Sym.4: Scherchen / Vienna State Opera O +ravel: Left-hand Concerto: Casadesus(P)

Hermann Scherchen: An Imaginary Concert

B. Smetana: The Moldau
Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera
Studio Recording: May 1957

M. Ravel: Concerto for the left hand in D major
Kölner RSO, soloist: Robert Casadesus, piano
Live Recording: 11.III.1957

P. Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 op. 36 in F minor
Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera
Studio Recording: July 1951

We have put together a concert that Scherchen might have conducted, beginning with a symphonic poem, then a concerto and, finally, a symphony. To begin the concert we have chosen a famous work that Scherchen rarely played (the Moldau), followed by Ravel’s concerto for the left hand from a previously unissued performance in Cologne with Robert Casadesus as soloist, and finally the Tchaikovsky Fourth recorded in Vienna in 1951, subsequently reissued on CD, but at an incorrect pitch that we have now corrected.
The music review Disques (No. 54) published the following review of this recording of the fourth symphony: “The orchestra and the conductor give of their very best. Scherchen asked the musicians above all for colour and nothing but colour and the orchestra responded in spades. The brass played with complete freedom and to their heart’s content. The famous Viennese strings sparkled and shone whichever way they turned. A superb recording...”