Audition: Brahms Symphony No. 1, RCO/Karajan

Recorded: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam 1942

Released by Polydor, DG and latterly, Naxos

The Nazi’s occupied Amsterdam in 1940 and under their rule imposed their cultural values on the populous as they had as they swept over middle Europe. In that context, this recording came from a time when German artists were deployed in a kind of cruel cultural assimilation. We know many musicians including Karajan were members of the Nazi party to work, it's easy to think harshly of these people but it's worth remembering Soviet artists were under similar strictures in peacetime. 

Karajan was a growing cultural asset to certain members of the Nazi high command. Furtwangler was in competition with his younger colleague.  There was a deal of tension where Nazi's would play off their favourites.  It is said Furtwangler would, refer to the younger conductor only as “the K man”. So the pressure was on the younger man to perform for his Nazi patrons.

Willhem Mengelberg’s Orchestra in Amsterdam had a formidable reputation stretching back to its creation in 1888 - Mengelberg took it over in 1895. His orchestra was built on the highest musical expectations, Mengelberg's championing of Mahler made it an important centre of great music making - challenging Berlin, Vienna, New York and London.

For Karajan this was an important marker in the sand and even with other recordings under his belt, it was time for him to take on Brahms most famous piece.  A symphony of long gestation and fine recorded pedigree elsewhere - not least Toscanini, Walter, Furtwangler, Klemperer and many other advocates.

With this in mind the recording it was important it was impactful.  The recording attests to the orchestra's virtuosity and the recognisable corporate sound probably flattered Karajan's conducting too. Karajan takes advantage of this and the recording engineers produce a recording that was very well presented and a reading that’s noteworthy for it's acuity, potent sound and keen sense of the symphony's structure.

It’s astonishing also because we have so many recordings of this work from this conductor. And Karajan performed it in concert 143 times (according to the HvK Archive). And the results are remarkably consistent and stayed pretty much uniform for the rest of his life including his final years. 

Karajan’s first performance of Brahms’ First Symphony was in 1934 and this recording is Karajan's first on disc in Amsterdam in 1942.

It’s interesting to encounter this performance and recording because it shows over his long professional life Karajan was very consistent in his performance of this work.

It’s also the first and only recording which he made with the Amsterdam Concertgebouw although there are some indications that the microphones were moved about because even in mono sound the perspectives change somewhat. 

The virtues of the Amsterdam Orchestra are many and legendary there deposed former conductor William Mengelberg trained the Orchestra to the highest standard probably the highest standard in Europe and the Hall is marvellous now as it was then. 

Karajans method with this work is pretty straightforward. He introduces as much energy as possible which had some flows throughout the piece but when he turns on the gas it erupts with an exacting attack and glorious lines. It’s perhaps odd that this partnership creates such a fierce interpretation in a conductor so young and unexperienced. At the same time Karajan seems to be very well trained in the art of balance and tone despite his scarce record outside Germany at this time.

The opening of his first recording has somewhat boomy timpani, strings are rather blocky but agile and fiery and the woodwinds are clear as a bell in fact I have not heard the opening Contrabassoon part so clear in many years.

The performance itself is quite elastic with quite a lot of snap and some dreamy string playing and distinctive woodwinds. The brass are a little recessed except as we get to the conclusion of the peace and a Tim whilst a distant at times when a gentle rumble is required they show up at the set pieces.

The 1st movement The turbulent first movement is finally charged and paste and recorded. It remains the case that Karajan’s alertness to the rising tensions within the peace very effective. Karajan does not take the root of Clemperer or foot angler making the case for a clash of Titans. Karajans trick is to build up the pressure to fever pitch and release it in those last and later pages of the last movement.

It’s worth running on the beauty of the Amsterdam Orchestra. There really is some beautiful playing and the corporate reputation is cemented though probably not without coercion by the military cultural administrators.

It’s particularly saddening that in one of Karajans last performances in Britain one critic likened his approach to the finale of this symphony as a jackbooted march. Nationalism in music is often misplaced. The truth is even in his last performance Karajan was able to wind up the tension and drama of this work beyond most I have heard and I heard him conduct this beast live in London the year before he died.

Karajan could be a rather angry conductor as if to find a way of resolving Brais lyrical and the Cleary mode in a way which matched his latest symphonies but this was Brasis first Symphony which had been brewing for many years and in a couple of forms. Factors it’s eventual inclination became a cool card for Karajan who played concerts (143 containing this symphony) and a significant number of recordings most of which are very good.

The middle movements are perhaps more Brahms than in Beethoven but there’s a good deal of beauty and drama in the pages.

The recording is very good and especially because it was made under difficult circumstances in the middle of armed conflict on the continent. The Naxos of this performance which I think was first issued in a box set of early Karajan recordings, is very good and they sides are not audibly different and the engineering to a better modern sound is marvellous and I think a little better than The DG recording.