Last up this AM before venturing forth: Stravinsky Threni. Columbia Symphony Orchestra conducted by Stravinsky. Mono Columbia, MS 6065 LP. A very difficult work. Very interesting liner notes written by Robert Craft.
Just as Richter is George's "go to" for Schubert, Wuhrer is mine. Matter of taste, and probably of whom you heard first--but to my ear, Wuhrer milks Schubert for all it's worth, with big, powerful, rounded, bass-driven tone as a foundation and an unfailing capacity for bringing out the drama while singing the lines. If it's breakneck speed you're wanting, look elsewhere, but I almost invariably find Wuhrer to be spot on. One word--OK, a few words--of caution: if you have the Vox Boxes, which is the most common way to find Wuhrer's set, the ones you want have gold covers and are in (mostly) luscious mono. Vox reissued them with white covers in fake stereo, and it's about the worst example of that disreputable breed I've ever heard. If you can find them, the single issues generally seem to be best--but the C major sonata, as luck would have it, is one of only two or three that I've never found in that form. I wonder if it was never issued except in the sets? Well, I keep looking...
Now playing: Franz Schubert Lieder: – Ganymed D.544/ Op.19/3 – Die Götter Griechenlands D.677 – Der Musensohn D.764/ Op.92/1 – Fülle der Liebe D.854 – Sprache der Liebe D.410/ Op.115/3 – Schwanengesang D.744/ Op.23/3 – An den Tod D.518 – Die Forelle D.550 – Am Bach im Frühlinge D.361/ Op.109/1 – Der Schiffer D.694 – An die Entfernte D.765 – Sehnsucht D.516/ Op.8/2 – An die untergehende Sonne D.457/ Op.44 – Abendröte D.690 Elly Ameling (soprano), Rudolf Jansen (piano) (Philips) Johannes Brahms – Songs (9) Op.63/8 Heimweh No.2 "O wüsst' ich doch den Weg zurück" – Songs (6) Op.6/2 Der Frühling – Songs (6) Op.6/1 Spanisches Lied – Songs (5) Op.49/4 Wiegenlied Elly Ameling (soprano), Dalton Baldwin (piano) (Philips) Hugo Wolf – Mörike Lieder: No.6 Er ist's – Mörike Lieder: No.45 Nixe Binsefuss – Mörike Lieder: No.36 Lebe wohl Elly Ameling (soprano), Dalton Baldwin (piano) (Philips)
Now listening to CD 2 from "Canteloube - Songs of the Auvergne" performed by Netania Davrath with 'orchestra conducted by Pierre de la Roche on Vanguard.
Interesting. I didn't realize Richter recorded the Schubert D.840 sonata for Philips. I'll have to look for that. I'd assumed the "Monitor" label recording I have was the only one--from about 1959, I believe, but it's stereo. I'm sure the Philips sound is much better.
Hi Wes, That D840 is available in the Schubert edition of the Master series on Decca. The sound is better than the one on Monitor, as is the performance. I did a survey of the available Richter recordings of Schubert sonatas awhile back. It's in this thread, if you are interested in checking it out. From that thread, here are my favorite performances of each Schubert sonata that he recorded: D 960 Prague - 1972 - Praga D 958 Salzburg - 1972 - Regis D 894 London - 1989 - Philips/Decca D 850 Prague - 1956 - Praga (better sound than Music and Arts) D 845 Moscow - 1957 - Living Stage (better sound than Urania) D 840 Salzburg - 1979 - Philips/Decca D 784 Tokyo - 1979 - Regis D 664 Paris - 1963 - EMI D 625 Munich - 1978 - Victor/Japan D 575 Florence - 1966 - Philips/Decca D 566 Moscow - 1978 - Brilliant Classics D 459 Hohenems - 1980 - Doremi
Now listening to "Schoenberg/Sibelius - Violin Concertos" performed by Hilary Hahn with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra led by Esa-Pekka Salonen on DG.
On the TT, a new acquisition of a pianst I had not heard of before but was captivated by his playing at the store. Nyiregyházi Plays Liszt (International Piano Archives) from 1976 consisting of two performances, one in L.A. In 1974 and the other in San Francisco in 1973. The gatefold cover has the story of the pianist' life on the inside. Tragic artist life, a common thread. What a touch he has!
Boombastic and more than a little scary. Ervin Nyiregyházi was some kind of a head-case. When I first heard him [having read an article in the Sunday L.A. Times, 1978], I became obsessed. There was a late-night story on NBC around 1978. Nyiregyházi was the first subject of a book-length study of a child prodigy published back in the early 1920's. Went from Carnegie Hall to sleeping the streets in less that ten years. Found himself some friends in Hollywood in the 1040's, some famous. I talked with the recording engineer who recorded the live [San Francisco] performance material on Desmar IPA 111. The microphones were distant [hypercardioid, as the was the the spot the church chose to place their microphones], the tape recorder being of some quality running at 7 1/2 ips. You can hear the gain-riding. Columbia records dragging the old drunk into the studio [pretty much against his will] resulted in some downright embarrassing Liszt, along with some simpler pieces with a genuine aura of old world charm. Coulda woulda and shoulda, didn't really.
Now playing CD3 from the following box for a first listen ... The tracks are as follows: Chopin Scherzo in B minor, Op. 20 Andante Spianato & Grand Polonaise in E flat, Op. 22 Nocturne in D flat, Op. 27, No. 2 Mazurka in B minor, Op.33, No. 4 Sonata in B minor, Op. 58 Nocturne in E, Op. 62, No.2 Mazurka in C sharp minor, Op. 63, No. 3 Nocturne in E minor, Op. 72
Thanks for the background. My friend told me a little about him and his story is on the inside of the cover but I haven't read it yet. I've only listened to side one so far so I haven't heard the SF recording yet. Side one sounded fine to me and I liked the music. I hink my friend said something about him needing money for a family member who had cancer or something like that. I guess he went years without owning a piano too which is not surprising when you are living in the gutter.
Ninth wife, as I recall. The San Francisco recording is of a benefit at Old First Church. The other side has some studio recordings.
I recall seeing some of those, reissues of the Columbia material, some other things. Once had an Argo LP with a piano roll of Ervin Nyiregyházi.
A recent CMC (seriously need to work on that acronym - means something else altogether in my everyday world-lol) posting reminded me this was on the shelves The young Mr Maazel conducts Sibelius 5 and 7 with the Vienna Phil
And now you've reminded me that I have yet to make a single pass through the Sibelius symphonies this winter. I must remedy that ASAP.
winter is the appropriate weather to do so, some would claim; although I have never found this northern coldness in his music that some talk of
I don't know if I can say I hear it in the music either. I just think it sounds great in the winter. Kinda like the way I love Mozart in the morning. Or Chopin, Rachmaninoff and Brahms in the evening.
In the disc player...some brilliantly played and recorded Strauss. What a powerhouse the CSO under Reiner is in this music!
