Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #15)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Gary, Aug 23, 2010.

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  1. Robin L

    Robin L Musical Omnivore

    Location:
    Fresno, California
    I need a fixe 'cause I'm goin' down . . .

    Do you have recordings of the Busch Quartet's Late Beethoven performances on 78? Have you heard any of the CD re-issues? Love that set, it's pretty much a tie between the Smetana and Busch Quartets in Late Beethoven as far as I'm concerned. Have to say that Late Beethoven is one of my Idée Fixes and have gone overboard in collecting the Late Quartets and Piano Sonatas.
     
  2. drh

    drh Talking Machine

    My Busch Qtt. Beethoven recordings are nos. 7, 13, and 14 on Columbia 78s and 12, a duplication of 14, and 16 on a World Records LP; don't have any on CD (and, indeed, have precious little of Beethoven's quartets by *anybody* on CD; my holdings are almost all on LPs or 78s). I also have the Grosse Fuge in an arrangement for small orchestra performed by the Busch Chamber Players. The Budapests, whom I know you don't like as well, are much better represented in my collection, with 13 of the quartets complete and a single mvt. of one more on 78s and all of them on LP. At the time that I was deliberately building my 78 collection of this literature, Budapest recordings came my way more often, for whatever reason, and moreover I think the friend who was to some degree offering guidance, while certainly an admirer of the Busches, held the Budapests in even higher regard.

    As to going overboard, most of these came to me in a lengthy period when I was procuring records much faster than I could play them, when the "hunt" was taking primacy in my collecting life, so I certainly have not digested them (or :o probably even listened to some of them, years after the fact). This problem is just one reason that I've resolved to slow down on buying records in favor of trying to enjoy some of the neglected treasures already gracing my shelves. Truth be told, it may be best that I did things the way I did, as the flood of modestly priced material of which I managed to snare a surfeit, although certainly as much as I wanted at the time, seems to have dried up in more recent years, and buying 78s now more often than not seems to be an exercise in parting with not-so-painless numbers of $$$ per item to specialist dealers. Doesn't help that in the last decade or so I've shifted my focus to vocal recordings, especially vertical cut, with a financially disadvantageous detour into cylinders for a couple of years (a rich man's game if there ever was one!) and that I have what one of said dealers once described as "expensive tastes." :help:

    Coming back to Busch/Beethoven chamber music offerings, I should add that just about my favorite recording of the "Kreutzer" Sonata is by Adolf Busch and Rudolf Serkin, again on Columbia 78s.
     
  3. Robin L

    Robin L Musical Omnivore

    Location:
    Fresno, California
    12 on what, HMV?

    That should be a good transfer, probably Keith Hardwick's.

    The stuff that's gone in and out of my collection, you wouldn't believe . . .

    Messy, that one.

    Used to have a couple of three LP sets on Odyssey of the Budapest Qtt. in their salad days. The line from the "Heffalumps and Woozles" song comes to mind: "They're slick and quick and insincere." Later recordings, when they supposedly acquire "depth" remind me a bit of Daniel Barenboim's early attempts at gravitas. Much prefer the Busch [and for that matter, the Pascal, Vegh & Lindsay qtts.] in that regard. Interesting to note that the first recording of the Late Beethoven's Quartets in my collection was The Budapest's stereo recording of the 12th quartet. Seems like I really don't always find the first version I've heard of a favorite musical work the best for all time.

    Used to have that recording, liked it well enough but am quite drawn to the Heifetz/Smith recording on RCA.
     
  4. George P

    George P Way Down Now

    Location:
    NYC
    IIRC, I liked the Budapest more than the Busch. I should revisit them, though.
     
  5. drh

    drh Talking Machine

    No. 12 is on an LP label called World Records, of Parkbridge House, Little Green, Richmond, Surrey (I'll spare you the postal code). The cover also indicates it's a member of the EMI group and that the transfers and remastering are by someone named A.C. Griffith. Photos below.

    Heifetz is responsible for my *other* favorite Kreutzer, but not with Smith--the good one, for my money, is with Moiseiwitsch. The Heifetz-Smith, as I'm remembering it, is far, far too much Heifetz and far, far too little Smith for the good of the music. Moiseiwitsch, on the other hand, is strong enough an artist to stand up to the violinist, with exciting results.
     
  6. Bronth

    Bronth Active Member

    Location:
    Riga, Latvia
    Yes, she is the main jewel here. :cheers: Probably regarding Mozart operas artistry I would place Frederica von Stade pretty close, although she is a mezzo (have her Mozart/Rossini recital on Philips/Pentatone on my wish list).
     
  7. Bronth

    Bronth Active Member

    Location:
    Riga, Latvia
    Now playing for a first listen:

    W.A. Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro (Part 2). Werner van Mechelen/Monica Groop/La Petite Bande/Sigiswald Kuijken/etc. (Brilliant Classics Mozart Edition 170CD set, Vol. 9 CD 33)
     
  8. Robin L

    Robin L Musical Omnivore

    Location:
    Fresno, California
    Also a good transfer from Hardwick's predecessor. The 12th is probably the weakest of Busch's Late Beethoven performances.

    I'll have to look for that performance, agree about the disparity between Heifetz and Smith. Any recommended masterings?
     
  9. Dan C

    Dan C Forum Fotographer

    Location:
    The West
  10. Bronth

    Bronth Active Member

    Location:
    Riga, Latvia
  11. marantzbe

    marantzbe Hyperactive!

    Location:
    BELGIUM
    Berlioz - Symphonye Fantastique
    Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal, conducted by Charles Dutoit
    Digital Decca 1985
    [​IMG]
     
  12. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Now playing CD10, the last CD from this set for a first listen. This has been a great set and the first time I truly enjoyed performance on fortepiano ...

    [​IMG]
     
  13. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Just placed the order on the following CD sets this evening ...

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  14. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    More fortepiano ...
    Now playing CD1 from this set for a first listen ...

    [​IMG]
     
  15. RussellG

    RussellG Forum Resident

    I have been familiarising myself with some new Vaughan Willams material over the past few days, courtesy of these great sounding Telarc discs. It's difficult to rate performance of unfamiliar works, but these seem to compare favourably with my other VW CDs. I have definitely developed a soft spot for the quintessential English composers - Elgar, Britten, VW, etc.

    [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
  16. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    These recordings by Previn on Telarc are definitely worth getting.
     
  17. RussellG

    RussellG Forum Resident

    I'm warming to Symphony 5 from this batch of CDs. I love it when a new work suddenly "clicks" :)
     
  18. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    My Vaughan Williams Symphonies by Previn with the LSO made up a 6-CD RCA box set.

    [​IMG]
     
  19. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Here is an interesting box set I am seriously considering ...

    [​IMG]
     
  20. George P

    George P Way Down Now

    Location:
    NYC
    Just ordered this:

    [​IMG]

    Recorded 1932-1939
    Mastered by Ward Marston
     
  21. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    New offering from Ward Marston's own record company?
     
  22. George P

    George P Way Down Now

    Location:
    NYC
    No, an old volume from the 82 volume Rubinstein Collection. The first 81 were all sold separately. The 82nd you could only get by buying the entire set:

    [​IMG]

    Amazon link
     
  23. Dan C

    Dan C Forum Fotographer

    Location:
    The West
    I have maybe 20 of those CDs bought over several years. Every one is a gem and I still intend to buy more when I can. Wish I could just afford the whole thing!

    That was a mind-blowing box set and sadly marked the end of BMG/RCA Red Seal. The division and mastering studio was closed after BMG brass saw how much money was spent on the Rubinstein project, IIRC.

    dan c
     
  24. dale 88

    dale 88 Errand Boy for Rhythm

    Location:
    west of sun valley
    It is a good thing it was a limited edition or I would probably have tried to acquire this.

    Did it come with its own shelving?
     
  25. George P

    George P Way Down Now

    Location:
    NYC
    The box itself has it's own shelving, pictured above. There's more pictures at the amazon link I posted above and the reviews are remarkably informative as well.
     
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