Audition: Brahms - Piano Concerto No. 1 - Hess/Boston Symphony Orchestra/Koussevitsky

 

Live recording from Tanglewood, 1949

Serge Koussevitsky (1874 - 1951)

Dame Myra Hess (1890 - 1965)

We have to make allowances for this recording - a public performance, recorded from a radio broadcast in a difficult venue where balances aren’t ideal. But worth it to hear one of the greatest pianists of her age in this concert with a marvellous orchestra and a supportive conductor. Throughout there is a balance problem when the full orchestra play, except in the Adagio movement where the dynamics are mellow.

At first few bars the timpani drown virtually everything out. But when the music is quiet, it’s quite clear. At other times we hear Dame Myra is a force to be reckoned with. Koussevitsky is is able at times to give her some space in the first movement and when she does, her playing is by turns delicate and measured, but he is unyielding, especially as the orchestration thickens. but as the piano enters one can hear a strong steely pianist.

At the first cadenza, Poco Pui Moderato, Hass’ legato is really pleasing and in the page before she conjurors up a mysterious stillness to the music which I think it’s really interesting and shows the depth of the piece and her interpretation. It’s not a stable relationship though. There are times where her playing is much more beautiful than that of the orchestra. This is a reading for the fans of Hess or those who devour different views on how the work goes. I especially found some respite in the reticence of her tone - sometimes this has an inward quality which is very attractive. But then Hess rushes into the second cadenza and whilst this is dramatic it seems to me this is as much a problem of too little rehearsal. Hess is magical in the bars before the coda too, but doesn’t make much of the final page of this movement. It’s all a bit patchy.

Things turn round significantly in the Adagio which has much better sound.Hess’ treatment of the first piano solo is wonderful and as she moves through this idyll there are moments of jaw dropping beauty it puts the first movement in perspective. Hess sings along with the piano here - who can blame her. The second solo is marvellous too - such sensitivity. Hess is majestic and deploys the most wonderful quiet voices and phrasing all the way to the end - it’s a masterclass.

Hess, having shown us great beauty now goes on to show her mettle in the finale. To be brief there’s nothing much here she can’t cope with and she deals with the full orchestra in much better order than the first movement helped by better audio quality. Hess has the orchestra playing like a chamber orchestra at times. This range and variety feels like a distinct feature of the reading.

Overall the finale is played wonderfully well by pianist and orchestra but there‘s nothing but exhilarating Brahms in this last movement. I think Dame Myra gave her best in the Adagio. And matched the best of her peers in the rest.

Performance: 9 out of 10

Recording: 6 out of 10

Interpretation: either 7 or 9 out of 10 depending how much was spontaneous