Adrian Boult, conductor - The Decca Recordings Complete

[Lance]

Sir Adrian Boult, the brilliant British conductor, could be singled out as among England's greatest conductors though his name may not come to the top of your list in most cases with the exception of Elgar and some other British conductors. When I looked into my CD catalogue, Boult's name appeared in 189 listings. That's substantial.

Decca/Eloquence has released three volumes called "The Decca Legacy."
Volume 1 [484 2204, 16 CDs] - British Music
Volume 2 [484 2302, 13 CDs] - Baroque & Sacred Music
Volume 3 [484 2284, 16 CDs] - 19th & 20th Century Music
That's a total of 45 Decca recordings (including their subsidiaries).

For me, the most important ones are Volumes 2 and 3, which, on Volume 2, give us two complete recordings of Handel's Messiah (1954/mono and 1961/stereo); Handel's Acis and Galatea; Famous Handel Songs and Arias (with JS Bach) and some added orchestral pieces; A Recital of Bach and Handel Arias (1952) recording with contralto Kathleen Ferrier - and another disc is a 1960 "stereo remake" of the same recital; a Bach & Handel Recital with soprano Kirsten Flagstad, and yet another disc, Great Sacred Songs again with Kirsten Flagstad (including a few Christmas songs). In the Handel Messiahs and Acis and Galatea, cast members include Jennifer Vyvyan, Norma Procter, Owen Brannigan, Joan Sutherland, Grace Bumbry, Kenneth McKellar and Peter Pears.

Volume 3 gives us a wide array of symphonic music, including Rachmaninoff's Symphonies 2 and 3 along with any collaborations he made with Katchen, Ricci, Gulda, Nelsova, Katin, Elman, Curzon, Campoli and Flagstad. Lots of other good orchestral "stuff" here as well. Volume 1 was the least interesting to me since I already have much British music with Boult on Decca's individual CDs. I'm glad Decca decided to release these in three volumes rather than one big box set.

Adrian Boult recorded mainly for Decca and EMI, but also can be heard on Columbia/Sony Classical and many reissues on Testament. But his work can be found on labels such as BBC Legends, Chandos, Beaulah, Chesky, ICA Classics, Lyrita, Royal Classics, and a huge number of other labels, some live and many transferred from original commercial issues.

So, how does Sir Adrian Boult stand up in your pantheon of "legendary" (or otherwise) conductors?

[Rach3]

So, how does Sir Adrian Boult stand up in your pantheon of "legendary" (or otherwise) conductors?

Thanks !

Boult's recording of the Rachmaninoff 2nd Symphony (of all things !) , remains my fav, mine an RCA Victrola budget lp after the 50's original lp. He gets the tempos just right, especially in the climax of the 3rd movement.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2oxvQsYMeI

[barney]

I don't have the Boult sets, but Decca has put out plenty of Legacy sets and the ones I have are excellent. Their recording standards in the 50s were great.

[diegobueno]

Boult is my go-to conductor for Vaughan Williams and Elgar.

[neilnw]

I've always lived by the rule of thumb there were only 4 conductors with "perfect ears": Reiner, Szell, Monteux, and Boult.

[maestrob]

Boult is my go-to conductor for Vaughan Williams and Elgar.

Mine as well.

His first recording of Holst's "The Planets" for EMI (the analog one) is still my go-to CD for that work, along with Ormandy on RCA.

Boult's Mozart Requiem is very special as well.

[neilnw]

Boult is my go-to conductor for Vaughan Williams and Elgar.

Mine as well.

His first recording of Holst's "The Planets" for EMI (the analog one) is still my go-to CD for that work, along with Ormandy on RCA.

Boult's Mozart Requiem is very special as well.

I'll take Boult's Planets above any other; my all-time favorite version is his last mono recording, for Westminster/Nixa. I think the reason this one didn't have its own CD reissue is because there is some barely noticeable flutter in one of the movements, fortunately lasting only a few seconds.

I love even his flawed first stereo recording (reissued on MCA CD way back in the late 80s), in which the Vienna State Opera Orchestra could've used a few more rehearsals...I'm presuming this ensemble wasn't Boult's first choice.

[Rach3]

Boult is my go-to conductor for Vaughan Williams and Elgar.

His Elgar “Enigma” and “P&C Marches”, Elgar Symphony #2, and Brahms PC #1 with Backhaus are certainly fine cd’s in my collection, but have none of his V- W.

[Lance]

One would have thought the Brahms Piano Concerto #1 would have appeared on the Decca label since Backhaus was a major artist with Decca. The Brahms #1 appeared on EMI with Boult while Bohm was the conductor in #2.

Boult is my go-to conductor for Vaughan Williams and Elgar.

His Elgar “Enigma” and “P&C Marches”, Elgar Symphony #2, and Brahms PC #1 with Backhaus are certainly fine cd’s in my collection, but have none of his V- W.

[maestrob]

Boult is my go-to conductor for Vaughan Williams and Elgar.

His Elgar “Enigma” and “P&C Marches”, Elgar Symphony #2, and Brahms PC #1 with Backhaus are certainly fine cd’s in my collection, but have none of his V- W.

IMHO his RVW for EMI is far superior to his Decca cycle. Barbirolli recorded a 2nd and 5th symphony that are both superior to Boult, both for EMI.

[mikealdren]

I've always lived by the rule of thumb there were only 4 conductors with "perfect ears": Reiner, Szell, Monteux, and Boult.

And Boulez?

[Lance]

Love your comment on the four conductors with "perfect ears." I'm sure there were more, but concur with those you mention.

I've always lived by the rule of thumb there were only 4 conductors with "perfect ears": Reiner, Szell, Monteux, and Boult.

[CharmNewton]

I've always lived by the rule of thumb there were only 4 conductors with "perfect ears": Reiner, Szell, Monteux, and Boult.

And Boulez?

Yes, Boulez. I'd add Karl Böhm, William Steinberg, Malcolm Sargent, and Seiji Ozawa.

John

[neilnw]

I've always lived by the rule of thumb there were only 4 conductors with "perfect ears": Reiner, Szell, Monteux, and Boult.

And Boulez?

Yes, Boulez. I'd add Karl Böhm, William Steinberg, Malcolm Sargent, and Seiji Ozawa.

John

Boulez? He's too perfect.

[maestrob]

I've always lived by the rule of thumb there were only 4 conductors with "perfect ears": Reiner, Szell, Monteux, and Boult.

And Boulez?

Yes, Boulez. I'd add Karl Böhm, William Steinberg, Malcolm Sargent, and Seiji Ozawa.

John

Boulez? He's too perfect.

Boulez can be rather cold in Mahler & Bruckner for my taste, but he loves Stravinsky's Firebird, (available on medici) for example and Bartok's Wooden Prince (Chicago Symphony), both of which catch fire. Mostly though, I agree with your point Neil.

Here's the Bartok with score:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHO4LNb-Ux4