Recordings That You Are Considering

[Hector]

Thanks! I think I'll consider them (BRO has a nice price for this set!). The review is quite objective so as not to raise expectations to unrealistic levels (often the case with so-called 'legendary artists' releases). But I do wonder about the propriety of this wording: "these two finished musicians"...

Good question.

It could imply that they are finished in respect of being 'all washed up.'

[Bunny]

I think "finished" is being used in the same sense as "polished," rather than as "dead" or "washed up."  You see "finished" more frequently used to describe the performances as in "finished performances,"  meaning technically expert and sophisticated performances, while the performers are more frequently described as "polished."

[Lilas Pastia]

I had figured that one out . It's just that it really raises the eyebrows for a second or two. Double entendre are always fun 

[PerfectWagnerite]

Beethoven Piano Sonatas, Claude Frank

[Steve]

Beethoven Piano Sonatas, Claude Frank

Excellent choice.  I really liked his Beethoven.

[Choo Choo]

Anyone have any thoughts on this, or any other Ornstein recommendations ?

[canninator]

So the kids got me a £15 i-tunes voucher for Father's Day. Bless! I've realised that I don't really know what I want to get so I'm looking for recs.

I'm thinking I'll get 3 Naxos recordings as best value for money. I'm looking for three top notch 20th century symphonic discs to explore but nothing too mainstream. Maybe the best symphony for a given composer on Naxos that you think I should hear (and there's a lot I haven't heard so don't worry about that). What great little Naxos discoveries would be people like to recommend and why should I get them?

Thanks as always.

[Harry]

So the kids got me a £15 i-tunes voucher for Father's Day. Bless! I've realised that I don't really know what I want to get so I'm looking for recs.

I'm thinking I'll get 3 Naxos recordings as best value for money. I'm looking for three top notch 20th century symphonic discs to explore but nothing too mainstream. Maybe the best symphony for a given composer on Naxos that you think I should hear (and there's a lot I haven't heard so don't worry about that). What great little Naxos discoveries would be people like to recommend and why should I get them?

Thanks as always.

These three:
Ellen Taafe Zwilich, Violin concerto.
Kamran Ince, Symphony No. 3 & 4.
Alla Pavlova, Symphony 2 & 4.

Why? Thet represent for me the 20th century at its best at Naxos. Fabulous music.

[Lilas Pastia]

Anyone have any thoughts on this, or any other Ornstein recommendations ?

Any Ornstein you can find will be worth your while. This is excellent, and there's 2 Naxos disc. I also have some chamber music I greatly enjoy.

[George]

So the kids got me a £15 i-tunes voucher for Father's Day. Bless! I've realised that I don't really know what I want to get so I'm looking for recs.

I'm thinking I'll get 3 Naxos recordings as best value for money. I'm looking for three top notch 20th century symphonic discs to explore but nothing too mainstream. Maybe the best symphony for a given composer on Naxos that you think I should hear (and there's a lot I haven't heard so don't worry about that). What great little Naxos discoveries would be people like to recommend and why should I get them?

Thanks as always.

You may wish to shop around a bit. I have seen some OOP stuff on itunes.

[Valentino]

Heard some of this on the radio today. Bach Violin concertos that boogie. I am more than concidering this:

[rubio]

I consider these ones:

Brahms symphonies performed by Jochum BPO (mono)



I don't have any Ring cycle yet, and this seems tempting (costing $100). Is the Walkure of this set considered a strong part/highlight of this Ring cycle?

[Lilas Pastia]

Someone (Sarge?) mentioned the Karajan Walküre's sterling qualities. The Brahms set is regarded by some as the best, period. I haven't heard it, but in view of his Brahms credentials on record (VC and PCs on DG, Symphony 1 on EMI) I'm quite confident you won't be disappointed.

[PSmith08]

I don't have any Ring cycle yet, and this seems tempting (costing $100). Is the Walkure of this set considered a strong part/highlight of this Ring cycle?

The Walküre from Karajan's set is one of the stronger points, but the set - overall - is not one of the front-runners. It's chamber-Wagner in a big way, prefiguring Boulez' near-transparent Bayreuth set from 1980. If that's your thing, then this is the grandfather of them all; however, it's probably not idiomatic Wagner, either.

Still, one could do worse, even if one could do better.

[marvinbrown]

I don't have any Ring cycle yet, and this seems tempting (costing $100). Is the Walkure of this set considered a strong part/highlight of this Ring cycle?

  Rubio...personally I'd spend a little more money and get the Solti Ring instead. 

  marvin

[Sergeant Rock]

I consider these ones:

I don't have any Ring cycle yet, and this seems tempting (costing $100). Is the Walkure of this set considered a strong part/highlight of this Ring cycle?

In my opinion, yes. Karajan's is a superb Walküre with my favorite Siegmund and Sieglinde (Vickers and Janowitz). I've written my defense of the Karajan Ring so often, I'm relunctant to do it again. Yes, Patrick is right: there is something chamber like about it but that gives it all the advantages of chamber music: the detail, the clarity, the delicate beauty...and this is the most sheerly beautiful Ring ever recorded. And I like the fine balance DG achieved between the voices and the orchestra: it's damn near perfect (Solti's recording favors the orchestra, and the live Bayreuth recordings favor the voices--which is, I admit, what Wagner intended).

But I'd argue too that when the music needs power and drama, it's there in spades and often trumps even Solti: the end of Act I Walküre, for instance. Or the end of Rheingold. Those Berlin horns outshine even the fabled Vienna--the moment is even more ecstatic. Karajan's Ring is nothing like the emotionally constipated Boulez Ring.

Karajan's Rheingold is superb (I prefer his cast too) and so is Götterdämmerung. I admire Nilsson's Brünnhilde (Solti, and even better for Böhm) but I love Dernesch. She brings a femininity, a vulnerability to the part that is lacking in Nilsson. The achilles heel of this Ring is Siegfried. I've grown accustomed to Jess Thomas, and can even appreciate his youthful voice, but he is one of the least impressive Siegfrieds on record.

Whether Karajan is a good first choice, though, is debatable. It was my third Ring and I'm glad I came to it after Solti and Böhm. Knowing the other cycles, I think I was better able to appreciate what Karajan brings to the music. When someone asks me which Ring, I usually suggest Solti. That is considered by almost everyone (every poll I've seen) the classic Ring for its combination of great sound, conducting, and singers. In other words, that's the safe bet. Of my eight Rings, though, Solti comes in number seven. I prefer Böhm, Furtwängler, Krauss, Barenboim, Moralt, and above all, Karajan. I want you to know, though, that my opinion about Karajan's Ring isn't shared by many (although I wonder how many of Karajan's detractors have actually listened to it closely, and without prejudice).

Sarge

[Harry]

I admire your love for Wagner my friend.

[Sergeant Rock]

I admire your love for Wagner my friend.

I wish you shared it but, hey, we can't all have the same ears 

Sarge

[Haffner]

I admire your love for Wagner my friend.

That, and I'd walk a thousand miles for Sarge's Wagner collection.

[rubio]

Sarge, thank you for taking the time to write your opinions on the Karajan Ring. I have actually heard the Siegfried from Solti, Keilberth (Testament) and Karajan. I must say that I liked all these Siegfrieds for different reasons - Solti for the sound and excitement (but sometimes "drowning" the voices"), Keilberth for the most classic Wagner singing and Karajan for an orchestral sound/playing that I liked the most. However I know all of these Rings have high-points and low-points, and I would prefer to start with a Ring with a top-notch Walkure. Price also matters. Karajan could definately be an option. Maybe I find it cheaper in Poland (where I'm going on Saturday).