I really took a step up in interest in Mozart in 1991 and the many recordings that were issued for the 200! Most of the Symphony recordings were morethan acceptable but there were some less so eg Collegium Aurem.
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Mady Mesplé – Mélodies
30 French Mélodies from Hahn, Debussy, Ravel, Roussel, Poulenc & Satie
Mady Mesplé (soprano)
Pianos: Dave Baldwin / Aldo Ciccolini / Gabriel Tacchino
Patrick Gallois (flute)
Recorded 1977-1989
Erato, box set, CD 3 of 4.
John Adams – Berliner Philharmoniker
Harmonielehre
John Adams (conductor)
Recorded Live 2016, Philharmonie, Berlin
Short Ride in a Fast Machine
Alan Gilbert (conductor)
Recorded 2016, Philharmonie, Berlin
City Noir
Timothy McAllister (alto saxophone)
Gustavo Dudamel (conductor)
Recorded Live 2017, Philharmonie, Berlin
Berliner Philharmoniker own label – The John Adams Edition, CD 1 of 4
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Playing through the latest big box Ormandy release, I came to a disc with Serkin pairing the Beethoven 2nd PC with Mozart 27. I had previously owned both recordings: The Beethoven was in an earlier Serkin reissue box devoted to LvB, and the Mozart acquired 20 years ago as an iTunes download.
With the performances thus being familiar the first thing to notice was the spectacular sonics. I listened to a few minutes of the earlier Beethoven reissue -which impressed me at the time-and the newer recording has a deeper soundstage and firmer bass. It’s a source of wonder how remastering techniques resuscitate vintage recordings. And the new Mozart remastering is of course worlds improved from iTunes.
The Beethoven is really excellent. The 2nd PC is the poor stepchild of Beethoven PCs but I love it. This joins Fleisher/Szell and Argerich as my favorite renditions. The Mozart is excellent; I prefer Curzon who sounds just a bit more valedictory in Mozart last PC but this is an excellent alternativeComment
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Sibelius: Oceanides . The Bavarian Radio orchestra, Eugen Jochum.
A not-well-known DG disc from, I think the late 1950s. It includes Night-Ride and Sunrise and the Tempest prelude. Very good. I hadn't heard Jochum do any other Sibelius.Comment
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I don't suppose it has Ormandy's Delius disc (CBS 61426 Lp) in it does it? This Lp contains perhaps the most strange, unidiomatic version of 'In a Summer Garden' I've ever heard....the central section ( using, say, Beecham as a guide), which represents the river Loing at the end of Delius's garden is taken at such a lick that I'm sure Ormandy never went there - I've been there in flood and it doesn't flow that fast!Originally posted by richardfinegold View PostComment
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I still have LPE17075 - 10" issued, I think, in 1956. Very fine Night Ride and Sunrise as well as The Oceanides.Originally posted by smittims View PostComment
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The Sibelius disc is included in the DG Eugen Jochum box of his orchestral recordings.Originally posted by HighlandDougie View Post"The sound is the handwriting of the conductor" - Bernard HaitinkComment
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Nice to know that Jochum is still available. I thought it was a 10" from the playing time!
That Ormandy Delius disc is indeed a curiosity. I think it was made to commemorate the centenary in 1962 and must have been one of the few Delius recordings made outside England (before Mackerras!) , the first probably being Felix Slatkin's Capitol selection, which later had a good run on Music for Pleasure .
I did like Ormandy's interpretation of the Second Dance Rhapsody. I think he misread the tempo marking for that central section of In a Summer garden ; it is a little unclear in the UE score, though it's interesting that no-one else (Collins, Barbirolli, etc.) did it so fast.
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No Delius in this box. It might be in previous box. Since I have no affinity for that composer I will probably never play that disc anyway.Originally posted by Roger Webb View PostComment
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It's in the first Stereo box, i.e. The Columbia Stereo Collection.Originally posted by richardfinegold View PostComment
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Ah, thanks Richard...as Ormandy seems to have little affinity for that composer, perhaps he shouldn't have recorded it - we'd then both be happy!Originally posted by richardfinegold View PostComment
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An oddity…
Handel. Water Music. Organ Concerto No.4.
Jane Parker-Smith, organ. The London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Claudio Abbado.
I found this cd whilst touring the Lake District recently. I took it to a friend’s house last night and we could find no mention of Abbado conducting Handel anywhere. It’s obviously been made for the Japanese market since the hardback sleeve is Japanese script. Ms. P-S’s name is misspelled as Parher-Smith!
Most odd.Comment
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I've got the big, VERY big Abbado box and it's definitely not a DG recording. I don't have the RCA box but, like you, I think it's highly unlikely that Abbado recorded Handel.Originally posted by pastoralguy View Post"The sound is the handwriting of the conductor" - Bernard HaitinkComment
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I've found no trace of Abbado recording Handel , but there;s no doubt about George Szell's LSO recording of the Harty suites (Water and Fireworks) which I found in a charity shop this morning. It was long a top bargain recomendation : 'the orchestral playing is outstanding throughout' said the Penguin Guide, and the horns, led by Barry Tuckwell no doubt, sing out gloriously. .Comment
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Hiller's 2nd 'cello Sonata on a rare CD that i got cheaply last month - it's called Forgotten Treasures and also includes Urspruch's Cello Sonata (which is primarily the piece I bought the disc for but I'm very taken with the Hiller!)Best regards,
JonathanComment
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