What Levine?

[dirkronk]

OK, my third and (for the moment) final installment in the "make me a fan of this conductor" series: James Levine.
Lord knows that I've seen his name on countless LPs and CDs, but a perusal of my LPs tells me that I have only his Mahler sym. 1--and the CD list reveals that I have ZERO items by the conductor in that format. I am, quite literally, a blank slate where this conductor is concerned. Your job, should you accept it, is to fill that slate with specific performances for me to hear--ones that will convince me that Levine is a genius at baton-waving!

Thanks in advance.

Dirk

[Todd]

First, consider his Mahler on RCA if you can find it.  I've heard a couple symphonies on loan from the library, and they are superb.  I'm going to look into buying all of the ArkivCD reissues of his Mahler as more of them become available.

The Prokofiev 1 & 5 disc is a must have, at least for me.  So is his disc of orchestral works by Cage, Carter, Babbitt and Schuller.  His recent recording of Lieberson's songs performed by Lorraine Hunt Lieberson is an extraordinary disc, too. 

Based on what I've heard, I am not a big fan of his opera conducting, though Eugene Onegin (on DG) is excellent.

[bhodges]

So is his disc of orchestral works by Cage, Carter, Babbitt and Schuller.  His recent recording of Lieberson's songs performed by Lorraine Hunt Lieberson is an extraordinary disc, too. 

Based on what I've heard, I am not a big fan of his opera conducting, though Eugene Onegin (on DG) is excellent.

I have all three of these, and they are excellent.  I have listened to his Carter Variations for Orchestra many times, and it is a thrilling performance (with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra).  My favorite of all is his all-Berg disc, with Three Pieces for Orchestra, plus suites from Wozzeck and Lulu with Renée Fleming.  Aside from the excitement of the Three Pieces, this CD is probably the only time Fleming will do any of either of these scores.

--Bruce

[Anne]

I loved his Saturday Die Meistersinger broadcast from the Met about 5 - 8 years ago.  Blew the roof right off the house!  Needed every one of Wagner's closing notes to settle back to earth.

[knight66]

My favourite disc is his Mahler Das Lied von der Erde, fairly plush as against Klemperer's hair shirt approach; but it is just as valid. The soloists are excellent, Jerusalem and Jessye Norman. This is a disc I would never part with.

Mike

[DavidRoss]

Otello
Rhapsody in Blue & An American in Paris with the CSO
The Planets with the CSO

[val]

Above all, Levine recorded an extraordinary version of Berlioz "Romeo and Juliet".

His versions of Norma and La Forza del Destino are good, if not exceptional.

[hornteacher]

Levine recorded Dvorak's 7th with the Chicago Symphony which is marvellous.  Its paired with the New World which is also good but not my favorite account.

[marvinbrown]

I loved his Saturday Die Meistersinger broadcast from the Met about 5 - 8 years ago.  Blew the roof right off the house!  Needed every one of Wagner's closing notes to settle back to earth.

  Anne if you are referring to this I'm right with you all the way :

 

  marvin

[not edward]

I've really enjoyed his BP recording of Schoenberg's Five Pieces for Orchestra, Berg's Three Pieces for Orchestra and Webern's Six Pieces for Orchestra: all three works get very good performances and it's available for a pittance on Eloquence these days.

[dirkronk]

I've really enjoyed his BP recording of Schoenberg's Five Pieces for Orchestra, Berg's Three Pieces for Orchestra and Webern's Six Pieces for Orchestra: all three works get very good performances and it's available for a pittance on Eloquence these days.

Hmm. This sounds almost like a remake of the old Dorati/LSO compilation on Mercury. Has anyone heard them and compared?

Dirk

[Anne]

  Anne if you are referring to this I'm right with you all the way :

 

  marvin

I like the DVD you show very much too, but that is more recent than the one I was referring to.  In those days I taped every broadcast I heard.  Maybe I can find it and tell you more.

[Bonehelm]

Get the entire Ring cycle with the MET.

[not edward]

Hmm. This sounds almost like a remake of the old Dorati/LSO compilation on Mercury. Has anyone heard them and compared?

Dirk

I have both, though I've not compared them recently. The interpretations are certainly very different (Levine is much slower in the Berg, and generally less inclined to pull the tempi around, for example) and certainly the LSO's playing is under more strain than the BP's, but I remember the last time I listened to both in close succession I found they complemented each other nicely.

[Anne]

Last I knew there were 2 DVD's of Verdi's Stiffelio, one with Levine at the Met, and one with Haitink at Covent Garden.

Avoid Levine's.  The way he conducted the introduction I never knew there was a beautiful solo in it.  The first time I heard Haitink's version, I was surprised to hear the solo for the first time.  Did anyone else have the same experience?

[Henk]

Holst - the Planets.

A piece I rarely play, but I think the Levine is a good one.

[M forever]

I've really enjoyed his BP recording of Schoenberg's Five Pieces for Orchestra, Berg's Three Pieces for Orchestra and Webern's Six Pieces for Orchestra: all three works get very good performances and it's available for a pittance on Eloquence these days.

The recording of Saint-Saëns' 3rd symphony ("avec orgue") made at the same time as that album is also very good. It has Dukas' "Sorcerer's Apprentice" as filler, both performances are among the best of these pieces I know.

Another outstanding Levine recording is Brahms' 3rd (plus Alt-Rhapsodie and Tragische Ouvertüre) with the WP. An extremely exciting but also musically highly nuanced recording.

[Moldyoldie]

I'll second the Brahms Third.   Also, look for his recording of the Brahms First with Chicago on one of those  inexpensive RCA Victor Basic 100 series CDs from the '80s paired with sundry Brahms from Ormandy and Slatkin; the digital mastering is fairly rough, but it's the most incredible pedal-to-the-metal performance you'll ever hear!

Continuing with Levine's Mahler, I'd like to suggest his Mahler Fifth from Philly and Seventh from Chi-town, both on RCA -- convincing headlong performances with no fear! 

If you can find it reasonably priced, I'm also very fond of his pairing of Schumann's Second and Third "Rhenish" from Berlin on DG; the latter is probably my favorite recording of that work.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

These aren't so widely known but are worth seeking out:

[Sergeant Rock]

Hmm. This sounds almost like a remake of the old Dorati/LSO compilation on Mercury. Has anyone heard them and compared?

Dirk

I have both and Edward is correct: Levine is slower overall but not in every movement of the Schoenberg. There is a significant difference in content, too: the Dorati CD has Webern's Op.10 while Levine has Op.6. The Op.6 fourth movement (Langsam, marcia funebre) makes Levine's CD essential, I think. The movement is massively conceived, taken extremely slowly (5'36) with a climax of staggering power.

Sarge