Maurice Andre, Herbert von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic - Great Recordings Of The Century - Hummel, L. Mozart, Telemann, Vivaldi: Trumpet Concertos / Andre, Karajan

Impeccable interpretations of great, lesser-known works

Karajan is usually lauded for his fine interpretations of baroque, romantic and modern compositions, and rightly criticized for his typically heavy-handed approach to classical works. Put simply, one cannot adeptly convey the wit and subtlety of Haydn or Mozart via Karajan's bold, suit-of-armor style.

These recordings are an exception to Karajan's usually inept handling of classical composition; they're performed with great verve and gentility. Even stranger, André's quintessentially French tone neatly compliments Karajan's Viennese temperament - a curiosity which suggests more of André's vaunted skill than the notion that the Viennese and Parisian schools are in any way compatible!

The Hummel composition is unique in the composer's oeuvre, and quite fine. It's a bit long in the tooth at times and does stretch its' principle motif a bit far, but the trumpet part (written for Weidinger) is as magnificent as it is demanding, truly fit for a virtuoso as skilled as André.

Mozart's contribution isn't as bizarre or amusing as his Hunting Symphony or alphorn concerto, but it is a charming and enjoyable two-movement curiosity that suggests that his iconic son surely inherited much of his superior compositional talents.

It took me awhile to warm up to the Telemann concerto. Like so many of the great Proliferati's works, this is slightly lethargic, a bit rushed and too formal for my taste, but many passages are quite lovely nonetheless.

The shortest and most enjoyable (to this listener's ears) of these recordings is that of Vivaldi's trumpet concerto, a lively, delightful derivation of the last three movements of his fourth violin concerto. The result is similar to the Red Priest's excellent concerti grossi.

These recordings are recommended for enthusiasts of Karajan and André, or those who are just looking for good performances of trumpet concertos. June 15, 2008

Andre & Karajan Make Magic

At first look, this disc may come as a surprise to you. Herbert von Karajan is not generally regarded as an accompanist, or as a conductor of baroque or classical-period material, yet here he is with trumpeter Maurice Andre in brilliant recordings of Trumpet Concertos by Hummel, L. Mozart, Telemann and Vivaldi. Another thing Karajan is not generally known for is the great recordings he made for EMI (and to a lesser extent Decca), as most associate him exclusively with the Berlin Philharmonic and the DG label. Many of his great EMI recordings have been released recently in the "Karajan Edition" series, but a few, like this title, have now been included as part of the "Great Recordings of the Century" series (though mostly his opera recordings). My only problem with this fine disc is that it is basically a straight reissue (aside from remastering) of the original vinyl LP, which means it only logs in at just over 45 minutes. But my dissatisfaction stems only from the fact that I am greedy, and would love to have had more to savor from this wonderful collaboration between Andre and Karajan. July 22, 2003

More reviews at Amazon.com ...