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Konwitschny's great Beethoven and Schumann cycles

L. Johan Modée | Earth | 05/27/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Beethoven symphony cycle included in this boxed set is one of the great Beethoven cycles on record. The orchestra is Gewandhausorchester Leipzig (in its very best shape), and recording sessions - in stereo - took place in 1959-61.



Franz Konwitschny is perhaps not the most well-known conductor, probably partly due to the fact that he worked and lived in East Germany during the Cold War. He was born in 1901, Fulnek, Northern Moravia, and he died in 1962 in Belgrade, former Yugoslavia while conducting in a TV broadcast. From 1949 until his death he was principal conductor for the Gewandhausorchester in Leipzig, where he became a DDR classical superstar. He received a state funeral in that city, with a crowd weeping some miles along the streets.



Konwitschny's recorded Beethoven cycle is the result of a series of cycle performances in Leipzig during the fifties, all which were enthusiastically received. The remarkable characteristics of Konwitschny's conducting - a spontaneous, non-routine but highly sophisticated style with inspiring authority - contributed to his growing reputation as a superb Beethoven interpreter in the classic tradition.



The perfectly consistent cycle collected in this box shows these distinctive qualities. And the orchestral playing is simply outstanding under Konwitschny's relaxed baton. So it is no exaggeration to rank this cycle together with the Beethoven performances of Weingartner, Furtwängler, and Klemperer. These recordings will move you to tears.



This box collects also Konwitschny's outstanding Schumann interpretations - the four symphonies, the "Genoveva" and "Manfred" overtures, and the rarely performed "Konzertstück für vier Hörner", op. 86 and the "Overture, Scherzo, and Finale", op. 52. All performances were recorded in the "Studio" Bethanienkirche in Leipzig, with its excellent acoustics.



Finally, included are also a collection of violin concertos - Bach, Mozart, Vivaldi - and Beethoven's violin romances. Even if these are good too, the main attractions are the Beethoven and Schumann cycles.



Sound is very good early vintage analogue stereo from the VEB Deutsche Schallplatten engineers, but the remasterings are also excellent.



Warmly recommended!



(Edel Classics has decided to release Franz Konwitschny's very fine Beethoven cycle in two different incarnations. The present set of 11 CDs, which include other performances, is one way of grabbing it. The other way is to look for the Beethoven cycle only at amazon.de, on 6 CDs in a slim box. The Schumann cycle is also available separately here at amazon, see my review.)"