{"product_id":"van-beinum-hess-schubert-and-schumann-1950s-pasc752","title":"VAN BEINUM, HESS Schubert and Schumann (1950s) - PASC752","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSCHUBERT \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSymphony No. 6\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSCHUMANN \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003ePiano Concerto\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eSCHUBERT \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eOverture in E minor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eLive recordings, 1956 et al\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 66:39\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eDame Myra Hess\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e, piano\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eConcertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econducted by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eEduard van Beinum\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fA unique and welcome addition to the conductor’s discography, which receives a reading that is by turns dramatic and graceful578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003eThis disc promises to be the first in a series of releases of previously unissued broadcasts of Van Beinum with the Concertgebouw, which is good news indeed. Although the Schumann Piano Concerto on offer here was previously issued by Tahra, Pristine has found a superior source. Myra Hess was especially identified with this work, and made two studio recordings of it, with Walter Goehr and an unnamed symphony orchestra in 1937, and then with Rudolf Schwarz and the Philharmonia in 1952, so it is a treat to have a later performance by her with superior accompaniment (though the principal oboist is somewhat squawky) and in very fine sound. If her technique has declined a bit with age, this is still playing in the grand manner. Hess has obviously taken to heart here Clara Schumann’s famous admonition to a student: “Why hurry over beautiful things? Why not linger and enjoy them?” The tempos here are leisurely, the touch weighty and yet still wonderfully melodic. The development of the first movement is for me one of the greatest miracles in all music for its sense of dreamy repose, and Hess—with adroit support from Van Beinum, who was normally a Classicist but here bends to his soloist’s will to be an unbuttoned Romantic—ascends to a positively transcendental plane. The finale lumbers a bit for my taste, but even so Hess always has something interesting to say and worthwhile to hear. As for the Schubert, in 47:1 I opined in reviewing a box set of Van Beinum’s collected studio recordings that in the Symphony No. 6 “the emphasis remains on drive at the expense of charm.” Here, I am pleased to say, the interpretation is far more successful. This is still an old-fashioned, somewhat weighty approach to this repertoire, but in this live performance Van Beinum applies a lighter touch that retains forward momentum but also is relaxed, with a touch of lyrical charm. The overture is a unique and welcome addition to the conductor’s discography, which receives a reading that is by turns dramatic and graceful.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe sound quality is excellent for its era—a little bass heavy, but clear and full monaural sound. As usual, Pristine provides the musical scores of the works on its website. The back of the cardboard digipak in the CD version states that the date of the concerto performance is November 15, 1956, but that the dates of the other two performances are unknown. Here the Concertgebouw’s own website (https:\/\/archief.concertgebouworkest.nl\/en\/archive\/search\/) comes to the rescue: the Schubert overture is from the same concert as the Schumann concerto, and the Symphony No. 6 dates from October 7, 1956. These are, then, important additions to the discographies of both the conductor and the pianist; enthusiastically recommended.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eJames A. Altena\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eFanfare\u003c\/i\u003e, JAN\/FEB 2026\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PASC752.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fThe present release is drawn from a remarkable set of private tapes recorded in the 1950s, part of the extraordinary collection of Francisco A. M. Joffily B. Mello. He generously donated his archive to the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, who in turn made copies of the recordings available for preservation and study. Among these riches were the performances presented here: Schubert’s Overture in E minor, his youthful Sixth Symphony, and Schumann’s Piano Concerto with Dame Myra Hess as soloist, all conducted by Eduard van Beinum with the Concertgebouw Orchestra. The tapes capture the orchestra in fine form and in excellent sound for the period — unusually vivid for the mid-1950s, with a natural balance and a striking immediacy of detail.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEduard van Beinum, who succeeded Willem Mengelberg as principal conductor of the Concertgebouw in 1945, brought to the orchestra a style at once transparent, lyrical, and humane. Where Mengelberg was famous for his imposing personality and heavy interpretative hand, van Beinum cultivated clarity of texture, rhythmic buoyancy, and a strong sense of partnership between orchestra and soloist. His reputation was sealed by admired recordings for Philips, Decca, and Columbia, but the performances here, preserved from concert conditions, show him at his most spontaneous and direct, qualities sometimes smoothed over in the studio.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe programme opens with Schubert’s Overture in E minor, D.648. Written in 1819, this relatively obscure work by the 22-year-old composer is less often heard than other mature works, yet is characteristic in its lyricism and deft orchestration. The Concertgebouw’s woodwinds, long celebrated as the jewel of the orchestra, make an especially fine showing: alert, clear-toned, and expressive, they lend the music a sparkle and delicacy that van Beinum clearly relishes. The performance, preserved in fine sound, combines precision with warmth, reminding us of Schubert’s debt to Mozart while hinting at the individuality already his own.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe centrepiece is Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor, Op.54, played by Dame Myra Hess. By 1956, when this performance was recorded, Hess was nearing the end of her career. Revered in Britain as a national treasure — not least for her wartime concerts at the National Gallery — she retained an international following. Her playing here is marked less by dazzling technique than by a deeply felt romantic warmth. At times her fingers were not at their most agile, yet the sense of song and humanity in her reading carry all before them. Van Beinum proves a sympathetic partner, shaping Schumann’s orchestral fabric with poetry and sensitivity. The result balances intimacy with grandeur, lyrical inwardness with dramatic flair.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis concerto performance was once issued by Tahra, but Francisco Joffily rightly notes that his tape preserves it in superior quality. The sound here has both body and air, allowing the interplay between piano and orchestra to be appreciated afresh.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe selection  concludes with Schubert’s Symphony No.6 in C major, D.589, composed in 1817–18 when the composer was in his early twenties. Often called the “Little C major” to distinguish it from the monumental Ninth, the symphony stands at the cusp between Classical poise and Romantic expansion. Its opening Allegro brims with Haydnesque wit and energy, while the slow movement reveals Schubert’s gift for lyrical line, enriched by subtle harmonic shifts. The finale, with its bustling rhythms and bright orchestration, shows the young composer’s joy in instrumental colour.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVan Beinum recorded this symphony commercially for Philips, but the present live account offers a fascinating complement. Where the studio reading is tidy and polished, the concert performance has a freshness heightened by the presence of an audience. There is an added edge to the playing, a vitality that comes only in the heat of performance. The tapes capture this atmosphere with striking fidelity, conveying both the bloom of the orchestra’s sound and the electricity of the occasion.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTaken together, these recordings are more than historical curiosities: they are documents of a major conductor and a great orchestra at their height, joined by one of the century’s most beloved pianists. They remind us of van Beinum’s artistry — his ability to balance clarity with warmth, structure with expressivity — and of Hess’s unique voice as a pianist. Thanks to Francisco Joffily’s foresight in preserving these tapes, and to the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra’s generosity in sharing them, we can now experience these performances anew, in sound quality that does full justice to their artistry.578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Track Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 24px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eVAN BEINUM, HESS\u003c\/b\u003e Schubert and Schumann\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. \u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSCHUBERT \u003c\/b\u003eOverture in E minor, D.648\u003c\/span\u003e  (7:07)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSCHUMANN \u003c\/b\u003ePiano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e2. 1st mvt. - Allegro affettuoso  (15:56)\u003cbr\u003e3. 2nd mvt. - Intermezzo  (5:39)\u003cbr\u003e4. 3rd mvt. - Allegro vivace  (11:36)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eDame Myra Hess\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003e, piano\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eSCHUBERT \u003c\/b\u003eSymphony No. 6 in C major, D589, 'Little C major'\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e5. 1st mvt. - Adagio - Allegro  (7:38)\u003cbr\u003e6. 2nd mvt. - Andante  (5:08)\u003cbr\u003e7. 3rd mvt. - Scherzo. Presto  (4:39)\u003cbr\u003e8. 4th mvt. - Allegro moderato  (8:56)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eConcertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003econducted by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eEduard van Beinum\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eXR remastering by Andrew Rose\u003cbr\u003eCover artwork based on a photograph of Van Beinum\u003cbr\u003eOriginal source materials from the private collection of Francisco A. M. Joffily B. Mello, now held in the Concertgebouw archive, Amsterdam. Many thanks to both.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSchumann Concerto \u003c\/b\u003eperformed 15 November 1956\u003cbr\u003eOther dates unknown\u003cbr\u003eRecorded live at the Grote Zaal, Concertgebouw, Amsterdam\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTotal duration:  66:39\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PASC752.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PASC752.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Ambient Stereo 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":44064762495066,"sku":"vev1789304304501","price":13.55,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":44064762527834,"sku":"idn1789304304502","price":8.55,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Ambient Stereo MP3","offer_id":44064762560602,"sku":"bzg1789304304503","price":7.31,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0726\/3807\/0874\/files\/van-beinum-hess-schubert-and-schumann-1950s---pasc752_1.jpg?v=1789304333","url":"https:\/\/vestorawear.shop\/products\/van-beinum-hess-schubert-and-schumann-1950s-pasc752","provider":"My Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}