The Classical Music Guide Forums

CharmNewton

I don't have the Membran set, but it looks like about half the set is duplicated in the Decca and APR sets. The Decca and APR are all mono material. Membran also includes some of her stereo recordings made for EMI (Grieg/Schumann Concertos, Chopin Nocturnes and Waltzes, and Khachaturian Concerto). I...

CharmNewton

Glenn Gould always preferred his New York Steinway until it was dropped and "allegedly" brought back to its supposed original condition. He was not happy with the end results and looked around for his next piano, which was a Yamaha. Near as I know, Gould never played nor performed on a Bosendorfer ...

CharmNewton

I've been listening to several large scale works from the Sony Barbirolli box (Brahms 2, Sibelius 1 & 2, and some Baroque suites) and find the playing and readings dull. The set wasn't helped by airless sound which led to some wooden phrasing. Sibelius 2 was probably the best of the group. Sibelius ...

CharmNewton

Frederick Stock conducted the world première of the First Symphony with the Chicago Symphony as part of a series of concerts held at the 1933 World's Fair (Century of Progress Exposition). The concert was broadcast over the NBC networks and was likely recorded (although none of the recordings have y...

CharmNewton

I have several discs of Still's music and enjoy it. Tuneful and colorful, he wrote for many instrumental combinations as well as for voice. It started with a song titled "Golden Days" I heard on the radio played by the Manhattan Chamber Orchestra with soprano Margaret Astrup. Thanks for the reminder...

CharmNewton

I don't care for multi-disc mini-gatefold covers used in these sets. They can be really tight and present risk of damaging the disc as well as the cover. The outer boxes seem standardized and perhaps that drives the packaging. I'd prefer they packaged the multi-disc sets in a small mini-album box wi...

CharmNewton

When I learned of her passing, the EMI recording of the Sibelius Concerto with Berglund was the first of her recordings to come to mind. I was captivated by it nearly 40 years ago and bought it the next day. Re-listening, I was captivated again and will re-visit some other recordings over time as we...

CharmNewton

Besides Warner, Backhaus also made recordings for Victor during his tour of the U.S. in 1908. Yes,I believe the ones on the Pearl 2-cd set of his 1908-1925 acoustics. I was incorrect in stating Backhaus had recorded for Victor in 1908. I discovered this checking Julian Morton Moses' Collector's Gui...

CharmNewton

Having enjoyed the COMMAND LP recordings of Beethoven's symphonies with the Pittsburgh Symphony under the baton of William Steinberg , I was happy to recently acquire the 5-CD boxed set from DGG 483 8344 giving us all the symphonies plus the third Leonore Overture. Unlike other sets of this music (...

CharmNewton

I just listened to the Aria via Spotify. It was very beautifully performed. Both sections were repeated with varied and simple ornamentation. Timing was 5:21, but doesn't sound slow.
I've been listening to much Bach of late and look forward to hearing this recording.
John

CharmNewton

Thanks for posting that, John; I will watch with interest. But last night I spent some time watching her on YouTube, and she was very fine. I'm surprised that I was never aware of her. I don't believe most of her recordings had much circulation outside of France. This would particularly true for th...

CharmNewton

I didn't have the time to check the newsletter from Presto Classical yesterday and I'm glad I didn't as this news would have saddened the day. She was probably best known as Lakmé, but she sang a wide range of music from the Classical period into the 20th Century. She recorded many obscure French op...

CharmNewton

I have this set as well. I've admired Backhaus since hearing some of his early electrical recordings issued on LPs by Music & Arts in the mid 1970s. Critical opinion of Backhaus around the time he died was that he mechanical and a bit cold. It didn't sound like that to me. Backhaus plays with clarit...

CharmNewton

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71Pewv%2Bd6CL._SY355_.jpg I was happy to see DG had issued this set earlier this month. This may be its first official release as a complete cycle--there are two issues available taken from LPs. I remember seeing the LPs discounted as remainders many...

CharmNewton

Lance, you are right about their being the preeminent quartet among American quartets from the mid-1960s and into the 1970s for their youth, interpretive warmth, virtuosity and rich sonority. Very different from the Juilliard Quartet, another great and expressive quartet, but one that did not cultiv...

CharmNewton

I first met him (sonically, not in person) with a pair of Boccherini quintets on LP that I loved. That recording is very possibly his first, from the early 1960s during his time at Juilliard. David Soyer, an outstanding cellist, and Michael Tree became lifelong members of the Guarneri Quartet. John

CharmNewton

Rach3 wrote: ↑
Sat May 02, 2020 12:55 pm

CharmNewton wrote: ↑
Sat May 02, 2020 10:08 am
... introduced his accompanist, Brooks Smith, as a friend of the family who had also accompanied his father...
The Brooks Smith who also accompanied Heifetz earlier ?

Yes.

CharmNewton

I learned of his passing in a newsletter from Presto Classical. I saw him in recital in Chicago in the late 1980s. He was very engaging, loved to talk with the audience, introduced his accompanist, Brooks Smith, as a friend of the family who had also accompanied his father, obviously loved to play a...

CharmNewton

I wasn't familiar with him either, but a bit of checking shows he had a major career primarily centered in Italy with occasional visits to other parts of the world. His recording of Tosca (as Scarpia) with Alexander Rhabari on Naxos is still in print after more than 25 years. Several DVDs are also i...

CharmNewton

Recently finding a misplaced 78 RPM stylus for the Stanton 500 series of cartridges, I was able to re-visit some sets that I haven't played in decades. Beethoven : Sonata no.3 for Cello and Piano, Op. 69 (Felix Salmond, cellist and Simeon Rumschiskey, pianist, Columbia Set 38) One of U.S. Columbia's...

CharmNewton

Lance, I'm glad you posted this as I was just thinking of Ward last night and this morning. I can't think of Vox or Arabesque Records and not think of Ward, his recorded output as a producer for the former is simply staggering. He attributed that to his engineer being a :"whiz with a razor blade (i....

CharmNewton

In the mid-to-late 1980s I attended a concert of Schiff playing the Well-Tempered Clavier Book II. It was split into 3 parts with 8 Preludes and Fugues in each. It was an impressive concert in that he played it entirely from memory. But it was also a tough listen over a very long afternoon. I was gl...

CharmNewton

Wow this work was new to me-lovely! Regards, Len It's a wonderful comedy, brimming with arias, ensembles and choruses. Boskovsky's 1975 recording on Warner is probably the best known and is readily available. There may be videos on DVD as well. I think Suppé is waiting to be re-discovered. Boccacci...

CharmNewton

I prefer the warmth and richness of Mr. Prey and appreciate he recorded so much lighter repertoire. I've come to love operetta. Here is a recording of a duet from Suppé's Boccaccio , "Rosen für dich", with Anneliese Rothenberger recorded in 1964. iLNsScLqAKU This duet wasn't included in Boskovsky's ...

CharmNewton

The Wikipedia Article for Alexis Weissenberg links to his archive site, which includes a considerable amount audio and video material which may be of interest to CMG members. Have patience as the recording thumbnails take a while to load. Alexis Weissenberg Archive: https://alexisweissenbergarchive....

CharmNewton

John, my most humble apologies! How I could have confused Weissenberg with Ciccolini, I do not know. The 10-CD Weissenberg "Icon" box is [79086], the complete RCA 30150, 7 CDs, and the complete DGG 482 5534, 4 CDs. Weissenberg can also be found on a number of other labels (live recitals, etc.), suc...

CharmNewton

I have the mega-box of Weissenberg and I believe the Lumen recordings are to be found there in [EMI-Warner 85824, 56 CDs]. It was issued around 2010 and I believe already out-of-print, and not available even on the used market. If the Lumens are not in the big 56-CD set, they are available on Dorem...

CharmNewton

Isn't it interesting that Amazon shows Entremont's complete concerto recordings box on Sony for almost $300.00! Hard to believe as when first released it was on sale for $35 for 19 CDs. Insofar as Pennario's Capitol recordings go, either EMI or Warner have already issued a number of the Capitol/EMI...

CharmNewton

Since Sony issued all the concertos by Philippe Entremont, might there be a complete box of all his solo recordings for the label? Warner might consider issuing a PENNARIO boxed set. There were some JS Bach works that never made it to LP or CD. Am I dreaming? After about 3 years, Sony has issued a ...

CharmNewton

It's still available from European Amazon affiliates--about $225 + shipping from Amazon in Germany, for example. That shipping from Germany is probably another $20-25, but they will subtract the VAT.

John

CharmNewton

If you're signed up for Spotify or another service with a good coverage of classical music why not make your self a playlist and listen to what you want. I listened to the Rothenberger Lulu on Spotify as well as sampled some of Leonard Bernstein's piano music on a recent DG download only collection....

CharmNewton

Very interesting, John, and thank you for taking the time to check this out. Can you point me to someplace on the Web that is offering this set and where we might find the best price? I have a lot of Milstein material, but it looks like some of this material might be new to CD. Some big ones were t...

CharmNewton

John/CharmNewton, can you give me a few examples of the Capitol recordings/sets that did not transfer to Warner that went out of print? William Steinberg recorded for Capitol, but were there others? I haven't kept abreast of these deletions. You're kidding Brian - already OOP? Can't believe it. Eve...

CharmNewton

You're kidding Brian - already OOP? Can't believe it. Even on the "used" market? Sometimes when they say "limited edition," I guess they mean it! Another Cziffra fan here, especially his Liszt! :) I sadly dithered over getting the 40CD box, and now of course it's unavailable. Perhaps Warner will re...

CharmNewton

Thank you, John. That's a heck of a great price. I know several people who paid considerably more. I only paid $150 for mine, no tax and no postage. I'm sure everyone who really wanted this set must have it by now. There must be an overrun of the sets! The highest I saw on Amazon was $900, but I'm ...

CharmNewton

The Szell collection.

John

CharmNewton

If anyone was still sitting on the fence on this set, Amazon.com is offering it for $131.99 in stock on November 7th and delivered by Monday November 12th.

John

CharmNewton

Yes Szeryng's Mozart sonatas with Ingrid Haebler are very good too. I feel he has been badly underestimated since Perlman's quip about not recognising his playing. Mind I sometimes find the same with Gil Shaham, another superb player. I'm not familiar with this quotation. Can you provide it more fu...

CharmNewton

Barenboim has a long relationship with the Chicago Symphony going back to 1970. I'm not sure his remarks aren't hiding hurt feelings at not being asked to return sooner. Giulini was never asked back after his last concert in 1978, although he did return several times with the L.A. Philharmonic. He w...

CharmNewton

Two omissions that stand out to me are a complete RCA/Columbia Pablo Casals Edition and a complete RCA/Columbia Budapest Quartet Edition. Until recently, Sony hasn't shown much interest in the Budapest Quartet at all in the U.S. The not-so-complete EMI Casals Edition omitted his recordings as a cond...

CharmNewton

I sampled several of these discs via Spotify and compared a number of selections with RCA recordings of Arthur Rubinstein. Brailowsky's playing seemed slightly more nuanced than Rubinstein as far as dynamics, especially in really soft passages. But tempi were pretty straight, sometimes very fast, ev...

CharmNewton

This collection contains the 6 discs Milstein recorded for DG and 31 discs recorded for EMI, mostly for Capitol and some later discs that appeared on Angel. The box does not claim the EMI is complete. I came across this set (on eBay) while trying to determine whether Universal or Warner had the righ...

CharmNewton

I haven't seen a listing of the contents of this set. but I have to believe that about two-thirds of it will be material he recorded with Heifetz. That's fine unless you already have it. So this looks like a pass for me.

John

CharmNewton

This box contains the 48 CDs that made up an earlier 4-box EMI release plus a bonus CD containing Prokofiev's Classical Symphony from Berlin in 1948.

John

CharmNewton

I'm a paid subscriber to Spotify and I like the service. I initially signed up for the free version to listen to new releases, but they have a vast amount of classical music available (for example, Leonard Bernstein's complete music for solo piano in a new DG, download-only release by Katie Mahan wh...

CharmNewton

Thanks! That answers one question about the substitution, that Toscanini did know about it and approved it. Other questions remain, chiefly how Toscanini came to record the same music in two different tempos in the space of maybe half an hour, but since everyone involved is now dead, they'll probab...

CharmNewton

Robert C. Marsh, longtime music critic of the Chicag0 Sun-Times, on p. 134 of his book Toscanini and the Art of Conducting wrote about the 1936 Beethoven 7th: "... The best statement of Toscanini's performance is the 1936 set as originally issued , that is, with the opening pages taken slowly and ma...

CharmNewton

I looked in vain to find even a commercial recording of Bernstein's 1938 piano sonata. I don't believe it is in any of his mega boxed sets performed by anyone. Other than YT, does anyone know of a commercial recording of the work? U.S. Amazon.com has three recordings which are part of collections o...

CharmNewton

Well, he recorded Albinoni, a bunch of Haydn symphonies, some Mozart on the piano and in collaboration with Frederica von Stade. I do not believe there was much else. Did Previn record any music from before the mid-19th century, and is it any good? All I've heard is late 19th to 20th century. He re...

CharmNewton

Bruno Walter's Columbia Symphony recording of Symphony No. 8 has a joyfulness I find captivating. Charles Munch's recording, made around the same time, is pretty exciting and still holds up well today. Both are well recorded too. Giulini's Chicago Symphony recording of the Symphony No. 9 brings out ...

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