Not at all. It was issued as LP "extensively" but not on cd quite so. The CD shows a 1949 date, but it is the 1956 recording. Very good sound. Quintet for Piano in f with Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra Quartet [ Zhuk, Veltman, Gurvich, Buravski ] (Moscow, 1956) Melodiya D 03256/7 (LP) Ariola 79833 ZK (LP) Monitor MC 2036 (LP) Hall of Fame HOF / HOFS 526 (LP) Parlophone PMA 1042 (LP) Melodiya / JVC VICC 2124 (CD) EDIT: it is also imcluded in the big Melodyia Richter 100 box.
From the Decca Analogue Years CD box set. Along with Bach’s Cello Suites, Mahler’s 2nd was my stepping stone into the classical world, so it will always be one I return to time and time again. It’s the small things in life that make a rainy day better. This is the one CD out of the entire Analogue Box set that would never play. Not had any problems with any other CD’s I own. I assumed it was just a dodgy CD. That’s life. As I say, it’s raining so what better way to spend a rainy day than to take something apart. Took my CD player apart, cleaned the lens with a dab of IPA, put it all back together again and hey presto!!! I have to say I am enjoying this performance and I’m quite surprised with just how different an interpretation it is in places. My ‘go to’ performance will always be Zubin Mehta’s, maybe because it was the first one I heard, but my ears have yet to hear a version that I like all the way through as they do his. Mehta’s flows where I have found others quite ridged in places. That said, I am really liking this one. Whilst I find the many timpani rolls and crashes integral to Mahler’s 2nd, I’m not too keen when a performance goes overboard with them. Thankfully Solti reigns them in on this recording, for my tastes at least. I found James Levine’s 1989 performance quite fatiguing due to ridiculously loud timpani rolls and crashes. At least I have a complete working Analogue Years box set now. The one CD not working had always bugged me in that way little things tend to bug.
Just as a quick side note, Hall of Fame was one of those little US budget labels that tried to make a go of issuing licensed material from Melodiya. I have a few, including some Richter and Gilels. (Don't have the Richter/Bolshoi Franck, but do have their Brahms Quintet on HOFS 518. In the label's catalogue system, HOF issues were mono, HOFS were (invariably fake) stereo.
Nice work. My imprint for the symphony was Bernstein's on Columbia, but recently I listened to Abbado's Lucerne performance and I enjoyed it a lot. The way he navigates the huge forces at the end is stunning! It's like they are of one mind. Which Levine recording is that? I have never seen a 2nd by him on CD before.
I own two versions of Mahlers 2nd. I have the Mehta version you mention as your favorite, and also the Bruno Walter from 1958. I haven't compared them too much but so far I prefer the Walter version. I might have to listen to the Mehta again I think I only played it once.
Now enjoying this classic mono recording of the Diabelli Varations from Rudolf Serkin. With no filtering here, plenty of tape hiss.
Me too, but never occurred to me that it would be a great idea to try his recording of the Diabelli Varations, as suggested above. So it's also on top of my wishlist. As for Mozart I got enthralled by Sir Neville Marriner's recording with the Academy Of St. Martin-In-The-Fields, listening to Mozart's Concerts with Alfred Brendel on piano was to me really quite something from another league. Been looking forward to its Philips release. But, since it's available as a Mozart's Complete Works edition box with 17 CD's it's still on my wishlist 'till I hopely soon can afford to buy it.
Levine recorded Mahler 2 twice in 1989, with the Vienna Philharmonic (released on the Orfeo label) and the Israel Philharmonic (released on Helicon). https://www.amazon.com/Mahler-Symph...TF8&qid=1508681336&sr=1-1&keywords=B005HMKFMO https://www.amazon.com/Mahler-Symph...TF8&qid=1508681301&sr=8-1&keywords=B004DKDO06
I think it is one of the very best recordings of the work, full of energy and rhythmic drive. For a complete set of the Mozart concertos, I like Anda's on DG.
Now enjoying these performances in their CD incarnation from the big Rudolf Serkin Complete Columbia Album Collection.
I see I can't go wrong with that one Sounds interesting, never heard about Anda, and DG is my favourite classical music record label. Thanks again for your suggestions.
No, I'm not acknowledged on quite a few of Haydn works yet. And I will check it out for sure thank you.
Still a very good sounding Saint-Saens No. 3 and Jongen. Eduardo Mata Dallas Symphony Saint-Saens: Symphony No. 3 Jongen: Symphonie Concertante Jean Guillou, organ
Géza Anda recorded the Mozart Piano Concertos in the 1960s with the Camerata Academica des Salzburger Mozarteums, which was not one of the better orchestras at the time. The cycle is a bit dated, but it does have its fans.
Serkin's concept of the 23d is unusual--as I've put it before, full of steel, where for most it's a work of pure sunshine. I like both approaches to this, my favorite of the Mozart pno. cti. (my other favorite recording is from an artist not necessarily closely associated with Mozart, Artur Rubinstein).
Similarly, in her complete cycle, Columbia saddled Lili Kraus with distinctly second-rate orchestral backing under the mundane Stephen Simon, severely detracting from all the felicities of her performances. The practice was a carryover from the 78 RPM era, when you'd often find a "star" soloist working with considerably less exalted backing, as in the case of Myra Hess in the Schumann Concerto. Walter Goehr, a reasonably capable but not top-rank conductor, led about the scrawniest, most anaemic studio orchestra imaginable, to these ears entirely disfiguring the performance.
Clara Haskil also comes to mind, some of the orchestras backing her were not exactly wonders of excellence either...
I like Serkin's youthful exuberance in the outer movements and his tenderness in the slow movements. And the late mono sound conveys this well.
Sorry for the late reply. It is the performance with the Vienna Philharmonic as posted J.A.W above. It might have been the system I was playing it on (work CD player) but I found the many timpani swells almost unlistenable. I will check out Abbado's Lucerne performance.
