What Classical Music Are You listening to Now? IV

[pastoralguy]

Are you referring to the late 60s Karajan, or the 80s one?

It must be in the big Barbirolli box set. I must find it.

[smittims]

Beethoven, Quartet in A minor, op. 132. The Griller Quartet.

I hadn't heard the Grillers play Beethoven before, and the only other recording I can discover is of the F minor quartet. I've always loved their playing, and this early Decca LP of the A minor quartet I thought magnificent and deeply moving . I woudln't hesitate to rank it alongside the Busch or Italian quartets' famous recordings of this work. Curiously, it appears never to have been reissued. I'd have thought it a good candidate for the 'Ace of Clubs ' label , as there were few if any bargain discs of the late quartets.

[pastoralguy]

Beethoven, Quartet in A minor, op. 132. The Griller Quartet.

I hadn't heard the Grillers play Beethoven before, and the only other recording I can discover is of the F minor quartet. I've always loved their playing, and this early Decca LP of the A minor quartet I thought magnificent and deeply moving . I woudln't hesitate to rank it alongside the Busch or Italian quartets' famous recordings of this work. Curiously, it appears never to have been reissued. I'd have thought it a good candidate for the 'Ace of Clubs ' label , as there were few if any bargain discs of the late quartets.

By coincidence, yesterday I picked up two discs of the Griller Quartet playing the Mozart Quintets with William Primrose playing the second viola part. Very much playing of its time with some wonderful portamenti and very well recorded.

[oliver sudden]

Beethoven, Quartet in A minor, op. 132. The Griller Quartet.

I hadn't heard the Grillers play Beethoven before, and the only other recording I can discover is of the F minor quartet. I've always loved their playing, and this early Decca LP of the A minor quartet I thought magnificent and deeply moving . I woudln't hesitate to rank it alongside the Busch or Italian quartets' famous recordings of this work. Curiously, it appears never to have been reissued. I'd have thought it a good candidate for the 'Ace of Clubs ' label , as there were few if any bargain discs of the late quartets.

I am very curious now! Fortunately it can be found here:

https://archive.org/details/lp_beethoven-string-quartet-no-15-in-a-minor_the-griller-string-quartet

I think otherwise I’ve only heard them alongside Thurston in Brahms and Bliss.

[oliver sudden]

It must be in the big Barbirolli box set. I must find it.

CD 50

[smittims]

Thanks for that link,oliver. The Grillers' main territory was Mozart and Haydn, one of their most highly-praised recordings being an early complete Seven Last Words, before the Amadeus took it up. Mike Dutton transferred several of their recordings ot CD, but I haven't seen any of their Beethoven. Besides op.95 I've found they also recorded one of the op. 18 quartets on 78s.

[richardfinegold]

By coincidence, yesterday I picked up two discs of the Griller Quartet playing the Mozart Quintets with William Primrose playing the second viola part. Very much playing of its time with some wonderful portamenti and very well recorded.

That was my introduction to the Mozart Quintets-I think that were just two of them-on a Vanguard Everyman lp. I had no comparator but there was a lot of warmth and vitality in the playing. After my LPs were destroyed in the mid eighties I didn’t get around to getting a CD version, which some all star ensemble, and it just wasn’t the same

[smittims]

All six Mozart quintets with Primrose and the Grillers are in an 'Intense Media' 10-disc set : 'William Primrose milestones of a legend' (600523).

My last listening was Handel's organ concertos op.4 nos 1 & 2: Jeanne Demessieux, the Suisse Romande Orch, Ernest Ansermet. An early 1950s Decca recording.

Ther organ of the Victoria Hall , Geneva sounds massive, and even under Demessieux' hands it is an ungainly beast in the allegros . Ansermet, for once in his life, stands back discreetly and lets her get on with it. Her cadenzas roam on from Handel to what sounds like Saint-Saens.

The Record Guide called it 'booming, Crystal-Palace style: not recommended' but on its Ace of Clubs reissue it was called a 'lucky ace'. I enjoyed it very much.

[pastoralguy]

CD 50

[pastoralguy]

I’m going through a real Dvorak ‘cello concerto maggot at the moment. I’ve just purchase a new recording from Harriet Krijgh with Martin Sieghart conducting the Tonkünstler-Orchester. (Capriccio label).

Absolutely outstanding, imho. Terrific playing from the excellent soloist, superb orchestral playing and outstanding conducting from a maestro who obviously knows what this work is about. (Unlike the hack Daniel Harding who diminished Isserlis’ recording on Hyperion).

It’s coupled with the Elgar concerto which I’m really looking forward to hearing later on tonite.

[teamsaint]

I’m going through a real Dvorak ‘cello concerto maggot at the moment. I’ve just purchase a new recording from Harriet Krijgh with Martin Sieghart conducting the Tonkünstler-Orchester. (Capriccio label).

Absolutely outstanding, imho. Terrific playing from the excellent soloist, superb orchestral playing and outstanding conducting from a maestro who obviously knows what this work is about. (Unlike the hack Daniel Harding who diminished Isserlis’ recording on Hyperion).

It’s coupled with the Elgar concerto which I’m really looking forward to hearing later on tonite.

Despite liking the concerto a great deal, never really got round to looking for a upgrade on my one version, St Louis/ Susskind/ Nelsova. Big oversight, that needs correcting.
That sounds like a great disc, Pasty.

currently Hilding Rosenberg SQ#3, which is well worth a listen.

[pastoralguy]

Despite liking the concerto a great deal, never really got round to looking for a upgrade on my one version, St Louis/ Susskind/ Nelsova. Big oversight, that needs correcting.
That sounds like a great disc, Pasty.

currently Hilding Rosenborg SQ#3, which is well worth a listen.

That Nelsova/Susskind disc was my introduction to the Dvorak concerto. I have it on cd so I really should listen to it. A project for tomorrow, methinks.

My auntie Mary bought it for me whilst on a family holiday in Carridale. I remember also getting the Boult/LPO CfP of the Enigma Variations - a work I didn’t know at all! 1976, iirc.

[frankbridge]

Now: Alan Hovhaness

Cello Concerto

Starker / Seattle SO / Russell Davies

Naxos 8.559158

It is a quite beautiful score and wonderfully played

[richardfinegold]

Schubert-Liszt Wanderer Fantasy. Claudio Arrau with Guido Cantelli.

[smittims]

Haydn. Symphony no.88 in G. The Vienna Philharmonic, Karl Munchinger. A mid-fifties Decca recording.

Its a cliche to say 'there's no orchestra quite like the VPO' but this performance is full of such moments. The way the first violins finish a phrase with utter unity of style, the woodwind soloists playing as if they'd practised it together all their lives : in short, the sheer musicality of it is a joy. The coupling is no. 101.