WAYLTL - November 09
Dil
improved Reckless Records here in Chicago.
Bruckner Requiem in d - Beuerle conducting the Laubacher Kantorei
From a Nonesuch LP (1976) - Nice understated performance. Not the
highest quality soloists but enjoyable nonetheless.
Beethoven: Symphonies 3, 5, & 8 from two separate Philips LP's -
Collin Davis - BBC Symphony - Better Beethoven from Davis than his
later recordings -have these ever been put on CD?
Tchaikovsky - Piano Concerto 1 plus the Rach 2nd - Edith Farnadi /
Scherchen -From a Westminster mono LP. Bustling performance in the
Tchaikovsky -very large & grand but it worked for me -haven't yet
listened to the Rach.
Brahms Double Concerto - Mehta/Zukerman/Harrell/NYPO - CBS -This is
one fine performance and recording. Full of life and passion. No
recording dates are given (the copyright on the jacket is 1981) but I
think it's an analogue recording (it doesn't say Digital or DDD
anywhere) -it sounds good and so much better than the tin-can digital
recordings from NY that Columbia made in the 1980s. I wish they had
kept their analogue gear in that hall for another 10 years with
results like this.
Dil
jrsnfld
> Brahms Double Concerto - Mehta/Zukerman/Harrell/NYPO - CBS -This is
> one fine performance and recording. Full of life and passion. No
> recording dates are given (the copyright on the jacket is 1981) but I
> think it's an analogue recording (it doesn't say Digital or DDD
> anywhere) -it sounds good and so much better than the tin-can digital
> recordings from NY that Columbia made in the 1980s. I wish they had
> kept their analogue gear in that hall for another 10 years with
> results like this.
I just bought this a couple months ago...haven't heard it yet,
unfortunately. It's nice to know the sound is good. I liked Mehta's
Brahms 3 from that period enough to want the Double Concerto despite
being somewhat "down" on Zukerman these days.
--Jeff
SG
Risking that ami Jeff laughs at my most recent passion...
Verdi's Requiem with Gergiev, on Philips.
Fabulous in many respects, flawed in avoidable respects.
The orchestra/choir/conductor flawless in every respect. Well, de
Sabata or even Giulini exhibit even more a complex/humane of a music-
related "subconscious," but not even them have the choir singing with
more polyphonically crystalline articulation in the fugatos, while,
with Gergiev, the percussion/brass-driven Dies Irae sheer bite is
second to none.
The soloists quartet, on the other hand, is wildly uneven, with Andrea
Bocelli as the weakest link, in an obvious, almost embarrassing way.
I'm not a professional Bocelli-Basher, he may be a good/moving folksy/
pop/whatever singer, he just has no business singing in Verdi's most
spiritual masterpiece. The bass-baritone, Idelbrando d'Arcangelo,
isn't exactly Tito Gobbi either, to put it nicely.
Thankfully, a weak tenor is not something so overpowering in this
particular work as to make one regret the purchase. Gergiev, the Kirov
ensembles (and subsidiarily Flemming and Borodina) are worth the
experience.
A flawed version with enough exceptional elements - and especially
general flow/drama - to recommend it.
regards,
SG
Dil
> I liked Mehta's Brahms 3 from that period enough to want the Double Concerto despite
> being somewhat "down" on Zukerman these days.
> --Jeff
Do you find that his tone can become a little too sweet sometimes?
Dil.
Lawrence Chalmers
cd,
the former spurred on by Ohana's music
which I find appealing. Also the Stolowski Icon set, bought because I'd
never bought any of those recordings back in the day.
some likes and dislikes there, but I'd NEVER heard lyla Mouremetz. Oh
my, it was sensational! Can anyone approach that in a 'complete'
version, now that I've heard this? The Debussy with the French
orchestra was so pefumed and atmospheric. among the best I've heard
(iiho, h=humble), but Claire De Lune in Stokowski's version, a little
overdone.
Bartok's MSPC a big disappointment
mostly because the timps were almost inaudible, as they were in the DSCH
Symphony 11. Not being a huge fan of his, I'm glad to have this set
along with the Sony T&I Synthesis. The Planets, not impressed, nor with
the Bach transcriptions. In a separate recording, I pursued the Berger
Rondino Giacoso
which has always been a favorite of mine.
The others on that disc are totally uninteresting to me.
Rugby
Harty and Ireland piano concertos,commented upon here earlier.
Would love to acquire the Testament of Cliburn's 1959 London recital,
and Hyperion's complete Bowen Piano Sonatas, but the prices are, oh
dear, much too dear,I fear, more Madiera my dear as I shed a tear.
And Rubinstein/Krips in Mozart K.491, surprisingly disappointing given
their excellent Beethoven concerti set.
I think I'll follow BBC Radio 3 and France Musiques for awhile for
live performances.
Regards, Rugby
Dil
I didn't know this set existed, thanks. Glancing at Amazon, it looks
like EMI also just issued a Milstein and Tauber Icon box. As for the
Stokowski, his DSCH #11 is the stuff that dreams are made of as Sam
Spade would say. -Funny how tastes are different, this Planets has
always been a favorite of mine (among many in my collection) but the
Carmina Burana of this period I have on vinyl and to which I never
took a liking, finding it uncharacteristically (for this conductor)
uninvolved. I don't think I've heard any other of the performances
listed on the back of the box (not interested in LS's Bach, though).
Dil.
Matthew�B.�Tepper
typed in news:8b7b369d-9f53-442e-8e84-
12f887...@r31g2000vbi.googlegroups.com:
The presence of a mediocre tenor would not necessarily preclude my purchasing
a recording of the Verdi Requiem. The presence of a tenor with an inadequate
and unacceptable voice, however, does. My funds for purchasing recordings
are finite, and I'd far rather buy, say, some Onslow string quintets I
haven't already got.
--
Matthew B. Tepper: WWW, science fiction, classical music, ducks!
Read about "Proty" here: http://home.earthlink.net/~oy/proty.html
To write to me, do for my address what Androcles did for the lion
Opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of my employers
jrsnfld
I'm not sure "sweet" is the right word, but perhaps you're thinking of
the same thing. I don't mind the everpresent vibrato, but it seems
that he lays it on too thickly for many chamber music settings (and he
plays a lot of chamber music with other well known soloists). He does
have a very big, rich, beautiful tone, but somehow it becomes an
overbearing, burdensome presence without enough flexibility.
-Jeff
jrsnfld
That reminds me, I've been meaning to try Gergiev's Otello sometime.
Maybe this will be incentive.
I had a conversation about Bocelli in a taxicab a few years ago. When
the driver found out that I liked classical music he told me nobody
inspired him like Bocelli. Then he asked me what I thought about
Bocelli, and of course, like a good passenger concerned about arriving
to my destination in one piece, I told him the truth: Bocelli makes
beautiful music and I find that great too, just not in the way other
classical singers are great.
And no, I don't think I'll buy that on your recommendation...not
without first hearing a Otello and Traviata. I'm kind of burnt out on
the Requiem, though I did buy Abbado's EMI recording not too long ago
and found it excellent.
--Jeff
HvT
Tveitt's PCs, in particular PC 5, by Mortensen/Ruud and the Stavanger
SO. Even after repeated listenings I don't know exactly why I like it: I
cannot remember afterwards a single passage, in spite of its many
interesting moments.
Other WAYLTLs:
Pollini's WTC I. This performance is hors concours. It's unlike any
other recording of Bach's first book. It's also typical Pollini - and
the best he has ever recorded.
Tokarev playing Rameau, Debussy, Ravel and Franck. A very talented young
man who has to learn how to tell a story (Le Gibet).
Romanovsky playing Schumann's Etudes Symphoniques and Brahms's Paganini
Variations. This youngster has a sweet tone that irritates me so much
that I find it very difficult to listen to the music.
Ohlsson's Scriabin etudes. He makes them sound like miniatures - and
succeeds in making me believe that that's what they are.
Henk
Rugby
Rautavaara ? To go with Tveitt.
Rugby
Bob Lombard
Pay attention, 'Rugby'; he said 'great'.
bl
Dil
> And no, I don't think I'll buy that on your recommendation...not
> without first hearing a Otello and Traviata. I'm kind of burnt out on
> the Requiem, though I did buy Abbado's EMI recording not too long ago
> and found it excellent.
Yes, the latest Abbado Verdi Requiem on EMI is quite good, although I
don’t think I would put it above his 1970’s reading on DG. I have this
latest Berlin recording on DVD and I was initially drawn to that
format for the visual (i.e. Gheorghiu) but then I found the
performance nearly as attractive.
Dil.
Gerard
Can anyone already comment on the latest EMI recording by Pappano?
Matthew�B.�Tepper
The Historian
An awful lot of Haydn symphonies, both modern:
Fischer/AHHO - 39, 30, 31, 13, 83, 85, 90, 55, 56, 65, 72, 73, 6, 7,
8, 35, 38, 22
Goodman/Hanover Band - 72, 73 (good enough I wished they finished the
cycle)
Schwarz/Scottish CO - 61, 51, 103, Piano Concerto in G, Cello Concerto
in D (too bland and, in the case of the cello concerto, SLOW.)
Kuijken - 90 (better horns than Fischer in this work)
American Horn Quintet/Sinfonia - 31 (bland and too polite)
...and historical (all downloads from RMCR posters):
Hass/London Baroque - 22
Beecham/RPO - 102 (1949 recording)
Heyward/Halle - 103
Jorda/NSO - 88 (the only disappointing recording in the lot - there's
little distinctive about the performance.)
Wood/LPO - 45
Sevitsky/IPO - 73
This morning, as a change of pace, it's two recordings of the Schumann
Konzerstuck, CSO/Barenboim and the American Horn Quintet's Naxos
recording. The CSO recording is better played and more driven. The AHQ
recording is nice, but not much else.
SG
> And no, I don't think I'll buy that on your recommendation...
I wasn't recommending anybody to buy anything. I liked it. What I like
it and two dollars buys you a cup of espresso. (Make that three
dollars.) I also believe very few of those who have already a number
of excellent recordings of this piece would find this version
indispensable. The Requiem is not exactly a neglected work, nor
lacking in reference recordings.
regards,
SG
SG
I've also found the DVD of Abbado conducting the Requiem live soon
after his recovery (he still looked sick, especially towards the end)
rather moving, even if it's a little hard to separate context from
substance.
regards,
SG
jrsnfld
Opinions used to be worth two cents; now they're worth a dollar?
Gergiev is often interesting enough to warrant a purchase, regardless
of the singers (listened to a few minutes of the Otello last night: it
opens at a manic pace--not the tidiest performance, but it sure beats
boredom).
Listening right now to a piece for organ and percussion by Mathias
Wager. Not my usual combination of instruments, but I couldn't resist
the (evidently apt) title: "Fasten Seat Belts."
--Jeff
HvT
Hmmm. I do have concertos by Rautavaara but don't intend to revisit
them. The music is too rhetoric for my taste. Tveitt has far more
substance.
Henk
SG
> Opinions used to be worth two cents; now they're worth a dollar?
Did you follow the dollar/euro trend recently ( :?
regards,
SG
jrsnfld
What's money? We working people have no time for it.
By the way...don't forget the freebie on Swedish Radio. The Gergiev
Strauss broadcast (also with a vibrant Jeu d'Cartes) will probably
disappear in about 26 hours.
--Jeff
number_six
> Listened to dg set Guitarra Espagnola by Yepes and the new Naxos Ohana
> cd, the former spurred on by Ohana's music
> which I find appealing.
I haven't heard the whole set, but Yepes is one of my favorite
guitarists, along with Bream, and Lagoya.
I've recently listened to:
Petula Clark - the Nixa Anthology 1956-59...before she went
Downtown...
Some trax from my old Thomas Mapfumo CDs
When TIM departs this world, I expect a Mapfumo renaissance
Music of Elgar & Walton - Boult on EMI
Celeste Rodrigues on Movieplay Portuguesa...incredible
Rina Ketty on Virgin France...J'Attendrai....unforgettable
td
Thread-Mender
SG
Two Valery "Orgyev" CD's - Tchaikovsky 6th + Romeo and Juliet/
Mariinsky and the live 2001 version of Shostakovich's Seventh. (I am
waiting for the VPO 4th-5th-6th Tchaikovsky set so I cannot compare
yet.)
The PIT CD gets one thumb down, the Shosty three thumbs (or two thumbs
and one big toe) up. The former is no bad by any means, it's
"exciting" and well-recorded, but it lacks, I find, the organicity and
humaneness which Gergiev's live recordings mostly exhibit. For modern
standards, excellent performances, with interesting ideas and
balances, but not indispensable.
(By the way, Jeff, a second listening disenchanted me a tad with the
Verdi Requiem. I don't regret buying it, at least for the Dies Irae,
and in general for the sections where the orchestra predominates, but
I don't think this registers as one of the great recordings, Bocelli-
Schmocelli.)
The live Leningrad on Philips, on the other hand, recommended with
almost no caveats. The recording itself is fantastic, I think, even if
I am not the most qualified poster here to compare Hi-Fi recordings
qua recording. The performance could hardly get better. Well, there
will be always people who think this symphony to be bad music, and I
can hardly blame them, even if I feel (rather than think) differently.
regards,
SG
Al Eisner
month or so ago. I like the sound of the lower-register viols in
particular, but don't have a great deal of listening experience.
In common to both of the following is the good balance of Savall's
ensembles.
Marais, "Suite d'un Gout Etranger", a 2-CD set taken from his Book IV
of viol pieces. I was a bit cautious about Marais, since some of
the relatively little I've heard was initially attractive but
became somwewhat monotonous. I was attracted to this release by
its being described as including relatively conmplex and varied
music. It is certainly varied, and much of it is of considerable
musical interest. (The best work, in my opinion, is the longest,
"Le Labyrinthe"). The varied players always include Savall on bass
viol, adding usually guitar or theorbo and/or clavier and sometimes
a second bass viol. The few marches include incisive percussion,
and are very dramatic, reminding me somewhat of Rameau. Overall
I very much liked the way all of this sounded, although some of the
simpler pieces may not wear well.
Purcell, Fantasias, a reissue of an older release by the viol ensemble
Hyperion XX: varied combinations of viols, with Savall (this time on
a high-register instrument) the common denominator. This music
is generally considerably more complex than the Marais, especially
harmonically. This one should offer repeated rewards over the long haul.
while the music was immediately attractive, I'm sure I was far from
"getting" everthing that was going on (a great deal) in these works.
The ensemble playing seemed wonderful. I'll likely relisten soon.
Both recommended.
--
Al Eisner
Dil
More previously unheard (to my ears) vinyl.
Tchaikovsky, 1st piano concerto. Arrau/Philharmonia/Galliera EMI-
Seraphim (Angels on the Highest Order –but can be bought cheaply).
Until I came across this issue recently in my local store, I never
knew Arrau recorded this during his earlier period at EMI. (I
previously only have heard the later recording with Davis in Boston.).
Here is a more incisive performance than the later broadly laid
reading with Davis and one of the nicest Andantino Seplice’s I have
heard. Galliera too, has something to say.
Beethoven 9th –Markevich/Lamoureux. –Mercury Wing. My copy says its
electronically reprocessed stereo, but it sounds pretty good and I see
an old ebay listing on Dutch Philips that says Hi-Fi Stereo. Anyone
know if this was an original mono release? The performance is
respectable, typically lean Markevich. According to the RMCR archives,
this once appeared on a French Decca cd –I wish I had grabbed that.
150 Songs, Jigs, Reels, and Ballads of Ireland. (Murray Hill 5 record
Box): Some of the David Hammond renditions sound like a forerunner to
Simon and Garfunkel.
Dil.
Dil
By the way, one more, from CD: Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture (among other
things by PIT). Montreal/Dutoit/Decca. Is there any reason Decca felt
the need to throw in a Tomita-like synthesizer at the end of the
1812?? (With no mention of it on the CD cover). -Pretty odd for a
seemingly straight classical release from this label.
Dil.
jrsnfld
> Beethoven 9th –Markevich/Lamoureux. –Mercury Wing. My copy says its
> electronically reprocessed stereo, but it sounds pretty good and I see
> an old ebay listing on Dutch Philips that says Hi-Fi Stereo. Anyone
> know if this was an original mono release? The performance is
> respectable, typically lean Markevich. According to the RMCR archives,
> this once appeared on a French Decca cd –I wish I had grabbed that.
A Philips CD from Japan. I've not seen it on anything else.
-Jeff
Johannes Roehl
>> electronically reprocessed stereo, but it sounds pretty good and I see
>> an old ebay listing on Dutch Philips that says Hi-Fi Stereo. Anyone
>> know if this was an original mono release? The performance is
>> respectable, typically lean Markevich. According to the RMCR archives,
>
> A Philips CD from Japan. I've not seen it on anything else.
It's a Philips stereo recording from January '61, Paris, according to
the French Decca/Universal "La collection Classique" 464-091-2 I have. A
limited series from ca. 1999, rather cheap, without seperate booklet,
only a brief French text on the "sleeve" (it's one of those folding
cardboard things). The series contains also Markevitchs Beethoven 5/8
and probably #1 as a filler for Haydn 103/104 (I missed that one and am
still searching for a non-Japanes issue).
(Can't say anything about the performance, I liked 5 and 8 quite a lot,
but don't remember much about #9)
Johannes
Dil
> jrsnfld schrieb:
>
> > On Nov 8, 6:46 pm, Dil <grobberst...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >> electronically reprocessed stereo, but it sounds pretty good and I see
> >> an old ebay listing on Dutch Philips that says Hi-Fi Stereo. Anyone
> >> know if this was an original mono release? The performance is
> >> respectable, typically lean Markevich. According to the RMCR archives,
>
> > A Philips CD from Japan. I've not seen it on anything else.
>
> It's a Philips stereo recording from January '61, Paris, according to
> the French Decca/Universal "La collection Classique" 464-091-2 I have. A
> limited series from ca. 1999, rather cheap, without seperate booklet,
> only a brief French text on the "sleeve" (it's one of those folding
> cardboard things). The series contains also Markevitchs Beethoven 5/8
> and probably #1 as a filler for Haydn 103/104 (I missed that one and am
> still searching for a non-Japanes issue).
>
> (Can't say anything about the performance, I liked 5 and 8 quite a lot,
> but don't remember much about #9)
>
> Johannes
Thanks Johannes and JR.
Now, I believe my Mercury Wing issue labeled “electronically processed
stereo” is actually true stereo.
Dil.
Russ (not Martha)
Christophorus
Pleasant enough, but no more than that; fairly early works lacking the
inventiveness of the quartets, and possibly the later string trios
which I do not know. The Trio Mirò seems competent, but not
especially refined. Perhaps different performers could enliven the
music. (I recall thinking the Haydn Op 1 quartets were pretty much of
a yawn, based on the Kodaly Quartet recordings I had. Then I heard
the Petersens . . . !!!)
Clementi Piano Sonatas Vol. 4 / Shelley / Hyperion
Keep 'em coming, Howard.
Scarlatti: 8 sonatas; Soler: 10 Sonatas; misc Spanish composers:
sonatas and other works, mainly from Joaquin Nin collection /
Fernando Valenti, harpsichord / my own remastering
Half the fun was digging up the Rubio and/or Marvin numbers for the
Soler sonatas, which were identified on the LP jacket only by goofy
ordinal numbers that didn't jibe with any Soler edition concordance I
could find.
Sibelius & Schoenberg Violin Concertos / Hahn; Salonen; Swedish RSO
Snapped this up for the Sibelius, whose finale I caught on FM while
driving around. Thought it was Heifetz, except that the orchestral
sound was balanced differently from that of the CSO, and only at the
very end, where Heifetz rewrites the final scale passages, did I
realize it had to be someone else.
Russ (not Martha)
jrsnfld
> Sibelius & Schoenberg Violin Concertos / Hahn; Salonen; Swedish RSO
>
> Snapped this up for the Sibelius, whose finale I caught on FM while
> driving around. Thought it was Heifetz, except that the orchestral
> sound was balanced differently from that of the CSO, and only at the
> very end, where Heifetz rewrites the final scale passages, did I
> realize it had to be someone else.
I've heard her do good Sibelius, but the Schoenberg would be, for me,
the reason to get the disc. Did you like it?
--Jeff
Russ (not Martha)
Schoenberg, except in his rare tonal moments, isn't my cup of tea.
I'll give Hahn the benefit of the doubt regarding anything she takes
up.
Russ (not Martha)
Gerard
A fine performance, just as fine as many. I don't hear much of an
"interpretation", but that's me of course. This is not a recording for those who
are looking for "something extraordinary and world-shaking".
It is in good sound, although not ideal - I am sure that this can be done much
better. What experiences do others have with (the sound of) this label RCO Live?
Bob Lombard
> �Heroes� ~ Franco Corelli
> Corelli, various conductors & orchestras [EMI]
>
> Eighteen tracks and 76 minutes of Franco Corelli at full throttle ...
> "Thank you, sir! May I have another?!" Corelli may be too much to
> take in large doses, but once you've heard him sing "E lucevan le
> stelle" or "Di quella pira" or "Nessun dorma" or any of the Andrea
> Ch�nier arias, other tenors sound like little girlie-men. The main
> disappointment of sorts is "Recitar! ... Vesti la giubba," which is
> melodramatic to the point of being cartoonish in character and, thus,
> unaffecting.
>
Hah! Corelli's motto seems to have been 'Sing, goddammit, sing! If you
have anything left at the end of the evening, you've been a slacker.'
It's the Cziffra attitude, for which much can be forgiven - and little
need be.
bl
Sol L. Siegel
news:9e720$4afababf$5ed13b3d$20...@cache2.tilbu1.nb.home.nl:
I have the Haitink 8th. I would say it's in good sound, although not
ideal, but I'm not sure it could be done that much better. Then again,
I was playing it in SACD. Nothing really spectacular, but it did add
some extra dimension, and heaven knows Bruckner needs it.
--
- Sol L. Siegel, Philadelphia, PA USA
Gerard
There's an improtant difference: I listen 'stereo' (the CD layer) only.
I've just relistened to the slow movement again on a much higher volume (higher
than can be used for the louder parts), and this really "opens" the sound, and
it comes closer to the only other live RCO recordings I can compare it with
(Mahler symphonies by Haitink, live on the 'Kerstmatinees').
Not only Bruckner needs it, I'm sure. But I'm afraid also another house (with a
larger living room) is needed, for getting that extra dimension.
Matthew�B.�Tepper
typed in news:b2ec3119-c92a-4b3c-aa93-
ef8445...@a31g2000yqn.googlegroups.com:
> Beethoven: �Missa Solemnis�
> Teresa Stich-Randall, Norma Procter, Richard Lewis, Kim Borg
> BBC Chorus & Symphony Orchestra
> Jascha Horenstein
> [BBC Legends; live radio broadcast, 23 February 1961]
[review snipped]
Thanks for this. I'll have to seek it out. I only recently bought his
Bournemouth Mahler 6th (on BBC Legends, with incongruous but valuable
couplings by Rossini and Nielsen), and thought it was a FAR better
performance than the Stockholm one I've known for decades, albeit with
somewhat worse sound.
--
Matthew B. Tepper: WWW, science fiction, classical music, ducks!
Read about "Proty" here: http://home.earthlink.net/~oy/proty.html
To write to me, do for my address what Androcles did for the lion
Opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of my employers
number_six
> Beethoven: «Missa Solemnis»
> Teresa Stich-Randall, Norma Procter, Richard Lewis, Kim Borg
> BBC Chorus & Symphony Orchestra
> Jascha Horenstein
> [BBC Legends; live radio broadcast, 23 February 1961]
>
> bunch, both together and apart: Borg's singing is perhaps a bit
> generalized in expression, but he provides a solid, steady base/bass;
> Procter and Lewis are at their always reliable best plus some,
> sounding even more pointed and ardent than usual; and Stich-Randall is
> simply da bomb, raising goose bumps and inducing shivers of ecstasy
> with every silvery outpouring.
I have not heard this Missa Solemnis, but about Stich-Randall, I had
the same reaction to her Bach Cantata 78 with Prohaska and the Bach
Guild. She was extraordinary.
jrsnfld
> Beethoven: «Missa Solemnis»
> Teresa Stich-Randall, Norma Procter, Richard Lewis, Kim Borg
> BBC Chorus & Symphony Orchestra
> Jascha Horenstein
> [BBC Legends; live radio broadcast, 23 February 1961]
>
> drama of Toscanini or the steady reverence of Klemperer or the flowing
> lyricality of Kubelik (those are the only other recordings I know
> somewhat well), but it comes impressively close on all three counts
> and strikes me as the most well-rounded and holistic performance of
> the four. Combine Horenstein's all-encompassing formal grasp of the
> unwieldy work (it's never sounded so coherent to me), his inspiring
> leadership, and the all-out effort of the performers and you have one
> hell of a «Missa Solemnis». (I state all this with precious little
> authority, as I really don't know the work all that well.)
>
> The orchestra and especially the chorus acquit themselves very well
> throughout, maintaining very good technical standards while playing
> and singing with great conviction and total faith in Horenstein --
> despite the absence of an audience, there's a tremendous sense of
> occasion about the proceedings. The vocal soloists are a wonderful
> bunch, both together and apart: Borg's singing is perhaps a bit
> generalized in expression, but he provides a solid, steady base/bass;
> Procter and Lewis are at their always reliable best plus some,
> sounding even more pointed and ardent than usual; and Stich-Randall is
> simply da bomb, raising goose bumps and inducing shivers of ecstasy
> the BBC concertmaster) in the Benedictus is well played in a tasteful,
> touching manner, and (unlike in many recordings) it feels nicely
> integrated in the performance even though it's easy to hear -- very
> affecting.
>
> I though maybe the Credo was too slow until the big fugue arrived, at
> which point it was clear that Horenstein had conceived the movement
> from the fugue backwards, with the slower tempo setting up the steady
> and deliberate and well-delineated account of fugue. Personally, I
> think that the chorus could have achieved the same level of fugal
> clarity at a faster pace and that a faster overall approach would have
> worked even better for the movement as a whole, but it certainly works
> as is. Still, if the performance has a point of controversy, the slow
> speed of the Credo is likely it. The Sanctus & Benedictus and the
> Agnus Dei are taken slowly as well, but they don't sound
> controversially slow for whatever reasons. The Kyrie and the Gloria
> are taken at a moderate clip.
>
> The mediocre 1961 mono recorded sound will be the rub for most
> listeners, as it's rather dim, veiled, ill-focused, and constricted --
> it's not horrific, but it definitely dulls the listening experience.
> Balances, too, could be better: the strings and the chorus are
> captured pretty well, at least for my taste, but the vocal soloists
> and more so the woodwinds and brass are reticently placed in the sonic
> scheme of things; the timpani is a bit under-recorded and rather ill-
> defined. The vocal soloists can be heard well enough, but orchestral
> detail suffers. For me, the performance transcends the recorded
> sound, but more detail-oriented listeners will likely be less
> forgiving.
>
> J. R. Robinson
> Denver, Colorado
It's interesting that Horenstein basically stuck with the quartet he
had at Leeds in 1958, only replacing Lewis with Pears. One of these
days maybe it'll be worth comparing these two performances.
--Jeff
jrsnfld
> Matthew B. Tepper wrote:
> > JR wrote:
>
> > > Beethoven: «Missa Solemnis»
> > > Teresa Stich-Randall, Norma Procter, Richard Lewis, Kim Borg
> > > BBC Chorus & Symphony Orchestra
> > > Jascha Horenstein
> > > [BBC Legends; live radio broadcast, 23 February 1961]
>
> > [review snipped]
>
> > Thanks for this. I'll have to seek it out. I only recently bought his
> > Bournemouth Mahler 6th (on BBC Legends, with incongruous but valuable
> > couplings by Rossini and Nielsen), and thought it was a FAR better
> > performance than the Stockholm one I've known for decades, albeit with
> > somewhat worse sound.
>
> investigated the Bournemouth account. I find Horenstein's post-Vox
> recordings to be very variable -- not surprising given all the
> bouncing from orchestra to orchestra he did -- but the best of them
> are impressive. The hard (expensive) part is sorting through them all
> and determining what's what.
The Stockholm perforamance is not all that well played, and not
particularly well recorded. I'm not sure how much of that is
Horenstein's fault....
By the way, when did Horenstein stop making records for Vox? I'm not
sure what qualifies as "post-Vox Horenstein", but it would seem this
1961 Missa Solemnis broadcast is basically the same period as his
stereo Vox recordings, as is his Mahler 8 broadcast.
--Jeff
mandryka
Sudden bursts of energy.
Beethoven Bagatelles, Afanassiev. Probably wayward but really
musical. One of those recordings which I can’t stop listening to (you
can hear it on youtube)
Brahms Opus 118/5 – Gieseking (1950s recording) I am addicted to this
short piece the way Gieseking plays it. It’s light, there’s a sense of
whimsy. (\Contrast Rubisnstein’s oily sentimentalism)
Alfred Deller Consort singing madrigals – in a recording called
Madrigal Masterpieces Volume 1. The one voice per part approach seems
to suit these songs – I love the Gesualdo and the French madrigals.
Scarlatti sonatas – Kirkparick, and a record called Duende by Skip
Sempe where he doubles up the harpsichords sometimes. I definitely
prefer Scarlatti on harpsichord to piano – at least in any piano
recording I have heard (though I have a soft spot for Gilels at
Locarno – à moi –même mon mauvais gout.) I just think the sound of the
harpsichord is really exciting -- the glissandos especially.
Lewis Perin
> Haydn 104 – Munch and Boston SO– exciting and somehow unpredictable.
> Sudden bursts of energy.
>
> Beethoven Bagatelles, Afanassiev. Probably wayward but really
> musical. One of those recordings which I can’t stop listening to (you
> can hear it on youtube)
Well, it's wayward music, isn't it? So he's allowed! (I speak as one
devoted to Op. 126.)
/Lew
---
Lew Perin / pe...@acm.org
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html
Alan Cooper
news:1ff5a720-54c1-45e1...@m26g2000yqb.googlegroups.
com:
> number_six wrote:
> Yes, she shows up in some of Scherchen's Westminster recordings
> as well -- always impressive.
Have you heard the old Westminster recording of Handel's Rodelinda cond. by Brian
Priestman. With Stich-Randall, Forrester, Young, & Watts in the cast. Far from
the latest thing when it comes to performance practice, but what a feast of fine
singing!
AC
Matthew�B.�Tepper
label of the Brahms Double and Beethoven Triple, along with Mozart and
Prokofiev concerti.
jrsnfld
> Bunch of vinyl courtesy of of the newly moved (across the street) and
> improved Reckless Records here in Chicago.
>
> Bruckner Requiem in d - Beuerle conducting the Laubacher Kantorei
> From a Nonesuch LP (1976) - Nice understated performance. Not the
> highest quality soloists but enjoyable nonetheless.
>
> Beethoven: Symphonies 3, 5, & 8 from two separate Philips LP's -
> Collin Davis - BBC Symphony - Better Beethoven from Davis than his
> later recordings -have these ever been put on CD?
>
> Tchaikovsky - Piano Concerto 1 plus the Rach 2nd - Edith Farnadi /
> Scherchen -From a Westminster mono LP. Bustling performance in the
> Tchaikovsky -very large & grand but it worked for me -haven't yet
> listened to the Rach.
>
> Brahms Double Concerto - Mehta/Zukerman/Harrell/NYPO - CBS -This is
> one fine performance and recording. Full of life and passion. No
> recording dates are given (the copyright on the jacket is 1981) but I
> think it's an analogue recording (it doesn't say Digital or DDD
> anywhere) -it sounds good and so much better than the tin-can digital
> recordings from NY that Columbia made in the 1980s. I wish they had
> kept their analogue gear in that hall for another 10 years with
> results like this.
>
> Dil
Today an interesting combination of old favorites in new
performances:
Bartok Concerto for Orchestras with Kocsis and his Hungarian National
Philharmonic--a performance from 12 November 09 broadcast on the
radio--stunning virtuosity as he drives his orchestra to a frenzy in
the last movement. It's good to hear this music played with so much
confidence and character (the two go hand in hand).
Brahms Piano Concerto 1 (Antti Siirala, Swedish RSO, Blomstedt) a
broadcast from 2007...a young pianist with the chops to be imperious
but the soul to be intimate and friendly with this music. Nice
combination!
Tchaikovsky Nutcracker, Act 1 Slatkin/SLSO. I can't wait to hear the
rest. The tempi move at a good pace. The rhythms bounce smartly but
not mechanically, and the playing is colorful and attractive. This is
a cut above your average high-quality-but-neutral Slatkin effort. It's
probably one of the best three or four Nutcrackers I've heard on disc.
--Jeff
Gerard
> Last night, a David Oistrakh EMI twofer with his earlier recordings
> for that label of the Brahms Double and Beethoven Triple, along with
> Mozart and Prokofiev concerti.
Thanks.
Now I'll have to buy them immediately, I suppose.
Gerard
>
> Tchaikovsky Nutcracker, Act 1 Slatkin/SLSO. I can't wait to hear the
> rest. The tempi move at a good pace. The rhythms bounce smartly but
> not mechanically, and the playing is colorful and attractive. This is
> a cut above your average high-quality-but-neutral Slatkin effort. It's
> probably one of the best three or four Nutcrackers I've heard on disc.
>
> --Jeff
Which are the other three or four best Nutcrackers (you've heard on disc) in
your opinion?
jrsnfld
Rodzinski and Ansermet both made very strong impressions. Dutoit is
another I enjoy returning to.
Previn/LSO was the first complete version I heard and still lingers
favorably in the memory. Gergiev seemed overall quite good but a
little hectic at times. Others that left favorable impressions but not
lasting memories at this point are Ozawa, Dorati (x2), Bychkov, Vonk.
Previn/RPO seemed to lack some of the energy of his earlier recording.
I recently auditioned Jansons/LPO but didn't feel swayed by it--I'm
not sure why. Abravanel seemed decent but nothing more.
(I think that may be all I've heard so far, other than a broadcast by
Kocsis which was quite good but doesn't count in this listing.)
--Jeff
Gerard
Thanks.
Having heard most of those, I suppose the new Slatkin recording might deserve a
place on a wishlist.
What is the label of this recording?
jrsnfld
It was released on RCA and I think that BMG has grouped all of his
Saint Louis Tchaikovsky ballets in a budget box
--Jeff.
Matthew�B.�Tepper
@m26g2000yqb.googlegroups.com:
> Matthew�B.�Tepper wrote:
>> JR wrote:
>>
>> > Beethoven: �Missa Solemnis�
>> > Teresa Stich-Randall, Norma Procter, Richard Lewis, Kim Borg
>> > BBC Chorus & Symphony Orchestra
>> > Jascha Horenstein
>> > [BBC Legends; live radio broadcast, 23 February 1961]
>>
>> [review snipped]
>>
>> Thanks for this. �I'll have to seek it out. �I only recently bought his
>> Bournemouth Mahler 6th (on BBC Legends, with incongruous but valuable
>> couplings by Rossini and Nielsen), and thought it was a FAR better
>> performance than the Stockholm one I've known for decades, albeit with
>> somewhat worse sound.
>
> I was never particularly taken with his Stockholm 6th, so I never
> investigated the Bournemouth account. I find Horenstein's post-Vox
> recordings to be very variable -- not surprising given all the bouncing
> from orchestra to orchestra he did -- but the best of them are
> impressive. The hard (expensive) part is sorting through them all
> and determining what's what.
Oh, there are some studio-made gems from his post-Vox period:
Bruch Scottish Fantasy (D. Oistrakh)
Hindemith "Mathis der Maler" Symphony
Korngold "Violanta" orchestral exc. (still MIA on CD)
Mahler 1st (I'd also include the 3rd but I'd be shouted down)
Nielsen "Saga Dr�m" (I might have included the 5th until I heard the live one
included with the Bournemouth Mahler 6th)
Panufnik "Heroic Overture"
J. Strauss II waltzes exc.
R. Strauss "Tod und Verkl�rung"
Rachmaninoff PC cycle (plus Pag. Rhap. & "Isle of the Dead") (Wild)
Lawrence Chalmers
really annoying, recording from fm radio announcer super-loud - music
itself very murky, not very well-played IMO - and
the Adagietto falls apart, its sooo slow. The Philly sound is dead
here - and as much as I like Scherchen, this is the WORST M5 I have
ever heard. Am I missing something here? May be an 'historical'
collaboration, but a musical dud. I was really disappointed...
The Historian
Why not? They are good performances, although I prefer Oistrakh's
lusher-sounding Berlin Philharmonic Mozart over the earlier one
offered in the set Matthew describes.
The Historian
> Last night, a David Oistrakh EMI twofer with his earlier recordings for that
> label of the Brahms Double and Beethoven Triple, along with Mozart and
> Prokofiev concerti.
Ah, one of my favorite sets.
Lately I've been listening to Beethoven. Franz Bruggen and his
Orchestra of the 18th Century gave a series of live performances of
the symphonies in Paris in 2006. The sound files have been posted any
number of places online. I've listened to 3 through 9, and they're so
good I have new respect for 'period' performances. The only slight
letdown is an Eroica that seems a little short on voltage. I wonder
what Simon Roberts thinks of these?
Matthew�B.�Tepper
following letters to be typed in news:fdc33843-a38a-486e-a93f-75ebe25acfa3
@e23g2000yqd.googlegroups.com:
As do I.
Sol L. Siegel
news:Xns9CC29A62395...@216.168.3.30:
>> I find Horenstein's post-Vox
>> recordings to be very variable -- not surprising given all the
>> bouncing from orchestra to orchestra he did -- but the best of them
>> are impressive. The hard (expensive) part is sorting through them
>> all and determining what's what.
>
> Oh, there are some studio-made gems from his post-Vox period:
>
> Bruch Scottish Fantasy (D. Oistrakh)
> Hindemith "Mathis der Maler" Symphony
> Korngold "Violanta" orchestral exc. (still MIA on CD)
> Mahler 1st (I'd also include the 3rd but I'd be shouted down)
> Nielsen "Saga Dr�m" (I might have included the 5th until I heard the
> live one included with the Bournemouth Mahler 6th)
> Panufnik "Heroic Overture"
> J. Strauss II waltzes exc.
> R. Strauss "Tod und Verkl�rung"
> Rachmaninoff PC cycle (plus Pag. Rhap. & "Isle of the Dead") (Wild)
I wouldn't shout down the Mahler 3.
The CD of Nielsen 5 and Saga Dr�m seems to have disappeared from all
sales sources - Amazon marketplace isn't even listing it as an
unavailable item! I've had to rip my own copy to hard drive because
it's showing belated signs of bronzing. *sigh*
The Orchestra played the 5th last week (very well, under Oundjian).
With Bernstein relegated to ArkivCD pressings and Horenstein MIA, I
found myself pondering what was the best version remaining out there.
The two Blomstedts, perhaps. (SFSO is actually pretty darned good.)
--
- Sol L. Siegel, Philadelphia, PA USA
Gerard
> On Nov 13, 5:41 am, "Gerard" <ghen_nospam_drik...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > Matthew B. Tepper wrote:
> > > Last night, a David Oistrakh EMI twofer with his earlier
> > > recordings for that label of the Brahms Double and Beethoven
> > > Triple, along with Mozart and Prokofiev concerti.
> >
> > Thanks.
> > Now I'll have to buy them immediately, I suppose.
>
> Why not? They are good performances,
Nothing was said about the performances.
>
> although I prefer Oistrakh's
> lusher-sounding Berlin Philharmonic Mozart over the earlier one
> offered in the set Matthew describes.
I have some Mozart by Oistrach recorded before the BPO recordings (concerti 1
and 3), which I like much more than the BPO recordings.
Who are the conductors on that EMI twofer?
Matthew�B.�Tepper
letters to be typed in news:Xns9CC371BAB23...@130.133.1.4:
Somebody's offering it on eBay for a "Buy It Now" price of $39.99 + $3.00
shipping.
Sol L. Siegel
> "Sol L. Siegel" <vod...@aol.com> appears to have caused the following
> letters to be typed...:
>> The [Horenstein studio] CD of Nielsen 5 and Saga Dr�m seems to have
>> disappeared from all sales sources - Amazon marketplace isn't even
>> listing it as an unavailable item!
> Somebody's offering it on eBay for a "Buy It Now" price of $39.99 +
> $3.00 shipping.
Wow! That's not much more than an Asahina Bruckner disc!
(Which is why I don't own any Asahina Bruckner discs.)
The Historian
Dave Cook
> The CD of Nielsen 5 and Saga Drøm seems to have disappeared from all
> sales sources - Amazon marketplace isn't even listing it as an
> unavailable item! I've had to rip my own copy to hard drive because
> it's showing belated signs of bronzing. *sigh*
My copy of the Nielsen is champagne colored, but there is no cloudy
brown discoloration around the edge like bronzing, and it rips without
problems. My Panufnik and Mahler 3 CDs weren't so lucky.
By the way, many of these Unicorn CDs were recorded with pre-emphasis,
so will sound bright when played back from rips unless you apply
de-emphasis. This is true of the Mahler and Panufnik discs. The
Nielsen disc is an exception.
Dave Cook
Matthew�B.�Tepper
And about the same price as a single Stockhausen CD on his own label!
Matthew�B.�Tepper
letters to be typed in news:009e83ce$0$12345$c3e...@news.astraweb.com:
Please edumacate me -- how do I "apply de-emphasis"?
Dave Cook
> Please edumacate me -- how do I "apply de-emphasis"?
I suppose there's some windows program that will do it, but I've used
sox, and the ripper icedax will apply de-emphasis automatically if it
detects the CD was recorded with pre-emphasis.
Unfortunately, it's not just a ripping problem: a lot of modern CD
players don't apply de-emphasis.
Google should come up with a lot of information, though typically the
geeky kids so often discussing the topic think that no one should care
about it because it's only on old discs (i.e. made before they were
born, and nothing desirable was made that long ago), and even worse,
old discs of *really old* music written by dead people.
But reissues often retain the pre-emphasis, since they just use the
old master. Brilliant Classics reissues of Unicorn and Bis discs are
examples (the Horenstein Mahler 3rd and the Järvi Alfven box),
as are Bis's own "anniversary" reissues of some titles.
A common disc that used pre-emphasis is Gould's digital Goldbergs
(original CBS Masterworks issue). Bis and Supraphon used it a lot up
to the early 90s. Some other labels I've found it on are Nonesuch,
Unicorn, Vox, Camerata, Pierre Verany, Accord, Gimmel, Elan, and
Musica Sveciae. I don't think I've ever encountered it on an EMI,
Universal, RCA or Sony disc.
Dave
Matthew�B.�Tepper
Thanks, I'll start with that.
number_six
Listened to Eric's post of Sessions' Montezuma. It is a strange
thing, alright. I liked parts of it, but felt no connection between
the musical idiom and the narrative action. Would it have been better
with a Spanish libretto? Maybe, but that wouldn't have solved it.
But thanks again to Eric for posting it, I was glad to have the chance
to hear it.
El Son Entero - La Cumbancha (Auvidis)
Rick Wakeman - King Arthur (A&M) what can I say, it was the 70s
on deck -- Arrau - Chopin - The 21 Nocturnes (Philips)
Al Eisner
> On Nov 13, 2:43 am, "Gerard" <ghen_nospam_drik...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> jrsnfld wrote:
>>
>>> Tchaikovsky Nutcracker, Act 1 Slatkin/SLSO. I can't wait to hear the
>>> rest. The tempi move at a good pace. The rhythms bounce smartly but
>>> not mechanically, and the playing is colorful and attractive. This is
>>> a cut above your average high-quality-but-neutral Slatkin effort. It's
>>> probably one of the best three or four Nutcrackers I've heard on disc.
>>
>>> --Jeff
>>
>> Which are the other three or four best Nutcrackers (you've heard on disc) in
>> your opinion?
>
> Rodzinski and Ansermet both made very strong impressions. Dutoit is
> another I enjoy returning to.
>
> Previn/LSO was the first complete version I heard and still lingers
> favorably in the memory. Gergiev seemed overall quite good but a
> little hectic at times. Others that left favorable impressions but not
> lasting memories at this point are Ozawa, Dorati (x2), Bychkov, Vonk.
Gergiev's was the first I heard which convinced me of the quality of
this ballet score. I should say that I favor coherence of the music
over danceability (about which I know little). And also that I don't
recall what others I had previously heard, so I don't know if they
included any of your favorites.
> Previn/RPO seemed to lack some of the energy of his earlier recording.
> I recently auditioned Jansons/LPO but didn't feel swayed by it--I'm
> not sure why. Abravanel seemed decent but nothing more.
>
> (I think that may be all I've heard so far, other than a broadcast by
> Kocsis which was quite good but doesn't count in this listing.)
>
> --Jeff
--
Al Eisner
Dil
> Which are the other three or four best Nutcrackers (you've heard on disc) in
> your opinion?
I love this work and never tire of its pathos, sumptuousness,
atmosphere, and energy. Of complete recordings that I have heard I
think my all around favorite is still the second Dorati performance on
Philips. There’s not a note here that I would want played or recorded
differently. I have the set on vinyl and have loved it so much I have
never bothered acquiring the CDs –remastered or not. Other good
contenders for complete sets are Lanchbery and Previn on EMI or
Dutoit, Bonynge, and Ansermet all on Decca. I have each of these and
have found them satisfactory. The Lanchbery is nearly exquisite; the
Previn is good but ultimately a hair too serious and heavy. I was
actually disappointed in the Gergiev in that I found it somewhat
erratic and wayward with playing and recording to match and lacking in
the sensitivity of the best versions (IMO).
As for the suite, of course there have been many fine releases, but my
standouts are the Reiner, which represents the best of that great
conductor, each of the Karajans (Philharmonia, Vienna, Berlin, and
Berlin?), but my darling, I think, is Steinberg with the Pittsburgh SO
on an old Command Stereo LP that I have. It is absolutely GORGEOUS.
As an alternative to merely listening, one should really experience
this work as PIT intended -with tuned performers running, dancing, and
truly illustrating the narrative. There have been a number of
satisfying DVDs (satisfying, at least in regards to the limitations of
experiencing ballet on a television screen). The 1993 Kirov production
from the Mariinsky Theater in Petersburg on Philips offers luxurious
and sumptuous visuals and adequate choreography. Kultur Video offers a
1987 live performance from the Bolshoi that appears to be captured
more from 1977 video equipment (rather crude), but above the rather
erratic production are the usual superb athletics from this Company
(Maximova and Vasiliev). For those who are rather allergic to snow
flakes there is the non traditional (but still sensitive and quite
attractive) Bejart production from Théâtre Musical de Paris Châtelet
on TDK. There is also Balanchine’s children’s production that was
filmed for a 1993 regular commercial cinema release. It features
(among others) Macaulay Culkin, but wait, it is surprisingly good and
features unexpectedly good taste with wonderful sets, acting, and
storytelling.
Dil.
Dil
11/15/09
Stravinsky: Rite of Spring
Prokoviev: Classical Symphony
New Philharmonia
Rafael Fruhbeck De Burgos
EMI S-36427 (vinyl record)
circa 1967
What a fine conductor de Burgos was (is). Everyone of the old records
from his EMI days that I come across I am consistently pleased. I have
recently heard his Carmina Burana and while it may not be the
flashiest version around, it is certainly very musical. Same here with
the Stravinsky; just pure, truthful, music-making that always sounds
earthly, natural, and human.
Dil.
CharlesSmith
> On Fri, 13 Nov 2009, jrsnfld wrote:
>
> > Previn/LSO was the first complete version I heard and still lingers
> > favorably in the memory. Gergiev seemed overall quite good but a
> > little hectic at times. Others that left favorable impressions but not
> > lasting memories at this point are Ozawa, Dorati (x2), Bychkov, Vonk.
>
> Gergiev's was the first I heard which convinced me of the quality of
> this ballet score. I should say that I favor coherence of the music
> over danceability (about which I know little).
I too am very keen on the Gergiev Nutcracker, and concur that he
appears to be treating it as pure music rather than music to be danced
to. Despite taking some numbers at undanceable speeds he still finds
the space to let the emotional side speak. However I'm a bit surprised
that Jeff has described this recording as "a little hectic at times"
and Dil as "somewhat erratic and wayward". I wonder whether either of
them could point at specific problems? Perhaps I'm getting too excited
and not listening carefully.
Charles
Gerard
I don't agree about "let the emotional side speak".
Imo it's stunning for the cause of being stunning, or exciting for the cause of
being exciting, or spectacular for the cause of being spectacular, while
forgetting that this is a fairy tale and a ballet.
I like the recording, but I don't think that this is something Tchaikovsky had
in mind. The (quality of the) ballet score does not need Gergiev's performance,
which is rather one-sided.
Other recordings (like the ones by Dorati or Ashkenazy or Dutoit or Mackerras or
Rozhdestvensky) reveal much more of the varied qualities of this music.
Gerard
> On Nov 13, 4:43 am, "Gerard" <ghen_nospam_drik...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Which are the other three or four best Nutcrackers (you've heard on
> > disc) in your opinion?
>
> I love this work and never tire of its pathos, sumptuousness,
> atmosphere, and energy. Of complete recordings that I have heard I
> think my all around favorite is still the second Dorati performance on
> Philips. There�s not a note here that I would want played or recorded
> differently.
While I agree fullheartedly (sp?), I'm still confused are that clumsy Waltz of
the Flowers.
That could be done much better.
>
> I have the set on vinyl and have loved it so much I have
> never bothered acquiring the CDs �remastered or not. Other good
> contenders for complete sets are Lanchbery and Previn on EMI or
> Dutoit, Bonynge, and Ansermet all on Decca. I have each of these and
> have found them satisfactory. The Lanchbery is nearly exquisite; the
> Previn is good but ultimately a hair too serious and heavy. I was
> actually disappointed in the Gergiev in that I found it somewhat
> erratic and wayward with playing and recording to match and lacking in
> the sensitivity of the best versions (IMO).
After Ansermet (on LP) Previn was my next acquisition (on LP) - and later Dorati
with the Concertgebouw Orchestra (being his 3rd recording) - and I was actually
happy I didn't have to hear the Ansermet again. During a long time Previn (with
the LSO) was my favorite, but when this was released in CD (with the other
ballets) I changed my mind, definitely in favour of the Dorati on Philips.
I've never heard the Bonynge recording. The Lanchberry I've bought very
recently, and I think this deserves a place in soem "top 10 Nutcrackers".
>
> As for the suite, of course there have been many fine releases, but my
> standouts are the Reiner, which represents the best of that great
> conductor, each of the Karajans (Philharmonia, Vienna, Berlin, and
> Berlin?), but my darling, I think, is Steinberg with the Pittsburgh SO
> on an old Command Stereo LP that I have. It is absolutely GORGEOUS.
I don't know the recordings by Reiner and Steinberg. But talking about gorgeous:
Rostropovitch with the BPO (on DG) is the one that comes in mind first.
>
> As an alternative to merely listening, one should really experience
> this work as PIT intended -with tuned performers running, dancing, and
> truly illustrating the narrative. There have been a number of
> satisfying DVDs
(snip)
You could be right, but I prefer the music itself. It's by far the best part of
this ballet, and maybe the "best" thing Tchaikovsky ever has written.
number_six
>
> - Show quoted text -
Interesting; I'd have thought even a second-drawer performance could
have sold the quality of this score. The first I ever heard was Kurt
Graunke and Vienna Festival Orchestra. I loved it from the git-go.
My favorites include Kurtz, Dorati, Solti.
For adaptations, how about Ellington, Modern Mandolin Quartet, or
Frederick Hohman on organ.
Kip Williams
> For adaptations, how about Ellington, Modern Mandolin Quartet, or
> Frederick Hohman on organ.
My favorite adaptation of the Nutcracker Suite is Argerich and Economou
playing the two-piano version by Economou. Sparkling. The solo versions
Pletnev played were good too.
Kip W
jrsnfld
Another vote for Ellington here. I have some arrangement for guitar(s)
here, but am not fond of it. It's probably not as well done as the
Modern Mandolin Quartet version, however.
I especially agree with No. 6's point, however, that the music rarely
sounds
less than compelling. This is great music, too beloved to stand on one
version or another.
So I'm puzzled when Al says that Gergiev was the first to convince him
of the quality of the music. I'm trying to figure out what Al meant by
"quality." Perhaps he never took the music seriously until hearing
Gergiev...to be honest, Gergiev's tempi sometimes made the music seem
less seriously good than it sounds in more moderate approaches.
--Jeff
jrsnfld
> I don't know the recordings by Reiner and Steinberg. But talking about gorgeous:
> Rostropovitch with the BPO (on DG) is the one that comes in mind first.
Rostropovich is certainly excellent (I can't remember if I've heard
Steinberg--it's probably on LP somewhere here). However, when we are
talking Suites, I still have trouble getting past Mravinsky.
--Jeff
Gerard
Recently I've bought Gergiev's recording of Rimsky's Scheherazade, and that's
almost the same story: you'll love it or hate it.
He does very remarkable and beautiful things, while being in a great hurry. The
lady seems to tell the stories with a very different and strong accent - or is
she telling other stories, less refined and more "bold Russian" ones?
But it's compelling, and really a good alternative to the 'traditional'
recordings.
Bob Harper
out that his Nutcraker Suite is completely different from the one
Tchaikovsky himself extracted from the ballet.
Bob Harper
Gerard
I have this on CD (not listened to recently) where it is called "Scenes from The
Nutcracker" (coupling is Francesca da Rimini), and I've seen another version on
another label (Melodiya), but I presume it's the same recording, but the
coupling is a selection from Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet.
Gerard
> Bob Harper wrote:
> > While agreeing that Mravinsky is sui generis here, it should be
> > pointed out that his Nutcraker Suite is completely different from
> > the one Tchaikovsky himself extracted from the ballet.
> >
> > Bob Harper
>
> I have this on CD (not listened to recently) where it is called
> "Scenes from The Nutcracker" (coupling is Francesca da Rimini), and
> I've seen another version on another label (Melodiya), but I presume
> it's the same recording, but the coupling is a selection from
> Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet.
Oh, I have that Melodiya issue. Here it's called "Excerpts from the ballet". And
the coupling is not a selection, but Suite #2 from Romeo and Luiet (by
Prokofiev).
Rugby
> I've been listening to some favorite recordings, new and old ...
>
As here,all old:
Prokofieff: Revisited again his String Quartets Nos. 1 & 2, Aurora
Quartet, Naxos. Great lyricism at an unbeatable price. The
performances seem fine,discussed here before.
Prokofieff: Sinfonia Concertante for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 125, Han-
na Chang with Pappano/LSO on EMI. Bit too long, but what a piece,
reminisces of his "Romeo et Juliet" ballet score at times.
Faure: Preludes and Impromptus,Pierre Volondat,piano,Naxos.His
readings seemed a bit bland on first hearing, but rewards additional
hearings.
Antheil: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 , Markus Becker,piano,Eiji Oue /
NDR RadioPhil, CPO label.Young pianists should take these up versus
another Greig, but $$$ rule I guess.Modern romantic gems.
Awaiting arrival of a cd order of the solo piano music of Robert
Casadesus, including his Toccata and 24 Preludes.
Rugby
CharlesSmith
There are obviously several variants. My CD is called "excerpts .....
arranged by Jevgenij Mravinskij" and is coupled with Francesca.
Produced (digitally remastered) by MasterTone.
I'd actually forgotten I had it until this exchange reminded me. The
sound is thin and screechy, and the performance excessively grandiose.
I expect that's what people like about it, but not for me.
Charles
jrsnfld
FWIW, I've heard a few really exciting and good Scheherazades with
Gergiev. I like his way with the piece. I'm not always a big Dutoit
fan, BTW, but I do like his Nutcracker and just the other day I was
revisiting a beautiful and exciting Scheherazade of his (with
Dresden). Is it ok that I like both Gergiev and Dutoit? :-)
--Jeff
Gerard
I have both Dutoit's Scheherazade and his Nutcracker on CD. Idem for Gergiev.
(But probably other performances than you've heard.)
I will report later if this can be OK :)
(Regarding the Nutcracker this should not be problematic at all.)
Al Eisner
Yes, that was poorly put. What I was getting at was the quality of
the work as a coherent whole, rather than as a collection of attractive
(and, yes, high-quality in a different sense) pieces. I've never had
a similar problem in getting the coherence of, say, Swan Lake. But
perhaps -- or even probably -- it's just inadequate experience with some
of the best alternatives.
--
Al Eisner
San Mateo Co., CA