Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss
Piero Coppola
164 views
Skip to first unread message
td
Apr 12, 2012, 6:43:05 PM4/12/12
to
I have been investigating M. Coppola further since reading about his
Franck Symphony from 1924(apparently made with 30 musicians into an
acoustic horn, a very long way from the Chicago Symphony under
Monteux, let alone, the Boston Symphony under Munch).
In the past week or so I have managed to collect the 8 volumes Lys put
out of Coppola's 78s. i doubt these are comprehensive in any way, of
course, but they are a good start towards an appreciation of this
conductor mainly known outside of France by his work with Prokofiev in
Pico No. 3.
Coppola was made head of the French branch of EMI and took advantage
of this position to select himself to conduct vast swaths of
repertoire for the company: Debussy, Ravel, Franck, but also Schmitt,
Faure et al. And even Schumann!!! Interesting fact: Coppola only died
in 1971. I'll bet he wrote his memoires too. Must search them out.
The Lys volumes were among the last products of Phiippe Morin and his
team of 78 RPM collectors in France who pooled their resources to
produce these 8 volumes. (11 CDs, in fact, as the first volume of
Debussy had 3 CDs, the Ravel volume had 2, the rest one each, I think.
They haven't all arrived as yet)
I would imagine that the very latest transfer technology would
eliminate some of the pitch instability from these old discs, but the
disbelief is suspended willingly, at least by me, as I listen to them,
I must say. Some of the pitch problems are the responsibility of the
musicians themselves. But this was direct-to-disc, of course. No patch
sessions or digital repairs possible.
The real joy here is the sound of the winds from French orchestras of
the 20s and 30s. All transformed today, of course. And one should not
neglect to mention the virtuosity of the OSCC of the day, the
predecessor to today's Orchestre de Paris. Just listen to the flutes
toss off all those repeated notes in the Jeux de vagues, which Coppola
takes at a very quick tempo. No slouches were they! Ditto the strings,
he odd sour note here and there notwithstanding. One has also to
imagine that that was the great Lily Laskine plucking away on the harp
at the end of that movement.
This project, just one of countless such projects undertaken by Lys,
is just the kind of historical resurrection I applaud whole-heartedly.
The series is long deleted, of course, although I can imagine that
certain items have popped up here and there since the late 1990s. But
it is well worth searching out.
TD
Franck Symphony from 1924(apparently made with 30 musicians into an
acoustic horn, a very long way from the Chicago Symphony under
Monteux, let alone, the Boston Symphony under Munch).
In the past week or so I have managed to collect the 8 volumes Lys put
out of Coppola's 78s. i doubt these are comprehensive in any way, of
course, but they are a good start towards an appreciation of this
conductor mainly known outside of France by his work with Prokofiev in
Pico No. 3.
Coppola was made head of the French branch of EMI and took advantage
of this position to select himself to conduct vast swaths of
repertoire for the company: Debussy, Ravel, Franck, but also Schmitt,
Faure et al. And even Schumann!!! Interesting fact: Coppola only died
in 1971. I'll bet he wrote his memoires too. Must search them out.
The Lys volumes were among the last products of Phiippe Morin and his
team of 78 RPM collectors in France who pooled their resources to
produce these 8 volumes. (11 CDs, in fact, as the first volume of
Debussy had 3 CDs, the Ravel volume had 2, the rest one each, I think.
They haven't all arrived as yet)
I would imagine that the very latest transfer technology would
eliminate some of the pitch instability from these old discs, but the
disbelief is suspended willingly, at least by me, as I listen to them,
I must say. Some of the pitch problems are the responsibility of the
musicians themselves. But this was direct-to-disc, of course. No patch
sessions or digital repairs possible.
The real joy here is the sound of the winds from French orchestras of
the 20s and 30s. All transformed today, of course. And one should not
neglect to mention the virtuosity of the OSCC of the day, the
predecessor to today's Orchestre de Paris. Just listen to the flutes
toss off all those repeated notes in the Jeux de vagues, which Coppola
takes at a very quick tempo. No slouches were they! Ditto the strings,
he odd sour note here and there notwithstanding. One has also to
imagine that that was the great Lily Laskine plucking away on the harp
at the end of that movement.
This project, just one of countless such projects undertaken by Lys,
is just the kind of historical resurrection I applaud whole-heartedly.
The series is long deleted, of course, although I can imagine that
certain items have popped up here and there since the late 1990s. But
it is well worth searching out.
TD
T. Esteban Ayala
Apr 12, 2012, 8:23:27 PM4/12/12
to
mine, the late Lorin Levee, tipped me off to Coppola's work. On top of
that, I have some Pearl and Dutton CDs that were issued around that
time with material not available on Dante/Lys.
I agree, this was a very laudable project; one that should have been
explored further.
If you're interested, I have an issue of Le Grand Bâton which covers
his life exhaustively. It comes with a complete discography as well.
I'd be happy to post some tidbits from it later. Maybe even scan some
pages from it for all of you.
td
Apr 12, 2012, 9:13:27 PM4/12/12
to
On Apr 12, 8:23 pm, "T. Esteban Ayala" <testebanay...@gmail.com>
wrote:
I am sure some here would be fascinated. I would be, specially the
complete discography, just to get an idea of the scope of his career
on record.
Alas Berkshire had nothing today, but I managed to acquire all of the
volumes at more than reasonable prices, avoiding the usual thieves, of
course. I have to wonder who ever buys from "tousbouquins", for
example.
I am in the process of contacting M. Morin to congratulate him, if
belatedly, on his work.
TD
wrote:
complete discography, just to get an idea of the scope of his career
on record.
Alas Berkshire had nothing today, but I managed to acquire all of the
volumes at more than reasonable prices, avoiding the usual thieves, of
course. I have to wonder who ever buys from "tousbouquins", for
example.
I am in the process of contacting M. Morin to congratulate him, if
belatedly, on his work.
TD
td
Apr 13, 2012, 7:26:04 AM4/13/12
to
of the top instrumentalists on the Paris music scene at the time. The
soloist in this recording from 1931 is one Gaston Hamelin who from
1926-1930 was apparently Principal Clarinet of the Boston Symphony
Orchestra under Koussevitzky as per the BSO historical website:
Gaston Hamelin was born at Saint-Georges-Sur-Baulche, Yonne (west of
Paris) France in 1884. Hamelin came with his wife Marthe, who was a
singer, and young daughter to the U.S. in October, 1926. Gaston
Hamelin joined the Boston Symphony as Principal clarinet under Serge
Koussevitzky in the 1926-1927 season. His son, Armand Hamelin
(1907- ) also played in the Boston Symphony clarinet section for one
season 1929-1930. After four seasons, The Boston Symphony did not
renew Gaston Hamelin contract. According to Pamela Weston 39, Serge
Koussevitzky did not want Hamelin to play his Henri Selmer (1858-1941)
manufactured metal clarinet, a "Full Boehm Metal Clarinet in A".
Therefore, at the end of the 1929-1930 season, Gaston Hamelin, his
wife, daughter, and his son Armand returned to France. One of
Hamelin's students, Ralph McLane , later Principal clarinet of the
Philadelphia Orchestra 1943-1951 followed Hamelin to Paris to study.
Another Hamelin student, Rosario Mazzeo (1911-1997) was a Boston
Symphony clarinet player for 33 seasons, 1933-1966. Hamelin recorded
for HMV in the 1930s. Gaston Hamelin played clarinet with the Piero
Coppola orchestra in the late 1930s. During the 1940s and 1950s,
Hamelin played for Radio French Orchestra ( l'Orchestre National de La
Radiodiffusion Française).
Boston's loss was Paris' gain, as one can hear clearly in this early
recording (the first?) of the Debussy Rhapsody for Clarinet and
Orchestra. Hamelin's virtuosity is truly spectacular towards the end
of the piece, where the clarinet dips and dives all over the scale in
a kind of mad fit. The piece is not really first-rate Debussy, but
this is one terrific performance of it. No question about it.
TD
Dontait...@aol.com
Apr 13, 2012, 4:54:22 PM4/13/12
to
>
> - Show quoted text -
I have a major discography of Coppola's recordings compiled in
the1960s and '70s. He made his last recording, of something by Handel,
for French HMV in Paris around 1950. His 1923-1930 or so French HMV
recordings were of an enormous scope in every way, including musical:
one was a two-sided 12" 78 of a fantasia from Vincent Youman's Hit the
Deck. Coppola's recording of Saint-Saens's Third Symphony remains
stunning and his Schumann "Rhenish" is very interesting. Among so much
more.
Don Tait
td
Apr 13, 2012, 5:09:02 PM4/13/12
to
On Apr 13, 4:54 pm, "Dontaitchic...@aol.com" <Dontaitchic...@aol.com>
Just listened to this, along with No. 1. Very fine, even, I dare say,
with a French orchestra. (The French have always had an affinity with
Schumann's music that they have rarely had with Beethoven). This
comprises Vol. 8 of Lys' Piero Coppola series. I just contacted one of
those responsible for this edition. He looks back fondly on this
project and the whole Dante/Lys initiative. Where are the snows of
yesteryear?
TD
with a French orchestra. (The French have always had an affinity with
Schumann's music that they have rarely had with Beethoven). This
comprises Vol. 8 of Lys' Piero Coppola series. I just contacted one of
those responsible for this edition. He looks back fondly on this
project and the whole Dante/Lys initiative. Where are the snows of
yesteryear?
TD
T. Esteban Ayala
Apr 13, 2012, 8:15:53 PM4/13/12
to
On Apr 13, 2:09 pm, td <tomdedea...@mac.com> wrote:
> Just listened to this, along with No. 1. Very fine, even, I dare say,
> with a French orchestra. (The French have always had an affinity with
> Schumann's music that they have rarely had with Beethoven).
Couldn't agree more. Just think of the Schumann recordings by Yves
> Just listened to this, along with No. 1. Very fine, even, I dare say,
> with a French orchestra. (The French have always had an affinity with
> Schumann's music that they have rarely had with Beethoven).
Nat, Alfred Cortot, or Robert Casadesus, for example.
> This comprises Vol. 8 of Lys' Piero Coppola series. I just contacted one of
> those responsible for this edition. He looks back fondly on this
> project and the whole Dante/Lys initiative. Where are the snows of
> yesteryear?
>
> TD
in my development as a record collector and all-around musician. Their
recordings of Artur Rodzinski, Frederick Stock, Serge Koussevitzky,
Oskar Fried, and Nikolai Golovanov, among others, provided me with
many hours of listening enjoyment and wonder.
By the way, I found the issue of Le Grand Bâton about Coppola's life.
Give me a day or two to scan it and post it up here. Would do so now,
but I don't have a scanner. So I'm going to borrow a friend's.
td
Apr 13, 2012, 8:25:14 PM4/13/12
to
Walther von Stolzing
Apr 14, 2012, 4:54:35 AM4/14/12
to
I don't know how frequently Coppola conducted in the 1950s and 1960s,
but I can well imagine that by the 1960s, Coppola's concerts were not
as frequent as they had been. He certainly was not spoilt for
recordings after the war. One notable exception to this is a recording
of a concert he gave with the RAI orchestra in Torino. Given in
January, 1961, the programme included Elgar's In the South Overture,
Coppola's own work 'Il giardino delle carezze' for soprano, tenor and
orchestra and Glazunov's Fifth symphony - eclectic programming, to say
the least! The Glazunov I've heard: nothing mild about Coppola here
either, suggesting that he remained a force to be reckoned with even
in his later years. The Elgar I would love to hear!
Alan
but I can well imagine that by the 1960s, Coppola's concerts were not
as frequent as they had been. He certainly was not spoilt for
recordings after the war. One notable exception to this is a recording
of a concert he gave with the RAI orchestra in Torino. Given in
January, 1961, the programme included Elgar's In the South Overture,
Coppola's own work 'Il giardino delle carezze' for soprano, tenor and
orchestra and Glazunov's Fifth symphony - eclectic programming, to say
the least! The Glazunov I've heard: nothing mild about Coppola here
either, suggesting that he remained a force to be reckoned with even
in his later years. The Elgar I would love to hear!
Alan
td
Apr 14, 2012, 6:50:10 AM4/14/12
to
On Apr 14, 4:54 am, Walther von Stolzing
My French "Dictionnaire des Interpretes" says that his career trailed
off precipitously after he was unable to assume the conductorship of
the OSCC after the war in part because he was unwilling to assume
French citizenship, which was a requirement at that time. This is
reinforced by the biographical notes accompanying the Lys 8-volume
series.
TD
off precipitously after he was unable to assume the conductorship of
the OSCC after the war in part because he was unwilling to assume
French citizenship, which was a requirement at that time. This is
reinforced by the biographical notes accompanying the Lys 8-volume
series.
TD
Mark Obert-Thorn
Apr 14, 2012, 9:35:00 AM4/14/12
to
On Apr 13, 5:09 pm, td <tomdedea...@mac.com> wrote:
> Just listened to this [Schumann 3rd], along with No. 1. Very fine, even, I dare say,
conducting German repertoire for Pristine, which will feature both his
Schumann 1st and 3rd Symphonies as well as works by Wagner and R.
Strauss. I have quiet French Deccas (for the "Spring" Symphony),
Victor "Z" pressings and Disque Grammophones to work from. The
release will be available from Pristine's website shortly.
Mark Obert-Thorn
> Just listened to this [Schumann 3rd], along with No. 1. Very fine, even, I dare say,
> with a French orchestra. (The French have always had an affinity with
> Schumann's music that they have rarely had with Beethoven). This
> comprises Vol. 8 of Lys' Piero Coppola series. I just contacted one of
> those responsible for this edition. He looks back fondly on this
> project and the whole Dante/Lys initiative. Where are the snows of
> yesteryear?
Coincidentally, I'm now working on a long-planned volume of Coppola
> Schumann's music that they have rarely had with Beethoven). This
> comprises Vol. 8 of Lys' Piero Coppola series. I just contacted one of
> those responsible for this edition. He looks back fondly on this
> project and the whole Dante/Lys initiative. Where are the snows of
> yesteryear?
conducting German repertoire for Pristine, which will feature both his
Schumann 1st and 3rd Symphonies as well as works by Wagner and R.
Strauss. I have quiet French Deccas (for the "Spring" Symphony),
Victor "Z" pressings and Disque Grammophones to work from. The
release will be available from Pristine's website shortly.
Mark Obert-Thorn
td
Apr 14, 2012, 10:04:01 AM4/14/12
to
volumes, Mark.
I gather there is much more to work with on Coppola. I have yet to see
a complete discography. It is probably all not at the same level, but
his recordings of a wide swath of French repertoire from the 20th C
should become available again, I think.
TD
td
Apr 18, 2012, 2:36:29 PM4/18/12
to
series:
Vol. 1: Debussy - 3 CDs. LYS 295-297.
Vol. 2: Ravel - 2 CDS. LYS 364-365.
Vol. 3: Roussel/Honegger/Schmitt/Rabaud/Golestan - LYS 373.
Vol. 4: Saint-Saens - LYS 376.
Vol. 5: Franck/d'Indy/Chabrier - LYS 379.
Vol. 6: Reyer/Chausson/Faure/Pierne/Aubert - LYS 411.
Vol. 7: Lalo - LYS 458.
Vol. 8: Schumann - LYS 502.
TD
Dontait...@aol.com
Apr 18, 2012, 4:46:23 PM4/18/12
to
On Apr 13, 7:15 pm, "T. Esteban Ayala" <testebanay...@gmail.com>
wrote:
[snip]
> By the way, I found the issue of Le Grand Bâton about Coppola's life.
> Give me a day or two to scan it and post it up here. Would do so now,
> but I don't have a scanner. So I'm going to borrow a friend's.
Is that the discography done by Bill Holmes? Bill and I were good
friends and I remember how excited he was during the late 1960s or
circa 1970 to meet someone in France who sent him a huge amount of
catalgue/record information about Coppola. He was a major Coppola fan.
If Bill's is the Le Grand Baton discography to which you're referring,
how about including any acknowledgments he might have posted? Thanks.
Don Tait
wrote:
[snip]
> By the way, I found the issue of Le Grand Bâton about Coppola's life.
> Give me a day or two to scan it and post it up here. Would do so now,
> but I don't have a scanner. So I'm going to borrow a friend's.
friends and I remember how excited he was during the late 1960s or
circa 1970 to meet someone in France who sent him a huge amount of
catalgue/record information about Coppola. He was a major Coppola fan.
If Bill's is the Le Grand Baton discography to which you're referring,
how about including any acknowledgments he might have posted? Thanks.
Don Tait
td
Apr 18, 2012, 6:02:13 PM4/18/12
to
makropulos
Apr 20, 2012, 12:15:08 AM4/20/12
to
These Coppola recordings are hugely rewarding - I've had most of the Lys series since it came out, and very much agree with you. Somewhere I have a copy of his memoirs (in French) which as far as I remember go into quite a lot of detail about his recording work.
jrsnfld
Apr 20, 2012, 1:39:54 AM4/20/12
to
recording of excerpts from Berlioz's Damnation of Faust. I don't
remember seeing this in the Lys series when I was buying these many
years ago, but Pearl did issue it on CD (nearly 80 minutes of music).
The cast is impressive: Berthon, De Trevi, Panzera, Morturier....
---Jeff
td
Apr 20, 2012, 10:59:41 AM4/20/12
to
heard anyone save it.
TD
John Wiser
Apr 20, 2012, 11:44:31 AM4/20/12
to
"td" <tomde...@mac.com> wrote in message
news:d36b5eca-f02b-4b6f...@m13g2000yqc.googlegroups.com...
In fact Berlioz has a kennel, not a works list...
JDW
news:d36b5eca-f02b-4b6f...@m13g2000yqc.googlegroups.com...
JDW
td
Apr 20, 2012, 1:02:48 PM4/20/12
to
On Apr 20, 11:44 am, "John Wiser" <ceec...@gmail.com> wrote:
> "td" <tomdedea...@mac.com> wrote in message
Some people like dogs, John. It's a matter of taste, I suspect.
TD
> "td" <tomdedea...@mac.com> wrote in message
TD
Dontait...@aol.com
Apr 20, 2012, 3:12:44 PM4/20/12
to
always scrupulous about that. As I am. They helped and deserve credit.
Don Tait
td
Apr 21, 2012, 6:10:28 AM4/21/12
to
On Apr 20, 3:12 pm, "Dontaitchic...@aol.com" <Dontaitchic...@aol.com>
Well, I am grateful to a lot of people: my parents for having me in
the first place, my brothers for putting up with me, my teachers for
teaching me......
Let's just get the information, Don, and leave the back-patting to
private communications.
TD
the first place, my brothers for putting up with me, my teachers for
teaching me......
Let's just get the information, Don, and leave the back-patting to
private communications.
TD
0 new messages