Under-the-radar/neglected conductors

[lordlance]

Been listening to conductors who don't have the reputation of their more heavily marketed peers:
1. Eduard van Beinum:
Surprised to hear that he isn't Kappellmeisterish -- no reason for the belief except he is never really brought up so I assumed he must be unremarkable. A friend of mine compared him to Toscanini which *really* piqued my interest. Heard his Bruckner 9. Indeed a taut - perhaps *too* taut performance. 
Similarly his Mendelssohn 4 feels a little breathless but it's of its type and certainly has personality. More than can be said of Haitink I feel so often.
Amazing La valse. Really brought the house down.

2. Hans Rosbaud:
Obscure conductor but whom I am sure has his fans. Hearing performances from the SWR boxes. I really loved his King Stephen Overture and similarly a terrific live Roussel 3. Unremarkable Sibelius 5 though.

3. Eugene Ormandy:
No, no. I am not going to claim Ormandy is an obscure figure but he does feel rarely brought up despite his gigantic discography. I have his Columbia Mono box. I enjoyed the Burleske with Serkin. Not competitive because there's been many recordings of the piece and the sound shows its age. The Dvorak 9 wasn't bad either. 

4. Arthur Rodzinski:
Again someone relegated to historical recordings. Liked his Haydn 100 even if the sound is poor (for 1937 it's pretty good actually). Not sure where to go from here.

____

Would love recommendations for other conductors and favorite recordings. One figure on my radar is Schuricht - although some of his Beethoven is fine - whom I find really unremarkable but perhaps my choice of recordings have been wrong. Is the SWR Collection a good starting place? 

[DavidW]

Franz Konwitschny seems to be under the radar.  I know of him, have heard a recording or two (and they are great)... but I've only seen like one poster consistently listen to him.

Scherchen is most known for having one of the fastest Eroicas on record pre-HIP... but he was also a great conductor that I don't see a lot of discussion on anymore.

Beecham's Berlioz is stunning, and such a fine musician that he was even knighted... but again it is pretty rare these days to hear him mentioned.

[lordlance]

That's true. Beecham did a lot of recordings and is only ever brought up (predictably and gratingly) by the British press. I believe he introduced me to Lalo's Symphony.

Never tried anything by Konwitschny.

A few others -
1. Malcom Sargent
2. Dimitri Mitropoulos
3. Jean Martinon (although his French specialisation means he'll probably be of limited interest to me)
4. Georges Pretres
5. Hans Schmidt Isserstedt
6. Hans Vonk
7. Gary Bertini
8. Hans Swarovsky
9. Josef Krips
10. Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos
11. Ferdinand Leitner
12. Tugan Sokhiev
13. Erich Leinsdorf (I'm not an opera guy. So I'm talking orchestral music here)
14. Gerd Albrecht
15. Hermann Abendroth
16. Heinz Rögner
17. Eliahu Inbal (He's recorded a lot of music beyond Bruckner)
18. Gunter Herbig
19. Claus Peter Flor
20. Hans Zender
21. Michael Gielen
22. Kurt Masur (when has anyone ever mentioned him for a reference recording?)
23. Paul van Kempen
24. Rudolf Kempe (beyond Strauss)
25. Herbert Kegel
26. Michel Plasson
27. Joseph Keilberth
28. Lovro von Matačić
29. Otmar Suitner
30. Kurt Sanderling (A respected conductor AFAIK but not brought up often)
31. Sylvain Cambreling
32. Yoel Levi (Telarc conductor)
33. Jeffrey Tate (only know him for the Mozart cycle)
34. Horst Stein
35. Hans Müller-Kray
36. Ernst Bour
37. Yuri Ahronovitch

[DavidW]

Well many of those conductors are extremely well known and listened to around here.

[lordlance]

Well many of those conductors are extremely well known and listened to around here.

Go on. 

[DavidW]

Go on.

Sargent and Mitropoulos are listened to frequently.  Bertini and Gielen are both known for recording two of the most well received Mahler cycles.  Krips has one of the greatest Beethoven cycles.  Every Sanderling is brought up often.  I could go on and on, but I don't want to, your list is enormous.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I enjoy Horst Stein's Sibelius--particularly this 2 CD set with Ashkenazy.

https://www.amazon.com/Sibelius-Finlandia-suites-symphonic-poems/dp/B0000041L7

Lovro von Matačić's Mahler is supposed to be excellent.

PD

[DavidW]

And don't forget Suitner's amazing Dvorak cycle!

[Spotted Horses]

Been listening to conductors who don't have the reputation of their more heavily marketed peers:
1. Eduard van Beinum:
Surprised to hear that he isn't Kappellmeisterish -- no reason for the belief except he is never really brought up so I assumed he must be unremarkable. A friend of mine compared him to Toscanini which *really* piqued my interest. Heard his Bruckner 9. Indeed a taut - perhaps *too* taut performance. 
Similarly his Mendelssohn 4 feels a little breathless but it's of its type and certainly has personality. More than can be said of Haitink I feel so often.
Amazing La valse. Really brought the house down.

I adore what I have heard of van Beinum. His profile has suffered, I think, from the fact that he didn't live long into the stereo era, resulting in a relatively small discography.

[lordlance]

Sargent and Mitropoulos are listened to frequently.  Bertini and Gielen are both known for recording two of the most well received Mahler cycles.  Krips has one of the greatest Beethoven cycles.  Every Sanderling is brought up often.  I could go on and on, but I don't want to, your list is enormous.

Sargent is listened to frequently? How strange. I have quite rarely seen him brought up. Ditto Mitropolous. Hence why I asked how and where they are brought up.

Gielen/Bertini/Krips being known for one or two things is sort of the point. They recorded a ton of stuff. Although with Gielen I would guess he is known mostly for modernist stuff even though he did a lot of the core repertoire. 

Sanderling AFAIK is only brought up for his Bruckner. The same way Kempe is brought up for his Strauss mostly.

[Roasted Swan]

Sargent is listened to frequently? How strange. I have quite rarely seen him brought up. Ditto Mitropolous. Hence why I asked how and where they are brought up.

Gielen/Bertini/Krips being known for one or two things is sort of the point. They recorded a ton of stuff. Although with Gielen I would guess he is known mostly for modernist stuff even though he did a lot of the core repertoire.

Sanderling AFAIK is only brought up for his Bruckner. The same way Kempe is brought up for his Strauss mostly.

No!  Better known for Sibelius/Mahler/Shostakovich for starters

[Daverz]

No!  Better known for Sibelius/Mahler/Shostakovich for starters

Not to pile on, but I think the only commercial Bruckner recording he made was the Third.  There's a fine live 7 on SWR, and I see that there's a live 4 on Profil that I haven't heard.

His Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff on DG would have been even more widely distributed than the East German stuff.

My Sanderling choices would be:

Borodin 2
Mahler 10
that Bruckner 7
Sibelius cycle
Shostakovich symphonies

[DavidW]

Yes Sanderling's Shostakovich is just great.  I think it really stands up there with Kondrashin and Mravinsky.

[DavidW]

Sargent is listened to frequently? How strange. I have quite rarely seen him brought up. Ditto Mitropolous. Hence why I asked how and where they are brought up.

The listening thread.  Haven't really kept a tally, and I've also I've been here awhile (more than 20 years now).

Gielen/Bertini/Krips being known for one or two things is sort of the point. They recorded a ton of stuff. Although with Gielen I would guess he is known mostly for modernist stuff even though he did a lot of the core repertoire.

Gielen is known for Mahler, Bruckner, Beethoven, Schoenberg and others.  Hanssler or whatever the record label has issued a Gielen edition in multiple volumes.  He is pretty well rounded, great conductor.  I'm not a fan of his Bruckner, but many are. 

[Cato]

Allow me to offer Leopold Ludwig as a candidate:

[Daverz]

e
That's true. Beecham did a lot of recordings and is only ever brought up (predictably and gratingly) by the British press. I believe he introduced me to Lalo's Symphony.

Beecham was a great conductor, and I hope Warner puts his stuff back in print.

Never tried anything by Konwitschny.

A fine Beethoven cycle on Berlin Classics and Schubert 9th on Supraphon.

2. Dimitri Mitropoulos

A lot of his Columbia recordings are now available for streaming.  His Shostakovich Symphony No. 10 is a good starting point.  There are a handful of stereo recordings: a great Tchaikovsky 6, a fine Symphonie fantastique, and some selections from Prokofiev's Romeo & Juliet.

3. Jean Martinon (although his French specialisation means he'll probably be of limited interest to me)

Recorded one of the great Nielsen Inexstinguashable's with Chicago.  In fact, the whole Sony box of his Chicago recordings is essential.  Then get everything else on Warner and Eloquence.  His own music is also interesting.

 

10. Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos

Excellent in Spanish music, of course, but also choral music of Mendelssohn and Haydn and a fantastic Carmina Burana.

11. Ferdinand Leitner

A fine Bruckner 6 coupled with the real interest, a fanatastic recording of Hartmann's Symphony No. 6.

12. Tugan Sokhiev

I've been following his recordings and usually find his interpretations to be fresh and interesting.  His record labels have not done a good job of promotion.

13. Erich Leinsdorf (I'm not an opera guy. So I'm talking orchestral music here)

I'm fond of his Prokofiev.  Sony has boxed it up.

16. Heinz Rögner

I like his fast Bruckner.

24. Rudolf Kempe (beyond Strauss)

I'm a fan and have enjoyed most of what I've heard.  He was a great colorist at his best in Romantic music.
Perhaps not at his best in the German classics, but I do like his Brahms and Bruckner (Japanese XRCD issue of 4 and 5).  The Warner Icon box was a bit disappointing for what was left out.

25. Herbert Kegel

Some great Hindemith among other fine things.

26. Michel Plasson

His box of French repetoire is worth having for the obscure stuff.

27. Joseph Keilberth

His Bruckner 6 was a reference for many years.  Still holds up well, I think.

28. Lovro von Matačić

Tchaikovsky and Bruckner on Supraphon, though he tended to use odd editions of some of the Bruckner symphonies.

34. Horst Stein

Some great Sibelius and Bruckner on Eloqunce.

36. Ernst Bour

Try some of his Ravel and Roussel.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I enjoy Horst Stein's Sibelius--particularly this 2 CD set with Ashkenazy.

https://www.amazon.com/Sibelius-Finlandia-suites-symphonic-poems/dp/B0000041L7

Lovro von Matačić's Mahler is supposed to be excellent.  Edit:  my goof...I had meant his Bruckner...particularly his Symphony No. 7.

PD

[Daverz]

2. Hans Rosbaud:
Obscure conductor but whom I am sure has his fans. Hearing performances from the SWR boxes. I really loved his King Stephen Overture and similarly a terrific live Roussel 3. Unremarkable Sibelius 5 though.

One of my favorite Bruckner 7s.  The one in the SWR Bruckner box is from a mono tape, but it was also taped in good stereo (avoid the Vox and similar issues).  I can vouch for this issue:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001E1DHFO

3. Eugene Ormandy:
No, no. I am not going to claim Ormandy is an obscure figure but he does feel rarely brought up despite his gigantic discography. I have his Columbia Mono box.

Serkin recorded the Burleske again with Ormandy in stereo.

Try Ormandy's Lemminkäinen Suite from the mono box:



Hurwitz did a good survey of the mono box on youtube.

4. Arthur Rodzinski:
Again someone relegated to historical recordings. Liked his Haydn 100 even if the sound is poor (for 1937 it's pretty good actually). Not sure where to go from here.

Usually an exciting conductor.  He did live long enough to make some "hi fi" recordings for Westminster (reissued by DG) and some fine stereo recordings for EMI (where are they Warner?).



https://www.discogs.com/release/14706169-Artur-RodzinskiRoyal-Philharmonic-Orchestra-Philharmonia-Orchestra-Artur-Rodzinski-Artist-Profile

Would love recommendations for other conductors and favorite recordings. One figure on my radar is Schuricht - although some of his Beethoven is fine

I love Schuricht's Bruckner in the Warner Icon set (3, 8 and 9).  There was also a highly regarded Bruckner 5 on DG (mono). 

[DavidW]

I love this Martinon set, he is my favorite conductor for Debussy and Ravel:

[Daverz]

My Sanderling choices would be:

Borodin 2
Mahler 10
that Bruckner 7
Sibelius cycle
Shostakovich symphonies

How did I forget one of the great Brahms cycles with the Dresden Staatskapelle?

Hurwitz did a brief video on Sanderling: