Willem Mengelberg belonged to a generation of Tchaikovsky conductors like Koussevitsky and Stokowski, who brought out the emotional tension in these works through frequent tempo gearshifts and italicized phrasings. What makes Mengelberg more convincing than most, however, is that these so-called mannerisms are executed with specificity of purpose and brilliant virtuosity on the part of the orchestra he virtually built from scratch. The sound is wonderful for its 1928-37 vintage, though Music & Arts’ fine transfers sound filtered and less bright on top in comparison with the Pearl edition containing Romeo and Juliet and the 4th & 5th Symphonies, and a deleted 1988 Teldec CD of the 1937 “Pathetique”. It should also be mentioned that Mengelberg makes the once-standard cuts in the Fifth Symphony’s concluding movement. At mid-price, though, the present edition of these performances is preferable to the inferior transfers on Claremont; but well-heeled collectors should investigate the aforementioned Pearl series devoted to Mengelberg’s complete Columbia 78s.
