Mengelberg's Mahler

The first part of my 'listening diary' which surveys the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra's Radio Legacy boxed set, celebrating its 125th birthday, is now up on Sinfini Music. A good deal of this first tranche of the triptych of reviews is given over to the Chief Conductorship of Willem Mengelberg, who helmed the orchestra from 1895 to 1945, when his kowtowing to the previously occupying Nazis came home to roost and he was effectively removed from Dutch music. Before the Germans arrived, however, he had lead the Concertgebouw through a golden period, in which the music of Mahler featured prominently. He is pictured here with Mahler, whom he frequently invited to conduct the RCO, including an October 1904 concert of the Fourth Symphony, which Mahler conducted not once but twice. To Mengelberg's credit, he even dared to performed the 'degenerate' Jewish symphonist's work during the War. And what a potent Mahler he gives us too. In a performance of the Fourth Symphony from 1939, Mengelberg constantly flirts with extremes of mood, dynamic and tempo. The sleigh bell introduction (supposedly evoking a jester's hat), nigh grinds to a halt before the violins swoop in a drive forward a particularly hasty rendition of the first subject. Whatever clout is given to beautiful, unassertive Mahler, there is no evidence that the performing tradition before the war supports that school of thought. The boxed set is full of such revelations. Click here to read my review.

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