Search - Sir John Barbirolli in Rehearsal and Performance - Haydn Oboe Concerto on DVD

DVD of 1963 B&W film of Attrib.Haydn Oboe Concerto rehearsal

W. Pryce | NZ | 09/09/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

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A most valuable addition to the repertoire of recordings of classical era concertos, esp for oboe of course.

The spotlight is on Sir John Barbirolli, whereas the main performer, his wife, Evelyn Rothwell is mentioned in small type at the bottom of the cover. This remarkable and humble lady would have approved, but recordings of soloists with orchestra always credit the soloist in large type, then the accompanying orchestra in smaller type with the conductor's name in the same or even smaller type.

This was 1963, five years after Evelyn Rothwell's original mono LP of this concerto was issued by Pye in the UK. It featured the Halle Orchestra conducted by Barbirolli (the stereo version finally emerged in 1967).

I recall correspondence with Lady Barbirolli (as she was known after Sir John died in 1970) and we discussed the possibility that this wonderful concerto might just be the oboe concerto which Beethoven wrote in Bonn, but which was supposedly lost after Haydn sent it with a number of other Beethoven works to Max Franz, Elector of Bonn with the purpose of gaining increased financial support for the young Ludwig.

Evelyn Rothwell's playing, while not as perfectly executed as on the Pye recording, is thrilling to hear, and to see her in action at around age 52 is a revelation. I became aware of this historic audio/visual recording only a few months ago.

I was completely satisfied with the service provided by Amazon in obtaining this DVD.

W Pryce

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