Generique The Art of Willem Mengelberg

A unique collection of Philips, Columbia and Telefunken recordings, with some works represented twice, to allow the listener to appreciate Mengelberg’s different interpretations of the same composition. Mengelberg's recordings with the Concertgebouw Orchestra are marked by frequent use of an unusually prominent portamento, which can be appreciated in the sliding from one note to the other of the string players. He transformed the Concertgebouw, which he loved and considered his ‘instrument’, from being average, into a world-class orchestra, still regarded as one of the best ensembles. The 23 November 1939 premiere of Zoltán Kodály’s Peacock Variation and the immortal and still unrivalled recording of Mahler’s Fourth, are both included in this set. Mengelberg’s was unwavering in his mission to draw out flawless playing and effervescent living lingua franca from his orchestras.