Berg's Chamber Concerto is often referred to as his craggiest, least aurally appealing work and indeed it is virtually bound to seem so if the metronome marks are adhered to, as they are (more or less) here. Since those markings are numerological rather than musical in origin however, I see no reason why conductors should not modify them and use their ears to determine appropriate tempos. For corroboration I can only point to the not easily obtainable LP of Richter and Kagaan's live perfommance with a wind ensemble from the Moscow Conservatoire (EMI Electrola 1C 06503 672); this has its faults, but as a musical experience it is still finer than any other account on record. In the issue under review Barenboim and Zukerman are strong soloists, but Boulezian intransigence reduces large parts of the score to a gabble, and his omission of the long finale repeat (which, Appassionata-fashion, adds incomparably to the whirlpool effect of the coda) is unpardonable.
The Op. 1 Piano Sonata, by contrast, usually suffers from being played far too slowly—Berg actually considered adding allegro to the published moderato marking. Barenboim is one of many who smear over the structure by a generalized, lingering rubato, and some of the technically demanding passages are sketchily played. His partnership with Antony Pay in the clarinet pieces is of a quite different order, however, and this atmospheric performance certainly deserves to hold its place in the catalogue.'