Carlo Maria Giulini

[dirkronk]

OK, ladies and gentlemen, here comes round 2 of my "make me a fan of this conductor" series.
This time it's Giulini. I had a considerable number of LPs by this fellow at one time, but many of those have been culled for one reason or another, and in the CD realm, I have only a Bruckner 9th symphony and a Mozart Don Giovanni. What else MUST I acquire to hear this conductor's greatness?

(BTW, many thanks for the recommendations from the first wave. I've already acquired the Levine "Planets" and some Abbado.)

Cheers,

Dirk

[Renfield]

- Bruckner 8th, (9th,) maybe also 7th if you like his style; all with the VPO, on DG.

- The Brahms symphonies; again, VPO on DG. Possibly OOP.

- Verdi's "Messa da Requiem", coupled with an equally-impressive Schubert Mass in E flat, on BBC Legends.


Also a Mahler 9th I've heard good things about, possibly (I don't have it), and there was recently a lot of praise for his Beethoven (certainly the "Eroica") here. But I've no first-hand opinion on the issue, as I don't have any of his Beethoven recordings either.


If my list was a bit telegraphic, it was mostly because I think there are a few people here (notably M) who have studied Giulini as a conductor far more than I have, and can enlighten you much more capably on what is representative of his art.

Still, I don't think you'd go wrong to investigate the above recordings! Particularly the Bruckner.

[val]

To me, Giulini was one of the greateast conductors of the century.

I must admit I never liked much his opera recordings, excepting the remarkable Don Giovanni with Sutherland and Schwarzkopf.

But his versions of Brahms 4 Symphonies with the Philharmonia (in special de 2nd and the 3rd), of Brahms First piano Concerto with Arrau, of Bruckner's 2nd Symphony (with the VSO) and Dvorak's 7th, 8th and 9th with the Philharmonia are extraordinary.

Above all, he recorded one of the most sublime recordings ever made: Bruckner's 9th Symphony with the VPO.

[david johnson]

verdi, requiem, emi
bruckner 9, chicago, emi

dj

[Tsaraslondon]

In addition to those already mentioned, his EMI Don Carlo, with Caballe, Domingo, Verrett, Milnes and Raimondi, and also the live one from Covent Garden, with Vickers, Gobbi and Christoff, which is now on Royal Opera House Heritage.

Also his live La Scala La Traviata, with Callas and his EMI Le Nozze di Figaro (Schwarzkopf, Moffo, Cossotto, Taddei and Waechter).

[dirkronk]

To me, Giulini was one of the greateast conductors of the century.

I must admit I never liked much his opera recordings, excepting the remarkable Don Giovanni with Sutherland and Schwarzkopf.

Yep. That's the one I've got.

Above all, he recorded one of the most sublime recordings ever made: Bruckner's 9th Symphony with the VPO.

Wow, val. That's the other one I have. I may have only 2 Giulini recordings on CD (so far), but it's nice to know that both choices make your preferred list!


Dirk

[Todd]

Beyond the ones you have:

Verdi – Don Carlo (EMI – great, great, great)
Verdi – Rigoletto
Mozart – Le Nozze (EMI – if you can find it)
Bruckner – Symphony 9* (EMI), Symphonies 7, 8 (DG)
Beethoven – Eroica (DG)
Faure – Requiem (DG – a bit on the devout, somber side)


* The whole EMI four-disc set dedicated to Giulini is worth hearing

[Sergeant Rock]

The simple answer is: buy anything that has Giulini's name on it.

To specifics: besides the many fine recommendations already made, check out his Vienna Franck Symphony (available at super budget price). A few years ago I'd become so sick of hearing this old warhorse, not only on record and radio but in the concert hall, I thought I'd never want to hear it again. But then someone here mentioned this recording; the description intrigued me (slow, massive like granite, with marvelous sounds produced by the boys in Wien). I bought it and it was like hearing it wholly new.

Sarge

[knight66]

I don't go along with Sarge's general endorsment. His late recordings seem to have been very slow indeed.

One that has not so far been recommended is his Trovatore; it is an exceptional rethinking of the piece, in the sense that it is not all blood and guts, nevertheless, it has drama. It has a great cast, Domingo, Plowright, Fassbaender.

Another beautiful performance is La Mer on EMI, also the Nocturns are on the same disc, magical.



The above is a box chock full of his very best from Chicago, all these performances are deeply satisfying.

Mike

[Renfield]

Another beautiful performance is La Mer on EMI, also the Nocturns are on the same disc, magical.

I don't remember what, but there was something I didn't like about his "La Mer". I should give it another listen, it's been a while...

[Tsaraslondon]

One that has not so far been recommended is his Trovatore; it is an exceptional rethinking of the piece, in the sense that it is not all blood and guts, nevertheless, it has drama. It has a great cast, Domingo, Plowright, Fassbaender.

I'd forgotten about that Il Trovatore. Once again, I agree with Mike. A very rewarding performance with an excellent cast, Fassbaender, an unlikely choice for the role of Azucena, giving a particularly striking performance.

[Lethevich]

He did a superb Tchaikovsky 6th with the Philharmonia on EMI (I can't recall the exact date, but I think it was 70s). It doesn't particularly emphasise the more manic aspects of the work, but the weight to it is wonderful.

[knight66]

Lethe, Yes, I used to own that on LP and it was terrific, I had forgotten about it.

Another performance I enjoy, despite it not showing the whole range of emotions I look for: Beethoven's Missa Solemnis EMI, but presently available in a Brilliant box paired with the Mass in C. Very beautiful and moving, but missing a deal of bite and energy. Nevertheless, well worth the outlay.

As to Fassbaender, in Trovatore, she outshines a number of the more traditionally considered 'Italianate' singers in the part. Guillini's Falstaff is again a thing of affection and clearly of love, though it does not really sparkle.

Mike

[knight66]

Here is another suggestion, a surprising one. From a Prom Concert. A BBC disc of Berlioz Les nuits d'ete. It is a daringly slow, hypnotic version. It works and Janet Baker has the astonishing breath control to cope with the tempi and is brave in the way she will pare down her tone to a thread in a live performance. It is very special and not exactly mainstream. Well worth a try.

Mike

[DavidRoss]

I second the recs for Le Nozze and Il Trovatore, and the EMI boxset.  Mike's rec will prompt me to listen to his La Mer again.  I don't think I've played it even once since acquiring Boulez's account.

[Tsaraslondon]

Here is another suggestion, a surprising one. From a Prom Concert. A BBC disc of Berlioz Les nuits d'ete. It is a daringly slow, hypnotic version. It works and Janet Baker has the astonishing breath control to cope with the tempi and is brave in the way she will pare down her tone to a thread in a live performance. It is very special and not exactly mainstream. Well worth a try.

Mike

I have that too, Mike. I might even rate it higher than Baker's studio performance with Barbirolli.

[knight66]

I like them both very much, I don't think I could choose one over  the nother. The Giulini timings would have fallen flat with most other conductors. He sustains the lines, exposes strands of orchestration and preserves a unique level of concentration. Of course whether any of this has much to do with Berlioz is a moot point; as the piece was designed for several rather than one singer. But the way we do it now seem to me to be to its benefit in providing a unified experience.

Mike

[rw1883]

Besides the great recordings already mentioned, another one worth buying is the Bruckner 8 on BBC (1983) with the Philharmonia (one of my favorite 8th's).  It's a two-cd set that also comes with Rossini's Semiramide Overture and an excellent Dvorak 8...

Paul

[PSmith08]

Another disc is Giulini's 1987 Das Lied von der Erde from Salzburg, with Fassbaender and Araiza, on Orfeo. It's probably my reference recording, though Reiner's 1959 disc sometimes gives me pause. It's coupled with, as I recall, a Mozart 40th, but that is, to me, somewhat less interesting than the Mahler; it is included, however, since it comes from the same night of the Festspiele.

[Peregrine]

Another beautiful performance is La Mer on EMI, also the Nocturns are on the same disc, magical.

Agreed, a gorgeous disc!

I've always had a soft spot for this: