Audition: Brahms - Piano Concerto No. 1, Wilhelm Backhaus/VPO/Bohm #BrahmsOp10

 

1953, Decca

This disc has been highly regarded since its first release and the partnership between conductor and soloist was talked about as a meeting of minds from a golden era.  Wilhelm Backhaus was born in 1884 and was 10 years older than Karl Bohm.

Backhaus’ first recording* of the Brahms’ Op 10 Concerto was in 1932 with Adrian Boult and the BBC Symphony conducting and was a tempestous affair - tensile and full of adrenaline. It was an extremely bullish and virtuosic performance and Boult was, unexpectedly, up to the standard of orchestral playing required.

This recording with the Vienna Philharmonic was of a different type and although there were flashes of the earlier fevered and virtuosic playing it was calmer and less of a shock to the system.

There are a number of live performances from this era captured from concerts are now available on CD by Backhaus and Bohm including one with the Staatskapelle Dresden and another with Monteux and Backhaus in a 1950 performance

It’s worth noting that the Decca recording picks up the extraordinary clarity of the Vienna Philharmonic strings in those days.  The inner parts of other sections of the orchestra are also well miked too.

The reading is expansive and clear and to my ear, nodding to the symphonic origins of this music.  The opening introduction is mighty and highlights just how well the Vienna Philharmonic rebuilt and prospered whilst Berlin were in a state of messy transition.

It’s no surprise that both the orchestra and Bohm delve deep to match Backhaus weight. As the music progresses, this movement has confident playing and the pianist is, suitably, is much less declamatory than his earlier recording.

The second movement is also a surprise and most of that is supplied by the conductor and his Orchestra. The gentle lines of the adagio are so beautifully played by both winds and strings that we could be hearing a chamber version of the work - yet both conductor and pianist seem to be of mind in this approach.  And it’s only when the dash out is more agitated that they show a bit of metal. Sadly the glorious long pedal notes underpinning this great movement are not well done - slightly underpowered.  I think this is a shame. Backhaus is very delicate and not really in the mood for a slow deep meditation it seems.

The final movement is more like Backhaus’ previous form and this is matched by Bohm but it’s not as exhilarating or interesting as other pianists have managed. It’s slightly disappointing - given what we’ve heard from Backhaus previously.  I think I would prefer the earlier version for sheer ferocity of Backhaus - it raises the hackles. The stars here are the Vienna Philharmonic restored to their pre war glory recorded with the best post war technology.