Holst's The Planets

Started by Elgarian, April 27, 2012, 07:07:26 AM

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Peter Power Pop

Quote from: North Star on February 21, 2015, 12:07:44 AM
The justified version looks much better to me, FWIW.

Excellent.

Ignore what I said earlier about keeping it non-justified.

Justified it is!

(I prefer it too.)

Peter Power Pop

#402
Quote from: betterthanfine on February 21, 2015, 12:32:56 AMPeter, I'm enjoying your reviews immensely, ...

Thanks.

Quote from: betterthanfine on February 21, 2015, 12:32:56 AM... even though I don't think as highly of the work itself as you obviously seem to. ;) ...

For years I thought of The Planets as an enjoyable piece, and nothing more. But then something happened, and I don't quite know what. I think it might have been when I started reading this thread. Hang on...

Yep. It started in this very thread. My interest in the work was rekindled by reading everyone's posts, so I went off and bought a few different CDs of Those Darn Planets and mentioned it in a post. And then – and this is the crucial bit – Mirror Image asked me to name my top five.

It snowballed from there.

Quote from: betterthanfine on February 21, 2015, 12:32:56 AM... I own the Dutoit, Karajan VPO and the late Boult myself but didn't see those (yet?) on your blog. Would love to read your thoughts on them.

I've already written reviews for the Dutoit, both Karajans (1961 Vienna and 1981 Berlin), and all five Boults.

I'll post the Karajans and Boults tomorrow. I won't post the Dutoit just yet, because (Spoiler Alert) it's in the Top 10, and I don't want to post the Top 10 until I've posted everything else.

Oops. I've already broken that No-Top-10 rule, because I posted my review of the James Judd's recording, and that's in the top 10. But that's the only one. (Note to self: Pay more attention to what you're doing, Peter.)

betterthanfine

#403
Quote from: Peter Power Pop on February 21, 2015, 01:27:34 AM
I've already written reviews for the Dutoit, both Karajans (1961 Vienna and 1981 Berlin), and all five Boults.

Thanks, I'm looking forward to reading them!

Quote from: Peter Power Pop on February 21, 2015, 01:27:34 AM
It snowballed from there.

I know how it goes. I currently own 24 recordings of Strauss's Vier Letzte Lieder, and there's at least another 10 that I just need. Heh.




André

#407
Someone mentioned a Monteux performance. It never existed. I whonder whence the rumour got started?

PPP, this is a manificent series, thanks ! Did you review the Herrmann Planets ? I love it. Oh, and Ormandy, did you comment on Ormandy's ?

Pat B

Quote from: Peter Power Pop on February 21, 2015, 07:01:52 PM
Herbert von Karajan, Berliner Philharmoniker, 1981

I haven't heard this one (I have and like the earlier Vienna one) but in general, I don't think ultra-tight ensemble precision is what people like about Karajan.

betterthanfine

Quote from: Pat B on February 22, 2015, 05:41:28 AM
I haven't heard this one (I have and like the earlier Vienna one) but in general, I don't think ultra-tight ensemble precision is what people like about Karajan.

Agreed. Although it is said that he was very particular, and had a real aversion to sloppy pizzicati for instance. :)

Peter Power Pop

Quote from: Pat B on February 22, 2015, 05:41:28 AM
I haven't heard this one (I have and like the earlier Vienna one) but in general, I don't think ultra-tight ensemble precision is what people like about Karajan.

Quote from: betterthanfine on February 22, 2015, 12:57:25 PM
Agreed. Although it is said that he was very particular, and had a real aversion to sloppy pizzicati for instance. :)

I may be going a little off-topic here (Sorry, Gustav), but I feel compelled to ask:

As someone who finds Herbie's conducting entirely resistible, what is the attraction for Karajan fans? What makes his interpretations preferrable to others? What makes him more than a self-mythologizing egomaniac?

Feeble Joke Time:

Q: What did Herbert always eat for breakfast?
A: Special K.

(For anyone who has no idea what Special K is, thereby making the joke even less funny than it was in the first place, this is Special K.)

Peter Power Pop

Quote from: André on February 22, 2015, 05:24:14 AM
Someone mentioned a Monteux performance. It never existed. I wonder whence the rumour got started?

Er, dunno.

Quote from: André on February 22, 2015, 05:24:14 AMPPP, this is a magnificent series, thanks!

Aw, shucks. Thanks, André.

Quote from: André on February 22, 2015, 05:24:14 AMDid you review the Herrmann Planets? I love it.

I have, but you're not going to want to read it.

Quote from: André on February 22, 2015, 05:24:14 AMOh, and Ormandy, did you comment on Ormandy's?

Yep. I'll post that shortly.

Peter Power Pop

#412
Quote from: André on February 22, 2015, 05:24:14 AM
... did you comment on Ormandy's ?

Yes indeedy. Here's the Ormandy review:

Eugene Ormandy, Philadelphia Orchestra, 1975

Peter Power Pop

#413
Here's my non-review of Hilary Davan Wetton's 1989 recording:

Hilary Davan Wetton, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 1989

Peter Power Pop

#414
Here's the Andrew Litton recording (which keeps creeping up the list)...

Andrew Litton, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, 1998

Peter Power Pop

#415
Quote from: Peter Power Pop on January 27, 2015, 04:19:29 PM
As far as I can tell, I have only four more Planets to hear and I'll be done. This is all I'm missing:


  • Adrian Leaper (Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria, 1995)
  • James Loughran (Hallé Orchestra, 1975)
  • Seiji Ozawa (Boston Symphony Orchestra, 1979)
  • Hilary Davan Wetton (London Philharmonic Orchestra, 1989)

Quote from: karlhenning on January 28, 2015, 03:44:48 AM
I've not heard this one, but the year is encouraging.  Seiji was still on his game then.

I'm pleased to say the exceedingly-hard-to-find Ozawa Planets was found, bought, and has arrived. Woohoo!



By the way, I came across an online retailer called Mercado Libre who are selling it (or at least attempting to sell it) for $350. Yes, that's dollars.

relm1

One comment, Peter. The zubin Mehta 1971 LA Philharmonic planets used three tubas so that might explain the booming tube as you mentioned in your review.  Where are you listing the top 10? I can't find that on your site.

Christo

Quote from: relm1 on February 26, 2015, 03:59:45 AMWhere are you listing the top 10? I can't find that on your site.

Sssshhhhhhhttt.  ;) He's still working on it, slowly progressing towards the final apotheosis. Don't disturb a clocking hen, as we say in our language.  :D
... music is not only an 'entertainment', nor a mere luxury, but a necessity of the spiritual if not of the physical life, an opening of those magic casements through which we can catch a glimpse of that country where ultimate reality will be found.    RVW, 1948

Sergeant Rock

Quote from: Peter Power Pop on February 22, 2015, 01:51:17 PM
I have, but you're not going to want to read it.

:( ....not unexpected though. I didn't have much hope you'd approve of Herrmann's way with The Planets.

Sarge
the phone rings and somebody says,
"hey, they made a movie about
Mahler, you ought to go see it.
he was as f*cked-up as you are."
                               --Charles Bukowski, "Mahler"

Peter Power Pop

#419
Quote from: relm1 on February 26, 2015, 03:59:45 AM
One comment, Peter. The zubin Mehta 1971 LA Philharmonic pi]Planets[/i] used three tubas so that might explain the booming tube as you mentioned in your review.

They must be exceptionally well coordinated, because it sounds like one monster tuba to me.

One thing I really liked about the Mehta recording was how audacious it was. Instruments just leapt out at you while you were listening. I loved it.

Quote from: relm1 on February 26, 2015, 03:59:45 AMWhere are you listing the top 10? I can't find that on your site.

Er... (See below)

Quote from: Christo on February 26, 2015, 04:35:29 AM
Sssshhhhhhhttt.  ;) He's still working on it, slowly progressing towards the final apotheosis. Don't disturb a clocking hen, as we say in our language.  :D

Nah, you can disturb me all you like (Cluck.)

I won't be posting the top 10 until the list has been finalised.

I can say that I've reviewed and ranked every recording I've listened to so far, and so far I've heard 72 recordings. Some dude on MusicWeb says "At present there are over 80 recordings of this work available on CD", but I've only been able to find about 75.

Planets Recording Number 73 is getting a listen today, and that's the Ozawa. If that review doesn't appear on the blog in a few hours, then it's a safe bet it made it into the Top 10. Or I forgot to post the review.

The others I haven't heard yet are:

  • Paul Freeman, Czech National Symphony Orchestra, 2002 (available on CD here)1
  • Hilary Davan Wetton, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 1989 (not available anywhere)2
  • Leopold Stokowski, NBC Symphony Orchestra, 1943 (who knows?)3
Trivia: I have a very strong urge to call Mr. Davan Wetton's first name "Hilarity". You won't believe how strong that urge is.

What you're seeing on the blog at the moment is me posting random reviews. When I've finally finished reviewing everything I was able to find, I'll post all the reviews along with their ranking, starting with the lowest number and working up to number 1.

Quote from: Sergeant Rock on February 26, 2015, 04:51:02 AM
:( ....not unexpected though. I didn't have much hope you'd approve of Herrmann's way with The Planets.

Sarge

I'll post the Herrmann review, but I have to warn you: It ain't pretty.

Confession: The Bernard Herrmann recording of The Planets is actually last on the list. (Yes, it's officially the worst Planets recording I have ever heard.)



Notes:

1 I've been buying nothing but Planets CDs, and ran out of money (again). Given its cost (about AUS$18), I've been reluctant to buy that one. (All the others have been much cheaper.) I'm itching to get this list done, so the Czech recording may not end up on it.

2 I'm going to contact Hilarity himself to see if he has a spare copy.

3 I don't know if this has ever been released on CD.