BRAHMS. Piano Concertos: No. 1 in D minor, Op. 15; No. 2 in B flat major,

Op. 83. Claudio Arrau (piano), Concertgebouw Orchestra conducted by Bernard Haitink, Philips 6700018/ 1-2 (nas, 65s. 7d.). Special subscription offer available until January 31st, 1971.

The two Brahms piano concertos are very different; and here their original intrinsic differences are added to by new, uncovenanted ones in the performances and in the recordings. For Arrau takes a wholly sympathetic view of the B flat Concerto, and is given a recording to match: but things are not so unreservedly happy in the case of the earlier work.

It is easier to describe the shortcomings— relative ones only—of the recording: this is less than wholly rich in tone, and less than aggressive in presence, in a work which of its dramatic, forceful character needs these qualities in high degree. The recording also gives a little less than its full share of emphasis to the solo part; and where much of the music is a contest in fortissimo between soloist and orchestra this hands the soloist a more difficult task than need be in the first instance. The inter-related drawback of the performance—again, a relative one—is that Arrau seems, or is made to seem, unwilling to dominate, to take the work in both hands and push it through. The first movement in particular, you may think, needs the domination; yet of course if you think, as many do, of the work as a symphony with piano obbligato you may perhaps enjoy Arrau's view of this movement very much. Even so, concerto or symphony, it is difficult not to ask for more push in the second and, rather less certainly, in the third. Indeed, the second movement at times verges on the wooden. Arrau is not normally this, nor perhaps the Amsterdam orchestra; but here there are moments when both do get suspiciously close to it. The orchestra, of course, is not helped by Brahms's rather inexperienced scoring (nor by the most pedestrian of principal oboes) ; but it does in places help along that scoring by the inclusion of some basses which both have and audibly produce a low D.

There is no need to dig as deep as this to find a point of enthusiastic response in the case of the B flat Concerto. The recording gives both piano and orchestra a fuller tone than in the other work, and balances the two rather more suitably for the music. And if Arrau was ever reluctant either to command or to become gently poetical earlier he is certainly not so here: he gives a most beautiful performance, and the orchestra go almost all the way with him. The first movement strikes a balance between the commanding and the lyrical, precisely as the music itself does; the second is finely rhythmic; the third relaxed, with some smoothly-flowing solo cello-playing; and the fourth agreeably unhurried, but again rhythmic in a high degree.

This highly successful version of the Second Concerto I would recommend with no reservations at all; but that of the First Concerto only with the reservations I have outlined above. Distinguishing too sharply between the two discs is perhaps at present a fruitless exercise, as they are not available separately. A buyer willing to chance his arm, however, on both will find the concertos conveniently spaced, one to a disc: a box which I have not seen, and a good booklet which I have; and of course above all a splendid version of the B flat Concerto, and a good one of the D minor which he may very wcll enjoy enormously. M.M.