What I listened to today

[John F]

That had the potential of being an outstanding Ring cycle if not for two of the participants: Hans Hopf and Erich Leinsdorf.

[maestrob]

That had the potential of being an outstanding Ring cycle if not for two of the participants: Hans Hopf and Erich Leinsdorf.

Now, really! I have Leinsdorf's Walkure on CD, and he does it quite well. Never heard of Hans Hopf, however......

[jserraglio]

That had the potential of being an outstanding Ring cycle if not for two of the participants: Hans Hopf and Erich Leinsdorf.

Leinsdorf detractors notwithstanding, so far I am mostly enjoying this cycle. Besides Hans Hopf as an exciting, committed (if perhaps overcommitted) Siegfried, this cycle sports the likes of Nilsson, Vickers, London, Edelmann, Frick, and Martina Arroyo. Didn't know till last week when the bcsts were posted that Leinsdorf had led a complete Met Ring in the 60's.

[jserraglio]

Never heard of Hans Hopf

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Hopf

A thumbs-down take on Hans Hopf in the 1960s: http://littlemurphydog-sacrifice.blogsp ... f.html?m=1

[jserraglio]

Finishing the cycle today. Direktor-dorf definitely don't dawdle. The singers are great (what outsized voices!) even heard thru the veil of 1960's FM bcst, static and station-wandering 'n' all.

Day 4 of the Leinsdorf-Met RING
1961 - 1962 Season

Richard Wagner
DER RING DES NIBELUNGEN

January 27, 1962

GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG

Brünnhilde..............Birgit Nilsson
Siegfried...............Hans Hopf
Gunther.................Norman Mittelmann
Gutrune..................Gladys Kuchta
Hagen...................Gottlob Frick
Waltraute...............Irene Dalis
Alberich................Ralph Herbert
First Norn..............Jean Madeira
Second Norn.............Irene Dalis
Third Norn..............Martina Arroyo
Woglinde................Martina Arroyo
Wellgunde...............Rosalind Elias
Flosshilde..............Mignon Dunn
Vassal..................Charles Kuestner
Vassal..................John Trehy

Conductor................Erich Leinsdorf

[maestrob]

Never heard of Hans Hopf

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Hopf

A thumbs-down take on Hans Hopf in the 1960s: http://littlemurphydog-sacrifice.blogsp ... f.html?m=1

Thanks for the links!

[jserraglio]

RE: The LEINSDORF Ring 1961-62.

The reviews printed below pretty much jibe with what I've heard this week. Lots of kudos for Leinsdorf's musical direction and even for Hans Hopf's Siegfried. I completely agree with the distinguished reviewer Robert Sabin (1912-1969). This first uncut Met Ring was well worth hearing.

Rheingold:

Review of Robert Sabin in the February 1962 issue of Musical America

The Metropolitan launched its first Ring cycle since the season of '56-'57 with an admirable performance of "Das Rheingold" (uncut and without an intermission, as Wagner wanted it) on Saturday afternoon, Dec. 16, under that devoted and eloquent Wagnerian, Erich Leinsdorf.

Since the Ring stands alone in the operatic literature, unique in its grandiose dimensions, its spiritual and emotional scope, its incredible workmanship and detail, no opera house of the first rank can afford to be long without it.

And in an era notorious for superficiality, impatience, and instability of taste, it was heartening to find a capacity audience listening with profound absorption. Much of the credit for this must go to Mr. Leinsdorf, who is giving these masterpieces uncut and with faith in their intrinsic majesty and beauty. Nor should the superb Metropolitan Opera Orchestra go unpraised.

The distinguished German tenor Paul Kuen made his debut at this performance in a role for which he is famous-Mime. All of the rest of the cast were new to their roles at the Metropolitan, with the exception of Mr. Hines, Miss Madeira and Miss Elias.

Mr. London's "Rheingold" Wotan was an original conception. He revealed the God's all-too-human qualities unsparingly and almost went too far in his psychological realism. Vocally, his impeccable diction and musical intelligence were always in evidence, though one missed a certain majesty of tone. Mr. Mittelmann and Mr. Nagy fulfilled their tasks capably.

Mr. Liebl's Loge was a striking and probing characterization, and beautifully sung. In make-up, movement, gesture and inflection he pointed up the malice and cleverness of this teutonic Mephistopheles. Mr. Herbert made a dramatically fearsome figure of Alberich, but his voice was unable to achieve more than song speech in some passages. Mr. Kuen, as I had expected, was superb.

Like Mr. Hines's Fasolt, Mr. Wiemann's Fafner was a vivid and convincing giant. Miss Dalis was almost too handsome and attractive a Fricka, but, with her customary intelligence, made Fricka's indictment of Wotan's lust for wealth and power prophetically ominous. Miss Krall was visually as well as vocally an attractive Freia.

Miss Madeira's huge voice was right for Erda, but she should have sung her mysterious warning less sensuously and more majestically. The three singing Rhine Maidens sounded as fascinating as the three ballet girls looked, swimming about under the Rhine on invisible cables.

Mr. Merrill's direction was very sensible, except for the clouds of steam that billow out into the house; and the Lee Simonson sets for Das Rheingold are his only satisfying Ring designs.

Walkure:

Review of Robert Sabin in the February 1962 issue of Musical America:

This first performance of the season of "Die Walküre" strengthened the conviction that the Metropolitan's current Ring series was to be a memorable artistic achievement and a public triumph. Once again, Erich Leinsdorf and the orchestra won some of the major ovations, and once again the audience gave every evidence of enjoying intently every measure of the unmutilated score.

New to their roles at the Metropolitan were Miss Kuchta, Mr. Wiemann, Miss Arroyo, Miss MacKenzie and Miss Kriese. Miss Kuchta was an admirable Sieglinde and a welcome addition to the new generation of first-rate Wagnerian singers that is making itself known at the Metropolitan. Her voice was fresh and appealing in quality; she acted the role with intelligence; and when her great outburst in Act III came, she was ready for it.

Though ideally one would like a heavier voice and more sinister characterization than Mr. Wiemann's, his Hunding was well conceived and projected.

To the three new Valkyries, as well as to their sisters, should go hearty congratulations. It is vital to the opera that these roles should be taken by able singers and it was a delight to hear their fascinating music uncut and thrillingly sung.

Though not as imposing as some Wotans of fairly recent memory, Mr. Edelmann is a sterling artist, and he handled the vocal difficulties he encountered in the last act with the assurance of a veteran. A memory slip only made things more troublesome, but there was much to praise in his performance as a whole.

Miss Dalis was so beautiful a Fricka that it was hard to understand Wotan's notorious infidelities, but she was careful to bring out the goddess's unpleasant moral qualities. The looks which she exchanged with Brünnhilde in Act II spoke volumes. Her voice was especially lovely in the lyric passages, but she was also magnificent in the moments of vehemence and challenge.

Once again, one rejoiced that Miss Nilsson's glorious voice was given to a splendid musician and skilled actress who could create for us the Brünnhilde of Wagner's imagination. To many of the younger generation her artistry will bring a new understanding of Wagner.

As for Mr. Vicker's Siegmund, it is the best I have ever encountered. He cannot make the walls of the Metropolitan bulge with the "Wälse, Wälse," as Melchior used to, but his singing and acting of the role as a whole have a romantic glow and a musical finish that are well nigh unique.

The Simonson settings for the last three operas of the Ring are all deplorable, and one can only hope that they will wear out rapidly. Nathaniel Merrill's direction, however, showed a genuine understanding of Wagner's intentions. This performance was so inspired that it seemed short.

__________________________________________________________________

Review of B. Cathey on Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars Superb live broadcast of Walkure
December 1, 2012
Format: Walhall Audio CD

This live broadcast recording of DIE WALKURE (December 23, 1961) was the first time that legendary soprano Birgit Nilsson's Brunnhilde was aired by the old Met. She is joined here by a superb cast consisting of Jon Vickers (Siegmund), Gladys Kuchta (Sieglinde), Otto Edelmann (Wotan), and others of similar quality. Very simply, this is a superb performance, in very good sound. Interestingly, I've never been that much of a fan of Otto Edelmann, but his Wotan here is one of his best outings. Just listen to his Narrative in Act II or the closing, "Leb wohl," scene in Act III. Kuchta is wonderful as Sieglinde--I had forgotten how good she was (she went on to sing at Bayreuth). Vickers, of course, is much better known, and his Siegmund ranks with that of Melchior and Windgassen. He is excellent: just listen to his "Wintersturme" scene in Act I or the "Todesverkundigung" scene with Nilsson in Act II. Can anyone project the character of Siegmund in the same moving way? And, not least, there is Nilsson, who fully fulfills her reputation--she soars with ease, encompasses all the emotions, fears, and joys. She may lack the warmth of Flagstad, but her silvery tone overwhelms all.

Erich Leinsdorf began his major career at the old Met back in the early 1940s; here he returned, and he conducts a stellar performance, in full command of the orchestra, which sounds just fine.

Siegfried:

Review of Robert Sabin in Musical America

This uncut "Siegfried" was full of delightful discoveries. I can offer Erich Leinsdorf no higher praise than to say that the beautiful playing of the orchestra brought back may vivid memories of Fritz Stiedry's inspired interpretation of this score. Nowhere was Wagner's miraculous sense of color and atmosphere more subtly employed than in this music, which stirs the intellect as it intoxicates the senses.

All of the members of the cast were new to their roles at the Metropolitan, except Miss Madeira and Mr. Herbert, and all of them were excellent. Mr. Hopf could not, in the nature of things, look like a young hero, but he sang and acted like one, with a full understanding of his marvelous musical opportunities. The pathos of the orphaned boy, his horror of evil and his need for love were very real to this fine singer and artist.

It needed no more than the awakening to stamp Miss Nilsson's Siegfried Brünnhilde as one of the great ones of all time. The plastique was memorably beautiful and her tones poured forth with a freshness, gleam and abundance that kept one tingling with amazement. Her final high C, instead of an agonized effort, was a rapturous outburst. Like Mr. Hopf, she was aware every second of what she was singing about, and it is a sad commentary on Wagnerian standards that I should have to single this as a rare virtue.

Another memorable performance was that of George London. Not since Friedrich Schorr have we had a Wanderer who brought to this role such majesty of bearing, beauty of voice and diction, and dramatic profundity.
Paul Kuen was an ideal Mime and managed to sing the role, instead of barking it, and he combined grotesque malevolence with a sort of cringing pathos in his portrait of a creature that was neither all man nor all monster. His facial expressions alone were marvels of distortion and characterization.

Gottlob Frick, great artist that he is brought out the sleepy heaviness of the rather lovable dragon and the marvelous irony of "ich schlafe and besitze" ("I sleep and I own"). And Martina Arroyo sang the exquisite music of the Forest Bird with startling volume but saving agility and gracefulness.

Miss Madeira had the right kind of voice for Erda, but she had her troubles with placement and phrasing at this performance. Mr. Herbert helped to make the quarrel between Alberich and Mime (one of the wittiest things in all music) one of the highlights of a generally eloquent performance.

[maestrob]

Thanks for those. It's a shame that Decca recorded only Leinsdorf's Walkure with George London, but at the time they were also recording Culshaw/Solti and decided not to compete, I suppose.

[John F]

Decca recorded "Walküre" with Leinsdorf for RCA Victor in 1960, following their "Don Giovanni" and "Turandot" with Nilsson and Leinsdorf the previous year. According to John Culshaw's "Ring Resounding," Decca didn't intend to record its own "Walküre" until years later, as its Acts 1 and 3 with Kirsten Flagstad were still new and selling well. For her part, Nilsson wanted her first complete opera for Decca to be "Tristan und Isolde," which was also done in 1960.

Decca and RCA Victor had a close working relationship at that time, and I imagine that if Decca, who had recently signed Nilsson, had wanted to record "Walküre" with her and London, and Nilsson agreed to it, there would have been no Leinsdorf "Walkure," and the Solti "Walküre" might have been quite different, possibly with Flagstad as Fricka. Instead, Decca released Nilsson to make the Leinsdorf recording. Nilsson: "Leinsdorf was an experienced and intellectual conductor. His feelings were not given free rein; everything was under cool control. Above all, his rehearsals, which could smack of the schoolroom, were very interesting and educational." No comment.

As for the Decca "Tristan," their preference was for Wolfgang Windgassen as Tristan, but his exclusive contract with DG ran past the available dates for the "Tristan" recording. Jon Vickers was approached but felt he wasn't ready to take on the role. From Nilsson's autobiography: "The choice fell to the excellent singer and good colleague Fritz Uhl from Munich. He was singing Tristan for the first time and did so nobly." Nilsson herself is being a good colleague to Uhl, who was inadequate, but since that "Tristan" is not so good in other ways, and Nilsson did eventually record her Isolde with Windgassen at Bayreuth, I suppose the Solti/Decca "Tristan" must be pretty much forgotten these days.

[jserraglio]

I suppose the Solti/Decca "Tristan" must be pretty much forgotten these days.

Not in this corner.

[jserraglio]

Mahler's Titan (1889 Premiere)

with thanks to a contributor on rcmr . . .

The 1889 Premiere version is only available on the internet.
The 2011 concert is on YouTube, actually quite an impressive production.
One catch: YouTube does not identify it as "Titan", instead misnaming it "Mahler-Symphony 1", making it difficult to find in their search engine.

In the YouTube search bar, enter “Mahler Symphony 1 Wolff”
The first three videos listed will be:

1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uJnc5lYx6E&t=1302s = Part One, Movements 1-3
-------- Blumine @ 13:38
-------- Scherzo with added tympani @ 20:38

2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjh2pucllRQ&t=1792s = Part Two, Movements 4-5
-------- Funeral March with cello & bass opens the video
-------- Finale starts @ 10:39 - gets freaky @ 20:25 - total insanity @ 25:51 - I love this.

There's also a 24 minute lecture with musical illustrations, recorded at the 2011 concert.
3) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDb80aT-rCg&t=6s = Lecture with musical examples recorded before the concert.

The first four movements in 1889 were not all that different from what we have become accustomed to, but the 1889 Budapest finale is a revelation.
The first ten minutes sound reasonable enough, but everything goes off the rails @ 20:25 in the video.
The final ten minutes are completely unlike the music that will be heard in the second version of 1893.

[jserraglio]

WAM: Thamos, King of Egypt (incidental music) and Zaide

Both cond. by Bernard Klee
Philips LPs

[jserraglio]

Bernstein: Age of Anxiety (Entremont, Bernstein & the NYP Columbia LP MS 6885)

[jserraglio]

Scheduled for early Sunday morning, a complete performance of ...

Hans Werner Henze's Koenig Hirsh (King Stag), 1956.

from a live performance of the complete work recorded by the Südwestrundfunk Stuttgart in 1985 (Julia Conwell, soprano; John Bröcheler [nl], bass-baritone; Helmut Holzapfel, tenor-buffo; Würtembergisches Staatsorchester Stuttgart; Dennis Russell Daves, cond.

No commercial recording of the complete opera exists (see https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/König_Hirsch).

[jserraglio]

Cleveland Orchestra
Leonard Bernstein, conductor
Mahler: Symphony No. 2 in c minor "Resurrection"
Christa Ludwig, mezzo-soprano
Lorna Haywood, soprano
Cleveland Orchestra Chorus and the Blossom Festival Chorus

Blossom Music Center, July 9, 1970

Includes a pre-concert interview with Leonard Bernstein, and other broadcast commentary.

[Belle]

I've always found it amusing how Leonard Bernstein was often photographed in poses with a cigarette - the very things which contributed to his death!!!

This weekend we had the Top 100 Composers featured on our national FM fine music network; listeners were invited to nominate their favourites and the network played a work from every composer over 2 days, starting at 100. The most popular/top two were Beethoven and Bach. My sister had sent me an sms saying how she was loving the program so I tuned in - then quickly out!! I'm not fond of lists especially those which include the film composer John Williams and the folksy music of John Rutter. But, then, 100 is an awful lot of composers. And only the most popular works were played when the particular composer turned up on the list, eg. "1812 Overture" for Tchaikovsky. Sadly, this is what the network has become during the daytime - not so much at night where more esoteric, complete works are more likely to be played. Suffice it to say, the further down the list of 100 the more interesting became the composers!! Call me cynical, but I scoff when I hear listeners phoning into the station (many of which were broadcast) saying "what beautiful music" you're playing this weekend and how "relaxing" it is, or "soothing" or "evoking memories" and other such exhortations of ecstasy. Pardon the pun, but it all had the ring of mediocrity which I don't associate with serious music. Am I too harsh?

But in the very brief time I spent listening to the ABC "Classic" FM Top 100 Composers I was very glad of CMG Music Messageboard and its retinue of educated connoisseurs!!

[John F]

Seems to me the purpose of a "top 100" program, and of playing those composers' most popular works, is to attract and hold new or unconverted listeners to the audience for classical music. There are good reasons why those composers and those works are popular: they appeal to a lot of people. (Duh...) I'm all in favor of whatever can increase our numbers, even if it's not programming that appeals to me personally. Thanks to YouTube, Spotify, and such sources, we can seek out what interests us and share it here in CMG.

When I was growing up, the only Tchaikovsky we had in the house was the 1812 Overture (the Rodzinski/Cleveland recording, without cannons and carillon). My parents' tastes ran more to Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, and Wagner. I must have listened to the 1812 dozens of times, and through it I learned those Russian hymns and national songs and the Marseillaise, and when I heard them later in different contexts I thought that was cool. I've had enough of the piece and haven't listened to it in ages, but it served its purpose in my younger years.

[maestrob]

To tell the truth, I haven't listened to radio in years, preferring to have control over my listening from my CD collection. Our TV cable company has 2 channels dedicated to classical music with zero commercials, but their taste in recordings leaves me wanting to change the channel (Dohnanyi/Vienna in Petrushka, anyone???). The only musical broadcasts I watch on TV are the Public Broadcasting System's presentation of "live from the MET" series.

[jserraglio]

Awe

[John F]

There's an even lovelier recording of the 2nd concerto with Dennis Brain and the Philharmonia conducted by Walter Susskind, which is on YouTube in separate movements. No recording date, but it was made before Brain replaced his Raoux (French) instrument with a German one, easier and more reliable to play but less responsive. Here's the finale:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewaWM7Jh8QU

Listen to the end of the movement, when Mozart has the horn play the main theme up to a point, then pause, then complete the phrase. In this recording, but not in the one with Karajan, Brain plays the notes before the pause with a diminuendo, as if asking a question, which is answered when the horn resumes and completes the phrase. Delicious!

[Belle]

Seems to me the purpose of a "top 100" program, and of playing those composers' most popular works, is to attract and hold new or unconverted listeners to the audience for classical music. There are good reasons why those composers and those works are popular: they appeal to a lot of people. (Duh...) I'm all in favor of whatever can increase our numbers, even if it's not programming that appeals to me personally. Thanks to YouTube, Spotify, and such sources, we can seek out what interests us and share it here in CMG.

When I was growing up, the only Tchaikovsky we had in the house was the 1812 Overture (the Rodzinski/Cleveland recording, without cannons and carillon). My parents' tastes ran more to Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, and Wagner. I must have listened to the 1812 dozens of times, and through it I learned those Russian hymns and national songs and the Marseillaise, and when I heard them later in different contexts I thought that was cool. I've had enough of the piece and haven't listened to it in ages, but it served its purpose in my younger years.

It didn't even occur to me that this programming from ABC "Classic" FM was an audience-gathering exercise, for the simple reason that I falsely believed a loyal audience was already part of the network. It has been some years since I listened, largely for the reasons outlined by maestrob!! Online radio stations (I listen occasionally to Radio Stephansdom, Wien, and BBC Radio 3) have eroded audience bases and the answer seems to have been a return to parochiality and 'light classics'. I am constitutionally allergic to comments such as "beautiful, soothing music; relaxing" and such epithets. Oh yes; that's why Bach wrote the B Minor Mass; he wanted you to relax!!!!!

Some of the folks in our music group enjoy the network and want to share their listening experiences with myself and others. Because they're such lovely people whose feelings I respect I end up smiling at them and saying "I'm glad you're enjoying it"!!

[jserraglio]

Listen to the end of the movement, when Mozart has the horn play the main theme up to a point, then pause, then complete the phrase. In this recording, but not in the one with Karajan, Brain plays the notes before the pause with a diminuendo, as if asking a question, which is answered when the horn resumes and completes the phrase. Delicious!

Thanks, I will listen.

[jserraglio]

Today, a New Music Quartet listen fest in anticipation of Sony's forthcoming big box collection, which I am sorely tempted to break my ban on megaboxes to buy.

QTD from https://www.deepdiscount.com/new-music- ... 0759254325
The New Music String Quartet's leader was violinist Broadus Erle, who had studied with an assistant to the legendary Leopold Auer and become a champion of contemporary music. His co-founders were the German-émigré violist Walter Trampler, one of the most distinguished chamber players of the last century, and cellist Claus Adam, who performed with the NMSQ until 1955 when he joined the Juilliard String Quartet and was replaced by another outstanding player, David Soyer. And the quartet found its ideal second violin in Matthew Raimondi, another dedicated advocate of contemporary American music.

NMQ - Boccherini Columbia ML 5047
NMQ - Instrumental Music from Colonial America New Records
NMQ - Mozart K. 155-158 Columbia ML 5003
NMQ - Schumann op 41.2-3 Columbia ML 4982
NMQ - LvB op. 59.3 & 14 1952 Bartok Records

[John F]

I see this set includes one of the LPs published by Bartok records, but not their other 5 LPs for that label. Does the packaging explain why the Beethoven quartets are included?

[jserraglio]

I see this set includes one of the LPs published by Bartok records, but not their other 5 LPs for that label. Does the packaging explain why the Beethoven quartets are included?

I should have been clearer. I am listening today to LPs. I am not sure if the Bartok Records items are included in the new Sony box.

[John F]

Most likely not. Those Bartok LPs were all very high quality, produced by Bartok's son Peter, and the New Music Quartet recorded a wide-ranging repertoire for them - from Orlando Gibbons to Berg and the Bartok 3rd quartet.

Peter Bartok is still alive at 94 years old. He and others have set up the company Bartolk Records & Publications, and their web site says, "Many Long Playing vinyl phonograph records, produced in the years 1949 through 1969, are still available (pressed from more recent masters); they are music by Béla Bartók and other composers. Some of these recordings are also available on Compact Discs." Perhaps more important, they are preparing "corrected editions of Béla Bartók’s compositions, based on his manuscripts or copies of them."

http://www.bartokrecords.com/

The page "About Us" is fascinating.

Bartók Records as a label started in a primitive recording studio that was a two–room residential apartment in New York City. Illusion of space was provided by a loudspeaker in a bathtub. The New Music Quartet played Béla Bartók’s Third String Quartet that became the first LP on the label. We tried to add more of Béla Bartók’s music, as very few of his compositions had yet been recorded then. Two more LPs originated in that apartment, before it became possible to use portable tape equipment and work in concert halls with spacious acoustics. The repertoire was limited to soli or chamber groups, until the trustee under Béla Bartók’s Will invested some of the estate’s revenue in orchestra records. Quite a few records were made with the New Symphony Orchestra of London (managed by Jack W. Simmons), playing mostly Bartók music. Facilities were set up in Budapest, so as to make some of these records in Hungary (although it was later found we were not welcome there and only two records were ever made in Hungary).

Altogether 35 LP records were produced, most of them in the decade 1950–1962. Meanwhile, however, outside elements made a claim of title to most of Béla Bartók’s manuscripts, that the trustee managing his estate could not cope with, asserting that “only a court of law would know how to determine the question”. It remained a task for Peter Bartók, who would someday inherit these manuscripts, to defend, without the assistance of a lawyer, Béla Bartók’s title to them when he died (see the article on Béla Bartók’s Manuscripts). It became necessary to put all other work aside and concentrate on persuading the New York Surrogate’s Court that, any claims to the contrary notwithstanding, Béla Bartók was the owner of most manuscripts he wrote throughout his life. This proceeding lasted for 26 years. It was more of an interruption that any business could survive, demanded nearly all available time, and excluded further new record production.

Who knew? I sure didn't.

[Rach3]

Recordings of Dame Moura Lympany, impressive :


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uecv8rCr35Y (Chopin,Nocturne # 17,Op.62,# 1,1961 )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfw_yXFu4S4 (Liszt,”Feux Follets” ,1949 ) (!!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1Suji2OBX4 (Balakirev, “Islamey”, 1947 )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8pWKxYlh7I (Schumann,”Prophet Bird”, 1947-52 ? )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2skIC1Vo4Y (Chopin, Op.10,# 4 , 1947-52 ? )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sk2ZnnCrik (Rachmaninoff,Prelude,Op.23,#4,1961 )

[Rach3]

Peter Bartok is still alive at 94 years old. He and others have set up the company Bartolk Records & Publications, and their web site says, "Many Long Playing vinyl phonograph records, produced in the years 1949 through 1969, are still available (pressed from more recent masters); they are music by Béla Bartók and other composers. Some of these recordings are also available on Compact Discs." Perhaps more important, they are preparing "corrected editions of Béla Bartók’s compositions, based on his manuscripts or copies of them."

http://www.bartokrecords.com/

Thanks for this ! Is the company still alive ? Their webpage is last copyrighted 2015 , but of course they still may be viable. TIA.

[John F]

I don't see why not. One way of finding out would be to email bartok@atlantic.net.

[jserraglio]

Is the company still alive ? Their webpage is last copyrighted 2015 , but of course they still may be viable. TIA.

I am told they are still in business and you can order from them. For example, here is the NMQ Beethoven I listed above.

http://www.bartokrecords.com/product/be ... s-59-no-3/

[Rach3]

Decided to sample some of pianist Sidney Foster’s playing, a pianist previously not known to me. I believe all these YT’s are from the new Marston cd set, and all are live performance , with the exception of the Clementi which are from a 1968 MHS studio lp . Here listed in order, top to bottom, I liked best to least :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01sSTKe8G4w (Prokofieff,Sonata # 3 )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzOY7babi5o (Clementi,Sonatinas,Op.36,Nos.4-6 )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZNo0nbrZsU ( Palmgren,”May Night”)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2v1iu9sTwI ( Albeniz, “Evocacion”,Iberia)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4SV3OG6Lk8 ( Chopin, 4th Ballade)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ah1rPVz2KA (Brahms,Op.10,Nos.3 ,4)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCHcBZ5xLgY (Chopin,Barcarolle)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFj1mVBbC5Y (Chopin,Nocturne,Op.48,# 1)

There are many other YT’s I did not hear.

Dame Moura Lympany plays Liszt’s “Feux Follets” , 1949 studio recording . Amazing, and yes, I have heard Richter’s :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfw_yXFu4S4

[Rach3]

Today, more wonderful Dame Lympany :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHnMpUC_aMM (Brahms, Op.117,# 2 )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qcBzh-2JmA ( Scriabin,Etude,Op.8,#12, real “ Patetico”)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhnOA8iLb8M (Liszt, “Les Jeux d’eaux a la Villa d’Este” )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFDaR97UIxg (Brahms, Paganini Variations,Book 2 )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F3bdyVDCdg (Brahms PC # 2, live,1966 )

[jserraglio]

Celebrating Jerry Hadley, born June 16

1 PUCCINI Boheme “Che gelida manina” San Francisco Opera’s 75th anniversary Gala 1997
2 PUCCINI Boheme “O soave fanciulla” (w/ Racette) as above
3 DONIZETTI Lucia “Tomba degli avi miei… Fra poco a me ricovero… Tu che a Dio spiega” (w/ Plishka) Met 1994
4 CARDILLO “Core ‘ngrata” in concert, Hamburg 1991
5 CILEA Arlesiana “Lamento di Federico” Tucker Gala 1997
6 DONIZETTI Elisir d’Amore “Una furtiva lagrima” LOC 1991
7 TCHAIKOVSKY Eugene Onegin “Kuda, kuda” Met 1989
8 MOZART Clemenza di Tito “Se all’impero, amici Dei” Verona 1991
9 ROMBERG Student Prince “Golden days” (w/ Adib Fazah) NYCO 1985
10 KORNGOLD Tote Stadt “Glück das mir verblieb” (w/ Melanie Diener) Vienna 1997
11 PIETRI Maristella “Io conosco un giardino” Hamburg 1991
12 KORNGOLD Tote Stadt “Pierrot Lied” Vienna 1997
13 KORNGOLD Wunder der Heliane “Am Siebten Tore” (w/ Diener) Vienna 1997

[jserraglio]

The greatest recording of Neapolitan songs I've ever heard.

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Di Stefano Songs of Naples Angel LP

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Mario Lanza Canzone Napoletane

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Sergio Franchi Romantic Songs of Italy

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One of my most prized LPs
PWQ - Hindemith Ibert Bozza Haydn Beethoven Columbia ML 5093



Hindemith

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYbX1e7NcDA



Ibert

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_ngqM9zWVw



Haydn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvz1RQ_JMuE

[John F]

Plus the Mozart and Beethoven quintets for piano and winds with Rudolf Serkin:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPoNMpj ... Vklo-hmU1o

[jserraglio]

More PWQ: Philadelphia Woodwind Quintet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfULf4srE8

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Virtuosi di Philadelphia Columbia ML 5129

[Belle]

Getting to know and love this recording more and more. What virtuosity on display here - musical and compositional!!

https://www.allmusic.com/album/js-bach- ... 0002581302

[jserraglio]

right in my wheelhouse. one of my favorite 20th c composers.

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on Erato LP

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Classic Cole [Porter] DeGaetani/Smit 1977 Columbia LP vinyl

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Messiaen: La Nativité de Notre Seigneur Almut Rossler, organ Schwann LP

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AUDIOPHILE GEM, engineered by RCA's legendary Arthur Salvatore.

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https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=M9P3xiNPDEY

[jserraglio]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rb0DLC6-Uj0