Friedrich Gulda - Genie und Rebell (Genius and Rebel) (2010) 10 CD Box Set

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Friedrich Gulda - Genie und Rebell (Genius and Rebel) (2010) 10 CD Box Set

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For years, I failed to take Friedrich Gulda seriously. His penchant for attention-grabbing antics (such as–reputedly– giving a recital in the nude), and the easy commerce he favored between classical and jazz, pegged him in my thinking as a publicity-seeking crossover artist.

That I couldn't have been more mistaken in my assessment was revealed to me a few years ago upon auditioning his altogether remarkable traversal of Bach's WTC for Phillips. The studio-bound acoustic on that recording was claustrophobic, but the artistry was, in a word, sublime: as to dexterity, fluency and intellectual rigor rivaling Gould; as to depth of insight, surpassing Richter. Subsequently, I went on to acquire his scintillating stereo cycle of Beethoven Sonatas (recently reissued by Brilliant) and several volumes of DG's newer retrospective series (including the amazing, though sonically challenged, "Mozart Tapes").

Gulda has latterly been exalted to a privileged position in my pantheon of great pianists. His dalliances with self-promoting mischief notwithstanding, I now regard him as one of the most intellectually as well as technically formidable pianists of the Twentieth Century.

His unique gifts–in both classical and jazz idioms–are well in evidence in this modestly-priced, though poorly documented, collection from Membran. By way of a brief review, I shall cut to che chase by prioritizing the items that impressed me most. The Debussy and Ravel pieces, for instance, are tremendously involving; in these works, Gulda always succeeds in finding a narrative thread, a plot-line (so to speak) that consistently enthralls. This is by no means the light-textured, shimmering impressionistic approach to these French masters we associate with Gieseking. This is Debussy and Ravel painted, as it were, in vivid primary colors. The technical mastery is, in a word, stunning.

The Mozart and Chopin are nearly as good, though the orchestral playing in the former's K. 449 concerto is poor (wind intonation excruciating), and the latter's e-minor concerto and various solo pieces, though pellucid in articulation are not always as effortlessly natural in rubato as Rubinstein. Nevertheless, you will never be bored by Gulda's Mozart and Chopin; everything is deeply considered and boldly projected. The Jazz riffs, "live from Birdland," are hugely enjoyable, and indeed probably in themselves worth the price of admission.

The Richard Strauss items – a delicious lieder recital in which the pianist accompanies Hilde Gueden, and a vigorous *Burleske* with Collins and the LSO – afford pleasures of a more voluptuous nature. Gueden sings with ecstatic lyricism and coquettish seductiveness, and Gulda supports her with clarity and poise. The *Burleske*–not a work I usually warm to–is given a rendition of both opulence and irony; just the right combination to convince doubters of this work's enduring value.

If you know Gulda's Beethoven from any of his three complete sonata cycles (two in mono, one in stereo), the renditions included in this box will add nothing new to your estimation of Gulda–though they are all superb performances, combining complete technical mastery with extraordinary brio and deep understanding of structure. Since I have not heard either of his monaural Beethoven cycles, I cannot say whether the performances included here derive from one of these sets, or rather from other sources (live broadcast tapes of particular recitals, for instance). They do sound like studio recordings, however, even if the sound remains somewhat cloudy and constricted. The one disappointment for me was the Beethoven C-Major Concerto with the Vienna Philharmonic under Böhm. In the outer movements, the tempos are very slow indeed, so that regardless of the occasional sparkle conveyed by Gulda's pianism, the overall impression is one of lethargy. Usually Böhm is a reliable, and at times even exciting Beethoven interpreter, but not here. The slow movement is lovely, but by then I had lost interest

Perhaps the biggest surprise for me was the overall quality of the recordings and digital transfers. Though many are boxy monaural, all are at least tolerable and the majority (particularly the Debussy) are pretty good. This label has a spotty record when it comes to sonics (some of their "wallet-boxes" featuring famous conductors are almost unlistenable due to distorted digital remasterings). In the case of this Gulda box, however, I am happy to report that the remasterings have been undertaken with some care, so that the piano timbre usually sounds natural, without undue filtering making it sound as if recorded "under water."

In sum, then, pianophiles who want to explore the artistry of Friedrich Gulda would do well to acquire this modestly-priced volume.

Review by Johannes Climacus

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Friedrich Gulda - Genie und Rebell (Genius and Rebel) (2010) 10 CD Box Set

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Friedrich Gulda - Genie und Rebell (Genius and Rebel) (2010) 10 CD Box Set

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Friedrich Gulda - Genie und Rebell (Genius and Rebel) (2010) 10 CD Box Set

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