advertisement


Symphony - BBC4

Thanks mjw for that.

I'm reading good things about Davis/LSO live recordings with regards Sibelius (the sound is not as good as the BIS recordings according to some).....Have you heard it by any chance??

Regarding RVW's symphonies, I do have the Boult Decca recordings (because it was cheap) although I haven't had the proper opportunity to listen to it (shame really I've only had it about 5 years!)
 
Sibelius symphonies and tone poems. The Decca, Ashkenazy, Philharmonia set is my favourite and should be at a good price by now.


Jansons No.2 live with the RCO on SACD is terrific.
 
lennyw said:
I just love Copland.

Shostakovich is wonderful, but I'm inclined to agree with Glenn Gould: that is first symphony is his best, and the rest are just reworkings ;-)

Here's hoping that EMI release the HvK on SACD sometime next year...
Click to expand...

It's remarkable how different musical expression was in 20 th century Russia and America- Copland is the sound of innocence and Shostakovich tells a far darker human story. The final page of his last symphony is one of the eeriest experiences I've sat through in a concert hall. As much as I love Copland, I believe Shostakovich is on another plain. Then of course there's Prokofiev and Stravinsky.
 
irons1965 said:
Thanks mjw for that.

I'm reading good things about Davis/LSO live recordings with regards Sibelius (the sound is not as good as the BIS recordings according to some).....Have you heard it by any chance??

Regarding RVW's symphonies, I do have the Boult Decca recordings (because it was cheap) although I haven't had the proper opportunity to listen to it (shame really I've only had it about 5 years!)
Click to expand...

Not heard the Boult recordings but you'd expect good performances from him. I got the Handley CFP set for under £20 and it's great. I also have Previn on RCA vinyl and they're good. Try the 6th, it's short and should get the hook in you. If you decide it's your thing, Hickox has some exemplary recordings on full price.

Not heard the live LSO Sibelius stuff either but read that it doesn't come up to the set I mentioned but have to confess that my untutored ear often can't find what professional critics find not to like in a performance. I can recognise bad sound but, not being a musician, I struggle to hear subtle differences in, say, different sets of Beethoven's piano sonatas. I just know I like 'em.
Enjoy
Mick
 
irons1965 said:
Can anyone recommend the best Brahms and Sibelius cycles as I'm ashamed to say I've got nothing by these two (Sibelius sounds wonderful in particular).
Click to expand...

For Brahms, Abbado/BPO is best modern complete set, though others recommend Harnoncourt/BPO too.
I'd go for them individually:
1 - Adrian Boult/LPO on HMV or Gardiner/ORR for "authentic"
2 - Abbado/BPO
3 - Abbado/BPO or Bruno Walter/Columbia 1960s
4 - Carlos Kleiber/VPO on DG

For Sibelius, I think Osmo Vanska and Lahti Symphony on BIS are excellent in all of them. CBSO/Sakari Oramo on Erato also good.
Lorin Maazel & VPO on Decca from 1960s is very good but has a different take on the music, different phrasing from many others, beautiful recordings too.
I'd avoid the LSO Live ones - the Barbican recordings are just murder to my ears.
 
Many Thanks to everyone for their recommendations.

Alan, the Maazel Sibelius is available for under a tenner on Amazon so I think that will be added to my ever expanding Christmas list.

Mick- I've noticed the Boult/LPO RVW is only £15 also on Amazon.
 
TheDecameron said:
It's remarkable how different musical expression was in 20th century Russia and America- Copland is the sound of innocence and Shostakovich tells a far darker human story. The final page of his last symphony is one of the eeriest experiences I've sat through in a concert hall. As much as I love Copland, I believe Shostakovich is on another plain. Then of course there's Prokofiev and Stravinsky.
Click to expand...

Considering the events surrounding Shostakovich...

Just caught the forth and final part... best of the lot, in my view.

Light-hearted highlight, Edward G Robinsons pronunciation of Dimitri Shostakovich... rolf!

But the scenes filmed in Jean Sibelius' home were just... sublime...

As was the whole series.

Another vote for the Vernon Handley Brahms, I bought this set a while back and it's great.

I would seriously suggest Karajan for Sibelius, 1 & 2 on EMI and 4 - 7 on DGG, no third, for whatever reason; he never recorded it...?

Also, the 7th by Mravinsky and the Leningrad Philharmonic, is just brilliant, a must have!
 
Basil said:
Love Copland?

You have this set?
Click to expand...

It's in my amazon wishlist. Friends are moving back from the US in the spring, so I'll send everything to them to come over with their stuff sometime before they do (mmm all those Analogue Prods SACDs).

Thanks for the tip.
 
For Shostakovich, you can't go much wrong with Haitink's set.

Sibelius, hmm, I'm not sure I've ever been wholly convinced by anyone's performances. BIS are talking of doing a new cycle with Osmo Vänskä and the Minnesota chaps and chapesses on SACD. Should be sumptuous.

I'd agree with alanbeeb on the Abbado Brahms cycle being the modern cycle of choice. There is something about Toscanini's, though, that I couldn't live without.

Decameron, I think you're probably right if comparing Copland to Shostakovich (and having recently listened to C's piano music, which was a struggle, S certainly wins that "battle"). There is something about works like Appalachian Spring which is just irresistible. I often tell my (German) wife: In the UK we made Yes Minister and The Thick of it, and in the US they made West Wing. Tells you everything you need to know about how each country perceives itself. (She once asked my why all UK sitcoms are so depressing: Perrin and Peep Show spring instantly to mind as recent viewings -- compared to Seinfeld and Arrested Development -- but this is taking the conversation totally off point).
 
+1 for Haitink's Shostakovich. Also try Barshai on Regis if you can find them and Petrenko on Naxos doing good performances/recordings. All these can be bought for the price of a pint.
 
TheDecameron said:
Sibelius symphonies and tone poems. The Decca, Ashkenazy, Philharmonia set is my favourite and should be at a good price by now.
Click to expand...

Agreed, wonderful set. Karajan's Sibelius is another favourite.

For Brahms the Boult and Walter (his last cycle with the Columbia SO) are superb and should be pretty inexpensive. I think Walter's appeared on CBS originally and Sony later on, it's my favourite set. No allowance need be made for the age of the recordings, they shame many more modern ones. Abbado is a nice later alternative.

In addition to these sets For individual symphonies I would recommend:

Brahms 1 - Klemperer
Brahms 2 - Klemperer
Brahms 3 - Cantelli
Brahms 4 - Kleiber

The sets usually have the added advantage of the overtures and Haydn Variations being included and they are superb in their own right. The Walter Haydn Variations is quite magical IMO.
 
lennyw said:
For Shostakovich, you can't go much wrong with Haitink's set.
Click to expand...

Clogs' Shostakovich symphonies have good sound (early Decca digital) and are well-played. A safe recommendation. I mostly prefer recordings made by Russian orchestras and conductors, especially those associated with the composer, despite sometimes mediocre recordings and imperfect playing.

Try the Kondrashin Moscow PO 4th from 1962, the Mravinsky LPO 1982 8th (good sound) or the Mravinsky LPO 1976 10th.



No doubts about the story behind the 5th Symphony in this interpretation:



More Mravinsky. It's not pretty (both clips have a harsh edit).


 
Last edited by a moderator:
Shostakovich 10th, second movement:


Mravinsky, terrifying


Karajan, Karajanesque

[YOUTUBE]JC-pqRMasPQ[/YOUTUBE]

Dudamel, completely missing the point

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Can you remember when the the Barshai live set on Brilliant was the ultra-bargain of the classical-buying world?

Nowadays, at £24.97, it looks a bit on the pricey side. Still good though.
 
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
irons1965 said:
Watched the 3rd part of 'Symphony' last night (my favourite so far, Mahler is my favourite composer).

Can anyone recommend the best Brahms and Sibelius cycles as I'm ashamed to say I've got nothing by these two (Sibelius sounds wonderful in particular).

Thanks in advance

Darren

PS The opening of Mahler's Third didn't half sound immense through my new PMC's.
Click to expand...

Darren
this is the deleted set I mentioned. Apparently it's excellent although I never got a chance to hear it. I think it was under £20 on release so probably worth seeking out on the s/h market.
http://www.europadisc.co.uk/images/products-190/1195219469_82876557062.jpg

Mick
 
Thanks Mick.

I've managed to watch about 3/4 of part 4 of 'Symphony' and now I want a complete cycle of Shostakovich's symphonies (!)...Bloody expensive this is turning out to be....!!
 
you could do a lot worse than Petrenko on Naxos and many are discounted on HMV or Play.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top