At once a school and a festival cozily ensconced in the greenery of Vermont, Marlboro Music is renowned for its special atmosphere of community and its links to the European traditions of its founders, most notably pianist Rudolf Serkin, who served as its Artistic Director for forty years. Featured in this 50th anniversary package is a previously unreleased Serkin recording of the Beethoven Fourth Piano Concerto from a 1974 concert given in memory of another famous Marlboro participant, Pablo Casals. Conducted by Alexander Schneider, it is a strong, swift and straightforward reading, one that follows classical rather than romantic impulses. It is followed by a rousing rendition of Beethoven's "warmup" for the Ode to Joy, the 'Choral Fantasy,' with Serkin the father at the piano and son Peter conducting. The second disc shifts the focus to chamber music, with an especially lovely performance of the ravishing Dvorak G major String Quintet and the surprisingly but always welcome pungency of Leos Janacek's sextet, 'Mladi.'
