Franz Schubert

Started by Paul-Michel, April 25, 2008, 05:54:19 AM

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Gurn Blanston

Quote from: DavidW on November 01, 2010, 06:58:20 AM
It was both. ;D  But I remember the Schubert set in particular because I couldn't find it on amazon and you impressed me with your mad search skills by giving me the link. :D

:-[  Well, I probably got it from Que, the King of Weil.... :)

8)
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MishaK

I asked this in the "Recordings You Are Considering Thread" but got no answer: Is anyone familiar with Blomstedt's San Francisco Schuubert recordings on Decca? My local used CD store has 5, 8 & 9 for dirt cheap.

mc ukrneal

Quote from: Mensch on February 09, 2011, 08:15:13 AM
I asked this in the "Recordings You Are Considering Thread" but got no answer: Is anyone familiar with Blomstedt's San Francisco Schuubert recordings on Decca? My local used CD store has 5, 8 & 9 for dirt cheap.
I saw that there too, but I have not heard it. He is a bit under-rated and did many good recordings from that time wth the SFSO. So I would take the risk myself - if it is as inexpensive as you say, it will be a good buy. Also, Amazon may have some reviews.
Be kind to your fellow posters!!

Scarpia

Quote from: Mensch on February 09, 2011, 08:15:13 AM
I asked this in the "Recordings You Are Considering Thread" but got no answer: Is anyone familiar with Blomstedt's San Francisco Schuubert recordings on Decca? My local used CD store has 5, 8 & 9 for dirt cheap.

Never heard a bad Bloomstedt SFO recording (Sibelius, Bruckner, Hindemith, Nielsen) but I've never heard that Schubert.

Gurn Blanston

Quote from: ukrneal on February 09, 2011, 08:24:07 AM
I saw that there too, but I have not heard it. He is a bit under-rated and did many good recordings from that time wth the SFSO. So I would take the risk myself - if it is as inexpensive as you say, it will be a good buy. Also, Amazon may have some reviews.

Ditto.

I have his Mendelssohn symphonies with that orchestra and they are very good. For "dirt cheap" I would toss some compost their way and take 'em. :)

8)
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Haydn: that genius of vulgar music who induces an inordinate thirst for beer - Mily Balakirev (1860)

MishaK

Quote from: ukrneal on February 09, 2011, 08:24:07 AM
I saw that there too, but I have not heard it. He is a bit under-rated and did many good recordings from that time wth the SFSO. So I would take the risk myself - if it is as inexpensive as you say, it will be a good buy. Also, Amazon may have some reviews.

Quote from: Scarpia on February 09, 2011, 08:27:35 AM
Never heard a bad Bloomstedt SFO recording (Sibelius, Bruckner, Hindemith, Nielsen) but I've never heard that Schubert.

Yes, that's why I'm asking. I have his SFSO Orff, Grieg, Hindemith and Nielsen and love all of it, but was somewhat disappointed by his rather bland Dresden Bruckner. Bruckner has deep roots in Schubert, especially his 9th, so hence my concern. I like my Schubert to have the freedom of phrasing of his Lieder. Amazon has some very positive reviews of his Schubert 9, so I may get that for starters. I have yet to find a recording of that symphony which satisfies me. Furtwängler's is still the best by a long shot, but mono and with all the technical drawbacks of that orchestra at that time. Wand is good, but a little too straight-laced, Dohynani too analytic, again lacking that freedom, Guilini and Celi just too broad, though not uninteresting. I heard Barenboim conduct the CSO in a performance in 2005 or so of the 9th that had an urgency and drive and passion not even matched by Furtwängler, with all that freedom of phrasing that made the link to Schubert's Lieder apparent, but with technical execution that put even Dohnyani's Clevelanders to shame. But what I heard of Barenboim's BPO Schubert cycle (5 & 8) from the late 80s or whenever on Sony isn't anywhere near that level, so I haven't gone out and bought his Berlin 9th, though it's now available in a super-cheap reissue.

Drasko

Quote from: Mensch on February 09, 2011, 08:49:55 AM
I have yet to find a recording of that symphony which satisfies me.

It's very much out of print, but if you see it in some used bin do give a try to Konwitschny leading Czech Philharmonic on Supraphon.



Should be able to hear clips here:
http://us.7digital.com/artists/czech-philharmonic-orchestra-franz-konwitschny/schubert-symphony-no-9-in-c-major-great/

Scarpia

Quote from: Mensch on February 09, 2011, 08:49:55 AM
Yes, that's why I'm asking. I have his SFSO Orff, Grieg, Hindemith and Nielsen and love all of it, but was somewhat disappointed by his rather bland Dresden Bruckner. Bruckner has deep roots in Schubert, especially his 9th, so hence my concern. I like my Schubert to have the freedom of phrasing of his Lieder. Amazon has some very positive reviews of his Schubert 9, so I may get that for starters. I have yet to find a recording of that symphony which satisfies me. Furtwängler's is still the best by a long shot, but mono and with all the technical drawbacks of that orchestra at that time. Wand is good, but a little too straight-laced, Dohynani too analytic, again lacking that freedom, Guilini and Celi just too broad, though not uninteresting. I heard Barenboim conduct the CSO in a performance in 2005 or so of the 9th that had an urgency and drive and passion not even matched by Furtwängler, with all that freedom of phrasing that made the link to Schubert's Lieder apparent, but with technical execution that put even Dohnyani's Clevelanders to shame. But what I heard of Barenboim's BPO Schubert cycle (5 & 8) from the late 80s or whenever on Sony isn't anywhere near that level, so I haven't gone out and bought his Berlin 9th, though it's now available in a super-cheap reissue.

For the 9th, I like Karajan's old 1968 recording.  For the 8th, Harnoncourt's Vienna Symphony Orchestra recording (not the more well known Concertgebouw recording).


MishaK

Thanks guys, I'll keep those in mind.

mjwal

I too have searched for a "perfect" Schubert #9: 1. interpretation 2. performance 3. recording. Of older recordings I would point to the first Furtwängler from the war years, much more driven and passionate than his alternately grandiose and bucolic post-war recordings (live and studio). But the recorded sound hardly fulfils the demands of the third criterion, and the interpretation is somehow über-subjective. Then the Erich Kleiber performance - doubtless made in a single take for Cologne radio and not instrumentally "perfect" but with both Viennese charm and immense dramatic power where needed e.g. in the Andante con moto. - Digression: I haven't, by the way, heard the CD transfer of this on Medici Masters, but can only enthusiastically recommend it, also in consideration of the inclusion on the disc of the 3 scenes from Wozzeck (which I also have on LP) with Kupper - Kleiber of course was the conductor of the first performance of this opera at a critical time in German history (you could compare this with another authoritative recording by Scherchen with the same singer recorded a few years later if you can find it.) - Of modern recordings known to me, I remember the Giulini as beautifully marmoreal, but the great find for me was the live (from the RFH) Gielen on Hänssler , where the orchestral sound is both HIP in style (no "slow" intro but alla breve Andante so no speeding up for instance) and modern (Webern?) sounding - I must warn you though that this is not for-sinking-back-into-your-plush-sofa-with-a-slice-of-Sachertorte Schubert...
The Violin's Obstinacy

It needs to return to this one note,
not a tune and not a key
but the sound of self it must depart from,
a journey lengthily to go
in a vein it knows will cripple it.
...
Peter Porter

MishaK

Quote from: mjwal on February 10, 2011, 03:56:43 AM
I must warn you though that this is not for-sinking-back-into-your-plush-sofa-with-a-slice-of-Sachertorte Schubert...

Which is certainly not what I would want anyway.  ;) Now on to giving Blomstedt a spin.

MishaK

OK, listened to the Blomstedt/SFSO 9th. Thanks for the recommendations. It is very, very good, indeed. May become my new favorite in modern sound, ahead of Wand. The first movement is probably the best part of the performance. Phrasing of inner voices is excellent throughout, and the SFSO plays beautifully, once again showing that the whole big-5 concept is woefully outdated. My only two minor gripes are that the buildup to the climax of the second movement is not nearly as harrowing as it could be, and the trio section of the third movement is a bit too sober, lacking a bit in atmosphere. But generally an excellent performance, of a single piece from beginning to end.

Scarpia

Quote from: Mensch on February 10, 2011, 09:01:30 AM
OK, listened to the Blomstedt/SFSO 9th. Thanks for the recommendations. It is very, very good, indeed. May become my new favorite in modern sound, ahead of Wand. The first movement is probably the best part of the performance. Phrasing of inner voices is excellent throughout, and the SFSO plays beautifully, once again showing that the whole big-5 concept is woefully outdated. My only two minor gripes are that the buildup to the climax of the second movement is not nearly as harrowing as it could be, and the trio section of the third movement is a bit too sober, lacking a bit in atmosphere. But generally an excellent performance, of a single piece from beginning to end.

Snagged a copy on amazon marketplace for $1.98.   ;D

MishaK

#254
So of course in the 24 hours that I decide to try out Blomstedt's 9th before committing to buy 5 & 8, someone else picks up that disc from my neighborhood used CD store.  >:D

Scarpia

Quote from: Mensch on February 11, 2011, 06:36:12 AM
So of course in the 24 hours that I decide to try out Blomsted's 9th before committing to buy 5 & 8, someone else picks up that disc from my neighborhood used CD store.  >:D

Ok, guys, 'fess up, who pinched it?

Lethevich

.[asin]B000003009[/asin]

What's this like?
Peanut butter, flour and sugar do not make cookies. They make FIRE.

Leo K.

Quote from: Lethe Dmitriyevich Shostakovich on February 28, 2011, 09:49:51 AM
.[asin]B000003009[/asin]

What's this like?

I find it a fascinating disk. I bought it to hear Newbold's edition of the 10th, and I love what he did with it. It's exciting music, and very moving to say the least. If you have heard other recordings of the unfinished 10th and like this work, I'm sure you will like this performance. It's also an excellant introduction to the 10th, and it's great to have the other fragments of earlier symphonies included.

The fragments of the other symphonies are tantalizing indeed. The performances are wonderful.


Scarpia

As long as we are on the subject of stuff Schubert didn't finished, there's the 8th symphony.  I've read in a lot of cd booklets that there was a 3rd movement in piano score of which the first 9 bars had been orchestrated.  Are there any recordings where someone has played the piano score, or completed the orchestration?

Wanderer

Quote from: Leo K on March 04, 2011, 10:09:27 AM
I find it a fascinating disk. I bought it to hear Newbold's edition of the 10th, and I love what he did with it. It's exciting music, and very moving to say the least. If you have heard other recordings of the unfinished 10th and like this work, I'm sure you will like this performance. It's also an excellant introduction to the 10th, and it's great to have the other fragments of earlier symphonies included.

The fragments of the other symphonies are tantalizing indeed. The performances are wonderful.

Another vote for this disc. The music is very interesting (tantalizing even) and the performances are vivacious and engaged throughout.