Berg Chamber Concerto for Piano, Violin and 13 Wind Instruments (Kammerkonzert) a.

Stravinsky Concerto in E flat, "Dumbarton Oaks" b. Eight Instrumental Miniatures b. Ebony Concerto c. c Michel Arrignon (cl); a Pinchas Zukerman (vn); a Daniel Barenboim (pf); Ensemble InterContemporain / Pierre Boulez.

DG The Originals (Mid  price) (CD) 447 405-2GOR (62 minutes: ADD). Items marked a from 2531 007 (7/78), bc 2531 378 (8/82).

Pierre Boulez's account of Berg's Chamber Concerto has not had a particularly good press down the years, and now (without the other Berg works that accompanied it on its first CD reissue, 1/89) it still comes across as drily recorded and hectically projected, despite the evident virtuosity of the two soloists and the alertness of the supporting wind players. In addition, the finale is seriously unbalanced by the absence of the extended repeat which the score specifies .

If Boulez is brusque and casual with Berg, he threatens to be too solemn with Stravinsky, but here, undoubtedly, initial fears of a ponderous approach prove groundless. Dumbarton Oaks – the finale, in particular – has characterful playing, despite the rather cool atmosphere, and the Ebony Concerto (with a fuller, more forwardly balanced sound) has attractively bold colours and sharply articulated rhythms. The Eight Instrumental Miniatures – no less excellently played – are not separately tracked.
AW