Search - Badura-Skoda, Wiener Konzerthaus Quartet :: In The Mirror of Time Schubert "Trout" quintet

Two good though not ideal versions - but do you really want

Discophage | France | 09/23/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This release poses a riddle. It is obviously meant as a tribute to pianist Paul Badura-Skoda, as it pairs two recordings of Schubert's "Trout" quintet with him at the piano: one, recorded in 1950 for Westminster with the venerable Wiener Konzerthaus Quartet, was one of the very first versions to be released on mono LP (Badura-Skoda made a remake for the same label in the early days of stereo, with the Barylli Quartet). The other one dates from 1997 and gathers young musicians active in Germany and Austria around the now veteran pianist. As a bonus the artists give us the Adagio and rondo concertante, and to make the pair complete we also get an earlier recording of the same piece, made in 1965 with the pianist conducting a full string orchestra from his instrument: an option which thickens the textures and deprives the piece of its kinship with the "Trout" quintet, but quite a legitimate one nonetheless in view of the concertante character of the work, likening it to an adagio and finale from a Mozart concerto, with echoes of Hummel and Beethoven.



Yet, besides its cryptic title "in the mirror of time" - are we supposed to understand that it is Badura-Skoda mirroring his 1997 recording in the sound image his 1950 essay? - the CD booklet is not really explanatory about the pairing of these two recordings, and contains only analyses by PBS himself of both works, bios of the 1997 personnel (but none of the Wiener Konzerthaus Quartet) and a short recollection by the pianist of the circumstances of both recordings. The label, Amiata Records, was hitherto unknown to me and is based in Florence, Italy - not a likely place to establish a fan club of Paul Badura-Skoda - and production values are sometimes sub-par, as with the 1965 Adagio and rondo concertante, which is a mere recording of the LP direct from its 33rmp turntable, surface noise and all: hardly what you expect from a CD... Be it as it may, this release is obviously aimed at such PBS fans - but are there any? Though notable as one of the early advocates of fortepiano playing, the pianist is not after all quite in the same league as, say, Richter, Gilels, Brendel, Pollini or Perahia... And in case you wonder, being interested in performance history and early recordings, it is for the reissue of the 1950 Westminster "Trout" that I acquired the two CDs.



It is a fitting coincidence that I heard the 1950 recording immediately after the 1995 Ax-Ma and partners reading on Sony (see my review). I had thought this version quite unique in its radicalism of approach, brisk tempos, muscular phrasings. Well, much to my surprise - the Wiener Konzerthaus' Schubert chamber music from the early 50s (now on Universal) is usually heavy-handed, thick and plodding - many of these musical values were already at play in 1950 at the hands of PBS and his Viennese partners, with all repeats taken (except for the rarely exercised option of the last movement's repeat). To be sure, Schubert's accents and fp marks are usually played with a soft-grain, but tempos are generally dynamic and forward-moving. The 2nd movement "Andante" was taken remarkably briskly by Ax and friends - but the Viennese musicians actually better the newcomers by a few seconds. Though forward-moving indeed, their Scherzo (Schubert gives "Presto" as tempo indication) is not as hard-driven as Ax and partners' - and perhaps for the better. Not so well-judged however is the mawkish slowdown they apply to the middle trio. The "Trout" theme is amiably delivered but avoids the kind of cloying sweetness some others (including Serkin and his Marlboro partners) apply to it, and the ensuing variations develop with fine attention to their various moods, avoiding both excessive hard-drivenness and excessive lingering and finicking, and likewise the Finale is amiable but forward-moving. On the minus side there is rather thin and somewhat metallic string tone from the Wiener Konzerthaus members, and as a result the more lyrical moments (such as the cello and violin interplay in the first movement, the viola and cello cantilena in the 2nd movement) are not as moving as with others; the piano also seems picked up from a further distance than the strings.



47-odd years later, PBS conception remains remarkably unchanged, and in most movements the timings are the same by a few seconds - the mirror of time reflects a pretty resembling image, it appears. Subtle change of conception consists of more muscularity of utterance, served by more exposed instruments (and a sonorous double-bass) in rather dry acoustics, which also result in at times uncomfortably clanging piano tone, without any real pianissimo (try the first movement at 2:15 as an example). You might think from the piano's opening upward surge that PBS has lost some of his technique in the intervening years, but he shows throughout (and in the filler) that he has as plenty as required - although his staccato playing is more proficient than his legato, and he commits a few rhythmic inaccuracies, so I assume the recording was not edited much. A definite improvement is also the better sound and more creamy instrumental colors from the strings, allowing for phrasings of the above-mentioned passages that really develop a burning and almost desperate lyricism. Other welcome if subtle changes concern the Scherzo's trio, in which PBS has fortunately relinquished any mawkish slowdown, the tauter and more cogent theme and variation movement and the slightly more dynamic and muscular finale, but with more tempo variation between moments of tension and repose.



Two good though not ideal versions then, but will those interested not in the specific performer(s) but in the piece itself want two recordings by the same pianist ? Well - it is for you to decide.

"

Two visions : a same author, a same piece!

Hiram Gomez Pardo | Valencia, Venezuela | 02/08/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This double album presents, two memorable and honest versions of the "Trout Quintet", or Op. 144 Piano quintet.



The first one, recorded in mono, was made with the Konzerthaus, itsounds fresh, spontaneous; it exudes optimism and joie de vivre. Badua Skoda was in his 25.



The Second is from 1958 and was made with the Barylli ensemble, it's more mature and thought all the way through.



But both conserve this vanished taste, typical of the Austrian music.



I really recommend this album, because are part of the invaluable discography of this master pianist, so admired and beloved for many generations of listeners."