Although Eloquence already has released a splendid Concerto for Orchestra from Antal Dorati with the Concertgebouw, this Mehta/Israel Philharmonic performance has every bit as much to offer, and it’s arguably the more important recording of the two as it shows both conductor and orchestra at their very best. The two hallmarks of this interpretation are virtuosity and color. You can hear the virtuoso side in the tremendous gusto with which the IPO brass attacks the fugato first subject recapitulation in the first movement. As for color, just listen to the lugubrious sounds that open the third movement, the hilarious trombone hiccups in the fourth’s “interruption” section, or the detail behind the scurrying strings in the finale. The recording also is one of the finest ever given this particular partnership. It was made in London on tour, and the preparation really shows in every aspect of a performance that’s never been given its due in a crowded and distinguished field. The couplings also are generally good–the Kodály very much so; the Janácek, which is well played and recorded, lacking the roughness of tone and brazen drama the music ideally requires. Still, for the Bartók alone, this deserves very serious consideration.
