Customer Reviews

Karl Bohm

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Here is a 10 CD set at a bargain price of Karl Bohm primarily conducting the Staatskapelle Dresden during the Second World War. The recordings appear to be commercial rather than studio radio broadcasts. Most of the selections are by German composers and most, if not all, were rerecorded by Bohm in much better sound in the 50s, 60s, and 70s.
Bohm (1894-1981), Furtwangler, and Karajan are the three most known of the so-called Nazi conductors. In fact, Bohm was the most ardent Hitler supporter of the three (see Norman Lebrecht, The Maestro Myth, Citatel Press). The Second World War ended in 1945, Karajan began to record for EMI and Furtwangler died in 1954. That left Bohm as DG's major conductor until his death.
CD 1 is all Mozart. Symphonies 35 and 41, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and two overtures are all excellent.
CD 2 contains Schubert's symphonies 5 and 8 plus two overtures by von Weber. The performances again are excellent.
CD 3 is all Beethoven. There is a beautiful rendition of the violin concerto by Max Straub ( I have been unable to locate any information concerning this great violinist) The Third piano concerto receives a "manly" interpretation by Lubka Kolessa, a Ukraine who moved to Canada in 1940
CD 4 is again all Beethoven.. The Fourth piano concerto is performed by Walter Gieseking and it surpasses the rerecording he made for EMI. The Fifth piano concerto ("Emperor") is rather too seriously played by Edwin Fischer.
CD 5 and 6 are all Brahms. Symphonies 1, 2, and the 2nd piano concerto ( with Wilhelm Backhaus)are very fine.
CD 7 and 8 contain Bruckner's symphonies 4 and 7. These are great performances but the poor sound quality is disturbing. Bruckner, like Mahler, really does need superb sound quality.
CD 9 is a group of overtures and intermezzi by various composers, including four by Wagner. These are all satisfactory, but nothing exceptional.
CD 10 starts out with a 30 minute Variations and Fugue on a theme by Mozart by Max Reger. You will have heard enough after the first two minutes. Pfitzner's Symphony is C is next. German conductors like to play this symphony. I don't know why. The disc concludes with an average performance of Strauss' Don Juan and a rousing performance of his Till Eulenspiegel.
In summary, there is a lot of great music for very little money and an opportunity to listen to some wonderful concerti. The poor sound quality on some of the discs makes this a 4 star rather than a 5 star rating.

With all due respect to the other reviewers (I have always appreciated Mr. McKelvey's reviews in ARG), and as a fellow Böhm enthusiast, I cannot recommend purchase of this "Wallet Box," despite its evident bargain status. However stirring the performances (and from a single audition I can say that most are outstanding, as we would expect from this conductor), the wretched digital transfers preclude any real enjoyment of them. I found the sound so distorted as to be unlistenable in the Bruckner and Mozart (especially the *Jupiter*); elsewhere (in the Brahms, Schubert and some of the 19th Century Overtures), there is less outright distortion, though excess (and inappropriate) filtering has dried out the sonic perspective to the point of making the music sound "freeze-dried."

Thus, regrettably, I would strongly advise collectors to resist the temptation to waste fifteen dollars or so on a collection to which, I can virtually guarantee, you will never return (at least willingly). I give this issue two stars only for its archival value. But only a very fanatical archivist indeed would actually want to listen to its contents!

This low-price 10 CD collection offers a comprehensive, though not totally complete, survey of Karl Böhm's pre-WWII and wartime orchestral recordings, made in Dresden and Vienna. Karl Böhm's recording career began when he became Music Director in Dresden in 1934, and he soon became distinguished not only for the musical quality of his recordings, but also for their sonic excellence. He was fanatically dedicated to the recording process from the beginning, and went on until his death nearly 50 years later to become one of the most prolific recording artists in history. He was one of a very few conductors to have utilized every one of the available formats, 78s, LP, magnetic tapes and cassettes, and finally DDD CDs and DVDs. Even the 78s were sonically ahead of their time, and by 1942 he had begun using magnetic tape wherever possible. His account of the Mozart;s Jupiter Symphony, with the Dresden Sttaatskapelle in December 1942 is a thrilling example of what could be acheived in this mediumr, a decade ahead of its rivals sonically.

There is much more to this issue than mere sonics. Karl Böhm was a distinguished musician and a great conductor also. He is heard here in music by Mozart (35, 41, Nachtmusik), Schubert (5, 8), Weber (Ovs), Beethoven (vc Straub, pcs 3-5 Kolessa, Gieseking, Fischer), Brahms (1,2, pc2 Backhaus), Bruckner (4,7), Wagner (Ovs, Dutchman, Tannhäuser, Lohengrin III, Meistersinger I) Verdi (Aida sinfonia), Richard Strauss (Don J, Till E), Pfitzner (Sym in C), Reger (Moz variations) and a number of lesser works by J. Strauss II, Mascagni, Smetana, Leoncavallo, et. al. Theres's nothing here less than good and much that is really great--the Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Wagner and Bruckner in particular. Transfers are generally good, though there are a few instances of overuse of noise reduction protocols. Don't wait, grab it now and enjoy--It's a steal!

John P. McKelvey
(American Record Guide)