The Concerto's Greatest Hits
Robert W. Holzel
favorite musical forms, the heroic concerto. By using the term
heroic I mean to make a distinction from the conversational concerto
(e.g. the Haydn or Mozartian type.) Plainly put, at its best
the heroic concerto
is a struggle between soloist and orchestra. The first prototype
was probably the Fifth Beethoven Piano Concerto, hence
my interest in the genre tends more toward the late 19th and 20th century
repertoire. Earlier concertos tend more toward concertante,
which of course has its place but does not belong in this discussion.
I'm no musical theorist in that I couldn't tell you what a
composer is "doing" in technical terms; I am merely speaking of
an asthetic derived mainly from a subjective response to a piece.
Since I believe that music can be enjoyed at many different levels
I also think that a work's ability to wow me is often as important
as its intellectual essence. Concertos tend to be more "wow" than
some other kinds of music. Chamber music is more polite. Symphonic
works tend to require more musical substance to succeed. If a concerto
excites me from start to finish then that to me is sufficient
to deem it a success. If it is inherently musical as well then
that is a wonderful bonus. A symphony which is mostly effect and
not very inherently musical cannot be judged the same way. So
I guess I'm saying that concertos are different.
With that un-intellectual introduction, let me throw out the following.
It's a list of my all-time favorite concertos and my so-far
prefered performances of them. They are considered in random
order.
Brahms #1 and #2 (Gilels and Jochum, DG) True, many will say this
pair does not exhibit all the features of heroic struggle
between soloist and orchestra, but they're both such big
chunks of granite that a showy piano part doesn't matter,
and in fact would be out of place.
Brahms Violin Concerto (Mutter on DG or Heifetz on RCA) My all-time
favorite violin concerto. I think it's better than the
Beethoven and far better than the Tchiakovsky. I think the
soloist's entrance in the first movement is the most exciting
of any violin concerto.
Elgar Violin Concerto (Nigel Kennedy on EMI) Second only to the Brahms.
Incredibly, nobody seems to speak of this as being on
a par with the Brahms/Beethoven/Tchiakovsky/Mendelsohn
fiddle pieces. The Perlman performance is good, too.
Elgar Cello Concerto (DuPre on EMI) In the same league as the
Dvorak, and argueably better. Yo Yo Ma ("Yo' Mama") and
Previn do a fine job with this on CBS, too.
Walton Violin Concerto (Kennedy on EMI) Beautiful. Chung also has
a great recording at mid-price on Decca.
Rachmaninoff #1 (Pletnev on Virgin) Fantastic first-movement
cadenza, gorgeous second movement. Coupled with a first-
rate Paganini Variations. Ashkenazy also does a decent
job with the same coupling, but his entrance in the
concerto is marred by a mannered rubato at the very end of
the opening cadenza. Furthermore, Pletnev thoroughly
outplays him in the main first movement cadenza.
Rachmaninoff #2 (Richter on DG) No need to explain why, and Richter's
performance is in a class by itself. What incredible
command. He takes the opening at a slower tempo than
usual and makes it sound exactly right. I think he's
the one pianist I'd pay hundreds to see perform live.
Rachmaninoff #3 (Berman on CBS) Again, no need to say why. The only
argument is over which recording is the best. I know,
I know, Horowitz "owned" this one. Sorry, but I still like
the Berman, sonic warts and all.
Prokofiev Piano Concertos 1-3 (Ashkenazy and Previn, Decca) The
set is classic and at mid-price too. The second concerto
is particularly hard to find in any other performance (Feltsman
had a hand at it and didn't quite get away with it) which is
why the complete set of five concertos is a real gold mine.
Grafman's recording with Szell is probably the best of 1 and
3 individually, but since he didn't record #2 I have to opt
for Vladimir. The cadenzas in #2 are astonishing, and
Ashkenazy makes *music* of them.
Prokofiev Violin Concertos (no clear recommendation) I haven't heard
enough recordings of these to choose a winner; I own the
Mintz/Abbado on DG, but I bet there are competing performances
out there.
Chopin #1 and #2 (Zimmerman and Giulini on DG) Here the heroic ideal
is a bit strained also, since in these battles the orchestra
never really has a chance. But these just go to show that
even when Chopin subjects us to note-spinning the result is
still golden. I'm not up on all of the recordings of these
pieces, and have not heard the classic Pollini #1 in years,
so this recommendation is open to a lot of leeway.
Ginastera Piano Concerto (ASV) Try it, you'll like it. If you like
Stravinsky you'll *really* like it. The finale is one of the most
kick-ass tocattas you'll ever hear. This performance
(which is conducted by Batiz, but I can't remember the pianist's
name) even outdoes the debut recording done for RCA about
15 years ago. Coupled with the Harp Concerto, which is also
marvelous.
Ravel Concerto in G (Collard and Maazel, EMI) Playful and jazzy,
with a second movement more beautiful than just about any other
concerto's. Coupled with a great performance of the left-hand
concerto as well.
Dvorak Cello Concerto (Rostropovich and Von Karajan, DG) A performance
that is outdone only by the classic Casals recording from the
1930's. Rostropovich recorded this work many times, but
this is his best. I don't think there's any real competition
on CD.
Dvorak Piano Concerto (Moravec on Supraphon) Not yet on CD and from
the looks of it not soon to be, since Supraphon chose to
release a different recording of it. Moravec uses the edited
turbo version of the score, which was re-written by a more
pianistically-oriented gent to make it more playable.
In the original version, Richter and Klieber sweep the boards.
That one's on CD. But for a real thrill the Moravec is best,
since I for one like the rewrite better than the original,
which merely gives us a lot of the left hand doubling the
right in the passage-work.
Berg Violin Concerto (Chung and Solti, Decca) The best in "wrong-note"
post-Romanticism. A beautifully mystical closing. Better
than the Perlman performance, too.
Stravinsky Violin Concerto (no clear recommendation) I own the Mutter
because I wanted the Lutoslawski coupling and came to like
this piece as well. Others have recorded it, though, and maybe
with better results.
Beethoven Piano Concertos 1, 3-5 (no clear recommendations) Just
avoid #2, which amounts to musical wallpaper.
I guess Ashkenazy/Solti at mid-price would be the best
overall recommendation, but some people like Murray Pirrhana
and Haitink on CBS, etc. I'm open to suggestions.
Schumann Concerto (Moravec on Supraphon, Zimmerman and Von Karajan
on DG) Not as heroic as some, but still an involving work.
Sometimes you put it on Sunday mornings when you read the newspaper.
Unlike many, I sincerely like the finale despite its long-
windedness. I think it's the best single piece of music
Schumann wrote. The Moravec reading is at mid-price and has
only an okay orchestra, and an excruciating coupling by way of
a Schumann violin concerto that is d-u-l-l. The
Zimmerman has the most-usual Grieg as a companion.
Hummel Piano Concertos (Hough on Chandos) How dare me. But these
works are really pretty good, honest. The closing of the
a minor is *unbelieveable*, and testifies for all time to
Stephen Hough's technical velocity on the keyboard. The
b minor is my favorite, however. In all its kinda like warmed-
over Chopin crossed with okay Mozart, but there's some
nice stuff to be found here. Worth a listen.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Purposely omitted:
Tchiakovsky concertos, the whole schmere. They bore me, even
in light of the fact that I'd mention Hummel above instead. But if
you had to own them and I had to make recommendations, I'd
say Chung/Dutoit/Decca for the fiddle piece, Algerich/Dutoit/DG
for Concerto #1, and the latest EMI digital recording for #2
(I always forget the pianist's name, but Nigel Kennedy plays the
violin part in the second movement -- anybody know?)
Beethoven Violin Concerto. So hate me. I can't get into it. The
only performance I could ever tolerate was Heifetz's. Well,
I shouldn't say "tolerate." It's a great reading. But I
think the piece is overrated. Hey, even Beethoven could have a
bad day.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Needed for breadth:
More recommendations. Moderns. Classics I left out.
Go for it....
Gene W. Smith
>Brahms #1 and #2 (Gilels and Jochum, DG)
>Brahms Violin Concerto (Mutter on DG or Heifetz on RCA) My all-time
> favorite violin concerto.
What about the double concerto?
>Elgar Violin Concerto (Nigel Kennedy on EMI) Second only to the Brahms.
> Incredibly, nobody seems to speak of this as being on
> a par with the Brahms/Beethoven/Tchiakovsky/Mendelsohn
> fiddle pieces. The Perlman performance is good, too.
Well, I like it--but I'd also add Mozart 3-5 to the list,
as well as Bach and Shostokovitch.
>Elgar Cello Concerto (DuPre on EMI) In the same league as the
> Dvorak, and argueably better. Yo Yo Ma ("Yo' Mama") and
> Previn do a fine job with this on CBS, too.
I would say better. I would also add Haydn.
>Prokofiev Piano Concertos 1-3 (Ashkenazy and Previn, Decca) The
> set is classic and at mid-price too. The second concerto
> is particularly hard to find in any other performance (Feltsman
> had a hand at it and didn't quite get away with it) which is
> why the complete set of five concertos is a real gold mine.
I have the second and the first together on the same CD, it's
not that hard to find.
>Chopin #1 and #2 (Zimmerman and Giulini on DG) Here the heroic ideal
> is a bit strained also, since in these battles the orchestra
> never really has a chance.
Just forget the "heroic" theory here. Why not just admit Mozart
is "heroic" too and give the man his due?
>Schumann Concerto (Moravec on Supraphon, Zimmerman and Von Karajan
> on DG) Not as heroic as some, but still an involving work.
"Heroic?" It's a fine piece, but why "heroic?"
>
>Hummel Piano Concertos (Hough on Chandos) How dare me. But these
> works are really pretty good, honest.
I for one think there better than "pretty good". They're better
than Chopin (whose concertos sound like warmed-over Hummel to me)
and together with his piano sonatas, are reasons to take Hummel
seriously. (Alas, he was also capable of writing crap.)
> More recommendations. Moderns. Classics I left out.
You left out any mention of Mozart! Bang! I also have a
fondness for the third Saint-Saens violin concerto, and Harold in
Italy, and think you are too hard on Tschikovsky and Mendelssohn.
--
ucbvax!garnet!gsmith Gene Ward Smith/Brahms Gang/Berkeley CA 94720
"*That* the world is, is the mystical." -- Ludwig Wittgenstein
John Bodnar
>
>With that un-intellectual introduction, let me throw out the following.
>It's a list of my all-time favorite concertos and my so-far
>prefered performances of them. They are considered in random
>order.
I think I shall also add my "recommendations (prejuidices)" as well:
Brahms #1 and #2 - Serkin and Szell (CBS) - Rudi never served Brahms
better than in these two beautiful performances, and he's quite a
firebrand in them at that.
>Beethoven Piano Concertos 1, 3-5 (no clear recommendations) Just
> avoid #2, which amounts to musical wallpaper.
> I guess Ashkenazy/Solti at mid-price would be the best
> overall recommendation, but some people like Murray Pirrhana
> and Haitink on CBS, etc. I'm open to suggestions.
HOLD IT! Since when is the 2nd "musical wall paper?" The slow
movement is one of the most beutiful melodies (yes it really has a
melody) that Beethoven ever wrote! If you don't like the 2nd
concerto, then every piano concerto Mozart wrote must be TOILET PAPER!
As for performances, Ashkenazy is a waste in the concertos (sonatas
fare much better, and his _Appassionata_ is down right fierce). Good
modern performances of the concertos include: Serkin (with anyone;
Rudi was made for Beethoven and vice versa); Horowitz (5th concerto
with Reiner is still the best); Cliburn (4th & 5th with Reiner are
excellent); Pollini (with anyone; he's quite a firebrand, too);
Rubinstein (the early the better, preferably with Toscanini or Beecham).
MODERN PERFORMANCES TO AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE!!!!!
Arrau (with anyone) - this guy just doesn't get it! He couldn't play
Beethoven if his life depended on it.
Michelangeli (with anyone) - for an Italian, this guy has no
conception of tempo, and his playing is hardly ever "Italianate."
Now that original instrument performances are more common, I can give
some good recommendations here: Anthony Newman (with Stephen Simon on
Newport Classic) - his set is the killer of them all!!! He's the only
one who writes his own cadenzas, and they are really a welcome relief
from the old Beethoven cadenzas; Stephen Lubin (with Hogwood) - he
uses Beethoven's cadenzas but definitely has great style; Paul
Badura-Skoda (with the Collegium Aureum; available on old BASF LP's
only) - his recordings on original instruments began in the 70's and
are quite surprising. The only one I have is the fourth, but I
suspect there are others.
I would recommend avoiding the Tan/Norrington set on EMI. Tan is
pretty darn cold! Brisk tempos, but phrasing, dynamics, and
articulation are pretty shoddy.
>
>Dvorak Piano Concerto (Moravec on Supraphon) Not yet on CD and from
> the looks of it not soon to be, since Supraphon chose to
> release a different recording of it........
If you can find the old LP (Epic, I think) with Rudolf Firkusny, you
will be supremely rewarded. He makes this work sound like the
virtuoso piece that Dvorak SHOULD have written.
>
> Beethoven Violin Concerto. So hate me. I can't get into it. The
> only performance I could ever tolerate was Heifetz's. Well,
> I shouldn't say "tolerate." It's a great reading. But I
> think the piece is overrated. Hey, even Beethoven could have a
> bad day...(RUBBISH!)
Any Heifetz account of the Beethoven is awesome (Munch or Toscanini -
1940). Grumiaux on Philips is also outstanding. For a new approach,
try Swensen/Previn on RCA. Swensen transcribed the cadenzas from the
piano concerto arrangement and they work well. Then again, for the
piano concerto arrangement, go with Pollini on a good bootleg from
1960 (label is Hunt Productions).
Others that are necessary:
Gordon Jacob's concerto for Timpani and Band - I'm sorry, but this is
just my personal prejuidice. This is the last substantial work Jacob
wrote before his death and it is a killer. Only performance is on a
LDR CD (LDRC 1001) with Tristan Fry and Geoffrey Brand with the City
of London Wind Ensemble.
Vaughan Williams Tuba Concerto (someone needs to pitch for this work)
- best recording (out of 2 in the catalog) is Fletcher/Previn on RCA.
John Bodnar (moz...@walt.cc.utexas.edu)
University of Texas at Austin
Robert W. Holzel
A quick update to my last posting. Thanks to all who have responded
so far.
Barber Piano Concerto (Joselson and Schenk on ASV) I can't believe
I neglected to include this one. This piece is an outstanding
balance between melody, musical rhetoric, and virtuosity.
The one recording to own features John Browning at the
piano, on CBS. But that one's not available on CD (yet?)
In the meantime this is as fine a performance as one would
need to remain content. Schenk is an avowed Barberian (obvious
joke avoided for now...) who also recorded the long-neglected
Symphony #2 for Stradivari. The Violin Concerto has also
been available for some time in many differnt recordings. All,
as far as I know, are good.
Liszt Concertos #1 and #2 (Zimerman and Ozawa on DG) Some would
prefer Richter on these, and I would not argue. However this
release also gives the Totentanz, a significant bonus.
Paderewski Piano Concerto (available on "Sound") The pianist's name
is impossible to remember, ditto the conductor. This is an
older recording and sounds like it, but the piece is a fine
example of the ripe, old-fashioned Romantic concerto. Earl
Wild recorded it with Arthur Fiedler back in the 60's or
70's, editing the piano part to give it more depth (although
without a score I'd be hard-pressed to say where the
differences are.) Until the Wild recording is released this
one will do. Incidentally, Wild recorded a lot of the
Romantic concerto repertoire over the last twenty years, some
of which is probably immediately forgettable, but some of
which is probably worth a listen. Maybe the CDs will
trickle out over the next few years.
Lloyd Piano Concerto #4 (Stott and Lloyd on Albany) Beautiful,
memorable tunes and some Rachmaninov-ian piano writing make
this an instant favorite. It wears well over repeated
listenings. Concerto #3 also just released; the jury's
still out on that one.
Elliot Carter Piano Concerto (Ursla Oppens) I haven't heard this,
but one contributor thought it worth adding to the list.
It is as a piece "definitely NOT polite."
Wuorinen Piano Concerto (Ohlsson on Nonesuch) Another modern
piece. A real finger-twister.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Needed: Recommendations on Sibelius Violin Concerto and Shostakovich
Cello concerto.
I'm hesitant to add these pieces to the list. They are left open
to debate:
Bruch Violin Concerto
Anything by Saint-Saens (Piano Concerto #2 is a borderline case)
Brahms Double Concerto (talk about concertante....)
Beethoven Triple Concerto (uninspired)
Mendelssohn Piano Concertos
I will post a completed, updated list if there is enough interest,
allowing time in the interim for comments/criticism and additions.
Rob
Neil Midkiff
>...
>It's a list of my all-time favorite concertos and my so-far
>prefered performances of them.
>
>Prokofiev Violin Concertos (no clear recommendation)
I just bought the EMI/Angel disc of Itzhak Perlman doing these with Gennady
Rozhdestvensky and the BBC Symphony. On first hearing, it's wonderful; I hope
to become better acquainted with these concertos soon.
>Beethoven Piano Concertos 1, 3-5 (no clear recommendations) Just
> avoid #2, which amounts to musical wallpaper.
> I guess Ashkenazy/Solti at mid-price would be the best
> overall recommendation, but some people like Murray Pirrhana
> and Haitink on CBS, etc. I'm open to suggestions.
I can recommend both the Perahia/Haitink versions and (for a real bargain
at mid-price) the Philips Silver Line series with Alfred Brendel, Haitink
(again) and the London Philharmonic. Wonderful late-70's analog sound (much
better recorded than Brendel's live digital series with Levine/Chicago) and
you get the Choral Fantasy along with the Emperor Concerto.
>Purposely omitted:
> Tchaikovsky concertos...
> ...the latest EMI digital recording for Piano Concerto #2
> (I always forget the pianist's name, but Nigel Kennedy plays the
> violin part in the second movement -- anybody know?)
Peter Donohoe is the pianist, and Stephen Isserlis does the cello solos in the
second mvt. Rudolf Barshai conducts the Bournemouth Symphony. Note that
Donohoe and Barshai have recently released a disc of the 1st and 3rd
Tchaikovsky piano concertos. (I never knew of the 3rd, a one-movement,
sixteen-minute work. It's worth hearing.)
And I'm sorry that you don't see the "heroic" side of Mozart. His piano
concertos are among the glories of all music, and if you think they're just
"conversational" you should listen to more recordings. (If you don't freak
at the sound of fortepianos, try Malcolm Bilson/John Eliot Gardiner/English
Baroque Soloists on Archiv. WOW!!!
-Neil Midkiff
John Bodnar
>
>Needed: Recommendations on Sibelius Violin Concerto and Shostakovich
> Cello concerto.
>
written for him).
Britten Cello Symphony (same deal as above).
Sibelius & Nielsen Violin Concertos - Cho Liang Lin/Esa-Pekka Salonen
on CBS. This one won a Grammophone Record Award this year
(not that I take anything that blatantly British magazine says
seriously, but our Fine Arts Library has the CD and it's a beauty).
>I'm hesitant to add these pieces to the list. They are left open
>to debate:
>
> Brahms Double Concerto (talk about concertante....)
> Beethoven Triple Concerto (uninspired)
>
The Beethoven Triple Concerto uninspired: my a**!!!! (sorry) The music
is meant to be fun, not remind you of Napoleon as he bade farewell to
his troops! Try the Richter/Oistrakh/Rostropovich/von Karajan (three
Russians and a German!) on Angel or the Zselter/Mutter/Ma/von Karajan
account on DG. Best of all, if you can find the old CBS
Serkin/Laredo/Parnas/Schneider LP give it a spin. The performance is
ethereal. Apparently, when CBS's new mid-price reissues come out,
this is going to be on a disk with the Brahms Double Concerto
(Stern/Rose, I think).
Neil Midkiff
>Needed: Recommendations on Sibelius Violin Concerto and Shostakovich
> Cello concerto.
The Sibelius I love is an older RCA recording on budget Papillon CD, with
Perlman/Erich Leinsdorf/Boston; it's coupled with the Lalo Symphonie
espagnole and the Ravel Tzigane (both with Previn/London Symphony).
RCA 6520-2-RG, 71:44
I've been very happy with the Shostakovich Cello Concerto #1 with Yo-Yo Ma/
Eugene Ormandy/Philadelphia Orchestra (1982 digital) which is coupled with
Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony (Bernstein/New York Phil on tour in Tokyo,
1979 digital). These were available separately, but now are combined on a
CBS mid-price Digital Masters CD (MDK 44903, 77 minutes!)
I've heard good things about Heinrich Schiff's performances of both Shost.
cello concertos with Maxim Shostakovich directing Bavarian Radio Symphony
(on Philips) but I haven't heard the disc.
-Neil Midkiff
Marc San Soucie
> Needed for breadth:
>
> More recommendations. Moderns. Classics I left out.
>
> Go for it....
The Sibelius Violin Concerto. Moody.
The Nielsen Clarinet Concerto. Rowdy.
Marc San Soucie
Massachusetts
m...@wang.wang.com
Garrett Fitzgerald
>The Nielsen Clarinet Concerto. Rowdy.
You mean noisy. The Hindemith Concerto, now, that's worth playing and
listening to!
-------------
Campus Crusade for Cthulhu--when you're tired of the lesser of two evils.
Sarek of Vulcan, a.k.a. Garrett Fitzgerald
cs12...@cs.brown.edu
st90...@brownvm.brown.edu (or brownvm.bitnet)
David M Tate
plug for the Rubinstein "Emperor"), but I think you missed a few...
Sibelius Violin Concerto. Wow. Fire and Ice. Highest recommendation for the
*first* Stern recording (w/ Sir Thomas Beecham, LSO, late 50's mono).
Forget the later version...
Bruch Violin Concerto. Don't know any recordings.
Dvorak Cello Concerto, Yo Yo Ma (RCA?)
Vaughn Williams, "The Lark Ascending" (violin concerto). Maybe not "heroic",
but one of the great works for violin and orchestra.
Lars Erik Larssen, Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra. Don't even know if it
has ever been recorded, but if I find one I'm buying it.
... comments?
--
David M. Tate, "The Thinker" | DISCLAIMER:
dt...@pittvms.bitnet | "Hey! That's *my* Dis!"
dt...@unx.cis.pitt.edu |
He *looks* smart, but what does he *do*? |
David M Tate
Once upon a time, a friend of mine played me a truly mind-bending piece for
solo piano. It was (this is etched in my brain) the twelfth of Alkan's so-
called "Etudes" for solo piano (one of which is 30 minutes long!). My friend,
who was director of a classical music FM station, owned the complete set. I
am not so ambitious; does anyone know of a single CD which includes this last
etude, which is called "Festin d'AEsop"?
Thanks
Eric Koldinger
lively and fun. I like the Licad recording on CBS, but then I haven't heard
any other recordings of it.
--
_ /| Eric Koldinger
\`o_O' University of Washington
( ) "Gag Ack Barf" Department of Computer Science
U kol...@cs.washington.edu
John G Dobnick
Reply-To: j...@csd4.csd.uwm.edu
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
References: <20...@ut-emx.UUCP>
From article <20...@ut-emx.UUCP>, by moz...@walt.cc.utexas.edu (John Bodnar):
>
>Re: Beethoven Piano Concertos
>
> MODERN PERFORMANCES TO AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE!!!!!
>
> Arrau (with anyone) - this guy just doesn't get it! He couldn't play
> Beethoven if his life depended on it.
Whoa! One of the most beautiful performances of the Beethoven 4th I
ever heard was by Arrau -- especially his sublime 2nd movement.
This was a *live* performance, and thus may be a little off the subject,
but I can not let your comments go unchallenged.
--
John G Dobnick
Computing Services Division @ University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
INTERNET: j...@csd4.csd.uwm.edu
UUCP: uunet!uwm!csd4.csd.uwm.edu!jgd
"Knowing how things work is the basis for appreciation,
and is thus a source of civilized delight." -- William Safire
Owen M. Hartnett
I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Fleischer/Szell for the Beethoven
Big 5. Sure they're analog, but the playing is solid througout by both
pianist and orchestra. This is my "desert island" five B Concertos.
Emmanuel Ax just finished a series with Previn and the piano part is
stunning, but the orchestra comes off weak and anemic. I'm surprised
that the great playing by Ax failed to motivate the orchestra, but it's
almost like they recorded it separately.
I'll chime in with the general support for the Serkin/Szell Brahms series,
but the LP sounds much better than the reissued CD (I have both).
I like Horowitz/Reiner (now there's a pair!) for the Rachmaninov 3rd,
although the playing is a little muddy, this version gets to me. (This
recording is probably very hard to find, BTW)
-Owen
Owen Hartnett o...@cs.brown.edu.CSNET
Brown University Computer Science o...@cs.brown.edu
uunet!brunix!omh
"Don't wait up for me tonight because I won't be home for a month."
What`s in a name?
>
>Sibelius Violin Concerto. Wow. Fire and Ice. Highest recommendation for the
> *first* Stern recording (w/ Sir Thomas Beecham, LSO, late 50's mono).
> Forget the later version...
>
I said the same thing upon first hearing. The version I heard was on
vinyl/mid-70's. I don't remember the violinist. He wasn't someone I had
heard of before (I don't know a great deal of violinists), but was awe
inspiring, especially in the opening of the first movement. I later rushed
to find a copy of this recording... I didn't so I picked up a recent
recording by Isaac Stern. YUK! He reduces the tense and fiery opening to a
parlor discussion. It's as though he was being paid to play some wedding
piece for the eight-thousandth time and just couldn't find the energy to put
any soul into it. So don't forget the later version... If you would like a
copy, I have one for you cheap:-). Anyone have any ideas on who the original
violinist I heard might have been? Or where to find this first (and
presumably MUCH better) Stern recording.
Is there a tendency among musicians at any level to become worn out with
pieces and produce much inferior recordings/performances if they continue to
perform a piece over time... I know, as a guitarist, I have become sick of
some pieces I played too much (Some Sor studies etc...). I find that I play
them less well (even after some practice with them to refresh) than I did,
when I first brought them to performance level. My guitar-playing overall
will have been made great strides since the last attempt. Even with pieces
that originally inspired me tremendously, I have found this happening. Is
this something that happens at all levels of play? Can even pieces of
tremendous difficulty (technically AND musically) cease to generate
excitement in the player after a time?
--m
--
Mic3hael Sullivan, Society for the Incurably Pompous
-*-*-*-*-
English -- learn it -- use it -- it's YOUR language.
Colm K. Mulcahy
>solo piano. It was (this is etched in my brain) the twelfth of Alkan's so-
>called "Etudes" for solo piano (one of which is 30 minutes long!). My friend,
>who was director of a classical music FM station, owned the complete set. I
>am not so ambitious; does anyone know of a single CD which includes this last
>etude, which is called "Festin d'AEsop"?
not on CD, but i have it twice on LP.
once on ORYX 1803 The Colt Clavier Collection Vol 3 (played by Ronald Smith)
and again on CANDIDE (VOX) 31045 From 12 Etudes in Minor Keys, Op 39 (played
by Michael Ponti)
i have both records since the 70s, and havn't seen them since.
of note here is that four of the other 12 etudes are also known as the
symphony for solo piano, and another three as the concerto for solo piano.
all are wonderful !
other pianists who have recorded Alkan are Raymond Lewenthal and Bernard
Ringiessen (the last named has a CD Alkan "Pieces pour piano" on Harmonia
Mundi which includes the Scherzo Diabolico and Barcarolle, two of the more
frquently recorded Alkan works).
--
Colm Mulcahy | email address: | If a hen and a half
Dept. of Math & CS, | co...@mathcs.emory.edu | lays an egg and a half
Spelman College, | co...@emory.bitnet | in a day and a half,
Atlanta, GA 30314 | {sun!sunatl,gatech}!emory!colm | how many ...
Carl Tait
Beethoven Piano Concertos:
Yes, the Fleisher/Szell version is excellent, but for Fleisher
at his peak, listen to...
Brahms Piano Concertos:
The Fleisher/Szell versions are downright incredible. In fact,
the B-flat is probably the best recording of ANY piano concerto
I've ever heard. (If you think that's hyperbole, I had a friend
in college who thought it was the single best RECORD ever made.)
Inexplicably, CBS has not reissued these gems on CD. Check your
local used record stores for the Columbia/Odyssey LPs.
Brahms Violin Concerto:
The Heifetz recording made me like the piece - I always thought
it was an also-ran compared to the Beethoven.
Rachmaninoff Third:
Horowitz/Reiner is probably the most exciting overall (even with
the cuts and the "easy" cadenza), and is available on a mid-price
RCA CD called "Horowitz Plays Rachmaninoff." For a surprisingly
lyrical version, try Cliburn on RCA. This performance seems
understated at first, but is ultimately quite compelling.
It's coupled with a mediocre Prokofiev Third, unfortunately.
Tschaikovsky First:
The old 1958 Cliburn recording is still the best there is.
And yes, VC is indeed concertizing again. In Philadelphia
on June 19, he played (guess what) this concerto and the trashy
Liszt E-flat. (Scream if you must, but the Liszt concertos
are really pretty bad, especially that tacky glissando section
towards the end of the A major.)
And if you like Bartok, Pollini's recording of Concertos 1 and 2
with Abbado on DG is very fine. Pollini's occasional coldness is
not a problem in music this barbaric.
Carl Tait
bo...@altair.mcs.anl.gov
/* Written 4:13 pm Nov 9, 1989 by r...@xpiinc.UU.NET in altair:rec.music.classical */
/* ---------- "The Concerto's Greatest Hits" ---------- */
[...]
Beethoven Piano Concertos 1, 3-5 (no clear recommendations) Just
avoid #2, which amounts to musical wallpaper.
I guess Ashkenazy/Solti at mid-price would be the best
overall recommendation, but some people like Murray Pirrhana
and Haitink on CBS, etc. I'm open to suggestions.
/* End of text from altair:rec.music.classical */
As to recordings, I just purchased the Melvyn Tan/Roger Norrington
recordings on EMI (1&2 CDC7 48509 2, 3&4 CDC7 49815 2). Presumably
the 5th and something will be out soon. These are authentic instrument
recordings. The "piano" is a fortepiano (hammerklavier)--all wood,
without the cast iron frame of the modern piano. Try it, you'll like
it! Excellent performances. (I also have the Ashkenazy/Cleveland
complete set, which I like (modern piano)). But I perfer the
Tan/Norrington ones. Remains to be seen how the fortepiano will
measure up in the 5th.
Jim Boyle
James Plank
are still of my favorites that I haven't seen yet:
Prokofiev 5 (Richter (DG) coupled with his immortal Rach-2). This
is by far my favorite Prokofiev concerto, because it cathes
Prokofiev in his more playful (movts 1&2) and passionate (movt 4)
moods. And, needless to say, Richter's performance captures
all the excitement.
Khachaturian (Kapell/Koussevitzsky -- the American premiere,
coupled with Prokofiev 3 (RCA immortal performances series -- I
have the LP, but the CD may be out)). I don't know if anyone
else out there is a big Kapell fan, but I certainly am. And he
owns the Khachaturian concerto -- clarity, passion & excitement,
all the way through the piece. If you like thundering piano-
fights-orchestra concertos, try to find this performance. I've
been less fond of the other recordings I've heard.
Khachaturian Violin Concerto (Oistrakh/Khachaturian). Unfortunately,
most everything else I've heard by Khachaturian ends up sounding
like "Variations from the piano concerto," but if you like the
piano concert, then maybe you'll like this. There's also a
recording of Rampal playing it on flute -- interesting.
Partshaladze Piano concerto in A (Berman/Svetlanov (either Everest
or Melodiya -- part of a Berman boxed set). I've yet to meet
anyone else who has heard this recording or knows who Merab
Partshaladze is, but this is a concerto in the Khachaturian
vein, but with a better last movement. And of course, its the
perfect music for Berman's technique and temperment.
Rimsky-Korsakoff Piano Concerto (Richter/Kondrashin (or Gauk) --
coupled with the Russian Easter Overture & 3rd symphony). This
is only 1 movement and 15 minutes long, but its vintage R-K.
Moszkowski & Moscheles (Ponti & ?) Ok, these aren't real thumpers,
but if you like Moszkowski's piano frill (which I do), then
you'll like these two.
Richard Strauss: Burleske. (I've got Katins/Riener, but I've never
heard any others) Although not formally a concerto, it is one,
kind of like a Liszt/Strauss mix.
Surinach (de Larrocha/de Burgos -- coupled with Montsalvatge's
concerto Breve (London)) This is kind of a primal work, certainly
owing much to Stravinsky (but then again, don't we all). The
Monstalvatge is kind of fun, too.
Enjoy.
Jim Plank
David M Tate
>More grist for the concerto mill:
>
>I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Fleischer/Szell for the Beethoven
>Big 5. Sure they're analog, but the playing is solid througout by both
>pianist and orchestra. This is my "desert island" five B Concertos.
Absolutely, with one minor caveat. I own the boxed CD set, and you couldn't
ask for better 1-4, but "Emperor" is just plain weak. Stick with Rubinstein
and the BSO...
Eric Rindner
> Cello concerto.
>
I have a really nice recording of the Sibelius. It's played by Victoria
Mullova with the BSO. The other concerto on the disc is the Tchaikovski.
I think Mullova's interpretations are unique, and worth searching out the
cd for. I also have a recording of her doing the 4 seasons (Vivaldi)
with the Chamber Orch of Europe (i believe). Again, 'unique' comes to mind.
-eric
Don Allen
> have the LP, but the CD may be out)). I don't know if anyone
> else out there is a big Kapell fan, but I certainly am. And he
> owns the Khachaturian concerto -- clarity, passion & excitement,
Right you are. The Prokofiev 3 on the other side is pretty fantastic, too.
Since I've stuck my nose into this fray, I'll suggest a minor concerto
that is worth hearing if you are a sucker for the romantic: the Korngold.
It was written for Heifetz and originally recorded by him (Symphonie
Espagnole on the other side -- yuck) and, I think, has been recorded
recently by Perlman. And in this vein, there are wonderful concertos by
Miklos Rosza and William Walton, both recorded by Heifetz.
How about the Bartok 2nd Violin concerto? And the piano concerti, for that
matter? don't recall seeing them mentioned in this discussion.
/Don Allen
Heller
I'm partial to the Chavez Piano Concerto. The only recording I know of is
the one played by Eugene List (Westminster label I think). Electrifying! Also,
Ginastera wrote 2 Piano concerti; the 2nd includes a set of variations on a
"chord" of Beethoven's (taken from the 9th symphony I think). This is a
very advanced work (12-tone serialism with very little (if any) ethnic
material). The original (and only?) performer is Hilde Somer, whose early
recording (on Desto) of the 1st Piano Concerto and 1st Sonata are very
reprehensible (UCK!). On the 2nd Concerto she does a much better job.
The recording includes the Ginastera Piano Quintet which is quite a nasty
piece of music. H. Somer was a champion of contemporary music but there's
very little of her performing that I find tolerable. (I think her Scriabin
is the (Stygian) pits!)
Owen M. Hartnett
is with List playing the version for *Band* and Piano: It's a lot
brassier and (to me) more exciting than what I've come to feel is the
stuffier orchestral version.
Of course, this is not really heresy, because the orchestration of the
traditional version is (usually) not Gershwin's own.
J.D. Baldwin
> the looks of it not soon to be, since Supraphon chose to
> release a different recording of it.
!?! I've had this one on CD for a couple of years now. If anyone is
interested in label/recording info, I'd be happy to dig it out and post
it.
--
From the catapult of: |+| "If anyone disagrees with anything I
_, J. D. Baldwin, Comp Sci Dept |+| say, I am quite prepared not only to
__||____..}-> US Naval Academy |+| retract it, but also to deny under
\ / bal...@cad.usna.navy.mil |+| oath that I ever said it." --T. Lehrer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
R. Wilmer
Horowitz - Rachmaninoff 3
Rostropovitch - Dvorak Cello
Stern/Beecham - Sibelius Violin
Pollini - Chopin No.1
Two great ones I heard recently on the radio are:
Serkin - Beethoven 4
Ashkenazy/Heitink - Rachmaninoff 2
Here are some other favorites I played until they wore out:
Brain - Mozart Horn
Serkin/Ormandy - Beethoven 3
Fishcher/Furtwangler - Beethoven 5
Mendelssohn 1&2 - Serkin
Lalo Symphonie Espagnole and Korngold Violin - Heifetz
Weber Konzertstuck - Casadesus
a Westminster recording (don't remember performers) of Mozart Bassoon
James Plank
In article <20...@brunix.UUCP>, omh@brunix (Owen M. Hartnett) writes:
>
> Talking about Eugene List: my favorite recording of Rhapsody in Blue
> is with List playing the version for *Band* and Piano: It's a lot
> brassier and (to me) more exciting than what I've come to feel is the
> stuffier orchestral version.
>
> Of course, this is not really heresy, because the orchestration of the
> traditional version is (usually) not Gershwin's own.
Actually, the best I've ever heard is George himself playing it all
-- piano and orchestra all on the piano. Its from old piano rolls
and I think its even on CD by now. After hearing this, no one else
comes close -- George certainly knows how to enjoy his own music.
Jim
Neil Midkiff
This is a good time to correct the earlier post; Gershwin wrote the _Rhapsody_
in a TWO PIANO score. Both the jazz band version and the "traditional"
orchestration are the work of Ferde Grofe', who was arranging for Paul Whiteman
in 1924. This was early in Gershwin's "serious music" period, and though he
would soon produce expert orchestrations (Piano Concerto in F the next year) it
seems from what I've read that Grofe' did the _Rhapsody_ arrangement not
because he was better but because he was faster than Gershwin at arranging, and
the famous Aeolian Hall concert was coming up very soon.
The solo piano arrangement that Jim refers to is the only other version that
Gershwin arranged himself. It's available in sheet music (pub. by Warner Bros.
Music) as is the original two-piano version. Except for one stretch of about a
page and a half, it's playable (with some work) by normal mortals like myself.
Those of you who have the one-piano version know which section I mean...it's
just after the passages with rapidly alternating hands on staccato 16th notes,
where in the orchestration the low brass enters with the melody.
Any of you who can claim to play this as written, or who have devised a
reasonable alternate arrangement for this section, are encouraged to respond.
By the way, is there any evidence that Gershwin "overdubbed" his piano rolls?
I haven't heard the _Rhapsody_ roll except in the edited version used by
Michael Tilson-Thomas in the 1970's Gershwin piano roll plus Columbia Jazz Band
recording.
Clearly from the 78 rpm recordings, however, which can't be edited, we can hear
that Gershwin was definitely a powerhouse pianist.
I have at home a CD transcription of his 1927 electrical 78 recording of the
Rhapsody with Paul Whiteman and his band. I'll try to remember to post the
label and number for those who are interested; it has a lot of other 78s of
Gershwin playing too.
And Jim is right; nobody else does it quite as well as George.
-Neil Midkiff
Roger Knopf 5502
In article <6...@wang.UUCP> m...@wang.UUCP (Marc San Soucie) writes:
>
>The Sibelius Violin Concerto. Moody.
>The Nielsen Clarinet Concerto. Rowdy.
How about...
The Mozart Clarinet Concertos (both of 'em). Beautiful.
I have a CD of (get this) Benny Goodman doing them. A lovely performance
although the second one was (from the sound of it) taken off a 78
master.... A friend of mine has an even nicer version on LP, I
don't remember who/where/what (David??).
Roger Knopf
Roger Knopf 5502
In article <20...@ut-emx.UUCP> moz...@walt.cc.utexas.edu (John Bodnar) writes:
>MODERN PERFORMANCES TO AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE!!!!!
>
>Arrau (with anyone) - this guy just doesn't get it! He couldn't play
> Beethoven if his life depended on it.
> conception of tempo, and his playing is hardly ever "Italianate."
No mention of the Brendl LP set on Philips - actually, I am not sure I
even heard the performance, I was so put off by the applause at the
beginning and end of these live recordings. Why? WHY?!!!?
Anyone care to comment on the Brendl performances?
>Any Heifetz account of the Beethoven is awesome (Munch or Toscanini -
>1940). Grumiaux on Philips is also outstanding. For a new approach,
>try Swensen/Previn on RCA. Swensen transcribed the cadenzas from the
>piano concerto arrangement and they work well. Then again, for the
>piano concerto arrangement, go with Pollini on a good bootleg from
>1960 (label is Hunt Productions).
I just got a pairing of Beethoven and Brahms violin concertos by Heifetz.
I completely agree, these are very nice. I also have them both by Perlman
on DG lp, also nice but maybe not quite so interesting. I would like to
spend an evening comparing them. My vote for the nicest violin tones is
Zino Francescatti (lp only) on Columbia. Menuhin's account _sucks_,
this guy is totally lost when he gets to the cadenza. I sold my copy.
Roger Knopf
Roger Knopf 5502
>
the Mendelssohn, it was on LP 8 years ago, don't know if it is
available now. Also don't know what it sounds like, I haven't
listened to it in a few years. Sorry.
>Vaughn Williams, "The Lark Ascending" (violin concerto). Maybe not "heroic",
> but one of the great works for violin and orchestra.
Yeah. YEAH. Wow, I really love this piece of music and I agree, its
not heroic (but it wasn't supposed to be). The recording I like
best was Hugh Bean on the violin, EMI label, I forget the orchestra.
Roger Knopf
Neil Midkiff
>...(regarding the Beethoven piano and violin concertos)...
>
>No mention of the Brendel LP set on Philips - actually, I am not sure I
>even heard the performance, I was so put off by the applause at the
>beginning and end of these live recordings. Why? WHY?!!!?
He's fine; Levine is uncharacteristically unresponsive, and the recording is
unworthy of the Philips label. Get the late-70's set on Philips Silver Line
midprice CD with Brendel, Haitink, and the London Philharmonic. Cheaper,
better sound, and you get the Choral Fantasy as the fill-up to the Emperor.
>
>I just got a pairing of Beethoven and Brahms violin concertos by Heifetz.
>I completely agree, these are very nice. I also have them both by Perlman...
> My vote for the nicest violin tones is Zino Francescatti (lp only) on
>Columbia... ^^^^^^^
>
>Roger Knopf
EVERYONE should own the Heifetz pairing. Not only do you get 72 minutes of
wonderful music (Thank you, RCA!), you get an alternative to the Kreisler
cadenzas everybody else uses. Not that Kreisler is bad, but it's fun to
hear something different here, and Heifetz uses his modification of the
Leopold Auer cadenza.
If you like the Francescatti (I remember it fairly fondly) it IS
available on CBS CD.
-Neil Midkiff
Ari J. Joki (OH6DJ)
in a name?) writes:
>In article <20...@unix.cis.pitt.edu> dt...@unix.cis.pitt.edu (David M
Tate) writes:
>>
>>Sibelius Violin Concerto. Wow. Fire and Ice. Highest
>> recommendation for the *first* Stern recording
>> (w/ Sir Thomas Beecham, LSO, late 50's mono).
>> Forget the later version...
> [.....] I later rushed
>to find a copy of this recording... I didn't so I picked up a recent
>recording by Isaac Stern. YUK! He reduces the tense and fiery opening to a
>parlor discussion.
>
What follows is written by a thoroughly opinionated and patriotic
Finn. Debate is still open...
In general Sibelius is only played well by Finns. Esa-Pekka Salonen,
young though he is, gives excellent performances of the Sibelius
works. My favourite Sibelius conductor is Paavo Berglund. With
Bornemouth Symphony Orchestra he paints a vivid Finnish landscape,
just as it is in real life. Music by Sibelius is almost always
descriptive, it _is_ Finland.
Those were the recommendations. A word of warning. Stay away from
Bernstein interpretations of Sibelius! He plays the music in English.
American English, worse yet. At times it is difficult to recognize
the piece he thinks he is conducting.
This is not a concerto, but I have to mention it, being my favourite
where old Sibbe is concerned. Try and find Andante Festivo,
preferably a string quartet arrangement (original, that is).
Yours, AJJ.
Robert W. Holzel
>Anyone care to comment on the Brendl performances [of the
Beethoven Piano Concertos]?
They're okay except for the Fifth, which never takes off. Brendl
is not my ideal pianist in repertoire that calls for a quasi-Romantic
or Romantic flare. He seems to hold back, or not to possess the
necessary resources altogether. The earlier set of Beethoven concertos
with Haitink was better than the Levine set, but the comment about the
Fifth still applies.
Makes me curious about the Liszt Sonata recording that everybody was
praising in the music press. The tip-off to me was the comment
that it gave a different perspective on the piece, etc., which
makes me suspect that he downplays the fire and Romanticism in
favor of classicism. I love the Liszt Sonata but passed the Brendel
by because of his track record.
>I just got a pairing of Beethoven and Brahms violin concertos by Heifetz.
>I completely agree, these are very nice.
Yeah. Best Beethoven around. Perlman just released a new Beethoven
with Barenboim. I wonder if that's any good. The choice of conductor
seems not-too-promising. Salerno-Sonnenberg also has a new release
with de Waart of the Brahms. Anyone hear either of these?
Robert W. Holzel
gotten pretty long, but as a look at what's out there
it has developed into a fairly good rundown of the fab
and the drab.
If you wish to mention a work that has been excluded, please
mention a prefered performance. Also, it would be nice
to get some feedback on what dogs are out there. If you've been
gnawed to the bone then it would be helpful to know by what.
Generally I have been slammed for sticking to the "heroic"
classification in developing the list; after all, many of the works
mentioned are "girly-man" concertos. Also, some thought I was
being rash in excluding Mozart. Okay, I give.
For the sake of completeness I am opening the door:
Anything in the concerto literature is fair game.
But keep things sensible, okay? I'm refering to the hearty
recommendations for favorites of such dubious importance as
the Concerto for Wind Surfer and Bagpipes. Indeed,
some netters have mentioned some very strange repertoire.
I am helpless. These are works I know next to nothing about.
Yet although I'm too lazy and ignorant to include them here I
don't feel I'm truly depriving anyone since most of
them were posted, as opposed to having been email-ed solely
to me.
Incidentally, the following item came to my attention in the
American Record Guide (Nov./Dec. 1989), p. 12:
Prokofieff: He signed his name that way all his life.
[As opposed to "Prokofiev."] Why adopt a spelling
he did not use that does not tell English-speakers
how to pronounce his name?
Rachmaninoff: Again, the "f" is the sound of the final
consonant, not "v". And he chose the "ff" himself.
Yeah, I guess they got a couple of points there.
Another item from the ARG, page 95: "It just isn't possible
to have a final objective statement of any musical masterpiece.
One has to be content to find a version that satisfies a
particular aesthetic requirement." A fitting credo for
this newsgroup as a whole, I would say. It certainly fits
this particular undertaking. I don't mind anyone
flaming my taste in music, and I suppose this quote gives
a good rationale as to why.
Our net had a problem (again) over the weekend of 11/11, so if I
have not included something that someone has posted already,
I apologize. Please email to me what you can if you
do not see your ideas at least partially represented.
Sorry also if this is starting to resemble a list of
Ashkenazy's Greatest Hits. What can I say expect that he's
a great musician, and that for every recommendation of one
of his performances there's usually an alternative
mentioned as well.
Here is the list so far. I hope nobody's pissed off at how
long it is. This will probably be the last update for a
while.
Bach Brandenburgs (?) Wanted: recommendations for performances
which are (a) not sluggish or (b) rife with
the hooting and wheezing of original instruments.
Original instruments are in themselves okay.
Just leave out the versions which sound like
the band is made up of a bunch of old-age pensioners
with pneumonia.
Barber Piano Concerto (Joselson/Schenk/ASV) This piece
won a Pulitzer. (I know you're impressed.)
The piece creates an outstanding
balance between melody, musical rhetoric, and virtuosity.
The opening movement at first glance has an almost
dangerous textbook feel to it -- an angular, austere
principal theme; sensuous, embraceable secondary;
the requisite working-out of material. Yet
it never falters, maintaining interest to the end.
The first movement cadenza begins with a crashing
descent of precipitato chords and proceeds to barrel all over
the place. Then after all that the middle movement
sings seductively like truly vintage Barber. The finale is
a tour-de-force: breakneck toccata, chock full of note
clusters. In all, a work deserving more exposure!
The one recording to own features John Browning at the
piano, on CBS. (Listen to him gobble up the cadenza
whole.) But that one's not available on CD (yet?)
In the meantime this is as fine a performance as one would
need for contentment. Schenk is an avowed Barberian (obvious
joke avoided...) who also recorded the long-neglected
Symphony #2 for Stradivari.
Barber Violin Concerto (Silverstein/ProArte) The Violin Concerto has
been available for some time in many differnt recordings.
All, as far as I know, are good.
Bartok Piano Concertos (Ashkenazy/Decca) As interpretations the
different performances in this set vary. For instance, the
First and Second Concertos are probably shown in a better
light by Pollini/Abbado/DG. But as a set at mid-price
the Ashkenazy offers good value and much-better-than-
average performances.
Bartok Violin Concerto #1 (Chung/Solti/Decca) The lesser of
the Bartok Violin Concertos, but given a very convincing
interpretation by Chung. I'm not sure if other recordings
are available. This one comes attached to the Berg,
which alone is worth the price of the disk.
Bartok Violin Concerto #2 (?) Need comments and recommendations.
Beethoven Piano Concertos (Fleisher/Szell/CBS) Everybody short
of Liberace and Richard Clayderman seems to have
given these a whirl. Some may notice that the
original Ashkenazy/Solti/Decca recommendation has been
superceded by Fleisher. I had overlooked that one. It
is a "desert island" choice, although DT thought
it lacked fire in the Fifth and recommends Rubinstein. The
Ashkenazy/Solti cycle has just been released as a set
at mid-price. This is a sturdy recommendation, although
JB objected strenuously to my characterization of Concerto
#2 as "musical wallpaper" and claimed that the second
movement was one of the most beautiful that Beethoven
ever wrote. JB also thought that Ashkenazy was
"a waste" in the concertos entirely. (Was he maybe
refering to the collaboration with Mehta?) He prefered a
number of different pianists here (Serkin, Cliburn, Pollini,
Horowitz, Rubinstein); in the meantime he detests the
Arrau recordings, bringing JGD to counter that Arrau's
recent recording of the 4th was outstanding. (I
myself am another Arrau nay-sayer - too narcissistic.)
The Serkin/CBS recordings deserve special mention --
these were my first taste of truly great Beethoven
playing and others have mentioned them too.
Other decent recordings include Perhia/Haitink/CBS.
OH mentions the Ax/Previn/RCA, which I can vouch for
but would not judge to be the final best choice. For one,
he takes the second movement too quickly. (National
Public Radio featured Ax's Fifth in a review last year
and the critic gushed, saying that Ax essentially re-
created the piece through insightful phrasing and respect
for its classical roots. There's plenty of power, yet
perhaps more imagination than in other recordings.)
DRAB: Brendel/Levine/Philips, Ashkenazy/Mehta/Decca,
Tan/Norrington/EMI. I can vouch with the first two;
the last is hearsay.
Beethoven Violin Concerto (Heifetz/RCA) Classic performane,
coupled with the classic Brahms concerto recording. JB
reminded me of the Swensen/Previn/RCA recording, digital,
which is of further interest due to its inclusion of
Swensen's transcriptions of Beethoven's cadenzas from the
piano version of this work. I was personally not in love
with Perlman's reading with Giulini. Not enough fire.
Maybe that's why the only violinist ever to convince me
in this piece is Heifetz.
Berg Violin Concerto (Chung/Solti/Decca) The best in "wrong-note"
post-Romanticism. A beautiful, mystic closing. Better
than the Perlman performance, too.
Brahms #1 and #2 (Gilels/Jochum/DG) This recommendation
takes the laurels, but the Serkin/Szell/CBS recordings
run a close second. Rubinstein is prefered by others.
For digital sound go for Ashkenazy/Haitink/Decca, and
for an additional classic performance of #1 try Curzon/
Szell/Decca. Richter's excellent reading of #2 is
available at mid-price from RCA, on Papillon.
I'm not sure if the Fleisher/Szell/CBS
recordings are yet available on CD. They are also
considered classic performances. These are tough pieces
to bring off, so going for any other readings can be
risky.
DRAB: Berman/Abbado/CBS on #1
Brahms Violin Concerto (Mutter on DG or Heifetz on RCA) My all-time
favorite violin concerto. I think it's better than the
Beethoven and far better than the Tchiakovsky. I think the
soloist's entrance in the first movement is the most exciting
of any violin concerto. The Heifetz recording, coupled
with the Beethoven, is also a winner.
An aside: what's the word on the new Salerno-Sonnenberg/
de Waart/EMI release? It's coupled with the Bruch.
Britten Piano Concerto (Richter/Britten/Decca) A unique concerto for
all the right reasons. Energetic first and last movements,
with a neat waltz and intermezzo sandwiched in between. This
performance is just about to show up at mid-price in the
stores. You will need no other, including the Servadi/Chandos.
Coupled with the Violin Concerto, which many think is a
better piece. Maybe so, but it's not as much fun.
Busoni Piano Concerto (?) Just now coming into the marketplace in
three different performances, the latest reportedly from
Dohnanyi on Telarc. In the realm of the fab and the
drab, this here is the flab. Liszt on steroids.
Gigantic, including a finale with male chorus that brings
the total time to over an hour.
Carter Piano Concerto (Oppens) Not Jimmy, but Elliot.
Chopin #1 and #2 (Zimerman/Giulini/DG) Here the heroic ideal
is a bit strained, since in these battles the orchestra
never really has a chance. But these just go to show that
even when Chopin subjects us to note-spinning the result is
still golden. The Gilels performance on CBS is considered
by some critics as the finest performance of #1. I like it
too, but think Gilels takes the prettier tunes in the
first movement too fast. Rubinstein is probably a safe
bet on these as well. I'm not up on all of the recordings
and have not heard the classic Pollini #1 in years,
so this recommendation is open to a lot of leeway.
DRAB: Davidovich/Marriner/Philips on #2
Dvorak Cello Concerto (Rostropovich/Von Karajan/DG) A performance
that is outdone only by the classic Casals recording from the
1930's. Rostropovich recorded this work many times, but
this is his best. I don't think there's any real competition
on CD, although some would claim it comes from Ma/Maazel
CBS.
Dvorak Piano Concerto (Richter/Kleiber/EMI) My own first choice,
Moravec, is not yet on CD and may never be, since
Supraphon chose to release another (inferior) recording. Moravec
uses the turbo version of the score, which was re-written to
allow it to play more pianistically.
In the original version, Richter and Klieber sweep the boards.
That one's on CD. But for a real thrill the Moravec is best,
since I for one like the rewrite better. (The original
merely falls back on a lot of left hand doubling of the
righthand passage-work.) Schiff/Dohnanyi/Decca have also
recorded the work digitally. Critical response to that
release has been very positive, but I don't like the
performance as much as Richter's.
Elgar Violin Concerto (Kennedy/EMI) A truly *great* sleeper.
Incredibly, nobody seems to speak of this as being on
a par with the Brahms/Beethoven/Tchiakovsky/Mendelsohn
fiddle pieces. The Perlman performance is good, too.
Elgar Cello Concerto (DuPre/EMI) In the same league as the
Dvorak, and argueably better. Yo Yo Ma ("Yo' Mama") and
Previn do a fine job with this on CBS, too. DuPre is
introspective, while Yo Yo Ma is more extroverted.
An even more hystrionic performance is to be had with
Lynn Harrel on Decca at mid-price.
Gershwin Concerto in F (Previn/Previn/EMI) Note that the
recommendation is *not* for the newer Philips release.
Why? For one reason, that in the older version Previn
plays the second movement with more care. No other
pianist has yet in my experience equalled what he
does on the EMI, so I have stayed with that version
after listening to many others. (To my ear it also
sounds more jazzy.)
Ginastera Piano Concerto #1 (ASV) Try it, you'll like it. If you like
Stravinsky you'll *really* like it. The finale is one of the most
kick-ass toccatas you'll ever hear. This performance
(which is conducted by Batiz, but I can't remember the pianist's
name) even outdoes the debut recording done for RCA about
15 years ago. Coupled with the Harp Concerto, which is also
marvelous but might have been subtitled "Crisis for
Nagging Spouse and Orchestra." Great digital sound.
Ginastera Piano Concerto #2 (List/Westminster) Variations on
a chord by Beethoven. Twelve-tone serialism. Decidedly
not a gift idea for grandma, but sounds interesting.
I'm sure it's not on CD, but maybe the team that gave us #1
will turn their sights on this on as well.
Hindemith Clarinet Concerto (Pieterson/Kondrashin/ETCE) Coupled with
the Clarinet Concerto. This was mentioned via the net and
sounds interesting. I don't know anything else about it.
Hummel Piano Concertos (Hough/Chandos) But these
works are really pretty good, honest. The closing of the
A minor is *unbelieveable*, and testifies for all time to
Stephen Hough's technical prowess. The B minor
is my favorite, however. In all it's kinda like warmed-
over Chopin crossed with okay Mozart, but there's some
nice stuff here. (GWS thought the opposite --
that Chopin sounded like warmed-over Hummel.) Worth a listen.
Khachaturian Piano Concerto (Katz/Boult/PRT) Supposedly the
best performance of it available; I cannot offer any help
here. I came across a mention of it when reading a review
of the Britten performance which is coupled on Chandos
with this concerto's competition.
Korngold Violin Concerto (Heifetz/RCA) One hears tell that this
is a corny (ahem) piece, redeemed in this performance by
an interpreter who takes it seriously. Perlman also
recorded it for EMI.
Liszt Concertos #1 and #2 (Zimerman/Ozawa/DG) Am I the only
one to think that Concerto #2 is the better work? Some would
prefer Richter on these, and I would not argue. However this
release also gives the Totentanz, a significant bonus.
Lloyd Piano Concerto #4 (Stott/Lloyd/Albany) Beautiful,
memorable tunes and some Rachmaninov-ian piano writing make
this an instant favorite. It wears well over repeated
listenings. Concerto #3 also just released; the jury's
still out on that one.
Mendelssohn Piano Concertos (Serkin/CBS) I know these to be
very good, but I don't know if they're available on CD.
Mozart Piano Concertos (Bilson/Gardiner/Archiv or Ashkenazy/
Ashkenazy/Decca) NM claims that the Bilson performances
show Mozart to be no girly-man, but you have to be able
to appreciate the fortepiano. In performance on a modern
instrument, Ashkenazy has been consistently in good form
in this repertoire. Decca has just released the entire
cycle at lower-than-mid-price (i.e., ten disks for the
price of eight mid-price disks, or something like that.)
Schiff recorded Concerto #17 for Decca and the result
is supposed to be transcendental. Just saying what I've
heard.
Nielsen Clarinet Concerto (?) Sounds like an interesting
instrument tackled by an interesting composer.
MSS: "rowdy." GF: "noisy." As the Church Lady says,
"You be the judge." Any recommendations out there?
Paderewski Piano Concerto (available on "Sound") The pianist's name
is impossible to remember, ditto the conductor. This is an
older recording and sounds like it, but the piece is a fine
example of the ripe, old-fashioned Romantic concerto. Earl
Wild recorded it with Arthur Fiedler back in the 60's or
70's, editing the piano part to give it more depth (although
without a score I'd be hard-pressed to say where the
differences are.) Until the Wild recording is released this
one will do. Incidentally, Wild recorded a lot of the
Romantic concerto repertoire over the last twenty years, some
of which is immediately forgettable but some of
which also is worth a listen. Maybe the CDs will
trickle out over the next few years.
Prokofieff Piano Concertos 1-3 (Ashkenazy/Previn/Decca) The
set actually includes all five Prokofiev Piano Concertos,
and fits them all on two CDs at mid-price. This is
a classic team: Ashkenazy and Previn. The second concerto
is harder to find in other performances (Feltsman
had a hand at it but it just doesn't matter) which is
why this complete set of five concertos is a gold mine.
Another set of all five is available from EMI featuring
Beroff. These are less commanding performances, and would
be recommended only if the Ashkenazy were unavailable.
Concerto #3 has been released in several versions. Among
the great is Argerich/Abbado/DG. Among the very good are
Cliburn/RCA and Kissin/RCA. Though Grafman's no all-time
favorite of mine, his recording with Szell is one of the best of
#1 and #3, but #2 is also essential so the tip goes to
Vladimir. The cadenzas in #2 are astonishing, and
Ashkenazy makes *music* of them.
DRAB: Parker/Previn/Telarc or Barto/EMI in #3
Prokofieff Violin Concertos (no clear recommendation) I haven't heard
enough recordings of these to choose a winner; I own the
Mintz/Abbado on DG, but I bet there are competing performances
out there. Heifetz recorded the Second Concerto with
the expected superlative results. Mutter/Rostropovich/Erato
is supposedly a winner on #1. NM recommends Perlman/
Rozhdestvensky.
Rachmaninoff Concertos 1-4 (Wild/Chandos, Ashkenazy/Previn/Decca)
If you are looking for all four concertos from one source
and packaged together then these two are very competitive,
the Ashkenazy maybe more so because it is at mid-price. Wild's
interpretations have been well-regarded for years. There's
a newer set by Ashkenazy/Haitink/Decca, digital, but it's
not on a par with the earlier releases.
Rachmaninoff #1 (Pletnev/Virgin) Fantastic first-movement
cadenza, gorgeous second movement. Here, coupled with a first-
rate Paganini Variations. Ashkenazy (w/Haitink) also does a decent
job with the same coupling, but his entrance in the
concerto is marred by a mannered rubato at the very end of
the opening cadenza. Furthermore, Pletnev thoroughly
outplays him in the main first movement cadenza.
Rachmaninoff #2 (Richter/DG) No need to explain why Rachy
II is included in this list, and Richter's
performance is in a class by itself. What incredible
command. He takes the opening at a slower tempo than
usual and makes it sound exactly right. I think he's
the one pianist I'd pay hundreds to see perform live.
Rachmaninoff #3 (Berman/Abbado/CBS) Again, no need to say why
Rachy III joins our list. It's a pianistic icon. The only
argument is over which recording is the best. I know,
I know, Horowitz "owned" this one. (OH goes for Horowitz/
Reiner.) Sorry, but I still like Berman, sonic warts and all.
DRAB: Bolet/Fischer/Decca, Feltsman/CBS, Sgouros/EMI (now
in the clearance bins at Tower), Pennario/CBS, Gavrilov/
Muti/EMI (particularly disappointing since his older
Melodyia/CBS issue featured a stupendous first movement
cadenza and a fine reading overall; I bought this on the
spot, expecting great things -- improved sound,
improved choice of conductor, more seasoned pianist;
now I've learned to check out a few reviews first.)
Ravel Concerto in G (Collard/Maazel/EMI) Playful and jazzy,
with a second movement more beautiful than just about any other
concerto's. Coupled with a great performance of the left-hand
concerto as well.
Schumann Concerto (Bishop-Kovacevich/Davis/Philips, Moravec/Supraphon,
Zimerman/Karajan/DG) Probably the best single piece
that Schumann wrote. The Moravec reading is at mid-price with
only an okay orchestra, and an excruciating coupling by way of
a Schumann violin concerto that is d-u-l-l. The Bishop-K
recording has long been regarded as "the" one. I had
overlooked it before but QYZ brought it back to mind.
Shostakovich Cello Concerto (Ma/Ormandy/CBS, Schiff/Shostakovich
Philips) NM recommends the Ma and has heard that
the Schiff is good.
Sibelius Violin Concerto (Perlman/Previn/EMI, Perlman/Leinsdorf/
RCA, or Lin/Salonen/CBS) I don't know enough to say anything
about these different performances other than that I own
the Perlman/Previn. NM recommends the Perlman/Leinsdorf.
ER terms the Mullova/Ozawa "unique," but that can mean a
lot of different things. What further can be said about
this reading?
Strauss Horn Concertos (Bauman/Mazsur/Philips) Concerto #1
is great, #2 not quite as good but better than the
standard fare. This release includes a Weber piece
that is best described as fun.
Stravinsky Violin Concerto (Mutter/DG) I own the Mutter
because I wanted the Lutoslawski coupling and came to like
this piece as well. Others have recorded it, though, and maybe
with better results. One of the alternatives is Perlman's,
coupled with the Berg.
Tchiakovsky Piano Concerto #1 (Argerich/Dutoit/DG or Cliburn/RCA)
A tie as far as I'm concerned. Gilels on CBS is marred by
indifferent backup by Mehta and the NY Philharmonic; otherwise
it's an excellent performance, but one black mark is all
it takes to take it out of the league of the other two.
DRAB: Schiff/Solti/Decca, Pogorelich/Abbado/DG, Weissenberg/
Karajan/EMI
Tchiakovsky Piano Concerto #2 (Donohoe/Barshai/EMI) Very different
from Concerto #1. This performance is the best, and one
of the few available.
DRAB: Postnikova/Rozhdestvensky (taken so slowly and with
such indifference that you suspect her of sightreading)
Tchiakovsky Violin Concerto (Chung/Dutoit/Decca) A great performance
coupled with a great Mendelssohn Violin Concerto recording.
The usual, great sound quality that one has come to expect
from any Montreal recording. The cadenza, where the violin
is set beautifully against stark silence, was one of my
first encounters with the wonders of CD sounds.
Also recorded in non-digital sound by (who else?) Heifetz
on RCA.
Walton Violin and Viola Concertos (Kennedy/Previn/EMI)
A great coupling. The viola piece is otherwise unavailable
on CD, and is to some the better work. Chung has a
great recording of the Violin Concerto at mid-price on
Decca, but Kennedy's addition of the Viola Concerto
makes it the clear choice in this repertoire. You
can also find an outstanding Heifetz on RCA.
Wuorinen Piano Concerto (Ohlsson on Nonesuch) Another modern
piece. A real finger-twister.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks and a tip o' the hat to:
RW, MA, QYZ, JB, JGD, GWS, NM, MSS, GF, DT, AC, OH, MT, DA, ER
Rob Holzel
r...@xpiinc.uu.net
Gary L Dare
>
>Bach Brandenburgs (?) Wanted: recommendations for performances
> which are (a) not sluggish or (b) rife with
> the hooting and wheezing of original instruments.
Previous replies to this question (by myself and others) and ensuing
debate settled upon Marriner/ASMF on Philips (not the later one on
Angel/EMI). Other people can fill in the details. Also, this one
recording is supposed to have traffic/subway rumble if you listen
closely enough on a good system (must be a really good one...).
> Original instruments are in themselves okay.
Previous replies to this question (by myself and others) and ensuing
debate settled upon Trevor Pinnock's on Archiv (DG). They are either
two discs (from BMG club) or a three-disc midline set in the shops
(w/orchestral suites).
As for piano concertoes, I'll let my girlfriend (a performing pianist)
write an article for me to post. If somebody attacks it because it's
under my name, I'll let her vent her wrath on him.
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Je me souviens ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gary L. Dare In memory of Victor Davis:
> g...@cunixd.cc.columbia.EDU Canada's Greatest Swimmer
> g...@cunixc.BITNET d. 89/11/13, Montreal, Quebec
Todd McComb
>Bartok Piano Concertos (Ashkenazy/Decca) As interpretations the
> different performances in this set vary. For instance, the
> First and Second Concertos are probably shown in a better
> light by Pollini/Abbado/DG. But as a set at mid-price
> the Ashkenazy offers good value and much-better-than-
> average performances.
I'd like to put in a good word for the new Kocsis/Fischer recordings
on Philips. These aren't mid-priced CDs, unfortunately, but they are
powerful performances. I guess I'm kind of partial to hungarian music
recorded in Hungary.
>Brahms #1 and #2 (Gilels/Jochum/DG) This recommendation
> takes the laurels, but the Serkin/Szell/CBS recordings
> run a close second. Rubinstein is prefered by others.
> For digital sound go for Ashkenazy/Haitink/Decca, and
> for an additional classic performance of #1 try Curzon/
> Szell/Decca. Richter's excellent reading of #2 is
> available at mid-price from RCA, on Papillon.
I never liked Brahms until I heard the Ashkenazy/Haitink recording
of the second Piano Concerto, for whatever that means. The sound is
fantastic, though.
>Ginastera Piano Concerto #1 (ASV) Try it, you'll like it. If you like
> Stravinsky you'll *really* like it. The finale is one of the most
> kick-ass toccatas you'll ever hear. This performance
> (which is conducted by Batiz, but I can't remember the pianist's
> name) even outdoes the debut recording done for RCA about
> 15 years ago. Coupled with the Harp Concerto, which is also
> marvelous but might have been subtitled "Crisis for
> Nagging Spouse and Orchestra." Great digital sound.
This sounds interesting, but it's not listed in my copy of Schwann's.
Anyone have any details (like pianist/catalog number)?
>Liszt Concertos #1 and #2 (Zimerman/Ozawa/DG) Am I the only
> one to think that Concerto #2 is the better work? Some would
> prefer Richter on these, and I would not argue. However this
> release also gives the Totentanz, a significant bonus.
I don't like the first much at all--all show and no substance, but the
second isn't so bad. So, no, you're not the only one. It's not a concerto,
but the Totentanz is a masterpiece, IMHO. In certain states of mind, it
can be truly terrifying, and the piano really adds to the effect.
>Nielsen Clarinet Concerto (?) Sounds like an interesting
> instrument tackled by an interesting composer.
> MSS: "rowdy." GF: "noisy." As the Church Lady says,
> "You be the judge." Any recommendations out there?
Unfortunately, I have not heard this concerto, but Nielsen's Violin
Concerto intrigues me enough to want to find a copy. The Violin Concerto
is well worth listening to--I have the Lin/Salonen on CBS coupled with
the Sibelius Violin Concerto.
>Shostakovich Cello Concerto (Ma/Ormandy/CBS, Schiff/Shostakovich
> Philips) NM recommends the Ma and has heard that
> the Schiff is good.
Rostropovich/Ozawa on Erato is good, though I haven't heard the others
to compare. This CD also contains the Profofiev Sinfonia Concertante for
Cello and Orchestra which I like. It's kind of stark and sarcastic, but
there's some real emotion there.
--todd
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Todd McComb mcc...@turing.cs.rpi.edu [128.213.1.1]
clearly bozotic The way I feel is the way I am
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Bill_P...@cup.portal.com
concertos. What is the "other" one, besides the one in A Major,
K. 622. So far as I know (and the New Grove's) there is only one.
It is maybe an arrangement of one of the other wind concertos?
Bill Pearce
Todd McComb
>Makes me curious about the Liszt Sonata recording that everybody was
>praising in the music press. The tip-off to me was the comment
>that it gave a different perspective on the piece, etc., which
>makes me suspect that he downplays the fire and Romanticism in
>favor of classicism. I love the Liszt Sonata but passed the Brendel
>by because of his track record.
Having listened to this performance many times, I'd say your description
is perfect. After a while, it's just dull.
My favorite is the Horowitz on RCA, though the Browning performance on
Delos is also quite good. Horowitz is totally unrestrained, which I like.
I still want to get the Nojima performance on Reference, though....
Meg Rogers
> consonant, not "v". And he chose the "ff" himself.
>
Emerson Winchester is in the Officers club enjoying a drink and
finding the music too pedestrian for his taste. The following
exchange ensues.
"This music is dreadfull. Do you have any Rachmaninoff?"
"No sir, we don't have any vodka"
--
"Mac" Rogers Stanford University
m...@portia.stanford.edu
{arpa gateways, decwrl, glacier}!portia.stanford.edu!mac
Stephen Oh
Since so many people were talking about the greatest hit iof concertos,
is there anyone who can summarize all of them?
It will be great for me :-> and for those who are interested in
experiencing more good musics.
Thanks.
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
| Stephen Oh o...@csc.ti.com | Texas Instruments |
| Speech and Image Understandung Lab. | Computer Science Center|
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Douglas Clark
I have the Schiff CD of the Shostakovich Cello concertoes. It is ok.
As with the violin the first concerto is much superior to the second.
I have the Oistrakh Violin. A bit of tape-hiss on the first.
--
Douglas Clark Voice : +44 225 826039
User Services, JANET : ccs...@uk.ac.bath.gdr
Bath University Computing Services, UUCP : uunet!mcsun!ukc!gdr!ccsdgdc
Bath, Avon, England BA2 7AY ARPA : ccsdgdc%gdr.bat...@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk
Robert W. Holzel
>
>In general Sibelius is only played well by Finns. Esa-Pekka Salonen,
>young though he is, gives excellent performances of the Sibelius
>works. My favourite Sibelius conductor is Paavo Berglund. With
>
>Bernstein interpretations of Sibelius! He plays the music in English.
Salonen is good in Nielsen, too. I picked up Symphony #2 the other
day and was very impressed. I was somewhat crestfallen, however,
when I later came across Berglund's recording on RCA. He included
the Fifth Symphony as a filler, whereas Salonen included a suite.
I rather wished I had known that the Berglund was around before I
picked up the other one.
Berglund's reading of Symphonies One and Four on RCA are also
very good.
And where Sibelius is concerned, I confess to owning the Barbirolli
on Chesky and thinking it is the greatest I've heard yet. Maybe
it's more Romantically interpreted, but one can still feel the
bracing air and see the snowbound landscapes of Scandinavia.
Far, far better than my first Sibelius many years ago -- the
Ormandy on Odyssey.
And I agree about Bernstein. Too, too much of his work these
days is "expansive" (i.e. s-l-o-w) and overripe. As someone else
on the net pointed out, the kind way to put it is that he "dares
to take his time." He also dares to waste mine. My CD of the
Sibelius Second soon found itself up for adoption at the local
used-CD buy-back.
R. Wilmer
I forgot when listing my favorite concertos to mention the
Rubinstein recording of the Schumann a minor. Beautiful
throughout, he plays the whirling arpeggios of the last
movement with a rhythmic sweep and exhiliration that I have heard matched
only by Toscanini, combined with an ease, grandeur, generosity,
warmth, and naturalness that were Rubinstein's alone.
No one has yet mentioned the Schumann
Cello. It is a great favorite of mine, but
I don't know of a version to recommend.
David Brooks
>
>In general Sibelius is only played well by Finns.
At present, maybe. From the notes on my revered, mono 1958 BBCSO/Sargent
recording of the 2nd:
"...who better to emulate the genius of Sibelius...than his long-
standing friend, Sir Malcolm. They were constantly in correspondence
and whenever the composer heard a particularly fine rendition of his
works, by medium [sic] of his radio, the grand old man was quick to
send Sir Malcolm a telegram of contratulations [sic]." Similar
sentiments on the accompanying 1st.
Flash may not have been generally regarded as one of the greats, but
several composers expressed a genuine admiration. Does anyone know if
his Sibeliuses have been reissued?
--
David Brooks dbr...@osf.org
Open Software Foundation uunet!osf.org!dbrooks
--
David Brooks dbr...@osf.org
Open Software Foundation uunet!osf.org!dbrooks
11 Cambridge Center Personal views, not necessarily those
David Farmer
In article <74...@viscous.sco.COM> rogerk (Roger Knopf 5502) writes:
**
**How about...
**
** The Mozart Clarinet Concertos (both of 'em). Beautiful.
**
**I have a CD of (get this) Benny Goodman doing them. A lovely performance
**although the second one was (from the sound of it) taken off a 78
**master.... A friend of mine has an even nicer version on LP, I
**don't remember who/where/what (David??).
Thea King playing the basset clarinet, ECO conducted by Jeffrey Tate.
That's on Hyperion. Clarinet Concerto in A, K622. One of my favorite
pieces of music in an excellent performance. This is great Mozart,
composed just a couple of months, I think, before his death. I love
this record. (And I hope to find another copy!)
Hyperion is a very good (English) label. I have quite a few of their
LPs and they are ALL good. Performance and recording. (Like the
quality of Lyrita, if you're familiar with those, but much more
interesting repertoire. ;-) ) [I can't speak for their CDs. I did
buy one: Taverner "Missa Gloria Tibi Trinitas," but it was unbearably
"bright" and I had to return it to Tower. That's only a single case,
and a LOT of "early music" recordings sound very bright, but...]
- david farmer dav...@sco.COM or uunet!sco!davidf
--
"Thank God we're normal."
(Laurence Olivier as) - Archie Rice, "The Entertainer"
Don Allen
> I have the Schiff CD of the Shostakovich Cello concertoes. It is ok.
> As with the violin the first concerto is much superior to the second.
I felt the same way after the first hearing or so of the second concerto.
My advice is -- if you haven't heard it a few times, don't give up on it.
It's pretty subtle stuff and takes some time to sink in; at least it did
in my case. I would also recommend taking a listen to the
Rostropovich/Ozawa recording. I've heard the Schiff and, while it's
certainly good, I don't think it's up to Rost./Ozawa.
/Don Allen
Don Allen
> on Chesky and thinking it is the greatest I've heard yet. Maybe
I think Barbirolli was one of the most underrated conductors ever --
probably had something to do with following Toscanini at the NY Phil and
having a bad time of it. Anyway, I agree completely that his Sibelius is
wonderful. If you can get your hands on his recording of the Karelia
Suite, grab it! You will smile a lot.
I also think he was a great Mahler conductor. I have his 5th and 9th and
love them both. I also have fond memories of his performance of Elgar's
Dream of Gerontius in NY in the early 60s.
/Don Allen
Mike Gallatin
>
>
>No one has yet mentioned the Schumann
>Cello. It is a great favorite of mine, but
>I don't know of a version to recommend.
personally I have always enjoyed Pablo Cascals version, liberties
and all.
Mike Gallatin- m...@us.cc.umich.edu
mike_G...@um.cc.umich.edu
User...@Umichum.Bitnet
Opinions expressed herein are solely my own and have no relation
James Kin Wah Lee
>
>Thea King playing the basset clarinet, ECO conducted by Jeffrey Tate.
>That's on Hyperion. Clarinet Concerto in A, K622. One of my favorite
>pieces of music in an excellent performance. This is great Mozart,
>composed just a couple of months, I think, before his death. I love
>this record. (And I hope to find another copy!)
>
Agreed. I think this performance is wonderful. You might be
interested to know that there is also a CD version available.
JIM
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Jim Lee (jk...@phoenix.Princeton.EDU) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Dept. of Geol. & Geophys. Sci. * THERE ARE STRANGE THINGS DONE *
Princeton University * IN THE MIDNIGHT SUN ..... *
Princeton, NJ 08544 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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Kurt Hoesly
>>Robert W. Holzel writes:
>>
>>The Sibelius Violin Concerto. Moody.
>>The Nielsen Clarinet Concerto. Rowdy.
I'm biased, but what about the von Weber bassoon concerto?
It's a very difficult piece (some 2 octave+ skips), and works
well as a show-off piece. Unfortunately, I *can't* even begin
to play it... >sniff<
kdh
Matt Kennel
>
> The Mozart Clarinet Concertos (both of 'em). Beautiful.
So, what's the other one? Inquiring readers want to know.
>
>Roger Knopf
Matt Kennel
pa1...@sdcc13.ucsd.edu
Roger Knopf 5502
In article <53...@sdcc6.ucsd.edu> pa1...@sdcc13.ucsd.edu (Matt Kennel) writes:
>In article <74...@viscous.sco.COM> rog...@sco.COM (Roger Knopf 5502) writes:
>>
>>How about...
>>
>> The Mozart Clarinet Concertos (both of 'em). Beautiful.
>
>So, what's the other one? Inquiring readers want to know.
This was a mistake. The Clarinet Concerto on my CD (now that I
am home to check on it) is paired with a Clarinet Quintet, not
a concerto. Oops.
Roger Knopf
Robert W. Holzel
>I think Barbirolli was one of the most underrated conductors ever --
I'm glad to hear I'm not alone in this regard. Barbirolli to me seems
the epitome of a spiritually focused interpreter. Words that come
to mind are "luminous" and "humane," putting him much in the same league
as Bruno Walter.
>I also think he was a great Mahler conductor. I have his 5th and 9th and
>love them both.
I too own the Fifth. It's a wonderful antidote to the wrenching
Bernstein on DG. The two make an interesting study in how to
present the same work with different interpretive visions, and
succeed magnificently on both counts. I hope to get the 9th soon.
>I also have fond memories of his performance of Elgar's
>Dream of Gerontius in NY in the early 60s.
The Barbirolli recording of Gerontius has just been released on
Angel. Dame Janet Baker is the Angel.
Barbirolli's recording of Madame Butterfly with Scotto and Bergonzi
is wonderful too.
Rob Holzel