What Classical Music Are You listening to Now? III

[Beef Oven!]

OCL?

That's it, in a nutshell.

[Beef Oven!]

Arthur Honegger - Symphony #2
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Herbert von Karajan.

(this is one of those recordings where HvK annually took himself off with the crème de la crème (favoured members?) of the BPO to St Moritz for an informal 'reward' where they would play repertoire that they (HvK?) wanted to play, rather than what their record company wanted)

Limited Edition, SHM-CD, Import. Deutsche Grammophon. I also have the 20th Century Classics DG release of this recording, but I haven’t played it in ages so I can’t give the comparison.

I must say this CD sounds fantastic. I ripped it to my Astell & Kern AK70 and I’m listening through AKG K702 headphones, which are hard to drive, but the A&K isn’t doing a bad job.

I have the Michel Plasson and Charles Dutoit complete symphony sets, but this recording is in a different league. I guess 1969, when this was recorded, the BPO and HvK were still at the top of their game.

I know the Mariss Jansons recording has its fans, but I don’t think I’ve heard it.



EDIT: I went on to listen ti #3. Fabulous!

[Bryn]

Arthur Honegger - Symphony #2
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Herbert von Karajan.

(this is one of those recordings where HvK annually took himself off with the crème de la crème (favoured members?) of the BPO to St Moritz for an informal 'reward' where they would play repertoire that they (HvK?) wanted to play, rather than what their record company wanted)

Limited Edition, SHM-CD, Import. Deutsche Grammophon. I also have the 20th Century Classics DG release of this recording, but I haven’t played it in ages so I can’t give the comparison.

I must say this CD sounds fantastic. I ripped it to my Astell & Kern AK70 and I’m listening through AKG K702 headphones, which are hard to drive, but the A&K isn’t doing a bad job.

I have the Michel Plasson and Charles Dutoit complete symphony sets, but this recording is in a different league. I guess 1969, when this was recorded, the BPO and HvK were still at the top of their game.

I know the Mariss Jansons recording has its fans, but I don’t think I’ve heard it.



EDIT: I went on to listen ti #3. Fabulous!

One of the best things HvK ever did. Even I (not exactly a Karafan) take my hat off to him re. his and the BP's illumination of these two symphonies.

[Bryn]

... But this....is on another level, rarely glimpsed or visited; it seems to have come from somewhere else...
Beethoven Symphony No.1. NBCSO/Toscanini. Live recording 11/1939, Music & Arts CD 2013.

Is that definitely November 1939, and not the Rockerfeller Centre broadcast of 28 October 1939 which used to be available on Naxos, replete with announcements?

[jayne lee wilson]

Arthur Honegger - Symphony #2
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Herbert von Karajan.

(this is one of those recordings where HvK annually took himself off with the crème de la crème (favoured members?) of the BPO to St Moritz for an informal 'reward' where they would play repertoire that they (HvK?) wanted to play, rather than what their record company wanted)

Limited Edition, SHM-CD, Import. Deutsche Grammophon. I also have the 20th Century Classics DG release of this recording, but I haven’t played it in ages so I can’t give the comparison.

I must say this CD sounds fantastic. I ripped it to my Astell & Kern AK70 and I’m listening through AKG K702 headphones, which are hard to drive, but the A&K isn’t doing a bad job.

I have the Michel Plasson and Charles Dutoit complete symphony sets, but this recording is in a different league. I guess 1969, when this was recorded, the BPO and HvK were still at the top of their game.

I know the Mariss Jansons recording has its fans, but I don’t think I’ve heard it.



EDIT: I went on to listen ti #3. Fabulous!

Stunning album, yes... but wouldn't be top of my list now.
In No.2 I'd go for the sharper cross-rhythms and clearer solo trumpet of either Munch (BMG, Boston SO 1952 or EMI, O.de Paris 1969) or Baudo (Supraphon, Czech PO 1960). I do find the HvK too string-drenched in that final presto, and those very tricky finale rhythms aren't quite clear.
The 1952 Munch finale truly widens your ears - the trumpet almost too pronounced but thrillingly, war-defyingly exultant! The Paris/Munch isn't quite so intense but the trumpet/strings balance sounds perfect to my ears.
(Plasson I never heard, but IIRC he omits the trumpet solo from No.2; it is optional, yes, but still...)

HvK had the field to himself for years in No.3... I recall admiring Jansons (finest since Karajan, according to RL back in the day) but finding Dutoit somewhat safe-MOR, but the only recording to really have something new to say about the Honegger Symphonies, (with some controversially slow tempi at times, but compelling you (or me, at least) to listen anew) was the Suisse Romande/Luisi (Cascavelle, 2000). The 3rd goes beyond even Karajan in its subtlety of mood, pace and colour, the hauntingly poetic quality of the slow movement & finale codas, and the truly scarifying impact of that shattering final climax. Your ears will be praying Dona Nobis Pacem, after that...

Yet even that cycle appeared 17 years ago... we could do with some younger conductor taking up the works afresh.... Nézet-Séguin could be just the one.

[jayne lee wilson]

Is that definitely November 1939, and not the Rockerfeller Centre broadcast of 28 October 1939 which used to be available on Naxos, replete with announcements?

...
...it is the same 28/10/39 one - thanks, Bryn, wine-affected typo duly corrected....
....the Naxos issues were restored by Richard Caniell of Immortal Performances, who is also behind the newest version from that very selfnamed label reviewed in G, 4/2017 (RC). My initial comment a few weeks back that IP have bought extra clarity, insight and intimacy at the expense of a little extra noise has held generally true, though hand-on-heart I did find the noise, and a degree of more audible pitch instability, a little intrusive sometimes, compared to the remarkable warmth, fullness & often surprisingly quiet backgrounds of the (self-evidently more interventionist) Music & Arts 2013 transfer.
But the IPRMS box, running to 10 CDs, is a great, handsomely-produced set, preserving all the concerts in their original format with announcements, with several extras including "True Stereo" Leonore 3 and Egmont overtures. How these were arrived at is fascinating but too long a story to tell right now...

(I adore both restorations, preferring sometimes one then the other (the acetate for the 6th Symphony seems to be the only truly problematic one - this was one example of where I had a clear preference for the M&A version), but you can only get the new set as a direct online order from the remote settlement in BC Canada where IP are stationed, ....and you'll pay customs charges...
so I'd say grab the M&A one first - with its excellent, lengthy & insightful essay from Christopher Dyment - then if you get really obsessed.... too much to say too little time!)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00DJSUO74/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Stanfordian]

Mozart
Symphony No. 40
Haydn
Symphony No. 76
Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin/Günter Wand
Recorded live 1988 (Mozart) 1995 (Haydn) Philharmonie, Berlin
from set Edition Günter Wand - Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin
Profil

Mozart - Pavol Breslik - Arias from Idomeneo, Don Giovanni, Così fan tutte, Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Die Zauberflöte, Concert Aria: Misero! O sogno - Aura che intorni spiri
Pavol Breslik (tenor)
Münchner Rundfunkorchester/Patrick Lange
guest on one aria José van Dam (bass-baritone)
Recorded 2015 Studio 1, BR Klassik, Munich
Orfeo

[BBMmk2]

Hiya Stan. The Koechlin interests me somewhat. I only know his Jungle Book. So, be interested to hear about the comparisons.

I thought I would have a session of hearing some Russian orchestral showstoppers today.

Rimsky-Korsakov
Stephen Bryant(violin), London PO, Takuo Yuasa.
Borodin
Polovstian Dances from "Prince Igor"
Beecham Choral Society, Royal PO, Beecham
Khatchaturian
Spartacus, Adagio of Spartacus & Phrygia
Gayaneh: Sabre Dance.
LSO composer.

Tchaikovsky
Symphopnies: No.4 in F minor, Op.36; Francesca da Rimini, Op.32;
No.5 in E minor, Op.64; Borodin: Prince Igor;
Tchaikovsky: Slavonic March,Op.31 Eugene Onegen Valse & Polonaise;
Symphony No.6 in B minor, op.74; Romeo and Juliet, Fantasy Overture.
LSO, Antal Dorati.

I wasn't able to hear all of this yesterday. I managed to hear most of Tchaik's No.4. had to go out unfortunately!

[Stanfordian]

Meyerbeer – Grand Opera – Diana Damrau
Arias from: Le prophète, Robert le diable, Alimelek, oder die beiden Kalifen, L'étoile du nord, L'Africaine, Il crociato in Egitto, Le pardon de Ploërmel (Dinorah), Ein Feldlager in Schlesien, Emma di Resburgo, Les Huguenots
Diana Damrau (soprano)
Orchestre et Choeur de l’Opéra National de Lyon/Emmanuel Villaume
Recorded 2015 Opéra National de Lyon
Erato

As a Meyerbeer admirer I never thought I’d see the day when a singer as excellent as Diana Damrau would bring out a collection entirely devoted to his opera arias. Damrau is in sparkling form here. I’m loving it!

Walton
Cello Concerto
Gregor Piatigorsky (cello)
Boston Symphony Orchestra/Charles Münch
Recorded 1957 Boston
RCA Living Stereo

[BBMmk2]

IIR, I think Rob Cowan rather liked Dorati's Tchaik 4 with the Detroit orchestra?

[pastoralguy]

The new disc from SOMM entitled Elgar Rediscovered.

Fascinating documents that shine new light on the genius of our greatest composer.

[cloughie]

IIR, I think Rob Cowan rather liked Dorati's Tchaik 4 with the Detroit orchestra?

LSO

[BBMmk2]

Thanks,, Cloughie, Yes, LSO!

[Lat-Literal]

Jórunn Viðar - Slátta, A Piano Concerto - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-a8svCap5PU

[BBMmk2]

Handel
Chandos anthems. Various soloists, The Sixteen Choir & Orchestra, Harry Christophers.