CD15/2016

MusicWeb International

“[S]upremo Geoffrey Terry’s recording set-up in 1967 is fully the equal of the other recordings he has released in this series of live performances. The proof of the pudding lies in the clarity with which he captures orchestral choirs but also in the inherent tonal and timbral warmth that are generated. The hall ambience never swamps the orchestra – microphones have been optimally sited – and yet it remains distinctive.”

“The well-balanced piano ensures that Ekier’s contribution is rightly a concertante one [Szymanowski]. The performance is a mixture of bravura and warmth where the role played by the winds is optimum. Rowicki builds the energy-quotient via the strings with practised grip, the performance marrying splendid control with acutely perceptive phraseology.”

“The booklet has been attractively designed and is a pleasure to peruse…”
—Jonathan Woolf, MusicWeb International, February 2016

“Some conductors play the Brahms Fourth for broad lyricism; Rowicki’s taut, austere approach, by contrast, treats each movement as an abstract structure requiring clear exposition. This generates considerable power, especially in the outer movements […] The orchestra responds marvelously…”

“Geoffrey Terry’s remastering of his own original recording […] offers nicely focused bass and vividly realistic reproduction of soloists and instrumental choirs…”

“Recommended as a document of the orchestra and conductor, and specifically for the Szymanowski.”
—Stephen Vasta, MusicWeb International, July 2016

“The audience is well behaved. This presumably marks their completely understandable absorption in and appreciation of the performance. This is showcase-fast music-making … You won’t forget this.”

“The booklet […] is well done with an introduction to each piece of music and unusual non-pro-forma profiles of Ekier, Rowicki and the orchestra. Especially interesting, and definitely worth having, is Mr Terry’s detail-rich memoir of the orchestra’s 1967 UK tour. It’s not often you get this sort of flavoursome detail of time and place and it is well done.”

“A Huddersfield concert with no prisoners taken, vintage 1967 […] a fascinating record of a live event, sparks still flying.”
—Rob Barnett, MusicWeb International, August 2016

“The Warsaw Philharmonic have always been one of the world’s exciting orchestras and in the 1960s they were very special indeed. Brahms is greatly enhanced by this level of passion and the performance is almost exhausting to hear. The audience would also have been excited by the Szymanowski Symphony Concertante before the interval. Pianist Jan Ekier was a prominent member of the musical elite in Poland and here he is caught at his very best, playing the complex solo piano part in this concertante work with massive power. I cannot believe it ever sounded better. The Prokofiev Classical Symphony is a gentler affair but still serves as a very fine overture to an A-star concert.”

“[T]his disc compares well with what the established companies were achieving in the 1960s, and in [some respects] betters them. [Geoffrey Terry] gets a very good and very even spread of sound with a remarkable amount of detail. The dynamic range is as wide as tape technology allowed in those days … This is an impressive disc, worth anyone’s money, and I look forward to hearing more.”
—Dave Billinge, MusicWeb International, February 2018

Customer reviews

“Each time I’ve listened I’ve been completely overwhelmed. I’ve always loved Brahms’ symphonies, and am in the middle of one of my periodic phases of re-listening to many of the wonderful recordings which I’ve accumulated over the years. The Rowicki Fourth, though, is very special. It’s so beautifully conducted and played – and your recording enables the listener to hear wonderful performances from individual players within the lovely blend of their joint efforts. Above all, the experience is inexpressibly moving – almost unbearably so, in fact. At the end, I find myself forced to sit quietly for a few minutes, attempting to come to terms with the tragic beauty of this truly great performance and recording of a work which I’ve loved for many years. I want to thank you, Geoffrey, for enabling me to have this treasurable – and, thankfully, repeatable – experience.”
—Bill Abbie, Edinburgh, private correspondence, 22nd January 2016

“It’s not just that the sound is almost beyond belief […] it’s that you managed to capture performances of white-hot intensity. The Brahms is scorching! And the Szymanowski is so good that it could easily stand as a reference version. An overwhelming listening experience, from beginning to end – and this means that congratulations are due to you once again. ‘Bravo!’ for a truly exceptional achievement.”
—Sean O’Neill, American Midwest, private correspondence, June 2020