chorale - but not this one. My supposition is that he used singers from the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus for this coupling of two mainly solo cantatas.
Michael Gray's discography has the recording taking place in St. Paul's Church, Cleveland; presumably this is St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Cleveland Heights, site of many concerts by orchestra-related groups. The sound is quite good. My transfer is from the Victrola reissue.
