BaL 4.03.23 - Walton: Viola Concerto

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I wonder whether recorded sound balance will be discussed in the programme. I have the Menuhin/Walton, which mikes up the solo viola to an extent that I find distracting and undesirable. I haven’t heard the work in the concert hall, where the balance would be very different. I know the art of recording necessitates certain compromises, but this often goes too far.

[smittims]

That, I think, is a feature of all Menuhin concerto recordings (even Mozart) , and I think it's a legacy from 78 days where the soloist was often very forwardly-balanced. I don't know, but I wouldn't be surprised to hear that he required it.

It wasn't necessary because Menuhin had a big tone anyway. When I heard him play it in Birmingham Town Hall in 1972 he had no difficulty penetrating the orchestral sound.

[makropulos]

I heard Menuhin playing it in London (Festival Hall) in 1972, at the Walton 70th birthday concert, and the amplitude of his sound was not the problem. He filled the hall, but the quality and technical prowess of his performance was very sub-par that evening, sadly. I heard him live a number of times but, to my regret, I don't think I ever caught him on a really good day.

[smittims]

Yes, he was uneven then; one could never tell what sort of performance he would produce. I think this is why he took to conducting more in later years.

His Birmingham outing of the concerto was fine, but a friend of mine went to hear him play some Bach around the same to me and said he wished he hadn't gone. And then years later, playing the Frank Martin 'Polyptique' at the Festival Hall, he was wonderful!

[Barbirollians]

I heard Menuhin playing it in London (Festival Hall) in 1972, at the Walton 70th birthday concert, and the amplitude of his sound was not the problem. He filled the hall, but the quality and technical prowess of his performance was very sub-par that evening, sadly. I heard him live a number of times but, to my regret, I don't think I ever caught him on a really good day.

Yes - he was uneven . I was at his 70th birthday concert with Rostropovich in the RFH . He was very uneven in the Beethoven VC but then in the second half rather splendid in the Brahsm Double.

I also saw him play the Beethoven with the RPO and Norman del Mar - and on that occasion also in the mid 1980s he was in very good form.

[Tony Halstead]

I heard Menuhin playing it in London (Festival Hall) in 1972, at the Walton 70th birthday concert, and the amplitude of his sound was not the problem. He filled the hall, but the quality and technical prowess of his performance was very sub-par that evening, sadly. I heard him live a number of times but, to my regret, I don't think I ever caught him on a really good day.

I heard from a reliable source that, during the applause, Sir William turned to his wife and said "that's the last time I'm going to let that b***er play my concertos" (!)
A year later I had the privilege of playing the Lennox Berkeley Trio for Violin, Horn and Piano with Menuhin and David Atherton. At our first rehearsal Sir Yehudi gave the impression of not knowing the work at all... he even said to David and I "you boys (sic) will have to teach me this piece", but I think he went on to give a very good account of the violin part in the concert. I do remember that in the 3rd movement there was a potentially hazardous 'staccato' violin passage that became much more fluent when he played it 'pizzicato' (with Berkeley's approval, of course).

[Bryn]

I heard from a reliable source that, during the applause, Sir William turned to his wife and said "that's the last time I'm going to let that b***er play my concertos" (!)
A year later I had the privilege of playing the Lennox Berkeley Trio for Violin, Horn and Piano with Menuhin and David Atherton. At our first rehearsal Sir Yehudi gave the impression of not knowing the work at all... he even said to David and I "you boys (sic) will have to teach me this piece", but I think he went on to give a very good account of the violin part in the concert. I do remember that in the 3rd movement there was a potentially hazardous 'staccato' violin passage that became much more fluent when he played it 'pizzicato' (with Berkeley's approval, of course).

Somewhat off topic but this was a great favourite disc of my youth. The Ireland has been updated to CD but I have only just discovered that the Berkleley is available via QOBUZ, coupled with the Mozart k. 452 Quintet.

[Pulcinella]

Somewhat off topic but this was a great favourite disc of my youth. The Ireland has been updated to CD but I have only just discovered that the Berkleley is available via QOBUZ, coupled with the Mozart k. 452 Quintet.

If you're looking for a CD, it appeared in the EMI British Composers series Berkeley Centenary Album, still going cheap s/h:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Berkeley-Centenary-Album-Horn-Preludes/dp/B0000A1M5G/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1HH33HAKPORV4&keywords=Lennox+berkeley+centenary&qid=1676477983&s=music&sprefix=lennox+berkeley+centenary%2Cpopular%2C99&sr=1-1

[Maclintick]

I wonder whether recorded sound balance will be discussed in the programme. I have the Menuhin/Walton, which mikes up the solo viola to an extent that I find distracting and undesirable. I haven’t heard the work in the concert hall, where the balance would be very different. I know the art of recording necessitates certain compromises, but this often goes too far.

I have Bashmet/LSO/Previn & Ehnes/BBCSO/Gardner -- both soloists well up to the technical and musical challenges & recorded in natural perspectives so that their interplay with the woodwind is always beautifully-judged, as for instance, at the end of the 1st movement where the viola weaves arabesques around the flute's reprise of the initial theme. DON will have to be extremely persuasive for me to consider shelling out for another version....

[Bryn]

If you're looking for a CD, it appeared in the EMI British Composers series Berkeley Centenary Album, still going cheap s/h:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Berkeley-Ce...ar%2C99&sr=1-1

Thanks, Pulcinella but I was won over by the Mozart which accompanied the Trio on QOBUZ. Since I subscribe, I simply 'imported' it. I will check out the audio quality.

[smittims]

Thanks so much for posting that picture of the Ireland/Berkeley LP, Bryn; how the years rolled back. I still have my copy up in the loft. I also have the original issue, CLP 1029, where the coupling was the Mozart piano and wind quintet.

One feature of those 'HMV 20' series LPs were the 'Vitrographs' by George Pollock, on the covers. I had several.

I was also interested in Tony's account of Yehudi Menuhin playing pizzicato the tricky passage in the Berkeley trio. As I recall, Manoug Parikian plays it arco splendidly in the old HMV recording. But for me, it is Dennis Brain's presence whih ennobles (not too strong a word, I think) that recording. I find his playing of so many phrases quite haunting for days.

[Bryn]

. . . One feature of those 'HMV 20' series LPs were the 'Vitrographs' by George Pollock, on the covers. I had several. . . .

Yes, I also have, among others, the 2 Rawsthorne Piano Concertos. HNV 20 was, indeed, an excellent series.

[Barbirollians]

Moura Lympany in the Rawsthorne ?

[Pulcinella]

Moura Lympany in the Rawsthorne ?

I think so. I got to know them in this LP boxed set incarnation, Twentieth Century British Piano Concertos.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/403565011154?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=7101533165274578&mkcid=2&itemid=403565011154&targetid=4585169652812021&device=c&mktype=&googleloc=&poi=&campaignid=412354547&mkgroupid=1305120599331881&rlsatarget=pla-4585169652812021&abcId=9300541&merchantid=87779&msclkid=c035d5fe0c541b09585db6111b524d18

[Bryn]

Moura Lympany in the Rawsthorne ?

In the 1st Concerto, yes, but Denis Matthews in the 2nd: