New York Philharmonic 175th anniversary 65-disk box

[jserraglio]

New York Philharmonic 175th anniversary set - 65 disks

Due out in April.
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail ... um/5086627
https://www.amazon.com/New-York-Philhar ... 566&sr=1-1

Complete contents:
http://nyphil.org/~/media/pdfs/newsroom ... -final.pdf

[John F]

Thanks for posting the news. Looks like it's all commercially published material from Victor and Columbia rather than unpublished broadcasts and live performances. The choices are generally among the Philharmonic's best, but not fully representative of the conductors; I'd have expected to see Bruno Walter's recording of Barber's Symphony #1, showing that he was open to music after Mahler and Strauss while the orchestra's Musical Advisor, and the Boulez selection avoids his most characteristic repertoire, such as the Carter Symphony of Three Orchestras. After Mehta, the Philharmonic recorded for other labels, so Maazel and Gilbert are missing and Masur almost is. So this box does not add up to a history of the orchestra's recordings.

[maestrob]

What a great set: the early recordings, properly restored, sound fascinating. I missed Toscanini's Bruckner VII: was I skimming too fast? Also interesting is that there's only one piece with Masur, and nothing after that. Looks like a winner to me. .....And who needs Maazel's badly distorted music-making, says I!

[John F]

Toscanini recorded no Bruckner, so you didn't miss anything. He conducted the 7th with the New York Philharmonic, but the recording of the broadcast is incomplete and the sound is poor. It doesn't belong in this particular set of commercial recordings anyway.

[Lance]

This looks like a fascinating set to me. JPC's price is much higher than Amazon's. Mitropoulos's recordings are of great interest to me. Do you think, for sure, that most of this material is from the commercial RCA and Columbia labels? I was hoping to see more collaborations, too, within the entire set.

[jserraglio]

Mitropoulos's recordings are of great interest to me. Do you think, for sure, that most of this material is from the commercial RCA and Columbia labels?

It seems that all of the Mengelberg, Toscanini, Stokowski, and Barbirolli
items have been circulating on CD for several years now. The material appearing for the first time in authorized releases is predominantly in the Rodzinski and Mitropoulos group. . . . [The] Rodzinski Sibelius 4th studio recording has, AFAIK, not been offered commercially since its issue as a 78 rpm set! It is a fine reading, though it has anemic sound. I hope the engineer who did the transfer was able to access the 16-inch lacquers instead of the 78 sides, assuming they still exist.

Regarding the Mitropoulos items, out of 20 works, 7 appear officially for the first time, as follows. All others have been issued on CD either internationally or only in Japan (Verklaerte Nacht):

Dimitri Mitropoulos
DISC: 22
NEW, Gould: Philharmonic Waltzes(January 23, 1950)
UA Saint-Saëns: Omphale’s Spinning Wheel (January 23, 1950)
NEW, Rabaud: La Procession nocturne (January 23, 1950)
NEW, Saint - Saëns: La Jeunesse d’Hercule (January 9, 1956)
SONY FRANCE, Saint - Saëns: Phaëton (January 9, 1956)
NEW, Skalkottas: Four Greek Dances (January 9, 1956)

DISCS 23 -24
SONY, Berg: Wozzeck with Mack Harrell and Eileen Farrell (live, April 12 –13 and 15, 1951)
SONY, Schoenberg: Erwartung with Dorothy Dow (November 19, 1951)
SONY, Křenek: Symphonic Elegy for String Orchestra (April 21, 1951)

DISC 25:
NEW, Borodin: Symphony No. 2 (November 2, 1953)
UA Borodin: In the Steppes of Central Asia (April 20, 1953)
UA Ippolitov - Ivanov: Caucasian Sketches (April 20, 1953)

DISC 26:
NEW, Scriabin: Symphony No. 4, The Poem of Ecstasy (Apr il 20, 1953)
UA Scriabin: Prometheus, The Poem of Fire with Leonid Hambro (April 20, 1953)
NEW, Tchaikovsky: Orchestral Suite No. 1 (October 18 and November 17, 1954)

DISC 27:
SONY, Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10 (October 18, 1954)
SONY, JP Schoenberg: Verklärte Nacht (March 3, 1958)

DISC 28:
SONY, Prokofiev: Selections from Romeo and Juliet (November 11, 1957)
SONY, Tchaikovsky: Marche slave (November 11, 1957)
SONY, Mussorgsky: Night on Bald Mountain (November 11, 1957)
SONY GB, SONY JP Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis (March 3, 1958)

[jserraglio]

Sony Classical Celebrates NY Philharmonic's 175th Season With CD Release, 4/7
Jan. 20, 2017
http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/So ... 7-20170120

Sony Classical will celebrate the New York Philharmonic's 175th anniversary season with New York Philharmonic - 175th Anniversary Edition, a 65-CD compilation of the Orchestra's recordings from 1917 to 1995, to be released on April 7, 2017.

New York Philharmonic - 175th Anniversary Edition was produced by Sony Classical and curated by James H. North and Michael H. Gray with Philharmonic Archivist / Historian Barbara Haws. Thirty-five of the recordings have been remastered from the original discs and tapes for this edition, of which 20 are being released on CD for the first time and 15 are appearing for the first time on Sony-authorized CDs in the U.S. Deems Taylor's Through the Looking Glass, conducted by André Kostelanetz and recorded in 1975, is being released for the first time in any format. The compilation centers on symphonic works led by Philharmonic Music Directors - John Barbirolli, Leonard Bernstein, Pierre Boulez, Kurt Masur, Zubin Mehta, Willem Mengelberg, Dimitri Mitropoulos, Artur Rodzi?ski, Leopold Stokowski, Josef Stransky, Arturo Toscanini, and Bruno Walter - and will also feature performances led by distinguished guests, including Thomas Beecham, Luciano Berio, André Kostelanetz, Charles Munch, and Igor Stravinsky.

Twenty-five of the discs feature Laureate Conductor Leonard Bernstein (Music Director, 1958-69) leading works by composers including Barber, Beethoven, Copland, Gershwin, Harris, Ives, Mahler, Nielsen, Ravel, and Stravinsky, as well as his own works.

The announcement coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Philharmonic's first-ever recording, released January 20, 1917, which is included in the compilation and features Josef Stransky leading the Orchestra in Ambroise Thomas's Raymond Overture. Other highlights include:

Willem Mengelberg conducting Richard Strauss's Ein Heldenleben, which the composer dedicated to Mengelberg
Arturo Toscanini's interpretation of Beethoven's Fifth and Seventh Symphonies
Artur Rodzi?ski leading Act IV of Wagner's Die Walküre
Mahler's Fourth and Fifth Symphonies led by Bruno Walter, Mahler's acolyte and successor as New York Philharmonic Music Director
Dimitri Mitropoulos in the first-ever complete recording of Berg's Wozzeck
Leopold Stokowski's rendition of Messiaen's L'Ascension
Pierre Boulez's Grammy Award-winning recording of Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra
André Kostelanetz's performances of Gershwin's Piano Concerto in F with Oscar Levant as soloist
Zubin Mehta leading the Verdi Requiem
Kurt Masur leading Dvo?ák's Cello Concerto with Yo-Yo Ma as soloist

Also included is a 160-page hardcover book with an introduction by Philharmonic Archivist / Historian Barbara Haws titled "The New York Philharmonic: A Musician's Orchestra for 175 Years." The 65-CD box set with hardcover book is available for pre-order here.

Since 1917 the New York Philharmonic has made more than 2,000 recordings, with more than 500 currently available. Since 1961 the Philharmonic's recordings have been awarded 22 Grammy Awards, and in 2003 it made history as the first symphony orchestra ever to make a solo appearance on the Grammy awards, one of the most-watched television events worldwide. In 2004 the Philharmonic was the first major American orchestra to offer downloadable concerts, recorded live. Following on this innovation, in 2009 the Orchestra announced the first-ever subscription download series: Alan Gilbert: The Inaugural Season, available exclusively on iTunes, produced and distributed by the New York Philharmonic, and comprising more than 50 works performed during the 2009-10 season. The Philharmonic's self-produced digital recording series continues with Alan Gilbert and the New York Philharmonic: 2016-17 Season.

Sony Music Masterworks comprises Masterworks, Sony Classical, OKeh, Portrait, Masterworks Broadway, and Flying Buddha imprints. For email updates and information please visit sonymusicmasterworks.com.

[maestrob]

There exists a recording issued on cassette and LP of Prokofiev's Third Piano Concerto with Mitropoulos playing and leading from the keyboard. The Philharmonic issued it during the 1970's before digital restoration techniques were invented, so the sound has lots of flaws from the original acetates. Too bad it's not included.

I'll be buying this set!

[Lance]

Hello Brian,

Interesting you bring up the Prokofiev Third Piano Concerto. Nickson Records and I issued a CD of a live 1956 performance on CD that was remastered in Rochester, NY. Alas, Nickson passed away awhile ago and the catalogue is now OOP. That was a live 1949 performance. Mitropoulos also recorded it for Columbia, which was subsequently issued on LP. That was his "signature" concerto. Nickson Records also issued another CD of the Prokofiev Third Piano Concerto with the illustrious Gina Bachauer at the piano, recorded live with the NYP in 1956.

Given my preferences, I would rather have seen the NYP's anniversary edition with all live performances with, of course, more collaborations. I have had some communication over the years with Mrs. Hawes, Archivist of the NYP, as did my good friend, the late Nick Nickson. Originally, his LPs and subsequently his LPs had many live performance collaborations, and many transfers of Mitropoulos's Minneapolis Symphony recordings which had not been issued previously except in a few cases. Some of his CDs were reissued without his immediate knowledge by "questionable" people in the business. Fortunately, I have a complete catalogue of ALL the Nickson LPs and CDs. We would talk for hours about trying to locate material and then put the CD together. I would do the artwork and he would have the discs remastered and digitized in Rochester, New York.

Nickson himself was a radio broadcaster in the Rochester area for many years, had personally met Mitropoulos (they were fellow Greeks!) so over a long period of time, much was done to keep the memory of Dimitri Mitropouos alive. I never felt he really got his due on records, which just about got into the stereo era before Leonard Bernstein replaced him at the NYP. That, in itself, is another story! On another note, I actually met Nickson and his wife Jan when one day they called me from Rochester to announce their son was the broadcaster for the Rochester hockey team. "Would you like to meet us and go to a hockey game?" was their request. It was one of the coldest days we ever had during the month of January. I had never been to a hockey game ... it is a looong way from classical music! But let it me known that I became a hockey fan instantly, and whenever I went to a game, all my problems evaporated for the entire length of the game. Funny how life opens doors in many directions and adds yet another dimension to the art of living. Unfortunately, I fell off that band wagon these days.

There exists a recording issued on cassette and LP of Prokofiev's Third Piano Concerto with Mitropoulos playing and leading from the keyboard. The Philharmonic issued it during the 1970's before digital restoration techniques were invented, so the sound has lots of flaws from the original acetates. Too bad it's not included.

I'll be buying this set!

[John F]

As Lance says, Columbia made a studio recording of Mitropoulos's Prokofiev, and it's been uploaded to YouTube.



The orchestra is not the Philharmonic but the Philadelphia (aka Robin Hood Dell), so it's not in this set. And if you listen to it, you'll hear that Mitropoulos's technique was no longer really up to this music. As for the version you mention with the Philharmonic, it was not a commercial recording and so was not eligible for inclusion here.

Like him or not, Lorin Maazel was the Philharmonic's music director for seven seasons, and if he had recorded with the Philharmonic for the right companies he'd be included, and rightly so.

[jserraglio]

I have a complete catalogue of ALL the Nickson LPs and CDs. We would talk for hours about trying to locate material and then put the CD together. I would do the artwork and he [Nickson] would have the discs remastered and digitized in Rochester, New York.

The November, 2003 Nickson catalogue. See page 10 for Nick Nickson's tribute to Lance Hill.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bwx7p6 ... sp=sharing

[jserraglio]

DISC 54:
André Kostelanetz
Taylor: Through the Looking Glass (November 20 and 26, 1975)

previously unreleased

[Lance]

WOW, this was unexpected. I have not reviewed that catalogue in a long time. How nice of you to show this! As you can see from the catalogue, there were many superb recordings and collaborations, both commercial and live performances. Indeed, Mr. Nickson and his enthusiasm is sorely missed.

I have a complete catalogue of ALL the Nickson LPs and CDs. We would talk for hours about trying to locate material and then put the CD together. I would do the artwork and he [Nickson] would have the discs remastered and digitized in Rochester, New York.

The November, 2003 Nickson catalogue. See page 10 for Nick Nickson's tribute to Lance Hill.

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid= ... authuser=0
{This one didn't work for me}

or

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bwx7p6 ... sp=sharing[/quote
{This one I was able to open. --LGH}

[maestrob]

As Lance says, Columbia made a studio recording of Mitropoulos's Prokofiev, and it's been uploaded to YouTube.



The orchestra is not the Philharmonic but the Philadelphia (aka Robin Hood Dell), so it's not in this set. And if you listen to it, you'll hear that Mitropoulos's technique was no longer really up to this music. As for the version you mention with the Philharmonic, it was not a commercial recording and so was not eligible for inclusion here.

Like him or not, Lorin Maazel was the Philharmonic's music director for seven seasons, and if he had recorded with the Philharmonic for the right companies he'd be included, and rightly so.

Like him or not, Mitropoulos is in better form in Philadelphia than he was in NY in my private recording: the orchestra follows him much tighter (due to retakes, I imagine). Not a bad recording. Thanks for posting it.

As for Maazel, you know my objections (somewhat strenuous) to his interpretive style: while he was a fine accompanyist, in purely orchestral work he was sometime quite off the beam! (IMHO). There's a reason why nobody wanted to record him during his eccentric stay here in NYC; I am not alone in my feelings.

[John F]

I certainly agree that some of his New York performances were pretty odd. But that is not the reason why he didn't make commercial recordings with the NY Philharmonic. The Philharmonic lost its own recording contract during Zubin Mehta's long tenure, and Maazel was making his recordings for DG in Germany with the Bavarian Radio Orchestra. There are nonetheless Maazel/NY Phil recordings, including a complete Mahler cycle published by the Philharmonic itself. But these were not made for Sony and were outside the scope of this set.

[THEHORN]

John, Maazel's recordings with the Bavarian RSO were made primarily for RCA and maybe a couple of other labels, but not for DG . I'm not sure if Maazel did all nine completed Mahler symphonies while music director in New York . His first Mahler cycle was for Sony with the Vienna Philharmonic , and there is a later cycle with the Philharmonia orchestra although I don't recall the label offhand .

[jserraglio]

I'm not sure if Maazel did all nine completed Mahler symphonies while music director in New York

He did and the orchestra has released them commercially.

NY Philharmonic Releases THE COMPLETE MAHLER SYMPHONIES LIVE, Celebrates Maazel

by BWW News Desk Jun. 23, 2009 In celebration of Lorin Maazel's tenure as Music Director, the New York Philharmonic is releasing a set of new digital recordings - The Complete Mahler Symphonies, Live - recorded at Philharmonic concerts at Avery Fisher Hall, led by Mr. Maazel, over the course of his seven years with the Orchestra. The release coincides with Mr. Maazel's performances of Mahler's Symphony No. 8, Symphony of a Thousand, June 24-27, 2009, in his final concerts as Music Director of the Philharmonic.

The first five symphonies are available today; four more, including the Adagio from Mahler's Symphony No. 10, will follow on July 7, 2009; and the final download - of Mahler's Eighth Symphony, from the live radio broadcast on The New York Philharmonic This Week, June 25 - will be available on August 25, 2009. The new recordings will be available for purchase from
iTunes, Amazon.com, eMusic.com, InstantEncore.com, and in high-quality formats from HDtracks.com; streaming on ClassicalArchives.com, a new classical music specialist site; and as ringtones on various mobile content provider sites.

The Complete Mahler Symphonies, Live will be accompanied by video interviews with Lorin Maazel; liner notes and biographies; extended audio samples; and a complete score of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 1, with markings by Mahler. Complete information, including bonus content and links to the online music stores, is available at nyphil.org/maazelmahler.

Lorin Maazel's performances of the complete Mahler symphonies, which he began in 2002-03 - his first season with the New York Philharmonic - have been critically acclaimed. Commenting on the June 2003 performance of the Symphony No. 2, Resurrection, The New York Times stated: "You could not have asked for a more commandingly conducted account of this daunting 90-minute symphony. The precision, radiance, incisiveness...of the playing was constantly impressive." Inwriting about Mahler's Symphony No. 6, The Financial Times noted that, "The Philharmonic played for [Maazel] with staggering brilliance." About Mahler's Symphony No. 5, which Mr. Maazel conducted on the New York Philharmonic's 75th Anniversary European Tour in November 2005, the Westdeutsche Zeitung in Du?sseldorf, Germany, stated: "What the New Yorkers offered [Maazel] and the audience in Mahler's Fifth Symphony...was simply an orchestral tour de force."

June 23, 2009:
Symphony No. 1
(Recorded live September 22-27, 2005)

Symphony No. 2, Resurrection
(Recorded live June 19-21, 2003)
Jessica Jones, Soprano
Cornelia Kallisch, mezzo-soprano
New York Choral Artists
Joseph Flummerfelt, director

Symphony No. 3
(Recorded live June 16-19, 2004)
Anna Larsson, contralto
Women of the Westminster Symphonic Choir
Joseph Flummerfelt, director
The American Boychoir
Vincent Metallo, director

Symphony No. 4
(Recorded live September 20-26, 2006)
Heidi Grant Murphy, soprano

Symphony No. 5
(Recorded live September 18-23, 2003)

July 7, 2009:
Symphony No. 6
(Recorded live June 22-25, 2005)

Symphony No. 7
(Recorded live June 20-23, 2007)

Symphony No. 9
(Recorded live June 4-13, 2008)

Adagio from Symphony No. 10
(Recorded live September 25-28, 2008)

August 25, 2009:
Symphony No. 8, Symphony of a Thousand
(Recording live June 24-27, 2009)
Christine Brewer, Nancy Gustafson, Jeanine De Bique, sopranos
Mary Phillips, Nancy Maultsby, mezzo- sopranos
Anthony Dean Griffey, tenor Wolfgang Scho?ne, bass Jason Grant, bass-baritone
New York Choral Artists
Joseph Flummerfelt, director
The Dessoff Symphonic Choir
James Bagwell, director
Brooklyn Youth Chorus
Dianne Berkun, director