These two reissues are linked by virtue of the fact that while both conductors made recordings in Europe (represented in these sets), their main fame was achieved in America.

Polish conductor Artur Rodziński (1892–1958) was in charge of the New York Philharmonic after the demise of Dmitri Mitropolous until the advent of Leonard Bernstein, while the Hungarian George Szell (1897–1970) ran the Cleveland Orchestra with an iron hand from 1946 until his death.

Both were old-world, no-nonsense martinets. Szell was a fastidious perfectionist and exacting taskmaster, and Rodziński famously established his authority by bringing a loaded gun to rehearsals and placing it on the podium. (How to Instil Confidence, Lesson 1.)

Their behaviour wouldn’t fly today, but it certainly achieved results. Listen, for example, to Szell’s recording of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, and how well he shapes the solo oboe’s ‘interruption’ in the first movement, and how carefully the orchestra creeps back in and builds up the lost momentum. It’s an example of perfect timing. Or listen to the tight ensemble of the scurrying pianissimo strings at the opening of Mendelssohn’s Midsummer Night’s Dream Overture—both with the Concertgebouw Orchestra.

Szell: A must for iconic Sibelius, Brahms, and Mendelssohn

The bulk of Szell’s recordings were made in the 1960s (most are in stereo and perfectly good sound), while Rodziński’s date from the 1950s and are primarily in mono (with variable sound, but fine for its time). Both conductors had the advantage of great orchestras to work with. Szell had the London Symphony, which was in good shape, and the ever-seductive Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam. Rodziński for the most part used Beecham’s hand-picked Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, which contained the finest wind soloists in London.

George Szell. Photo courtesy of Universal Australia

The Szell collection is one to grab if you don’t have these recordings already, as well you might: they have been reissued frequently over the years. There are iconic performances here. Sibelius’s Symphony No. 2 with the Concertgebouw is still a top recommendation for its discipline, strength, and the beauty of its wind soloists—also, of course, for Szell’s fastidious shaping of the musical narrative. Another is Brahms’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with the LSO and British pianist Clifford Curzon: simply authoritative, this reading is exciting and romantic by turns. Curzon also appears in lovely performances of the Mozart Piano Concertos Nos. 23 and 27, and in older recordings of the Beethoven “Emperor” and Tchaikovsky First Piano Concerto.

Not to be missed is a disc of Handel’s Water Music and Royal Fireworks Music in Hamilton Harty’s full orchestral arrangements. We never hear a big orchestra play this music today, but it’s clear the LSO musicians are having fun. We also get 33 minutes of Szell in a rehearsal of the Water Music, where his perfectionism but not his bad temper is on show.

Rodziński: A forgotten disciplinarian in a wide-ranging collection

Crispness of ensemble was also a feature of Rodziński’s conducting, a good example being the first of Mussorgsky’s Pictures from an Exhibition, “Gnomus”, where the orchestra are really on their toes. This is a dynamic performance, although the sound does not quite do justice to the closing pages.

Russian music was one of the conductor’s strengths: he gives us a complete Tchaikovsky Nutcracker, the same composer’s Symphonies 4, 5, and 6; taut and punchy Prokofiev, and impressive performances of Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain, Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances (without the female chorus), and the Caucasian Sketches Suite No. 1 by Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov. These shorter pieces used to be staples: wouldn’t it be nice to hear them programmed again once in a while!

One dud, unfortunately, is Symphony No. 5 of Shostakovich. A new piece at the time, the conductor does not seem to know what to make of it – his hasty speed ruins the first movement – and the RPO seem to be sight-reading.

Artur Rodziński courtesy of Universal Australia

The recordings with the Royal Philharmonic have the most acceptable sound. These include terrific discs of Dvorák’s Slavonic Dances and “New World” Symphony; popular Kodály and Grieg pieces; Bizet’s Carmen and L’Arlesienne Suites, and delightful renditions of Franck’s Symphonic Variations and Rimsky-Korsakov’s rarely heard Piano Concerto with pianist Paul Badura-Skoda.

Throughout his career, Rodziński had a natural affinity with Wagner, and you can hear why in two discs of orchestral excerpts with the RPO. Siegfried’s Funeral March from Götterdammerung and the Prelude to Act 1 of Lohengrin plumb the depths stunningly, and make you wish Rodziński had recorded the operas in full.

His various performances with the Vienna State Opera Orchestra are equally accomplished and disciplined, but it’s a second-rate ensemble, and the sound is opaque. The best of these include a tasteful Schumann Piano Concerto with Jörg Demus; Chopin’s two Piano Concertos, again with Badura-Skoda, and César Franck’s Symphony in D minor and Le chasseur maudit. We also get rehearsal tapes with Rodziński; at one point he tells a joke, but I did not quite catch it. At least no gunshots are heard.

In sum, plenty of repertoire to get stuck into both cases. The Szell box is especially recommended.

George Szell Edition
Music by Beethoven, Mozart, Sibelius
LSO, Concertgebouw Orchestra, VPO/George Szell
Decca Eloquence 484 8296 (10CD)
**** ½

Artur Rodziński: Complete Westminster Recordings
Music by Dvorák, Tchaikovsky, Wagner
RPO, Vienna State Opera Orchestra/Artur Rodziński
Westminster Eloquence 4848489 (25CD)
***