[78-L] Scherchen Eroica

[Don Cox]

Hello DAVID

On 07/03/2011, DAVID BURNHAM wrote:
> I find that Hermann Scherchen is always interesting to listen to, even
> if (and maybe because) some of his tempi are rather extreme. I have a
> memory of the 1st movement of his Beethoven "Eroica" synphony being
> amazingly fast, and this was way before the current fashion of quite
> fast Beethoven.
> 
> Gene
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> 
> Scherchen's Eroica is, I think, reputed to be the fastest version ever
> recorded.
> It was also released on the Westminster series coupled with the
> Pastoral Symphony, (the equivalent of a dozen 12 inch 78s on a single
> CD!).
> 
Scherchen's Beethoven 4 and 8 are also fast.

I think they work well at that speed, but the orchestra gets breathless
in places. But slower renditions such as Klemperer's work well too. It
isn't just the tempo that matters, but the sharpness of phrasing within
that tempo. 

Beecham's is another fast Eroica, and very successful.

Regards
-- 
Don Cox
doncox at enterprise.net