Great Conductors of the 20th Century: George Szell

This edition of EMI's Great Conductors of the Twentieth Century series is devoted to George Szell, surely one of the great Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven conductors of the twentieth century. But is Szell really one of the great Auber, Delius, Rossini, and Josef Strauss conductors of the twentieth century? This two-disc set asks listeners to believe that he was because those are the composers represented on these discs, with nary a note of Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven to be heard. And while Szell's Fra Diavolo and L'italiana in Algeri are quite fine in their tight-fisted way, and while Szell's Irmelin Prelude and Delirien Waltz are acceptable in their hard-edged way, one would never believe that Szell is a more-than-acceptable conductor of what would have to be called light classics. Szell fares better in the Dvorák Eighth and Tchaikovsky Fifth, both powerful, precise, and passionate performances that place both works firmly in the Austro-Hungarian family of late nineteenth century symphony. Better yet is Szell's La Mer, a brilliantly colorful and cogently compelling performance of Debussy's symphonic masterpiece. Best of all is Szell's Prelude to Die Meistersinger, a masterful presentation of Wagner's contrapuntal tour de force full of joyous excitment. EMI's digitally remastered sound ranges from gray and grainy Dvorák with the Cleveland Orchestra to clear and vivid Wagner with the New York Philharmonic to warm and round Tchaikovsky with the WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln.