Feb. 12, London Theatre Concerts, Fritz Heinig, Brosa & K.U. Schnabel

The transcription of the Fantasie in F minor (K.608), originally announced for Jan 8 and then transferred to to-nights programme, was not forth-coming, but the Idomeneo overture is sufficient of a rarity in itself and made a noble introduction to the concert. The violin concerto in G (K 216) is a gracious work and Brosa played it graciously. I don’t think I have heard the C minor wind serenade (K.388) for a long time, if at all but it seemed quite familiar, I presume because I have heard twice in the past year the string quintet which is adapted from it. The programme talked about “intense seriousness, gloom and passion” which seems an exaggeration. Certainly it isn’t light & sprightly but one can be serious without being gloomy and in its wind version it is not at all forbidding.

Young Schnabel played the E flat P. Concerto (K.449) very well & it sounded even more impressive than on Kathleen Long’s records, especially the first movement. Why isn’t it played oftener? I wouldn’t put it in my first 3 – but not lower than 6 or 8. And to crown all we had as good a performance of the G minor Symphony (K.550) as one is likely to hear except from Beecham or Walter in an inspired mood.

Considerable credit must be given to Fritz Heinig who was making his first public appearance in this country, tho’ he has lived here for four years. In rapid, energetic passages, he looked at first sight, too officiousness [sic] but when one observed his quiet and restrained watchfulness elsewhere, one could see that he had the root of the matter in him.