Ernst Toch: Big Ben: Variation-Fantasy on the Westminster Chimes (1934) -The Recordings

There is only a single commercial recording of Ernst Toch’s Big Ben: Variation-Fantasy on the Westminster Chimes currently in the catalogues. This was released in 2002 by New World Records (80609). The CD also included the ‘early’ Piano Concerto op. 38, (1926), Peter Pan, A Fairy Tale for Orchestra, op. 76 (1956) and Pinocchio, A Merry Overture (1935).  The piano soloist was Todd Crow, and the Hamburg North German Radio Symphony Orchestra was conducted by Leon Botstein. The entire CD provides a splendid introduction to Toch’s music, featuring music from a 30-year period. 

James H North, writing in Fanfare: The Magazine for the Serious Record Collector (March 2003, p.191-2) felt that ‘the 16-minute piece encompasses many moods and is extremely clever, perhaps too much so for its own good: What could have been a sure fire, Elgarian pops hit, to a tune known the world over, is filled with little fugues and other esoteric musical devices.’ For me, it is mysterious quality that make this piece such a winner.

Turning to the other works on this disc, North regards the Piano Concerto as ‘a more sophisticated cousin of George Gershwin's Concerto in F’ with a ‘complex orchestral accompaniment that sounds mildly dissonant to our ears [but] must have been hot stuff in 1926; some sections are nearly atonal, but a breezy, free-swinging attitude prevails, with both Romantic and neo-Classical touches.’  

Mark L. Lehman American Record Guide (March 2003 p.177-8) considered that ‘Peter Pan, in three short movements, is appropriately whimsical and dancing-on-airish, its outer fast movements enclosing a…faux-rustic gavotte, while the harmonically tamer [Pinocchio] overture is ebullient and tuneful.’ Turning to the Big Ben Fantasy which is ‘more substantial and more various, Big Ben, which begins with the famous chimes, proposing, solid, Brahmsian edifice that seems to encompass the many aspects of the city around it, from stately and sonorous to vigorous, and bustling to ceremonious and grand to misty and mysterious.’ One of the remarkable qualities of the Big Ben Fantasy are the balance between ‘masterly contrapuntal skill’ and ‘easily assimilated melodic appeal.’ It was a style that Ernst Toch mastered to a fine degree. Finally, Lehman’s assessment of the piano concerto deserves to be quoted on full:

‘The Piano Concerto allows Toch's long-lined, bittersweet, and deeply Viennese lyricism full flower. His richly chromatic, eloquently sculptured phrases - similar to Hindemith in language but closer to Mahler in their nostalgic longing - are spun out and entwined with a sort of ecstatic poignancy in the magnificent central adagio, 11 minutes of almost Bergian pantonalism that grows from a halting, limpid piano solo of exquisite shapeliness and haunting expressive resonance. There's really nothing like this adagio in all the concerted piano literature, and it remains one of Toch's most personal and individual creations.’

The Gramophone (October 2003, p.54-55) reviewer was impressed with this new CD, which was part of the ‘Toch Revival.’  To what extent this revival remains to be seen. To be sure, listeners now have a wide range of recordings to explore, including the cycle of seven symphonies, the extant string quartets and a good selection of piano music. Yet, his sun seems, once again, to have set, at least in the concert hall.

Guy Rickards thought that the Pinocchio Overture was ‘a lively affair, pure entertainment’ whereas the Big Ben fantasy ‘showcases’ the composer’s talents to greater effect. He considers it to be a ‘masterly piece’ which ‘adds up to slightly more than the 1955 Peter Pan, which, despite the work’s orchestral brilliance (with some distinctly [Malcolm] Arnold-like touches in places) is more of a character study than as narrative poem.’

Turning to the main work on this disc, the critic considers that the Piano Concerto (1926) displays ‘plenty of light and shade in its turbulent but ultimately ebullient course.’ This is particularly evident in the opening ‘Allegro’ and the ‘seething climax of the central adagio.’ The concerto is played by Tod Crow ‘with great elan.’ Overall, Rickards thinks that Leon Botstein ‘secures some excellent playing from the North German Radio players and New World’s sound is clear and exciting.’

For completeness, it should be noted that in 1975 an early monaural recording of Ernst Toch’s music appeared including the Big Ben: Fantasy. The cover title was ‘In Memoriam Ernst Toch (1887-1964)’ This was a non-commercial recording made by the RAI [Radiotelevisione italiana] National Symphony Orchestra under Rudolf Kempe. The album included Pinocchio: A Merry Overture and the Symphony No.1 (1950). This vinyl LP was issued on Educational Media Associates EMA 101.

In 1997, Exton Records (OVCL 00126) released a compilation album which included the Big Ben Variation alongside Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations and Benjamin Britten’s Young Persons Guide to the Orchestra, The Philharmonic Orchestra was conducted by Djong Victorin. I was unable to locate any reviews of these recordings.

Meanwhile Ernst Toch’s Big Ben Variation Fantasy on the Westminster Chimes can be heard on YouTube. (Accessed 27 January 2021).