Topic: Tchaikovsky's Manfred Symphony

[Brewski]

Could any of the mods correct spelling of Tchaikovsky's name in the thread title.

Your wish is granted. 

--Bruce

[flyingdutchman]

I like the Goossens on Everest and its interestiong coupling, Tapiola.

Quite good, but it is cut.

[Lilas Pastia]

Not mentioned before, but worth auditioning should it reappear: the Utah Symphony under Maurice Abravanel. Low cut mastering, slightly distant ecording, but a beautiful and poetic account. Manfred is not all about orgies and stuff. I don't think Manfred has ever gotten a fully persuasive interpretation. I personally like it best of all among Tchaikovsky's symphonies, after the sixth.

[Hector]

Not mentioned before, but worth auditioning should it reappear: the Utah Symphony under Maurice Abravanel. Low cut mastering, slightly distant ecording, but a beautiful and poetic account. Manfred is not all about orgies and stuff. I don't think Manfred has ever gotten a fully persuasive interpretation. I personally like it best of all among Tchaikovsky's symphonies, after the sixth.

How many have you heard?

You are so wrong!

[vandermolen]

Quite good, but it is cut.

Didn't know that. Thanks.

[Mark G. Simon]

Quite good, but it is cut.

The Goosens on Everest is the first Manfred I ever heard (on LP). It is heavily cut in the 1st and 4th Movements, and there's a small cut in the 3rd.

Toscanini's is the 2nd Manfred I owned. Toscanini makes a major cut in the last movement, but in a different place than Goosens. I had to hop back and forth between discs to listen to it complete, which was really annoying.

[Hector]

The Goosens on Everest is the first Manfred I ever heard (on LP). It is heavily cut in the 1st and 4th Movements, and there's a small cut in the 3rd.

Toscanini's is the 2nd Manfred I owned. Toscanini makes a major cut in the last movement, but in a different place than Goosens. I had to hop back and forth between discs to listen to it complete, which was really annoying.

Toscanini, apparently, not only makes a devastating incision but recomposes some of it. Is this true?

[karlhenning]

Toscanini's is the 2nd Manfred I owned. Toscanini makes a major cut in the last movement, but in a different place than Goosens. I had to hop back and forth between discs to listen to it complete, which was really annoying.

That could have been a Steven Wright gag!

[Mark G. Simon]

Toscanini, apparently, not only makes a devastating incision but recomposes some of it. Is this true?

As far as I can tell, Toscanini doctors up the orchestration in a couple of spots, but that's it.

The end of the the 1st movement in the Toscanini is one of the most exciting ever recorded. I could swear he added some percussion (like tam-tam) here, but I haven't checked the score. In any case it sounds like a major Hurricane passing through.

[pibodi]

Hi, sirs!
There are ANOTHER version of Manfred:
Alexander Gauk.
Information on Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Art-Alexander-Gauk-Tchaikovsky/dp/B0000065I2/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1225916540&sr=1-10

This is extremely rare CD. May be SOMEONE have this recording??
If yes, please, write me back!!!!!

[Bunny]

Anyone know anything about the Jurowski/London PO Manfred?  I just saw a review of it at ClassicsToday and DH says, "Here is that "take no prisoners" performance that Manfred enthusiasts have been waiting for."   If anyone has heard this recording, I'd love to know what they think.

Here's the link to the review. 

[Lilas Pastia]

Thanks, Bunny. I'll look for it!

[DarkAngel]

Bunny
I have a few Manfreds:
-Muti
-Pletnev
-Jansons
-Markevitch
-Toscanini
-Silvestri (BBC Legends)

My favorite however is the Jurowski, has monumental power and dramatic impact that the others can't quite match with very good sound.
This is the only CD I have by Jurowski so he was an unknown quantity for me, purchased this a couple years ago when we had a Manfred discussion at Head-Fi forum and MB told me I had to get this.........

[Que]

Anyone know anything about the Jurowski/London PO Manfred?  I just saw a review of it at ClassicsToday and DH says, "Here is that "take no prisoners" performance that Manfred enthusiasts have been waiting for."   If anyone has heard this recording, I'd love to know what they think.

Here's the link to the review. 

Interesting Bunny! Though the review is by the infamous "Hurwitzer", who continues to decline in my esteem..
He thinks there are "only three (previous) recordings worth mentioning" and then fails to mention Markevitch. Yeah, right. So far for "expert" opinion.

Q

[Bunny]

Well, I'm curious about this album.  Although DH frequently dislikes things that I like, I find that I don't very often dislike things that he does like so I find that very encouraging.  However, he loved Muti's Tchaikovsky cycle and I found that a bit bland -- or maybe I should say predictable?  In any event, Muti didn't put a foot wrong but it didn't really stir my emotions the way Tchaikovsky should.

[Drasko]

I have one Jurowski conducted Tchaikovsky disc, 3rd Suite on Pentatone. If I'd go by that probably wouldn't ever get another, proficient, competent, nicely played but interpretatively bland and coupled Stravinsky Divertimento is possibly worst I heard, completely devoid of any sense of rhythm and momentum (didn't thought possible with Stravinsky), limp as a dead squid.

[Hector]

Well, I'm curious about this album.  Although DH frequently dislikes things that I like, I find that I don't very often dislike things that he does like so I find that very encouraging.  However, he loved Muti's Tchaikovsky cycle and I found that a bit bland -- or maybe I should say predictable?  In any event, Muti didn't put a foot wrong but it didn't really stir my emotions the way Tchaikovsky should.

I am not so sure that I would go as far as Hurwitz but the performance is a fine one, recorded live and fairly cheap on the LPO's own label.

[Brian]

Well, I'm curious about this album.  Although DH frequently dislikes things that I like, I find that I don't very often dislike things that he does like so I find that very encouraging.  However, he loved Muti's Tchaikovsky cycle and I found that a bit bland -- or maybe I should say predictable?  In any event, Muti didn't put a foot wrong but it didn't really stir my emotions the way Tchaikovsky should.

This is a pretty excellent summation of the Muti recordings.

But if you guys think Hurwitz is crazy, wait 'til you encounter his French friend Christophe Huss, a one-man wrecking crew if I ever saw one. 

[Bunny]

This is a pretty excellent summation of the Muti recordings.

But if you guys think Hurwitz is crazy, wait 'til you encounter his French friend Christophe Huss, a one-man wrecking crew if I ever saw one. 

I don't think Hurwitz is really certifiable.  Just a bit paranoid and very, very arrogant about his opinions.

[Lilas Pastia]

This is a pretty excellent summation of the Muti recordings.

But if you guys think Hurwitz is crazy, wait 'til you encounter his French friend Christophe Huss, a one-man wrecking crew if I ever saw one. 

You think so? I think merely - well, hurwitzian  . I heard him a few times on CBC's radio and he's not only knowledgeable but he backs up his comments with examples. Which of course goes for naught if he (or Hurwitz) has a game plan designed to prove his point.