Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #60)

Both were recorded in 1955 and the restoration was done by Mark Obert-Thorn.

 

I have a Philips box by Grumiaux 55-78 with a somewhat different cover. I wonder how many of these boxes are out there? They are now all OOP ...

 

Correct.

 

The used twofer is available on Amazon US at some budget busting price ...

 

I have followed and owned a good number of recordings by both Arthur Grumiaux and Henryk Szeryng for years and they were both outstanding masters on the violin. I am somewhat less familiar with Nathan Milstein but do have some of his recordings as well.

 

Can't go wrong with MOT.

 

They need to reissue those Decca Grumiaux sets.

 

It is a shame. Classical music was on its downward slope when L'Oiseau-Lyre canceled the recording project for the complete Haydn Symphonies by the AAM/Hogwood in the early 90's. At any rate, I still enjoy the following incomplete set I bought late last year from Amazon UK ...

 

. The Philips set I have has 6 CD's, mostly baroque works. The set John has may have the same number of CD's but conceivably are works from the classical and romantic periods. Grumiaux was known as the violinist that could make the violin sing ...

 

This is the box I have ...

 

That is my favourite HIP set of Haydn symphonies. It's a disgrace they couldn't finish the cycle.

 

Milstein had a very unique style, his technique was so effortless that you forget how difficult a piece is and you just focus on the music.
I would suggest to find and listen to his Bach Sonatas and Partitas, either his DG (early 70s), or his mono recording from the 50s on EMI.
They are both exceptional.

 

No baroque music at all in the set on Spotify.

There is plenty of other music by Grumiaux, although some of it is from dubious provenance.

 

For my upcoming class at Juilliard, my homework was to listen to the Eroica. That gave me the opportunity to play Abbado's performance from his mega-box. I was pleasantly surprised, especially with the final movement, which often does not work for me.

I then switched to his Mahler 5th, but turned it off after 30 seconds, finding it turgid.

 

I don't like his Mahler either.

 

Abbado seems to be much more appreciated in Europe than in the United States. I like many of his Mahler performances.

 

His recording of the 'Resurrection' Symphony with the Chicago S.O. is one of the best versions and far from being 'turgid' it's one of the most clear-headed versions of that visionary work.

 

I haven't listened to his "Resurrection" here, but I checked out the opening, and it was respectable. But the opening for the 5th was the slowest I've heard.

 

The very first cd that I ever bought was with Abbado.



I still consider this as the best recording of Alexander Nevsky suite.

 

I am with you on that. I like it the best of anything else I have.

 

Here's a thought....
Unlike Furtwangler...Bohm -is definitely on record being seen of 'having raised his arm -publicly '. I do not think it was so, people could smell under his armpits whether he wore deoderant or 'stank' ; or did he? Even making such a brief passing mild comment , does not constitute in itself -'a political discussion'.From what may have influenced or come to develop aspects of some deceased figure's 'public artistry', is then so to speak , "out of bounds". Then what exactly are people here then discussing, at a result . At times, given such a strict political correct criteria to follow : perhaps be fuddy dddies and chatter .... about some captured and arranged generated sounds, recorded & kept for posterity, that appear by luck, to be a form of what others might allegedly - 'call a performance' ? I find it rather perculiar that it is therefore forbidden here to now ever allude to /or even hint at the basic aspects of what may have or made this or that dead performer, 'tick'. Is there also 'a similiar ban' in place regarding composers,?

I.E: If one perhaps wanted to discuss or conject on say, why Tchiakovsky at times, went hysterically over wought in parts of some of his compositions; though there is no firm written built structural support in some of his Scores - leading up to those points for him, to support it? And therefore ...dovetailing this whole discussion together, and to show where I am coming from, in light of what I have writtern : "I have always found the thought of Bohm 'with his (apparently -now!) unmentionable political and life history' : by he , conducting OR ever fully understanding Tchaikovsky's music ... is a matter for any serious listener , to query & question. Otherwise, we might as well put automated robots up on the conductors' podium to wave a stick about, in front of a pack of tone generators

 

Good thing I'm one of those frivolous listeners—more Säure Bummer than Gustav Schlabone if you catch my drift.

 

Which version of the 5th? I think his last one with the Lucerne orchestra was better than the earlier one on DG, though neither ranks high in my collection of Mahler 5th's.

 

Always love listening to Yo Yo Ma play…