According to one former violist in the Concertgebouw Orchestra, Eugen Jochum was the type of conductor ‘who doesn’t “put on” spectacular performances, but whose music-making always bears the stamp of honesty. He is enthusiastic during a concert and also conveys his intentions to the orchestra without any affectation’.
The sincerity and integrity of Jochum’s musical character is conveyed with a unique sweep across his mastery of Austro-German repertoire – operatic as well as symphonic music – in this new Eloquence Classics box set dedicated to his recordings for the Dutch Philips label. The first five discs present the second of the conductor’s complete cycles of Beethoven symphonies, made in the late 1960s. In its plain-spoken but beautifully recorded and played way, this Amsterdam cycle stands the test of time against his earlier Berlin and later London cycles, not least thanks to the particularly harmonious relationship cultivated by Jochum with the great Dutch ensemble (he shared the chief conductorship with Bernard Haitink for three years).
These Philips recordings continue with more Beethoven, a collection of overtures, several receiving their first international release on CD, and a Fifth Symphony from Berlin in 1951. Other notable rarities are saved for the last disc: a solo-vocal Magnificat by Rudolf Mengelberg (cousin of the conductor Willem), recorded in Jochum’s first studio sessions with the Concertgebouw in 1952, and a short sequence of organ works played by Adalbert Meier. This formed Side 4 of the original release of Bruckner’s Fifth Symphony, recorded live at the Rococo splendour of the basilica attached to the Benedictine monastery of Ottobeuren in Bavaria, which was celebrating the 1200th anniversary of its foundation in 1964 when the Concertgebouw gave a performance there unique even in Jochum’s distinguished Bruckner discography for its radiance as well as its unerring sense of pulse.
At the centre of the new Eloquence box, Jochum’s often-underrated way with Wagner and Strauss is well represented by his Philips recordings of overtures and tone-poems (including two versions each of Don Juan and Till Eulenspiegel, from 1952 and stereo remakes from 1960). There are four grand and splendid accounts of late Mozart symphonies, as well as a pair of piano concertos – by Beethoven and Mozart – recorded with the Bamberg SO and his daughter Veronica, who also contributes to Niek Nelissen’s fascinating note for this unrivalled collection of her father’s work.
CD 1
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770–1827)
1–4 Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21
5–8 Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36
Concertgebouworkest
CD 2
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770–1827)
1–4 Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 55 ‘Eroica’
5–8 Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93
Concertgebouworkest
CD 3
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770–1827)
1–4 Symphony No. 4 in B flat major, Op. 60
5–8 Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92
Concertgebouworkest
CD 4
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770–1827)
1–4 Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67
5–9 Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 ‘Pastoral’
Concertgebouworkest
CD 5
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770–1827)
1–5 Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 ‘Choral’
Liselotte Rebmann, soprano
Anna Reynolds, mezzo-soprano
Anton de Ridder, tenor
Gerd Feldhoff, bass
Netherlands Radio Chorus
Concertgebouworkest
CD 6
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770–1827)
Overtures
1 Leonore No. 1, Op. 138
2 Leonore No. 2, Op. 72a
3 Leonore No. 3, Op. 72b (1960 recording)*
4 Die Weihe des Hauses, Op. 124*
5 Egmont, Op. 84*
6 Zur Namensfeier, Op. 115*
7 Coriolan, Op. 62*
Concertgebouworkest
*FIRST INTERNATIONAL CD RELEASE ON DECCA
CD 7
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770–1827)
1 Leonore No. 3, Op. 72b (1969 recording)
2 Fidelio, Op. 72c
Concertgebouworkest
3–5 Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, Op. 15*
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756–1791)
6–8 Piano Concerto No. 14 in E flat major, KV 449*
Veronica Jochum von Moltke, piano
Bamberger Symphoniker
*FIRST INTERNATIONAL CD RELEASE ON DECCA
CD 8
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756–1791)
1–4 Symphony No. 36 in C major, KV 425 ‘Linz’
5–7 Symphony No. 38 in D major, KV 504 ‘Prague’
Concertgebouworkest
CD 9
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756–1791)
1–4 Symphony No. 35 in D major, KV 385 ‘Haffner’
5–8 Symphony No. 41 in C major, KV 551 ‘Jupiter’
Concertgebouworkest
CD 10
FRANZ SCHUBERT (1797–1828)
1–4 Symphony No. 4 in C minor, D. 417 ‘Tragic’*
ROBERT SCHUMANN (1810–1856)
5–8 Symphony No. 4 in D minor, Op. 120*
Concertgebouworkest
*FIRST INTERNATIONAL CD RELEASE ON DECCA
CD 11
FRANZ SCHUBERT (1797–1828)
1–2 Symphony No. 8 in B minor, D.759 ‘Unfinished’*
Concertgebouworkest
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770–1827)
3–6 Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67*
Berliner Philharmoniker
*FIRST INTERNATIONAL CD RELEASE ON DECCA
CD 12
RICHARD STRAUSS (1864–1949)
1 Don Juan, Op. 20 (1952 recording)
2 Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, Op. 28 (1952 recording)
3–4 Der Rosenkavalier, Op. 59 – Suite of Waltzes
5 Don Juan, Op. 20 (1960 recording)
6 Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, Op. 28 (1960 recording)
Concertgebouworkest
CD 13
RICHARD WAGNER (1813–1883)
1 Der fliegende Holländer: Overture*
2 Tristan und Isolde: Prelude and Liebestod*
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
3 Prelude to Act I*
4 Prelude to Act III*
5 Tannhäuser: Overture*
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks
*FIRST INTERNATIONAL CD RELEASE ON DECCA
CD 14
ANTON BRUCKNER (1824–1896)
1–4 Symphony No. 5 in B flat major
Concertgebouworkest
LIVE RECORDING
CD 15
Organ Music recorded in the Basilica of the Benedictine Abbey of Ottobeuren
NICOLAUS BRUHNS (1665–1697)
1 Praeludium No. 3 in E minor*
LOUIS-CLAUDE DAQUIN (1694–1772)
2 Noël No. 10 in G major ‘Grand jeu et Duo’*
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685–1750)
3–4 Prelude and Fugue in G major, BWV 541*
Adalbert Meier
At the Organs of the Benedictine Abbey of Ottobeuren
LIVE RECORDINGS
RUDOLF MENGELBERG (1892–1959)
5 Magnificat°
Annie Woud, alto
Concertgebouworkest
EUGEN JOCHUM
*FIRST CD RELEASE ON DECCA
°FIRST INTERNATIONAL CD RELEASE ON DECCA
CD 1
Recording Producer: Jaap van Ginneken
Recording Engineers: Cees Huizinga, Gerard Janszen
Recording Location: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 13–14 March 1967 (No. 1), 21–24 March 1969 (No. 2)
Original Philips LP Releases: 839 777 LY (No. 1), 839 778 LY (No. 2), as part of set 839777/85 LY
CD 2
Recording Producer: Jaap van Ginneken
Recording Engineers: Cees Huizinga, Gerard Janszen
Recording Location: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 20–21 May 1969 (No. 3), 28–29 May 1969 (No. 8)
Original Philips LP Releases: 839 779 LY (No. 3), 839 777 LY (No. 8), as part of set 839777/85 LY
CD 3
Recording Producers: Jaap van Ginneken (No. 4); Volker Straus (No. 7)
Recording Engineers: Cees Huizinga, Gerard Janszen
Recording Location: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 13–14 June 1968 (No. 4), 19–20 Sept. 1967 (No. 7)
Original Philips LP Releases: 839 780 LY (No. 4), 839 783 LY (No. 7), as part of set 839777/85 LY
CD 4
Recording Producer: Vittorio Negri
Recording Engineers: Ko Witteveen, Martin Vos
Recording Location: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 29 November – 4 December 1968
Original Philips LP Releases: 839 781 LY (No. 5), 839 782 LY (No. 6), as part of set 839777/85 LY
CD 5
Recording Producer: Jaap van Ginneken
Recording Engineers: Cees Huizinga, Gerard Janszen
Recording Location: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 4–7 June 1969
Original Philips LP Release: 839 784/85 LY as part of set 839777/85 LY
CD 6
Recording Producer: Jaap van Ginneken
Recording Engineers: Hans Lauterslager, Willem van Leeuwen, Henri de Frémery (Leonore No. 3, Die Weihe des Hauses, Egmont, Coriolan, Zur Namensfeier); Cees Huizinga, Gerard Janszen (Leonore Nos. 1 & 2)
Recording Location: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 8–10 June 1960 (Leonore No. 3, Die Weihe des Hauses, Egmont, Coriolan, Zur Namensfeier), 21–24 March 1969 (Leonore No. 1), 28–29 May 1969 (Leonore No. 2)
Remastering Engineer: Chris Bernauer
Original Philips LP Releases: 835054 AY (Leonore No. 3, Die Weihe des Hauses, Egmont, Coriolan, Zur Namensfeier); 839 780 LY, as part of set 839777/85 LY (Leonore No. 1); 839 778 LY, as part of set 839777/85 LY (Leonore No. 2)
CD 7
Recording Producers: Vittorio Negri (Leonore No. 3, Fidelio); Jaap van Ginneken (Mozart, Beethoven: Piano Concertos)
Recording Engineers: Ko Witteveen, Martin Vos (Leonore No. 3, Fidelio); Willem van Leeuwen, Martin Vos (Mozart, Beethoven: Piano Concertos)
Recording Locations: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 29 November – 4 December 1968 (Leonore No. 3, Fidelio); Bamberg, Germany, 13–15 December 1969 (Mozart, Beethoven: Piano Concertos)
Remastering Engineer: Chris Bernauer
Original Philips LP Releases: 839 780 LY as part of set 839777/85 (Leonore No. 3); 839 781 LY as part of set 839777/85 (Fidelio); 6580 086 (Mozart, Beethoven: Piano Concertos)
CD 8
Recording Producer: Jaap van Ginneken
Recording Engineers: Henk Jansen, Tony Buczynski, Henk van Leeuwen
Recording Location: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 11–13 December 1961
Remastering Engineer: Chris Bernauer
Original Philips LP Release: 835111 AY
CD 9
Recording Producer: Jaap van Ginneken
Recording Engineers: Hans Lauterslager, Co Witteveen, Gerard Janszen
Recording Location: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 15–19 December 1960
Remastering Engineer: Chris Bernauer
Original Philips LP Release: 835079 AY
CD 10
Recording Producer: Jaap van Ginneken
Recording Engineers: Hans Lauterslager, Ko Witteveen, Henri de Frémery
Recording Location: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 5–7 September 1960 (Schubert), 15–19 September 1960 (Schumann)
Remastering Engineer: Chris Bernauer
Original Philips LP Release: 835071 AY
CD 11
Recording Producer: unknown (Schubert); Jaap van Ginneken (Beethoven)
Recording Locations: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 21–22 April 1952 (Schubert); Jesus-Christus-Kirche, Berlin, Germany, 28–30 May 1951 (Beethoven)
Remastering Engineer: Chris Bernauer
Original Philips LP Releases: A 00604 R (Schubert); A 00766 R (Beethoven)
CD 12
Recording Producers: unknown (Don Juan, Till Eulenspiegel: 1952 recordings); Jaap van Ginneken (Don Juan, Till Eulenspiegel, Rosenkavalier: 1960 recordings)
Recording Engineers: unknown (Don Juan, Till Eulenspiegel: 1952 recordings); Hans Lauterslager, Willem van Leeuwen, Henri de Frémery (Don Juan, Till Eulenspiegel: 1960 recordings); Hans Lauterslager, Ko Witteveen, Henri de Frémery (Rosenkavalier)
Recording Location: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 24-25 April 1952 (Don Juan, Till Eulenspiegel: 1952 recordings), 10–11 June 1960 (Don Juan, Till Eulenspiegel: 1960 recordings), 5–7 September 1960 (Rosenkavalier)
Remastering Engineer: Chris Bernauer
Original Philips LP Releases: A 00608 R (Don Juan, Till Eulenspiegel: 1952 recordings); 835066 AY (Don Juan, Till Eulenspiegel, Rosenkavalier: 1960 recordings)
CD 13
Recording Producers: Us van der Meulen
Recording Engineers: Herbert Schack, Bruno Taschner
Recording Location: Herkulessaal, Munich, Germany, 9–10 December 1957
Remastering Engineer: Chris Bernauer
Original Philips LP Release: 698005 CL
CD 14
Recording Producer: Jaap van Ginneken
Recording Engineers: Henk Jansen, Cees Huizinga, Gerard Janszen
Recording Location: Benedictine Abbey of Ottobeuren, Bavaria, Germany, 30–31 May 1964
Original Philips LP Release: 835225/6 AY
CD 15
Recording Producers: Jaap van Ginneken (Bruhns, Bach, Daquin); unknown (Mengelberg)
Recording Engineers: Henk Jansen, Cees Huizinga, Gerard Janszen (Bruhns, Bach, Daquin); unknown (Mengelberg)
Recording Locations: Benedictine Abbey of Ottobeuren, Bavaria, Germany, 31 May 1964 (Bruhns, Bach, Daquin); Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 26 April 1952 (Mengelberg)
Remastering Engineer: Chris Bernauer
Original Philips LP Releases: 835225/6 AY (Bruhns, Bach, Daquin); A 11241 G Mengelberg
MONO RECORDINGS: CD11, CD12: 1–2, CD15: 5
STEREO RECORDINGS: CDs 1–10, CD12: 3–6, CDs 13–14, CD15: 1–4
‘The interpretation is masterly. I enjoyed this performance thoroughly – in fact, I enjoyed it more than any other I have heard on record.’ Gramophone, October 1954 (Till Eulenspiegel)
‘[The Concertgebouw] plays for him as well as it ever has on records. Among the fine features of these performances are the lovely, singing tone in cantabile passages, the masculine vigor of the tuttis, the extreme care in the choice of bowings in order to obtain the best articulation … As a performance, KV 504 has no recorded superior.’ High Fidelity, July 1962 (Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 36 & 38)
‘Exciting renditions that are properly weighty and festive in mood. The excellent orchestral work is clean and precise, and the authoritative conducting is full of ésprit, with well-chosen tempi.’ Stereo Review, October 1962 (Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 36 & 38)
‘This performance is in the end extremely satisfying, whatever one’s puristic objections. The slow movement is very good, and so is the Scherzo.’ Musical Times, February 1966 (Bruckner: Symphony No.5)
‘The entire project has been carried through with the greatest possible care … flawless orchestral performance coupled with recorded sound that makes utterly clear, without any loss of warmth, every detail of line and color written into the music. Special compliments are in order for the fine team of vocal soloists and the excellent choral work in the Ninth Symphony.’ Stereo Review, September 1970 (Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1-9)
‘Every now and then a record one is tempted to ignore because the material is so overexposed turns out to be exceptionally or even irresistibly attractive: Jochum’s Beethoven Fifth with the Concertgebouw Orchestra on Philips was a notable example.’ Stereo Review, May 1974 (Beethoven: Symphony No. 5)
‘His performances of the Mozart symphonies were incomparable, combining as they did both rhythmic vigour and a high degree of sensitive warmth … A Philips recording of Nos. 36 and 38 … shows him at his best in this music.’ Gramophone, March 1998
‘Highly distinctive recordings … always dashing and stylish.’ Gramophone, December 1998 (Schubert, Schumann symphonies)
‘This Philips version [of Bruckner’s Fifth] retains a certain ritualistic symbolism, owing as much to the devotional setting in which the recording was made as to Jochum’s old-fashioned interpretive values … [it] also has a sense of occasion not matched by the Dresden (EMI) or Munich (DG) versions.’ Classics Today, 2001