The Vienna Octet was one of the outstanding post-war chamber groups. It was founded by the Boskovsky brothers–Willi, who was concertmaster of the Vienna Philharmonic and later a conductor, and Alfred, an outstanding clarinetist. These Schubert and Spohr recordings, dating from the group’s heyday in 1958 and 1959, helped spread the influential Viennese style worldwide. Their Schubert depicts the composer’s Vienna on a cloudless, balmy summer’s noon; it exudes bucolic charm sweetened by a bigger helping of schlag than the piece needs. It’s all echt-Viennese, corners rounded, rhythms squared, the darker regions of the Adagio and the Andante buried beneath mounds of whipped cream. Add the cuddly, warm ambience provided by Vienna’s Sofiensaal and the effect becomes addictive, even as the brain warns there’s more to the Octet than this ensemble gives us.
There are plenty of better versions of the Octet on CD, if none more sweetly charming. My favorites are Gidon Kremer and friends (DG), for a stimulating if sometimes idiosyncratic view, and the Academy Chamber Ensemble (Philips) for a well-played conventional approach. The Vienna Octet shines in the Spohr, though. It’s a lovely work with a flashy violin part, a prominent duo of horns, and an inventive variations movement based on Handel’s “Harmonious Blacksmith”. Here, the Vienna Octet displays vivacious alertness, completely avoiding the torpor that often infects its Schubert. The sound on the original LPs was of demonstration quality in its day. In Decca Legends’ 96/24 remastering, the CD sounds more fresh and clear than most recent recordings. Enjoy.
