Pierre Monteux - Monteux at Tanglewood Vol. 4 (1962) [2016]

Monteux's stereo Tanglewood broadcasts part 4: Beethoven & Strauss, 1962

"Monteux really does everything right in both works: despite the flexibility of his tempi, the tension throughout the whole half hour of the symphony is gripping" - MusicWeb International



The summer of 1962 saw Monteux back once more at Tanglewood for six guest appearances with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The following year, at the age of 88, he made two final appearances with the BSO at Tanglewood, just a few months before his final concert with the orchestra at Boston's Symphony Hall on 21 December 1963.

The 1962 concerts started with two identical programmes, of which these recordings were taken from the second concert. The programme began with an orchestrated organ work by Bach, followed by the Beethoven, an interval, and the Strauss presented here. The programme suggests that a last minute change due to illness meant the Bach replaced vocal music from Purcell and Weber - the Beethoven and Strauss were always planned here.

Of these, the Beethoven is a lovely performance, but it is perhaps Ein Heldenleben which stands out as particularly inspired and righly brings the house down after some brilliant playing and well-judged pacing. Naturally the Boston Symphony is excellent throughout. Sound quality on these XR remasters of excellent if originally slightly hard-sounding stereo source recordings is truly superb - an ongoing improvement from the previous years' recordings can be clearly heard and enjoyed.

Andrew Rose


Tracks:

BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 2
R. STRAUSS Ein Heldenleben

Personnel:

Pierre Monteux, conductor
Boston Symphony Orchestra