Barber: Symphony & Piano Concerto

 

A bit ago, when listening to Neeme Järvi's Barber recordings, I mentioned one probably doesn't associate the US composer with the Estonian conductor. Who then?

Samuel Barber's Symphony no. 1 was surprisingly conducted by the great Bruno Walter in 1945 (mono), and sprightly so at that. Another classic version is from David Measham in London from the 70s, and still admired.

Leonard Slatkin's RCA recording with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra came out around the same time as Neeme Järvi's with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra on Chandos, although the latter was paired with Amy Beach's Gaelic Symphony.

I detect the differences immediately. With Slatkin, I hear a modern Americana symphony from a composer willing to take chances. In Järvi, I hear a Bruckner-inspired European model, where the conductor slows down the forward movement and bursts forth full of beauty and power. Both are apt approaches, however it seems Slatkin makes the best case for it, even if I still really enjoy listening to the Järvi recording, which is also sonically superior.

The RCA recording has a juicy pairing in Barber's Piano Concerto. The first movement finds the composer at his most modern sounding, full of dissonance and chromaticism, set as an argument between soloist and ensemble. The middle movement has a gorgeous melody, and it seems this time the contest is whether a building minor-keyed chromaticism will win over the Romantic melodisms. The finale is a high-stakes galop to the end, set in an off-kilter time signature.

John Browning was the dedicatory pianist of Barber's concerto. He appears as pianist both in an early recording with George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra from the 60s, as well as this one with Slatkin in the 90s. The earlier is generally considered as the most intense of the two, whereas Browning is more willing to explore some of the lyrical virtues in the later recording. Both are treasures.

As a bit of lighter filler, the four-handed piano version of Souvenirs is picked up by both John Browning and Leonard Slatkin, the latter stepping off the podium to the keyboard. This six-movement dance suite is quite different from both the symphony and concerto, not just in its smaller scale, but in its humor and immediate accessibility..

All of the RCA recordings dedicated to US composers from Slatkin and RCA were well liked in their time, and one can see why. The US conductor has a grip on Americana as serious, worthwhile music. Of course now, many decades after these individual recordings came out, you can find various compilations of Slatkin's recordings of Barber, so have at it!

Listen on YouTube

Works
Symphony 1 (21.39)
Piano Concerto (29.09)
Souvenirs (18.24)

Soloists
John Browning, piano
Leonard Slatkin, piano

Performers
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
Neeme Järvi, conductor

Label: RCA
Year: 1991
Total Timing: 69.36

Find more Barber recordings HERE!