Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra, part 2.

Music Lane

It's all about the music, dude! Sit down, relax and listen to some tunes.

I picked up Zoltan Kocsis's version with the Hungarian National Phils on a Hungaroton SACD which Grammophone mag recently gave a glowing review. I listened to it and a couple of favorites and here's what I heard.
All have excellent sound, soundstage and balance.
Bernstein takes II, the pairs, 46 seconds slower than Kocsis which really lets the muse shine through . With B, there's a wealth of dance rhythms in most sections and the brass and french horn chorales sound like devoted church choirs. K sacrifices the depth of those dance rhythms for a faster forward motion and while he slows down for the chorales, they're more superficial and lack the depth of devotion that B gives them.
Skrowczewski with the Minnesota Orch. is almost as slow as B and is more
song like than either B or K. His dance rhythms are there though they're less defined, more integrated. He moves things along with good forward motion, not at all rushed and has more wit than either of the others. His french horn chorale is reverent and especially good.
Kubelik takes things at about the same time as Sk though he sounds faster. The dance elements become off-kilter and trippy under his baton. The chorales aren't as reverential as B though they do have some of that essence.
Kubelik takes III, the elegie, slowly and the movement has appropriate levels of wonder and drama though the menace and anguish are somewhat downplayed though the resignation and renewal in the finale are very well done.
B is slower than Koscis by 30 seconds. Kocsis is elegiac and probing and the muse comes clearly through with drama, wonder and power. B does the same only everything seems deeper and weightier with the slower speed. B has more anguish before the finale than Ko does and subsequently the releases at the conclusion are weightier and more solemn than with Ko who packs plenty of depth and clarity in his interpretation.
In IV, the dances come clearly through with Kocsis and the song that follows the first dance has good sweep, especially in the response. The joke is a well played raspberry, not vulgar as with Solti on Decca. With B, the opening dance is more delicate and the song isn't quite as expansive as with Ko. The laughter in the joke is among the best available, imo, and the raspberry isn't as pronounced as with Ko. B moves it along at a good clip and the song that follows unfolds with much depth.
B jumps right into V. The furiants are quick paced and exciting, slowing down to leisurely segues building up again to more excitement. He
ends on a triumphant note with good swirl and excitement. Ko is exciting though not as furious as B and seems slightly held back by comparison. His leisurely transitions are sunny and he segues seamlessly into the next exciting sections with good swirl and a triuphant and and alternately peppy and weighty finale.
Fischer with the Budapests have plenty of pep here, are quick and are nearly as frantic as B. The segues are very well done and lead to a muscular and satisfying conclusion. Leinsdorf and the BSO on RCA rivals Bernstein for furiousity and pep. His segues generally, though not always, have more forward motion than B or K and aren't, as a rule, as leisurely. He has more edge than either B or Ko and brings the piece to a large, exciting conclusion.

Edits: 08/04/10

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Topic - Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra, part 2. - Sigmund 10:37:32 08/04/10 (6)

Excellent Post - Thanks - Mike Porper 14:51:49 08/05/10 (1)

The Skrow. and the Bernstein are first class. - Sigmund 16:49:03 08/05/10 (0)

Thanks - plantsman 07:11:52 08/05/10 (1)

Ah, so much music, so little time. - Sigmund 13:19:00 08/05/10 (0)

Interesting Details - Thanks! - Chris from Lafayette 15:42:24 08/04/10 (1)

Thanks, Chris. It was a labor of love. - Sigmund 19:03:46 08/04/10 (0)

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