For my part, I've just this morning made the acquaintance of a name entirely new to me: Corinne Rider-Kelsey. She was a soprano who, inter alia, worked with Mahler, and on the strength of three 78 RPM records (six sides), she did have a beautiful, rich voice and used it with skill and artistry. The selections are nothing out of the ordinary--Handel's "Angels Ever Bright and Fair" and "O, Sleep, Why Dost Thou Leave Me" (early electric recording); "My Lovely Celia" by somebody named George Monro (presumably not the Royal officer of the French and Indian Wars) and "Mary of Argyle" by Sidney Nelson; and a couple of forgettable ditties that were standard popular concert fare back when the record was made in 1915, Bartlett's "A Dream" and Metcalf's "Absent"--but the performances are lovely. More about the singer can be had here: Corinne Rider-Kelsey (1877-1947)
Small world--I was just playing Weber, too. In my case, it was "Durch die Walder, durch die Auen" from Der Freischutz, sung by Johannes Sembach on a Columbia record made on April 24, 1916. Apparently he made some 150 records over the course of his career, but I have only 5 or 6. He had an imposing voice, and the Weber is a fine account. That said, that imposing voice shows its true mettle even more overside in "Nothung! Nothung!" from Wagner's Siegfried.
Now enjoying the last of the discs from the new Warner Box Set. I used the above image for convenience. All in all, the new Complete Warner Arrau set is a keeper. Even if his later recordings for Philips far better capture Arrau's gorgeous tone, the Warner set documents his younger, more electrifying years.
I've taken a brief dive into arrangements of Anton Rubinstein predating the Russian Revolution. First was a piano work arranged for soprano: the Melody in F with lyrics by one Jacques d'Offoel; Frances Alda does the vocal honors, accompanied by the Russian Imperial Balalaika Court Or. and pianist Frank la Forge, recorded 4/9/1914. It actually is quite lovely, much more enjoyable than I'd expected, although Alda's voice is not well captured. Next up, just finished: a Rubinstein song arranged for solo violin, specifically "The Dew Is Sparkling," from a set of songs op. 72. Mischa Elman plays his own arrangement with piano accompanist Josef Bonime. The recording dates to 11/10/1919. Even though an acoustic recording, it captures very nicely the lush violin tone for which Elman was famous.
Enjoyed Bach family works from Magdalena Kozena Lamento Musica Antiqua Koln Reinhard Goebel Archiv, 2005
This morning I am starting with the bonus disc of Karajan conducting Swan Lake which was included in this box set. And then on to the Mravinsky. The Lp has glorious sound.
I bought quite a few Apex reissues from Warner around 2002 when this came out. They were very inexpensive. This has deteriorated in its sound and there a few digital raspberries. The remasterings were somewhat distant anyway. Since I can't stand digital raspberries, I have ordered the new 2020 box set of Vivaldi by Scimone and I Solisti Veneti from Erato. Vivaldi Oboe Concertos Pierre Pierlot I Solisti Veneti Claudio Scimone Apex, 2002 recorded in 1969
Glad you are enjoying that performance! I love that set but that performance was one that I never warmed to.
Thanks for the info there--I missed the appearance/disappearance of Apex, but I have an Apex CD or two that I purchased used and always wondered about the provenance of this label. In fact, a favorite is from that source--the Pelecis Concertino bianco in C for piano and chamber or., performed by Alexei Lubimov (about whom I know nothing beyond that he plays the piano on this disc) with Heinrich Schiff and Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen--Apex 2564 60491 2. I wish more by this composer were available on records; this work and his "Nevertheless..." for violin, piano, and orchestra, a Gidon Kremer production, are about all that I've found. OK, a thing or so is on YouTube or available as .mp3 download, and I suppose I should get down of my audiophile high horse and give them an ear, but so far I've resisted. Just not that fond of listening to stuff via stream, which objectively is odd considering that I listen from my hard drive all the time, but there it is. I do have a pending CD release of new material on preorder from Amazon and expect it later this month. Looking forward to doing some more exploring. Anyhow, by "deteriorated," do you mean the disc itself, or is it a problem with the remastering? I don't recall any problems with Apex discs, but then I rip everything to hard drive and store my CDs, so if it's a matter of disc rot or whatnot it could be going on and I'd be none the wiser.
I have considered the SHM SACD of that set a few times, but have yet to commit. I love Boehm and Walter's LvB 6ths.
I have not re-listened yet to the Walter recording. I did hear the Bohm again this morning-another excellent version.
Rats. I just got notice from Amazon that completion of this order is being delayed for another month.
The disc itself seems to have developed problems. The remastering is OK. There are some digital hash sounds in a few places, even on a recent rip. However, this is the only Apex disc where I have found this problem.
Of Bruno Walter, Arturo Toscanini supposedly once remarked, "When he comes to something beautiful, he melts." Well, in my seemingly endless project to settle that big 78 collection that I've been processing, I have come to Elisabeth Schumann, and I just had one of those "he melts" moments: Schubert's song Lied Im Grunen (Spring Song), HMV D.B.1844, one of two songs on the same side. Here it is, 2-and-a-half minutes of pure heaven. (Obviously not my transfer.) The pianist is Karl Alwin, and I gather the record dates to 1928. PS: Toscanini, as I understand it, subsequently apologized to Walter. Years later, supposedly Walter absolutely tore into somebody who had started to pooh-pooh Toscanini after his death. So clearly no hard feelings between two professionals who both deeply cared about music above anything else.
I just got back from a concert I attended with the Bangor Symphony Orchestra... The program: Augusta Holmès - Allegro Feroce Clara Schumann - Piano Concerto in A minor, op. 7 Pyotr Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 6 I knew the Tchaikovsky piece, but had never heard of the other two. I really liked them! I'll have to check out more by Holmès...
Sounds like it was fun. I never heard of those other two pieces as well. I am long overdue to listen to Clara Schumann's concerto. I miss Maine being out here on the West Coast!
