Classical Corner Classical Music Corner

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by George P, May 29, 2015.

  1. Daedalus

    Daedalus I haven't heard it all.....

    This morning: I have dipped back into the Westminster box set. CD 13-Gliere-Symphony 3, “Ilya Muromets”. A mono recording done in 1952, featuring the Vienna State Opera Orchestra conducted by Herman Scherchen. The CD indicates that this is the first release on CD. In any event this work is new to me. I am surprised I never ran across an LP version when I was intensely collecting classical vinyl.
     
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  2. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    [​IMG]

    Now enjoying Wilhelm Kempff playing the Op. 126 Bagatelles from the above CD. Lovely, intimate stuff. Wish the sound wasn't so cold and hard, but I guess one can't have everything.
     
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  3. Daedalus

    Daedalus I haven't heard it all.....

    This morning: the complete Nutcracker Ballet of Tchaikovsky. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Artur Rodzinski. 1956 recording. Part of Westminster box. The conductor died two years later at the young age of 66 years. He had an interesting career conducting at the helm of some of the finest orchestras. This particular recording of the Nutcracker is renowned.
     
    Last edited: Oct 18, 2019
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  4. drh

    drh Talking Machine

    Very fine conductor, but he was always notoriously--er--undiplomatic and didn't get along with orchestras or management very well. Not uncommon in those days, but as a result he didn't stay anywhere very long. NBC hired Rodzinski to form and "train" the NBCSO before Toscanini's arrival to take it over.

    For those of us who collect 78s, he was the anonymous conductor at the helm of the Tchaikowsky 4th Sym. on the "World's Greatest Music" label. It's one of the better performances in that (generally fine) series, which also had a few entries led by Ormandy (particularly fine accounts of Beethoven's 5th and Mozart's 40th Syms. and a surprisingly effective set containing, of all things, Bach's 2d and 3d B'burgs) and the first issued commercial recordings of Fritz Reiner (Debussy and Wagner tidbits).

    Rodzinski's Nutcracker made an earlier appearance on CD, which is the form in which I have it: it was one of the recordings that surfaced in the so-called "Double Decker" series issued by MCA in the early days of CD, each issue comprising two CDs from the old Westminster or Command catalogues, packed in a little CD flip rack and issued at a rock-bottom bargain price. Excellent performance, perhaps my favorite, but painfully bright sound. I have my suspicions (but, I hasten to add, no proof) MCA just copied an LP mastering tape, RIAA equalization and all, and dumped it on the market.

    Incidentally, MCA filled out the second disc of the Rodzinski issue with a collection of excerpts from Swan Lake performed by the Utah SO under Maurice Abravanel.
     
  5. Casagrande

    Casagrande Forum Resident

    The '77 cycle has a terrific recording of symphony no. 7. Probably my favorite recording of the work.
     
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  6. ando here

    ando here Forum Resident

    Location:
    North Pole
    [​IMG]
    Samson et Dalila à l’église
    Camille Saint-Saens Vincent Genvrin (2012, Hortus)

    Samson and Dalilah in the Church has to be one of the more irreverent album titles I've come across in a while. What the music contained herein has to do with the composer's opera, Samson & Delilah, is up for grabs. They're motets for solo voice and organ written for the Church of the Madeleine. Meditative (in a spare but luminous treatment), the material has a hushed quality that will serve quiet moments well though the primary objective here is to give praise. Genvrin has a tastefully measured touch on organ. Sylvie De May and Catherine Raveene are the two fine soloists. Recommended. Streaming on most platforms.
     
    Last edited: Oct 18, 2019
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  7. Daedalus

    Daedalus I haven't heard it all.....

    The CD in the Westminster box set does not seem particularly bright so perhaps it was remastered.
     
  8. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    [​IMG] [​IMG]

    Anoyone know if the CDs in this 2012 GG Collection were mastered well?
     
  9. Daedalus

    Daedalus I haven't heard it all.....

    At work going through a few selections from the Henry Szeryng, Complete Philips, Mercury and DG recordings box. Up now is a Mercury-Treasures for the Violin CD with Charles Reiner, piano.
     
  10. Walter H

    Walter H Santa's Helper

    Location:
    New Hampshire, USA
    Yes. In my experience the DG remastered Westminster titles are superior to earlier versions. Count me as another whose favorite Nutcracker is Rodzinski's, although using a recording of Big Ben when the clock strikes midnight is still an odd production choice (if inevitable, given the label's logo!)
     
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  11. bruce2

    bruce2 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Connecticut, USA
    I agree. In particular the 2nd and 4th movements are incredible.
     
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  12. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    [​IMG] [​IMG]

    Now enjoying this 3CD set. Picked it up dirt cheap today.
     
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  13. drh

    drh Talking Machine

    Nice! Willem van Hoogstraten, the conductor in her recordings with orchestra, was her husband at the time. I have those sets on 78s, and the notes for the Mozart, introducing the artists, say something along the lines of "Americans need no introduction to the name 'Willem van Hoogstraten,' so great is his fame in this country." Or words to that effect. Not, I think, something anyone would write today!
     
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  14. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    No, not at all. I hadn't heard of him before. Nice transfers on the set, by the way, with Seth Winner doing some of the newer transfers in it.
     
  15. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    [​IMG]

    Enjoyed a second listen to this lovely CD yesterday and today. And now enjoying this gem:

    [​IMG]
     
  16. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    That's a great Grieg disc.
     
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  17. Daedalus

    Daedalus I haven't heard it all.....

    Great Gilels!
     
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  18. drh

    drh Talking Machine

    I'm sure the Grieg is a delight, but of the two you showed this is the one that really caught my interest. I didn't know Czerny had written nocturnes--although I guess I should have; he wrote just about everything else, and lots of it! I'm always curious to hear his music, some of which definitely falls into the "unjustly neglected" category. And some of which definitely doesn't. In his mind boggling productivity, he was his own worst enemy, I think.

    I'm not familiar with Editions Hortus. Is it a new, or relatively new, label? Also not familiar with Oehmichen, but then, those who essay Czerny on record tend not to be household names.
     
  19. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    Prior to getting this CD, I did not know Czerny wrote nocturnes either. My first classical love was Chopin's Nocturnes, specifically Arrau's recordings of the works, and since then I have collected many recordings of not just Chopin's Nocturnes, but Fields', Liszt's, etc. So when this disc popped up in a used shop I had to grab it!

    Not familiar with the label either, sorry, so no info for you there. And not familiar with Oehmichen prior to this either. I can tell you these are lovely performances in excellent sound, which is good, since there doesn't seem to be much (any?) competition out there for recordings of Czerny's Nocturnes, which are occasionally similar to Chopin's, without being as developed. At other times, his Nocturnes are more dynamic, suggesting they would be better suited for the concert hall than the salon.

    Sorry if i haven't been much help, but I can say I recommend this disc.
     
  20. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    [​IMG]

    Now enjoying CD 01 from this set. I have only heard it once before, as I also have recordings of many of these works by Tacchino and Theraud that I love. This set has them beat for sound quality, though. The piano is vivid and clear.
     
  21. drh

    drh Talking Machine

    Thanks, George!

    I went to put the Czerny disc into my Amazon cart, and I guess it's gone out of print. The sole copy available is from a marketplace seller asking $233 and change. :cussing:

    Oehmichen has two other recordings in evidence, a set of Spanish dances by one Henri Collet ($38 +/-, also from a third-party seller; no label given) and a concerto by Leo Weiner ("currently unavailable"; Marcal Classics). Never heard of Collet; I think I've heard *of* Weiner but have not actually *heard* him.
     
    Last edited: Oct 23, 2019
  22. J.A.W.

    J.A.W. Music Addict

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  23. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    [​IMG]

    Now enjoying a second listen to this 2CD set. The pianist was 79 at the time of this recording! Here's a sample:

     
    Last edited: Oct 24, 2019
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  24. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    [​IMG] \

    Found this in a used shop today, sealed and after reading a great review in MusicWeb. I decided to pick it up. I have only listened to the first CD, but so far I like what I hear. He plays this music with charm and beauty, and isn't afraid to flex his muscles when called for. The piano is captured beautifully. It was recorded in the old Teldec studios.
     
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  25. drh

    drh Talking Machine

    As I went out on an errand this evening, the local National Public Radio affiliate played Schumann's second piano trio, a work that I don't think I'd ever heard before. What I heard of it, as I popped into and out of the car a few times, was absolutely lovely. I find that I do have precisely one recording of the piece, which as far as I know I've never played, by the Beaux Art Trio on Philips D274423. I have no idea how or when I came to own it, and my usual reaction to that ensemble (storied as it may be) is more "that was solid" than "that was incandescent," but like most of my CDs it's copied to my server, and for now, that one will have to do. I hope to play it and give the piece my full attention later this evening. Adventure time!
     
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