Grand Newly Aquired CDs.

Well, I've mentioned this in other threads, but it's so good I'll plug it again. DG's box of Furtwangler's live recordings with the BPO from 1942-44 (I only have the first volume). Sound is remarkably good for the time and, in fact, it is something of a small miracle that we have the set at all since the Russians seized the tapes, after taking Berlin, and carted them back to Moscow. However, their release was secured in the 80s and here they are. BUY THEM. There is a wonderful reading of Mozart's 39th symphony as well as Beethoven 4, 5 and 7 (all superior to his later, available on EMI, studio readings - someone in the Gramophone review of which, or possibly something else, said that Furtwangler in the studio was a pale shadow of Furtwangler live, they were not wrong). Even better is a wonderfully moving account of the violin concerto (a work I previously knew only from the Stern/Bernstein/NYPO reading that left me wondering if I liked the work. Silly, silly me. Rohn plays beautifully and this is a real performance to treasure.

However, for me the real highlight was the fantastically energetic reading of Schubert 9 (or 8, as they choose to count it on the box, arguably correctly), I would possibly even choose it over Erich Kleiber's wonderful reading. Sadly it's now no longer available at the crazy £12 amazon sold it to me for, but even at twice the price it is, quite frankly, and absolute steal.

Now I just need the second volume.....

I have a number of discs on order from amazon (most notably Jochum playing Brahms and Haydn which hopefully will be sufficiently good to add to this thread when they arrive).

Also winging its way towards me is the Barenboim Ring which I managed to win in Radio 3's competition (though judging from the broadcast I'm not convinced of its grandness - still, it will give a chance to judge how much of that was due to poor reception). At the very least it's put me in a good mood since I almost never win anything.

regards, Tam

Dear Tam,

May I second your observations about Furtwangler's Radio recording ('42-'44), which I got on first release a long time ago in the '80s. This really is priceless. Erich Rohn in the Violin Concert is my favourite recording of it!

Do report on the second box!

Fredrik

quote:

Originally posted by Fredrik_Fiske:
Do report on the second box!

Dear Fredrik,

I haven't got round to ordering it yet, but I suspect it is only a matter of time....

regards, Tam

Er, ah, what violin concerto are you talking about?

quote:

Originally posted by Oldnslow:
Er, ah, what violin concerto are you talking about?

Sorry, the Beethoven (it was after I'd listed a bunch of Beethoven symphonies on the set so I didn't bother to specify - D'oh).

regards, Tam

Put-up, but not collected yet - Monday , it will be - Solomon playing Beethoven Piano Conceros One and Two! Can't wait! Unfortunately I spent money on having what is left of my hair tidied up, so I had not got enough on me to afford it!

Fredrik

Dear Fredrik,

That is a first class disc. Incidentally, have you got the Emperor already (for me that is the highlight of the Solomon cycle).

Still waiting for Amazon to post me my new Brahms

regards, Tam

p.s. We can't surely be the only people acquiring CDs.....?

p.p.s. Has anyone acquired the new Miles Davis box (I suppose I could start a new thread), the Cellar Door sessions, I believe. Being a Miles nut I'll probably end up with it in the end, though I have been somewhat disappointed of late with some of the recent boxes, as I think for the most part they serve only to highlight the genius of Davis and Macero in what they made out of the material they had (and why they were right in leaving what they did on the cutting room floor).

quote:

Originally posted by Fredrik_Fiske:
Unfortunately I spent money on having what is left of my hair tidied up, so I had not got enough on me to afford it!

Dear Fred!
I got one of those machines to cut hair on your own.
So the quid goes in records!
Mum says i look like a ball, but i don't care at all!

Weeks with almost nothing new, and then 6 in one day. Granted that 4 of them were a very kind gift! {Thanks, you know who you are].

Brahms Symphomies and many lovely Choral works, Abbado with the BPO. This lseems like a winner to me, and the Trajic Overture goes really well, and the First Symphony was splendid earlier.

Also picked up the Solomon performance of Beethoven Piano Concertos One and Two, and a something very special: Mozart's Two Piano Concert with Clara Haskil and Geza Anda, live in Salzburg in 1957. This amounts to almost a whole concert with the Impressario Overture, Two Soprano Concert Arias and a Symphony beside the Concert. It is live and unedited, which I like. I recognise the feeling of warming up in the Overture, which is natural, but some may be off put by it.

The Concerto and Symphony performances are worth the trouble even without the other rarities! On Orfeo! The [Austrian Radio] recording is a tad fierce!

Fredrik

Dear Fredrik,

You're most welcome (it just goes to show what works for one person in terms of performance won't always work for another).

I have been enjoying a number of newly arrived CDs myself today. First up was Mahler 3 from Rattle and the CBSO. After my acquisition of Haitink's wonderful Concertgebouw reading I wondered whether there was any point getting another, but Rattle's Mahler has worked well for me in the past, and I've read fine things of the first, so I thought I'd give it a punt. The verdict: very fine indeed (especially the finale - where so many accounts fall down - but also the 4th and 5th movements. I don't think I've ever head the bimm bamms sound so joyful). Does it beat Haitink, well, I'm not sure; a topic for another (and forthcoming) thread.

Lastly, is Jochum's BPO Brahms cycle (just the symphonies on two discs, and in mono). I have only listened to the first so far but it was rather wonderful (and a blistering, almost Brucknerian, at the close, finale). I am very much looking forward to the rest.

regards, Tam

Dear Friends!

Perhaps it should be no surprise, but finally I have managed to find a gramophone record that eclipses Artur Schnabel's readings from the 30s of these two Beethoven Piano Concertos! (Nos 1 & 2).

It is splendid in every way, and I have found one of those discs that will be a favourite forever. Testament 1219 - in my view, recomendable!

Bullseye! Fredrik

PS: Uniquely the performance of the Second makes it as cogent and lovely a work as the First for me. I have never cared for the Second much before!

Dear Fredrik,

Have you got the 5th yet? That's my favourite from the Solomon series.

regards, Tam

Dear tam,,

The rest are on order!!! How could I have missed this so long? Fredrik

quote:

Originally posted by Fredrik_Fiske:
Dear Friends!
Testament 1219 - in my view, recomendable!
PS: Uniquely the performance of the Second makes it as cogent and lovely a work as the First for me. I have never cared for the Second much before!

Dear Fredrik,
Even here I must agree. Solomons no.2 was almost part of my daily bread, when I was a child. Maybe I am biased, but I have always loved it. I haven´t heard Solomons no.1, my family owned the Geza Anda recording of nr.1 (with Galliera), an interpretation among the best too, not the least because of the contribution of Galliera.
Regards,

Dear Fredrik,

I think I missed them for so long because in the penguin guide they were on their own, separate from both the complete cycles and the individual discs. Personally, the only one I don't get one with too well is the 4th, but more than anything that's because I think Kempff is so well suited to it, and I have become so used to his cadenzas, that anything else doesn't quite sound right in comparison.

regards, Tam