Recommendable recordings of Dvorak's cello concerto?
Rasmus Paetau
Hello!
I would like to buy a copy of Dvorak's magnificent cello concerto, but
don't have a clue as to which recordings may be worthwile. I would
probably prefer one of the newer recordings (on grounds of sound
quality). I have tried to look at the Gramofile reviews, but was daunted
by their multitude, so I would really appreciate it if you could lend me
your experience and recommend perhaps a handful of recordings that I may
want to consider. My favourite part in the concerto is the adadgio, so I
would put speacial weight on this part being played as tenderly and as
full of nuances as possible :).
Thanks in advance,
Rasmus Paetau
(if you reply via email, please edit the address according to common sense)
John D.
disappointed by any of
them. Others will disagree and suggest Harnoy, ect.
Rasmus Paetau <rpa...@removethis.cc.helsinki.fi> wrote in article
<8i850c$vt$1...@sirppi.helsinki.fi>...
JRsnfld
recent sound, but the cello is too prominent in the engineering. A bit more
recent (late 70s?) is Lynn Harrell (with Levine/LSO)--a good and probably cheap
option on RCA/BMG. My favorite digitally recorded version is with Raphael
Wallfisch on Chandos, with a wonderful Dohnanyi piece as the coupling. It's
both sensitive and exciting with impressive sound.
My favorite version of that slow movement, though, remains
Rostropovich/Talich/Czech Philharmonic. I hope you hear that someday, too. For
blistering excitement, the new, cheap Naxos reissue of Feuermann's early
recording is really sensational, and so is the Tahra reissue of Pierre Fournier
and Hermann Scherchen.
--Jeff
David Irwin
--
Jeff, Is the Feuermann recording with Leon Barzin and the National
Orchestral Assoc? Do you know the Fournier/Szell/Berlin recording?
I still think the old Casals/Szell/Czech recording was amazing. I used
to have it on 78rpm in the 70s when I had a cabinet phongraph. I loved
it even with all the disc changes.
The Rostropovich/Talich/Czech I must locate. That sounds like a great
co
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
Victor
as is with typical Du Pre. However, I also own the Rose recording on Sony
Classical. The recording is clearer, and one is able to hear the inter-voices of
the music better. The EMI recording is more "mushy" in the Du Pre recording; in
contrast, the Sony Classical sounds cleaner and lighter. Each complements the
other nicely, in my opinion.
-Victor
Simon Roberts
: There are several recordings out there with Yo Yo Ma. I have not been
: disappointed by any of
: them. Others will disagree and suggest Harnoy, ect.
There are two recordings with Ma, but I wouldn't recommend either. I
can't imagine who would recommend Harnoy's on musical grounds; the most
junior member of the orchestra's cello section would surely have turned in
a better played, more characterful performance.
Wanting a recent recording of this work makes some sense on sonic grounds,
I suppose, but this is one of the many romantic works where tempi have
significantly slowed down over the past forty years or so, usually to bad
effect (Ma is a culprit, so is the famous Rostropovich/Karajan, though in
its rather bloated, luxuriant way it works, I suppose). An excellent
compromise, which is also cheap, is Fournier/Szell, which is very well
recorded but almost old enough. Among more recent recordings, the ones I
like most are Wispelwey/Channel Classics, Helmerson/BIS, and
Perenyi/Hungaroton.
Should the original poster feel like venturing into pre-stereo territory,
he might want to try some of these, all of which I like enormously for
their taut lyricism, rhythmic alertness, and avoidance of syrup (among
other things):
Feuerman/Naxos (mine's on Pearl, but I suspect the Naxos sounds at least
as good); Fournier/Scherchen/Tahra; Gendron/Mengelberg; Kurtz/Toscanini
(also Naxos); Casals/Dutton; Rose/Rodzinski; Hoelscher/Abendroth.
Simon
Thomas Muething
> I would like to buy a copy of Dvorak's magnificent cello concerto, but
> don't have a clue as to which recordings may be worthwile.
Try one of Janos Starker's (I recall there's an old one on Mercury ?!).
Thomas
Vincent Ventrone
JRsnfld wrote:
> recording is really sensational, and so is the Tahra reissue of Pierre Fournier
> and Hermann Scherchen.
I'll second this -- the Fournier/Scherchen is wonderfully lyrical &
idiomatic (and Fournier produces a much sweeter tone, to my ears, than
someone like Ma who always sounds to me like he's torturing his
instrument.) This is a Tahra disc which includes a scrappy but
fascinating Brahms 3rd. I think the Dvorak work is even better than the
famous Fornier/Szell recording.
--
Vincent Ventrone | The MITRE Corp.
DBA, Dept. R101 | M/S C020
v...@mitre.org | 202 Burlington Rd.
(781) 271-7048 | Bedford, MA 01730
Vincent Ventrone
Simon Roberts wrote:
>
> (also Naxos); Casals/Dutton; Rose/Rodzinski; Hoelscher/Abendroth.
Which label for the Rose/Rodzinski? How is the sound?
M-T
<<Perenyi/Hungaroton>
Yes! Also Fournier/Szell and Casals/Szell (the latter, in sound that
apparently cannot be much improved, it's sounded pretty foul in all
incarnations). With Simon again, no to Rostropovich and Ma.
Regards,
mt
Simon Roberts
: Simon Roberts wrote:
: >
: > (also Naxos); Casals/Dutton; Rose/Rodzinski; Hoelscher/Abendroth.
: Which label for the Rose/Rodzinski? How is the sound?
Mine's on AS Disc; I don't know if it's still in print on that or some
other label. The sound is, um, not studio quality, but should prove
acceptable to anyone who doesn't mind the sound on the Naxos Toscanini
releases. No-one is likely to complain of excessive use of noise
reduction.... The performance is thrilling - partly Rodzinski's doing.
Simon
Matthew Silverstein
> as good); Fournier/Scherchen/Tahra; Gendron/Mengelberg; Kurtz/Toscanini
I didn't realise Dutton was a conductor . . .
Matty
Phil Wood
Boccherini, Dohnanyi, Faure, Milhaud & Prokofiev. Cheap and wonderful - what
more can you ask for.
Phil
"Thomas Muething" <uzs...@uni-bonn.de> wrote in message
news:3947C904...@uni-bonn.de...
Matthew B. Tepper
>
> Feuerman/Naxos (mine's on Pearl, but I suspect the Naxos sounds at least
> as good);
It does; but as performances I would prefer two live ones by the same
soloist, one with Hans Lange/Chicago Symphony (available in a "Great
Soloists" collection, a fund-raiser from the CSO itself), one with Leon
Barzin/National Orchestral Association (available on various tangletapes
and, once upon a time, Arlecchino).
--
Matthew B. Tepper: WWW, science fiction, classical music, ducks!
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Matthew B. Tepper
>
> Among more recent recordings, the ones I like most are Wispelwey/Channel
> Classics, Helmerson/BIS, and Perenyi/Hungaroton.
Did BIS ever fix the missing opening measures of the third movement?
Simon Roberts
: Simon Roberts wrote:
: >
: > Among more recent recordings, the ones I like most are Wispelwey/Channel
: > Classics, Helmerson/BIS, and Perenyi/Hungaroton.
: Did BIS ever fix the missing opening measures of the third movement?
I think I once read that they have done so. Since it doesn't bother me
(it's only two the first two measures, which are repeated in what
remains), I've not investigated first hand. Perhaps someone else knows.
Simon (who will keep an eye out for that Arlecchino Feuerman performance
you referred to earlier)
Edward A. Cowan
> There's an EMI double being dumped at present - Janos Starker plays Dvorak,
> Boccherini, Dohnanyi, Faure, Milhaud & Prokofiev. Cheap and wonderful - what
> more can you ask for.
That Starker EMI double CD set is to be grabbed in any case, but one
very good reason, perhaps a bit esoteric, is the fact that the Dohnányi
item on it is heard in genuine stereophonic sound, but the same
performance, included in the multi CD EMI set, "Les introuvables de
Janos Starker," though not marked monophonic, is indeed in monophonic
sound. If this item is especially important to you, be advised... Best,
-- E.A.C.
Xiaowu Sun
form BBC Music Magazine? Must be many years ago. Again allow me disagree
with you. True, the tempo has been slow down for about half century now, but
that is not the point to disapprove players show their own passion, which
happens to be the reason I prefer Mr. Rostropovich/Karajan's version to
Founier/Szell one, which I found lacks of emotion. As for Ma's newer one, I
don't think his play is that bad, just the New York Philharmonic's
accompaniment really disappoint me. It seems to me that New York
Philharmonic keeps on degrading and now belongs to the bottom of the usual
big five in the States.
Nick Sun
M-T <m...@nospam.com> wrote in message news:3947CF...@nospam.com...
Xiaowu Sun
JRsnfld <jrs...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20000614233708...@ng-cr1.aol.com...
> >Is the Feuermann recording with Leon Barzin and the National
> Orchestral Assoc? Do you know the Fournier/Szell/Berlin recording?
> I still think the old Casals/Szell/Czech recording was amazing.<
>
Taube,
How's the sound on Naxos compared with the one on Phillips, much
improvement?
> he honors the Czech spirit of the music best with Talich. Just an
impression;
> not a particularly objective one.
Totally agree.
Nick
JRsnfld
But avoid the most recent--on BMG/RCA with Slatkin/St. Louis. Starker employs
an oddly conversational rhetoric in his phrasing, with little interest in a
lyrical sensibility, and Slatkin suppresses any urges toward the dramatic or
intense. A disappointment.
--Jeff
JRsnfld
Mine's on AS Disc; I don't know if it's still in print <
Still available at Berkshire, I think, coupled with Franck's Symphony in D
minor.
--Jeff
JRsnfld
Orchestral Assoc? Do you know the Fournier/Szell/Berlin recording?
I still think the old Casals/Szell/Czech recording was amazing.<
The Naxos disc has Feuermann/Berlin State Opera Orchestra with Michael Taube,
conducting, coupled with Feurmann in the Haydn Concerto in D major with Malcolm
Sargent conducting. The Dvorak was apparently issued in the U.S. on Columbia
78s.
I like the Casals/Szell, also--and I haven't cracked the seal on the
Gendron/Mengelberg or the Kurtz/Toscanini, mentioned by others--just bought
those recently. I think I've heard the Fournier/Szell, but I don't have it.
Though Rostropovich is also good with Szell (a Cleveland performance!), I think
he honors the Czech spirit of the music best with Talich. Just an impression;
not a particularly objective one.
--Jeff
--Jeff
Richard Schultz
: Yes! Also Fournier/Szell and Casals/Szell (the latter, in sound that
: apparently cannot be much improved, it's sounded pretty foul in all
: incarnations).
I remember once seeing on the liner notes for some LP of ancient
recordings (it might have been one of those Electronically Improved
Caruso things) that quoted a contemporary review (i.e. contemporary
from 1905) that was ecstatic about how lifelike the sound was. . .
-----
Richard Schultz sch...@mail.biu.ac.il
Department of Chemistry tel: 972-3-531-8065
Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel fax: 972-3-535-1250
-----
"What I do object to is uninformed malicious pandering to low level
uncouthness, even if it comes from the holiest of lands, Israel!"
-- Kenneth Lane, Wagnerian Romantischer Heldenspammer
JRsnfld
improvement?<
The sound on the Naxos is excellent for the vintage of the original. Surface
noises aren't excessive, nor is the tone muffled. I haven't heard the Philips.
--Jeff
Marc Perman
As for Ma's newer one, I
>don't think his play is that bad, just the New York Philharmonic's
>accompaniment really disappoint me. It seems to me that New York
>Philharmonic keeps on degrading and now belongs to the bottom of the usual
>big five in the States.
Based on their appearances on tour in NY in recent years, both the
LAPO and SFSO have made the idea of a 'top five' somewhat outdated.
Marc Perman
tlst...@tpgi.com.au
>
> I would like to buy a copy of Dvorak's magnificent cello concerto, but
> don't have a clue as to which recordings may be worthwile.
The recording by Heinrich Schiff, accompanied wonderfully well by the
Concertgebouw Orchestra under Sir Colin Davis (Philips 412 880-2) is
superb, and superbly recorded. The "filler" is one of the very finest
recordings of the Elgar concerto. Go for it!
--
Cheers!
Terry