Classical Music anybody ?

[rosuna]

Clemens Krauss' Don Juan and Till are published in Testament (formerly Decca recordings).

I would like to recommend you two "rarities": Don Juan by Stokowski (Everest) and Knappertsbusch (Testament), both stereo recordings. Moreover, try Celibidache.

Don Juan stands for "Don Juan Tenorio" (Don Giovanni). It was a real character. An aristocrat named "Don Miguel de Mañara". You can see his beautiful palace in Seville, Levíes Street (Spain), very near of the "Santa Cruz" Disctrict ("Puerta de la Carne"). Actually it is used as a school. Don Juan is based on him. It was a rake, the devil visited him and he changed for good. That is the tale.

[TimF]

Hi Ruben,
Indeed - SBT 1185 to be exact - one of approx three Krauss Strauss CDs they put out. I'm hoping to pick a copy up when I next go to London; no decent record stores in my area.

The Karajan recordings are also reissued by the same excellent company.

Thanks for the heads up re: Stokowski et al.

[Ted99]

I like this citat from Glen Gould, music is like i picture...
/Ted

Teds sidor

[stunsworth]

Well if you want serenity try the Bach keyboard works played on a modern piano. I tend to prefer authentic instruments, but I make an exception for Bach :-)

[michael_boylan]

Originally Posted by MSmelik

Like Wagners ring ... Sollti is the absolute winner.

Totally agreed. I'm trying to duplicate my CD set on vinyl. Those 60's recordings are just so good on vinyl. Two down, two to go

I've no knowledge of Beethoven recordings but my recommendation for a timeless performances would certainly be Alfred Brendel's earlier recordings of Schubert. His 1960's renditions are pure poetry - it's like Schubert is sharing his feelings with you.

[rosuna]

I like Solti's Ring. The sound is very good, the singers are really good and the conductor is good too, but...

Knappertsbusch and Furtwangler are in another dimension... the sound is not as good as the studio recordings. Keilberth Ring (stereo live recording in Bayreuth!!!) and Krauss' Ring are two great references.

I think Böhm was at a lower level, but preferable to Karajan.

[cbretteville]

My favourite recordings of Beethoven's symphonies are the ones done by the Hanover Band conducted by Roy Goodman with Harnoncourt's recordings with the chanber orchestra of Europe is a good second. Really different and very much so from Karajan with which I grew up (my dad loved his recordings).

As a side note the three of Beethooven's symphonies Ashkenazy recorded are allso good ones, allthough I preferr him playing the piano at the conchertos.

- Carl

[Bruno Frisch]

For the Ring I have the following recording on Vinyl

Wilhelm Furtwängler and the La Scala Opera Orchestra from 1950 which is a mono recording, and personally I think the Scala Orchestra should only do italian Operas.

Clemens Krauss and the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, 1953 which is a live recording but lacks enthusiasm. Kraus is a perfectionist whom will surpess his "non-planned" feelings

Georg Solti and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, 1958-1965, this was actually recorded in the studio over a number of years, well 7 as you can see. Solti made multiple recordings of every act but as a genius and craftsman he waited until he had the perfect combination, this you can hear.... I have 3 sets, one from my father and the other two I bought a long time ago when they were still affordable, one is absolutely "virginal" never been played.

I have others on Vinyl but these mentioned are the most rare ones. All of them original first recordings, no re-recordings or japanese releases.

Although being a great fan of leica (classical) cameras there would be no "set" which I would trade for these recordings. They are all in very good condition and have treated with the utmost care over the years, the covers and boxes are faultless, without any stains or marks however small, I can fondle my Solti like Leica collectors can fondle their mint first edition M3's .....

[stunsworth]

Hi Bruno, I have the Furtwangler on LP which was released on Everest in the UK in the late 70s. Horrible sound as I remember, difficult to listen 'though' to the performances.

I also have the Solti on LP. Decca released a special boxed set containing both the 4 operas and a set of illustrated talks by the producer John Culshaw - and when I say box I mean box - as in wooden :-). If you can find a copy, try to get hold of Culshaw's book "Ring Resounding" which is a fascinating insite into the way the set was created.

Sound quality in the Solti version is first class - especially in Rheingold given its vintage.

[rosuna]

Furtwangler has a 1953 recording of the Ring (EMI), with the RAI Orchestra. It was recorded for the radio (one Act per session). Good sound, great singers (Ludwig Suthaus has a beautiful voice). Furtwangler is a great conductor, maybe the best Ring conductor, ever. The Orchestra was correct.

Knappertsbusch has 3 recordings, from Bayreuth (1956, 1957 and 1958). Any of them, the best ever heard from Bayreuth.

[ed_oneal]

I grew up listening to the Toscanini recordings of the Beethoven symphonies so that seems to be the standard for me.

In our home, we listen constantly to music streaming from :

Radio Swiss Classic - Das Radio zum Entspannen

We seldom listen to our CDs anymore. Since Radio Swissclassic sells the recordings that they play, you can listen before you buy.

[lct]

Originally Posted by TimF

Chamber Orchestra of Europe on Teldec? (now on Warners I think following the elimination of the separate strands - sigh). I'm unsure if that's available on its own or just as part of the complete set now...

Mine is a complete set:
Beethoven - Harnoncourt - 9 Symphonies, The Chamber Orchestra of Europe (live recording), Teldec 2292-46452-2

[stunsworth]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Beethoven string quartets yet. Are they the pinnacle of western music?

[TimF]

Originally Posted by lct

Mine is a complete set:
Beethoven - Harnoncourt - 9 Symphonies, The Chamber Orchestra of Europe (live recording), Teldec 2292-46452-2

That's the one - though, being the Johnny-come-lately type that I am, my set is the re-issued version. The advantage is that it takes up less room. Just wish I'd waited until Warners reissued Scott Ross's complete Scarlatti Sonatas before buying, all 34 discs packed into a little box, unlike the vast 'thing' on my shelves!

[gberger]

A vote for Szell and the Cleveland for a complete set of the nine symphonies. Yes, there are greater performances available for individual symphonies (especially the 9th); however, this collection doesn't have a weak sister in the bunch.

[michael_boylan]

Originally Posted by stunsworth

Are they the pinnacle of western music?

Quite possibly. I've been enjoying Op 132 on vinyl recently. But if you like the later Beethoven quartets have a listen to Shostakovich's - especially by the Fitzwilliam Quartet.

[rosuna]

Originally Posted by TimF

Just wish I'd waited until Warners reissued Scott Ross's complete Scarlatti Sonatas before buying, all 34 discs packed into a little box, unlike the vast 'thing' on my shelves!

I agree !!!!!!!

[TimF]

if you like the later Beethoven quartets have a listen to Shostakovich's - especially by the Fitzwilliam Quartet.

Borodin Quartet surely?

Must admit I prefer Soviet/Russian artists in much Shostakovich, eg, Rozhdestvensky's Melodia cycle in the symphonies.

[michael_boylan]

Originally Posted by TimF

Borodin Quartet surely? .

Damn. More stuff to buy.

[sthan]

To limit myself with a reply to the original question regarding Beethoven

The Fifth by Carlos Kleiber is unique (Deutsche Grammophon).
You'll never hear such a compacity in each line of instruments, such a drive and momentum, such a fury, tough always perfectly mastered. Unsurpassed,
even by himself in any other opus.

And war recordings, 1942-1944, by Furtwängler (Deutsche Grammophon, 2 sets) with
the Berliner Philharmoniker are both terrible and full of grandeur. Obviously, the context here is blowing a chilling wind of despair. Just listen to the Coriolan Overture, or the
Seventh 2-nd movement. If you're not feeling the ghosts haunting the whole place, you really miss something…

I, personnally, have a special feeling for Furtwängler, who kept his tenure
because he believed in Germany's grandeur even under the Nazis, and refused to
fire some jewish musicians from his orchestra.
Instead, von Karajan was a keen Nazi himself, since 1935, as Elizabeth Schwarzkopf (no doubt
the most beautiful mozartian and straussian voice of all).
"Furt" was "trialled" and could not conduct in Germany for two years.
Karajan got away with it.
Indirectly, he took advantage of Furt's disgrace to launch his post-war career.
He's a fantastic conductor, as much as a bloody son of a b*** too…
To be noted : Furtwängler, who was the true heir of the great first conductors
of the century, was pretty adverse to the spectacular "cinemascope"-like
Karajan-style.

Just a word for Mahler's admirers :
Kletzki's 1-st : no one better rendered the freshness of that young Mahler's first Meisterstück.

And, in keeping with the Holidays period : The "Kerstmatinees" conducted by Haitink with the Concertgebouw Orchestra. These were "XMas Mahler concerts". In fact, it's an almost complete symphonies second set by Haitink, lighter, livelier and less metaphysical than the "official" one — mainly because these are public performances. Recorded from 1977 to 1985, it's a rarity on CD. You may hunt it there : Kuijper Klassiek. Philips "Dutch Masters", volume 50. They just issued a 4 DVD set of these concerts.