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A time there was when commercial recordings served not as promotional tools but as documents of important musical milestones. In the long history of the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra, far too few of its milestones have been so documented, making this new collection a welcome addition to the ensemble's discography. The four-disk anthology presents the orchestra in Beethoven performances drawn from an 11-year period (1983 to 1993), all conducted by James Yannatos, a vital and inspirational force in Harvard's musical community throughout his extraordinary 33-year tenure as the orchestra's music director. He possesses all the essential attributes of the Beethoven conductor: masterful control over formal structure, exemplary care for lucidity of texture and clarity of detail, and intense emotional investment. In all of these performances, Yannatos elicits meaningful, committed contributions from his student players.

The "Eroica" Symphony is representative of their finest work: there is an Olympian spaciousness in the design of the first movement, while the opening theme of the Funeral March is broadly, movingly stated; the Scherzo and Finale neatly capture both energy and humor. The "Pastoral" Symphony is an altogether lithe and ingratiating experience; the Seventh Symphony and Egmont Overture display Beethoven's more unsettling nature. There is plenty of nerve and sinew in the first two movements of the Ninth Symphony, while the variations of the slow movement unfold with relaxed fluidity. Schiller's ode brings to the fore a quartet of Boston's favorite singers, David Arnold's baritone eloquently intoning the opening phrases, and Mark Nemeskal's tenor sailing above the march like a banner unfurled. Harvard's choruses, prepared by Jameson Marvin and Beverly Taylor, contribute firm tone and enthusiastic support.

Viennese-born pianist Anton Kuerti's performance of the G Major Piano Concerto readily reveals why his recorded cycle of the composer's piano sonatas has been universally admired and highly coveted by fellow musicians and serious record collectors. (Originally recorded by Aquitaine Records, the cycle was released domestically in 1978 on Columbia's Odyssey label, accompanied by richly informative and entertaining commentary by the pianist.) Similarly prized is Kuerti's recording of the five piano concertos with Andrew Davis and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (CBC Enterprises, 1986). As neither of these items is presently available, the HRO CD offers listeners the only opportunity to partake of Kuerti's immeasurably imaginative way into this music.

The HRO performance is recorded with greater presence and clarity than the Canadian one, revealing more fully the exceptional beauty of Kuerti's tone, which never loses quality, from the softest introspective moments to the most ferocious passagework. Vulgarity and self-serving gesture are foreign to his vocabulary; this is a profoundly musical performance. The initial chords immediately bring the audience to a palpable hush, and there is at the end of the slow movement not merely a quiet, but a heartstopping stillness. And the start of the Rondo-finale would bring a smile to John Harvard's stony face. A major performance by a major artist, with Yannatos and his orchestra model accompanists all the way.

Performance documentation, unfortunately, is sparse; only the year of recording is indicated, the venue not at all (the Ninth Symphony was recorded at Boston's Symphony Hall on the occasion of the orchestra's 185th anniversary season, the other performances, presumably, in Sanders Theatre). There is background information on conductor, soloist, and orchestra, but none on the music. Regrettably, Kuerti's name is missing enirely from the slipcase.

Such small omissions, however, scarcely detract from a solidly impressive achivement. Those listeners seeking a sentimental souvenir of pleasant evenings in Sanders Theatre will find in these discs something more: the enthusiastic and gratifying music-making on display confirms that Beethoven is both "live" and well at Harvard.

~ Robert J. Dennis

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