Beecham’s Jupiter is a marvelous performance, set on a grand scale with relaxed tempos and fulsome orchestral textures. Beauty of sound is primary here, but Beecham shirks not one iota on the musical argument, conveying the genius of Mozart’s motivic structure. The Royal Philharmonic’s trumpets are bright and regal in their heraldic passages and the winds cultivate a lush “Mozartean” wash of sound. The contemporaneous performance by Szell and the super-refined Cleveland Orchestra reveals more fire with its quicker tempos, crisper phrasing, and pointed accents. Interestingly, Szell is closer to today’s “authentic” style with his clear textures and propulsive energy. Still, Beecham’s warmth is quite ingratiating–that is, until the final note, which Beecham crudely distorts with an unwritten fermata and added timpani roll, as tasteless an example of kapellmeister-ish meddling as any.
The Clarinet Concerto is even more of a loungefest. What was most likely a sensible tempo in 1960 sounds laboriously slow today, and you wonder how soloist Jack Brymer manages to maintain his enthusiasm. He does it, though, in a relaxed but focused manner, with gorgeous tone throughout. Again, comparison with Szell (and clarinetist Robert Marcellus) shows how that conductor had the more “modern” conception of Mozartean performance. Beecham’s beautification is quite welcome in the Bassoon Concerto, with Gwyndion Brooke’s tender playing a balm for this instrument’s oddly “distinctive” timbre. EMI’s very natural recording achieves a realistic balance between soloists and orchestra. The symphony also sounds fine, though the slightly shallow midrange and bass betrays its older source. All told, a winning disc for lovers of “prettified” Mozart.
