Hans Knappertsbusch - The Orchestral Edition (2022)

Gathered together for the first time on Universal Music labels, including several first CD releases on Decca, is the orchestral legacy of an inimitable genius of the podium: Hans Knappertsbusch. Even in his own lifetime, Hans Knappertsbusch divided opinion, between listeners affronted by technical slips caused by his notorious aversion to rehearsal and those who saw in him the last representative of a performing tradition dating back to Richard Wagner. Working mostly in the opera houses of Munich and Vienna, he never became music director of a symphony orchestra, but his postwar Decca recordings of central repertoire from Beethoven to Strauss, including three distinguished concerto collaborations with Clifford Curzon, preserve interpretations of a flexibility, sweep and grandeur scarcely imaginable today.

For Decca, Knappertsbusch recorded with the great orchestras of London, Paris, Zurich, Geneva and Vienna. The orchestral discography began with Brahmss Second Symphony with the Suisse Romande, Wagnerian bleeding chunks in the Kingsway Hall in December 1947 and ended in February 1960 in the Sofiensaal of Vienna, conducting Tchaikovskys Nutcracker Suite with a delicacy and grace that will surprise listeners who think of him only as the high priest of Parsifal at Bayreuth. The box is full of such surprises: an album of Strauss waltzes and polkas that turns on a sixpence; nimble Bruckner scherzos; one of the swiftest versions of Tod und Verklarung on record.

Once introduced to Clifford Curzon, Knappertsbusch was immediately enthusiastic about performing and recording with this great English gentleman; their versions of Beethovens Fourth and Fifth and Brahmss Second have long been mainstays of the Decca catalogue. Much else here is newly remastered and now widely available on Decca for the first time in many years, such as Wagnerian overtures and preludes with the Zurich Tonhalle (1947) and the London Philharmonic (1948) orchestras.

Bruckners Symphonies Nos. 3-5 preserve Knappertsbuschs profound working relationship with the VPO at its most harmonious. A magnificently trenchant Brahms album with the VPO in 1957 also features Lucretia West in the Alto Rhapsody. For devotees and sceptics alike, this box offers revelations and the opportunity to reassess the art of a conductor held in the deepest affection by many of the musicians and singers who worked with him.

This will please everyone who loves opulent brazen sound. As a Wagnerian, Prof. Knappertsbusch is plainly a great conductor The Wagner of burlesque lady wrestlers as Valkyries, heaving on Clydesdales and percherons; winds of two-miles-per-hour in the Dutchmans hurricane Still, the sound is splendid. High Fidelity, January 1954 (Wagner Preludes, VPO)

There is less heaviness, more flexibility and true Viennese spirit in his reading than in any of the others. High Fidelity, February 1956 (Bruckner, Symphony No. 4)

There apparently exists a wonderful rapport between the English virtuoso and the German conductor, for this performance is pervaded by a nearly tangible quality of artistic give-and-take. Stereo Review, April 1958 (Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5)

CD1 (6 / 1:12:30)
[18:40] 1. Sir Clifford Curzon - Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58 : I. Allegro moderato
[5:04] 2. Sir Clifford Curzon - Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58 : II. Andante con moto
[10:00] 3. Sir Clifford Curzon - Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58 : III. Rondo. Vivace
[19:58] 4. Sir Clifford Curzon - Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 73 "Emperor" : I. Allegro
[8:17] 5. Sir Clifford Curzon - Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 73 "Emperor" : II. Adagio un poco mosso
[10:33] 6. Sir Clifford Curzon - Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 73 "Emperor" : III. Rondo. Allegro

CD2 (4 / 41:54)
[16:06] 1. Orchestre De La Suisse Romande - Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 73 : I. Allegro non troppo
[11:15] 2. Orchestre De La Suisse Romande - Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 73 : II. Adagio non troppo - L'istesso tempo, ma grazioso
[4:55] 3. Orchestre De La Suisse Romande - Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 73 : III. Allegretto grazioso (Quasi andantino) - Presto ma non assai
[9:38] 4. Orchestre De La Suisse Romande - Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 73 : IV. Allegro con spirito

CD3 (4 / 48:24)
[17:07] 1. Sir Clifford Curzon - Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 83 : I. Allegro non troppo
[9:09] 2. Sir Clifford Curzon - Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 83 : II. Allegro appassionato
[12:41] 3. Sir Clifford Curzon - Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 83 : III. Andante - Più adagio
[9:28] 4. Sir Clifford Curzon - Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 83 : IV. Allegretto grazioso - Un poco più presto

CD4 (4 / 57:17)
[11:38] 1. Wiener Philharmoniker - Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80
[12:50] 2. Wiener Philharmoniker - Tragic Overture, Op. 81
[18:31] 3. Wiener Philharmoniker - Variations On A Theme By Haydn, Op. 56a
[14:21] 4. Lucretia West - Rhapsody for Alto, Chorus, and Orchestra, Op. 53

CD5 (4 / 54:07)
[19:14] 1. Wiener Philharmoniker - Symphony No. 3 in D Minor, WAB 103 (1888/89 Version, Ed. F. Schalk) : I. Mäßig bewegt
[14:08] 2. Wiener Philharmoniker - Symphony No. 3 in D Minor, WAB 103 (1888/89 Version, Ed. F. Schalk) : II. Adagio (etwas bewegt) quasi andante
[7:26] 3. Wiener Philharmoniker - Symphony No. 3 in D Minor, WAB 103 (1888/89 Version, Ed. F. Schalk) : III. Scherzo. Ziemlich schnell
[13:20] 4. Wiener Philharmoniker - Symphony No. 3 in D Minor, WAB 103 (1888/89 Version, Ed. F. Schalk) : IV. Finale. Allegro

CD6 (5 / 1:19:09)
[17:59] 1. Wiener Philharmoniker - Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major "Romantic", WAB 104 (1888 Version, Rev. F. Schalk & Loewe) : I. Bewegt, nicht zu schnell
[14:35] 2. Wiener Philharmoniker - Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major "Romantic", WAB 104 (1888 Version, Rev. F. Schalk & Loewe) : II. Andante, quasi allegretto
[10:06] 3. Wiener Philharmoniker - Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major "Romantic", WAB 104 (1888 Version, Rev. F. Schalk & Loewe) : III. Scherzo. Bewegt
[17:25] 4. Wiener Philharmoniker - Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major "Romantic", WAB 104 (1888 Version, Rev. F. Schalk & Loewe) : IV. Finale. Bewegt, doch nicht zu schnell
[19:05] 5. Wiener Philharmoniker - Siegfried Idyll, WWV 103

CD7 (6 / 1:20:46)
[18:53] 1. Wiener Philharmoniker - Symphony No. 5 in B-Flat Major, WAB 105 (Ed. F. Schalk) : I. Introduction. Adagio - Allegro
[13:26] 2. Wiener Philharmoniker - Symphony No. 5 in B-Flat Major, WAB 105 (Ed. F. Schalk) : II. Adagio. Sehr Langsam
[9:38] 3. Wiener Philharmoniker - Symphony No. 5 in B-Flat Major, WAB 105 (Ed. F. Schalk) : III. Scherzo. Molto vivace
[18:46] 4. Wiener Philharmoniker - Symphony No. 5 in B-Flat Major, WAB 105 (Ed. F. Schalk) : IV. Finale. Adagio - Allegro molto
[12:38] 5. Wiener Philharmoniker - Götterdämmerung, WWV 86D / Prologue : Dawn and Siegfried's Rhine Journey
[7:29] 6. Wiener Philharmoniker - Götterdämmerung, WWV 86D / Dritter Aufzug : Siegfried's Funeral March

CD 8-9 (4 / 1:25:28)
[15:52] 1. Münchner Philharmoniker - Symphony No. 8 in C Minor, WAB 108 - Version 1892, Rev. J. Schalk : I. Allegro moderato
[15:54] 2. Münchner Philharmoniker - Symphony No. 8 in C Minor, WAB 108 - Version 1892, Rev. J. Schalk : II. Scherzo. Allegro moderato - Trio. Langsam
[27:44] 3. Münchner Philharmoniker - Symphony No. 8 in C Minor, WAB 108 - Version 1892, Rev. J. Schalk : III. Adagio. Feierlich langsam, doch nicht schleppend
[25:59] 4. Münchner Philharmoniker - Symphony No. 8 in C Minor, WAB 108 - Version 1892, Rev. J. Schalk : IV. Finale. Feierlich, nicht schnell

CD10 (2 / 38:12)
[17:14] 1. Paris Conservatoire Orchestra - Don Juan, Op. 20
[20:59] 2. Paris Conservatoire Orchestra - Tod und Verklärung, Op. 24, TrV 158

CD11 (8 / 58:04)
[8:36] 1. Berliner Philharmoniker - Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, WWV 96 : Prelude to Act I
[7:47] 2. Berliner Philharmoniker - Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, WWV 96 : Prelude to Act III
[2:58] 3. Berliner Philharmoniker - Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, WWV 96 : Tanz der Lehrbuben
[4:37] 4. Berliner Philharmoniker - Die Walküre, WWV 86B / Act 3 : The Ride Of The Valkyries
[8:23] 5. Berliner Philharmoniker - Parsifal, WWV 111 / Act 1 : Verwandlungsmusik
[12:09] 6. Berliner Philharmoniker - Tannhäuser, WWV 70 - Paris Version / Act 1 : Bacchanale
[4:31] 7. Berliner Philharmoniker - Tannhäuser, WWV 70 / Act 2 : Grand March
[9:05] 8. Berliner Philharmoniker - Der fliegende Holländer, WWV 63 : Overture

CD12 (9 / 1:08:56)
[12:02] 1. London Philharmonic Orchestra - Rienzi, WWV 49 : Overture
[8:27] 2. Tonhalle Orchester Zurich - Lohengrin, WWV 75 / Act 1 : Prelude to Act I
[3:22] 3. London Philharmonic Orchestra - Lohengrin, WWV 75 / Act 3 : Prelude to Act III
[9:13] 4. Orchestre De La Suisse Romande - Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, WWV 96 : Prelude
[6:25] 5. London Philharmonic Orchestra - Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, WWV 96 / Act 3 : Prelude to Act III
[3:18] 6. London Philharmonic Orchestra - Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, WWV 96 / Act 3 : Dance of the Apprentices
[3:13] 7. London Philharmonic Orchestra - Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, WWV 96 / Act 3 : March of the Corporations
[10:17] 8. London Philharmonic Orchestra - Tannhäuser, WWV 70 / Act 1 / Overture & Venusberg Music : Overture
[12:44] 9. London Philharmonic Orchestra - Tannhäuser, WWV 70 / Act 1 / Overture & Venusberg Music : Venusberg Music

CD13 (5 / 50:43)
[12:30] 1. Hans Knappertsbusch - Rienzi, WWV 49 : Overture
[10:00] 2. Hans Knappertsbusch - Siegfried, WWV 86C / Act 2 : Forest murmurs
[14:22] 3. Hans Knappertsbusch - Parsifal, WWV 111 : Prelude
[9:28] 4. Günther Treptow - Parsifal, WWV 111 / Act 2 : "Hier war das Tosen!"..."Ihn schönen Kinder"
[4:25] 5. Wiener Philharmoniker - Parsifal, WWV 111 / Act 1 : Verwandlungsmusik

CD14 (3 / 38:01)
[10:41] 1. Wiener Philharmoniker - Der fliegende Holländer, WWV 63 : Overture
[5:56] 2. Hans Knappertsbusch - Die Walküre, WWV 86B / Act 3 : The Ride of the Valkyries
[21:25] 3. Wiener Philharmoniker - Tannhäuser, WWV 70 : Overture & Venusberg Music

CD15 (4 / 54:22)
[10:52] 1. Münchner Philharmoniker - Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, WWV 96 : Prelude to Act I
[16:14] 2. Münchner Philharmoniker - Tannhäuser, WWV 70 : Overture
[15:30] 3. Münchner Philharmoniker - Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90 : Prelude and Liebestod
[11:49] 4. Münchner Philharmoniker - Parsifal, WWV 111 : Prelude

CD16 (4 / 52:51)
[13:41] 1. Münchner Philharmoniker - Rienzi, WWV 49 : Overture
[12:29] 2. Münchner Philharmoniker - Der fliegende Holländer, WWV 63 : Overture
[19:15] 3. Münchner Philharmoniker - ジークフリートボッカ : Siegfried Idyll, WWV 103
[7:27] 4. Münchner Philharmoniker - Lohengrin, WWV 75 : Prelude to Act I

CD17 (8 / 53:49)
[3:06] 1. Wiener Philharmoniker - Radetzky-Marsch, Op. 228
[9:16] 2. Wiener Philharmoniker - Bad'ner Mad'ln, Op. 257
[4:26] 3. Wiener Philharmoniker - Annen-Polka, Op. 117
[9:41] 4. Wiener Philharmoniker - Accelerationen, Op. 234
[3:08] 5. Wiener Philharmoniker - Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka, Op. 214
[9:06] 6. Wiener Philharmoniker - Wiener Bürger, Op. 419
[2:58] 7. Wiener Philharmoniker - Leichtes Blut, polka schnell, Op. 319
[12:13] 8. Karl Jancik - Geschichten aus dem Wienerwald, Op. 325

CD18 (11 / 48:21)
[3:23] 1. Wiener Philharmoniker - Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a : 1. Miniature Overture
[2:42] 2. Wiener Philharmoniker - Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a : 2a. March
[1:43] 3. Wiener Philharmoniker - Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a : 2b. Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy
[1:15] 4. Wiener Philharmoniker - Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a : 2c. Russian Dance (Trepak)
[2:46] 5. Wiener Philharmoniker - Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a : 2d. Arabian Dance (Coffee)
[1:07] 6. Wiener Philharmoniker - Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a : 2e. Chinese Dance (Tea)
[2:32] 7. Wiener Philharmoniker - Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a : 2f. Dance of the Reed-Pipes (Mirlitons)
[7:24] 8. Wiener Philharmoniker - Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a : 3. Waltz of the Flowers
[5:32] 9. Wiener Philharmoniker - 3 Marches militaires, D. 733 : Marche Militaire in D Major, Op. 51, No. 1 (Arr. Weninger)
[11:09] 10. Wiener Philharmoniker - Invitation to the Dance, Op. 65 (Aufforderung zum Tanze)
[8:54] 11. Wiener Philharmoniker - Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor : Overture