Greetings to all!
I recently read Bruno Walter's fascinating essay on Bruckner & Mahler that Cato was good enough to link over on the Bruckner thread, which prompted me to rummage through my CDs and pull out some of Walter's late Columbia recordings. These were some of the first classical CDs I bought, as Walter (along with Szell and Bernstein) were familiar names from my meager cassette and LP collection back in ancient times, but I hadn't pulled them out for a listen in quite some time. I listened to his Schubert 9th last night, and was reminded of what a marvelous reading this is, warm and light, I'd forgotten how much I'd enjoyed it.
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21Q1RMSPQ8L._AA130_.jpg)
As I type this, I'm ripping the other Walter Columbia recordings I own for my iPod: Beethoven symphonies, Brahms symphonies & Requiem, Mozart symphonies, Bruckner, Mahler, Wagner, Dvorak 8 & 9...
Any other Bruno Walter fans out there? What are your favorite recordings? Any key items I'm missing? Do you tend to prefer his late stereo recordings with the Columbia orchestra, or do you go for the earlier mono stuff?
Quote from: jwinter on December 07, 2007, 05:50:27 AM
Beethoven symphonies, Brahms symphonies
In a regrettable moment of purging my collection a few years ago, I got rid of these very collections. I've regretted it ever so much since then.
I have his Brahms cycle but still in shrinkwrap...
His Mahler and Bruckner are marvelous. This is probabaly my favorite recording of #1 and #2:
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51FQE2AZFXL._AA240_.jpg)
Also this Mahler 9th with rehearsal and all is another personal favorite. No the orchestra is no the most refined and there are some noticeable hesistations in the execution but the urgency and sincerity of the interpretation pretty much wins you over:
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/511QbpNFLiL._AA240_.jpg)
I am not that high on his Beethoven. They are solid but not standout performances, certainly dims in comparison to the fervor and crispness a la Bernstein and Szell from the same period.
The only Mozart I have with him is this one:
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51V9FR97JXL._AA240_.jpg)
and frankly it is terribly. Horribly rushed, no charm whatsover. Best to avoid.
Quote from: PerfectWagnerite on December 07, 2007, 06:00:06 AM
I have his Brahms cycle but still in shrinkwrap...
Good lord, man, find the scissors! ;D Seriously, those are wonderful performances. The disc with the 2nd & 3rd is nearly desert island material for me.
Wholeheartedly agree on the Mahler. Wonderful.
I partly agree on the Beethoven -- I'm one of those who loves his Pastoral, but other wise it's a mixed bag. His 9th is particularly weak, I thought, though I've heard that the Vienna one recently released on Orfeo (I think) is much better.
Quote from: PerfectWagnerite on December 07, 2007, 06:00:06 AM
The only Mozart I have with him is this one:
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51V9FR97JXL._AA240_.jpg)
and frankly it is terribly. Horribly rushed, no charm whatsover. Best to avoid.
Definitely a minority opinion there, but again I can't really argue against it. I have the French 4 disc set with most of his Mozart, but honestly if I want old-school Mozart I generally return to Karl Bohm, or Colin Davis/Dresden if I want good sound.
There is probably VERY VERY few bad recordings of the later Mozart symphonies (35-41), and 25 and 29. Always everything I have I like which runs the gamit from Boehm, Fricsay, HVK, Britten, Gardiner, Harnoncourt, Sir Colin, Szell, Bernstein, etc.. But Walter takes some of these (like the final movement of K550) at such a ridiculous tempo that all you hear is one big mush. For modern sound and non-HIP I do think Sir Colin is hard to top with the SD.
Walter conducted the premiere and later championed Kurt Weill's 2nd Symphony and I'd really love if some broadcast would surface but unfortunately no luck so far.
One disc with his Mozart which I do want to get (but haven't gotten around to yet) is with his pre-war Wiena recording of Prague symphony. I had it ages ago on some crumy off-radio recorded cassete and loved it but now can't really remember anything about the actual performance. It's available on Opus Kura:
http://www.amazon.com/Name-Symphonies-Unfinished-Prague-Mircale/dp/B00008NRIM (http://www.amazon.com/Name-Symphonies-Unfinished-Prague-Mircale/dp/B00008NRIM)
Quote from: James on December 07, 2007, 06:27:08 AM
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31ERTGZH1AL._AA240_.jpg)
Fantastic set that...
8)
walter was a fantastic conductor of Mozart as well, his Bruckner/Mahler symphonies with Columbia are "legendary". There is a rehearsal of him conducting the "Linz" symphony on Naxos, you all should check it out.
Quote from: Gustav on December 07, 2007, 09:44:29 AM
There is a rehearsal of him conducting the "Haffiner" symphony on Naxos, you all should check it out.
Wasn't aware of that, I'll go and have a look for it...
Cheers!
I have an early Mahler 9 and a later Brahms 2 & 3.
For me, the following Walter performances are absolutely indispensible:
Beethoven symphony 6 with the Columbia Sym...my favorite performance of that piece, bar none. The 4th is nearly as dear to me, as well, but the rest of the cycle simply isn't up to that level.
Beethoven violin concerto with Szigeti from the early '30s with some unnamed British orchestra. Their later remake with NYPSO is interesting but not nearly as great.
Brahms symphonies 2 and 3 with NYP. I much prefer these over the later Columbia SO versions, even though I find those appealing as well.
Bruckner--I enjoy Walter's 4th and 9th a great deal, even though I wouldn't necessarily recommend them as "only" versions to own. Still, I'm hanging on to my copies.
Mahler--I know people criticize the finale of Walter's 1st symphony, but I still love this version. Ditto his 9th. Both with ColSO.
Wagner--I can't believe that Sony has let Walter's Wagner drift out of print...I've been looking several years now for the 2-CD set that was once available cheap on Essential Classics. Last time I looked for it on Amazon, the only seller listed wanted upwards of sixty bucks for the set. THAT bad I don't want it. Yet. All of pieces are beautifully played and quite well recorded, and some--the Parsifal prelude and Good Friday music, for example--have to be among the finest versions I've ever heard. Unfortunately my LP copy is pressed ever-so-slightly off-center, which rather mars the gorgeous phrasing in Walter's interp.
FWIW,
Dirk
I also got into Walter's LvB with the Col SO in the early days of CD as they were the closest to the Cluytens on LP which at that stage were not available on the CD format. Of those recordings, the 1st, 4th, 6th and 7th really stood out and still do IMO. I now have the M&A complete mono cycle he recorded in the late 40s/early 50s with the NYPO and the Philadelphia and with the exception of the 4th and 6th they are superior readings in every way.
I also have all the Brahms with the NYPO plus 1 and 4 with the Col SO, Mahler 1&2 with the Col SO, Mahler 4&5 with the NYPO and his superb Bruckner 9 and Te Deum.
On top of that there is the superb Das Liede von der Erde with Ferrier and a two disc compilation called 'Maestro Generoso' which contains LvB 3 & 8 from '41 and '42 (NYPO), a Schubert 'Unfinished from '47 (Philadelphia) and a real gem, the Symphonie Fantastique from '39 (Paris Con). I might have missed on or two others in my collection
So I suppose that you could say that I'm Walter fan.
IMO, Walter's earliest Beethoven is some of his best. I've got three Eroica's from him now and the earliest has the most drive and momentum.
I love all the Walter/Columbia SO "Indian Summer" recordings that I have: the Brahms and Mozart symphonies, the Bruckner 9, the Wagner bits, the Schubert 5, Beethoven 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 and the VC with Francescatti. I've been trying to find the complete Beethoven Symphonies set on CD without success (or at least the disc with 7; I have that whole set on Odyssey Lps.) The mono Schubert 9 with the NYP on United Archives is such a good recording that I haven't felt the need to get the later stereo recording. The mono Beethoven set with the NYP (and Philly in the 6th) is available on several labels, but I'm hoping the forthcoming United Archives release will sound as good as the Schubert.
Quote from: PerfectWagnerite on December 07, 2007, 06:00:06 AM
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51V9FR97JXL._AA240_.jpg)
and frankly it is terribly. Horribly rushed, no charm whatsover. Best to avoid.
Hmmmm...is PW really Paul B.?
Here's the promo blurb on the United Archives Beethoven set:
Quote
Celebrated as an outstanding conductor in an era of great conducting, Bruno Walter favoured the Austro-German repertoire and especially Beethoven. As we have come to expect, United Archives delivers the best possible re-mastering and proudly presents the first complete set featuring the 1953 recording of the 'Ode an die Freude' (Fourth movement of the Ninth Symphony): in 1953, Bruno Walter decided to record this movement again, because he was not satisfied with the first recording from 1949. So, this is the complete cycle approved by Bruno Walter.
The sixth CD (bonus) features early recordings of the Third and the Fifth Symphonies with the same orchestra.
Thanks to all for your comments!
Dirk, FYI, the Wagner pieces are included as "filler" in the Bruckner/Mahler Original Jacket set (http://www.amazon.com/Famous-Mahler-Bruckner-Symphonies-Anton/dp/B0002CHK9A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1197080309&sr=1-1), if that strikes your fancy.
(http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/50/d6/e7e09330dca03b620c455010._AA200_.L.jpg)
I have both the Brahms 2nd and 3rd as well as the Beethoven 4th and 6th and i think their reputation is well deserved.
Quote from: Daverz on December 07, 2007, 01:53:39 PM
I love all the Walter/Columbia SO "Indian Summer" recordings that I have: the Brahms and Mozart symphonies, the Bruckner 9, the Wagner bits, the Schubert 5, Beethoven 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 and the VC with Francescatti. I've been trying to find the complete Beethoven Symphonies set on CD without success (or at least the disc with 7; I have that whole set on Odyssey Lps.) The mono Schubert 9 with the NYP on United Archives is such a good recording that I haven't felt the need to get the later stereo recording. The mono Beethoven set with the NYP (and Philly in the 6th) is available on several labels, but I'm hoping the forthcoming United Archives release will sound as good as the Schubert.
Daverz - you'll find the complete Walter LvB on Amazon
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21TSRM2JZ1L._AA115_.jpg)
but when I searched I was amazed that I couldn't find a single CD containing the 7th. If you want that one alone then please PM me.
Quote from: Holden on December 08, 2007, 11:06:42 AM
Daverz - you'll find the complete Walter LvB on Amazon
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21TSRM2JZ1L._AA115_.jpg)
Yeah, for $198! :o
I think you are better off buying individual releases of Walter/Beethoven on Amazon. I think all of them are there and each CD is about $4-$5 plus shipping so you should be able to piece together a complete set for around $40, which isn't terrible if you like Walter/Beethoven.
Quote from: jwinter on December 07, 2007, 05:21:01 PM
Dirk, FYI, the Wagner pieces are included as "filler" in the Bruckner/Mahler Original Jacket set (http://www.amazon.com/Famous-Mahler-Bruckner-Symphonies-Anton/dp/B0002CHK9A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1197080309&sr=1-1), if that strikes your fancy.
Wow. Thanks, jwinter. Hadn't realized that the Wagner was hiding in the Mahler/Bruckner set. Given that Amazon has the set for 70-something bucks right now, it's tempting. Maybe an early Christmas present to myself...
;D
Dirk
Quote from: PerfectWagnerite on December 08, 2007, 01:59:24 PM
I think you are better off buying individual releases of Walter/Beethoven on Amazon. I think all of them are there and each CD is about $4-$5 plus shipping so you should be able to piece together a complete set for around $40, which isn't terrible if you like Walter/Beethoven.
Of course I tried that first, but the "Walter Edition" disc of 5 & 7 became unavailable before I could get to it. I have the Walter Edition discs of 1+2 and 4+6. MDT still lists the "Legends" set, but they keep sending me notes that the distributor is out of stock. At least I have the Odyssey Lps. I think I'm going to stand pat with the Walter Edition discs I have, but get the earlier mono set from United Archives. I'm sure Sony/BMG will eventually reissue the stereo set.
Quote from: Daverz on December 09, 2007, 12:21:28 AM
Of course I tried that first, but the "Walter Edition" disc of 5 & 7 became unavailable before I could get to it. I have the Walter Edition discs of 1+2 and 4+6. MDT still lists the "Legends" set, but they keep sending me notes that the distributor is out of stock. At least I have the Odyssey Lps. I think I'm going to stand pat with the Walter Edition discs I have, but get the earlier mono set from United Archives. I'm sure Sony/BMG will eventually reissue the stereo set.
Daverz, I think so too. Besides, that box set issued by Sony France is sound-wise noticeably inferior (a bit murky) to the Bruno Walter Editon. I suspect they used a previous transfer and not the "Super Bit Mapping" of the Edition, which yielded excellent results.
Q
The only "unsurpassed" version of anything I heard from Walter is the Brahms 3 with the Columbia SO (unfortunately I have heard very few of his pre-1957 recordings). Other great interpretations that have a place on the Musical Olympics podium include:
-Beethoven 6,
-Bruckner 9,
-Beethoven violin concerto (with Francescatti), and Triple concerto (NYP)
-Brahms Double Concerto (Francescatti and Fournier)
-Schumann PC (Istomin)
-Schubert Unfinished symphony (not so the 9th, a warm and genial interpretation that is rythmically slack and slightly too laid back for my taste).
and, of the historic recordings, the Wagner Walküre Act I and Mahler 9, both from 1938 (EMI).
I've never been a fan of the famous Ferrier-Patzak-VPO Das Lied. I find it overheated: instances of saccharine phrasing, hothouse recorded sound and Ferrier's intonation problems all bother me. It sounds as if everybody was running a 40-degree fever that day.
There are many I haven't heard, but some day a neat compendium will be issued once the 50-year copyrights have elapsed :D.
No mention yet of his Dvorak 8 and 9? I haven't heard them, but according to American Record Guide, they are gorgeous.
Quote from: Lilas Pastia on December 09, 2007, 06:16:16 AM-Beethoven violin concerto (with Francescatti), and Triple concerto (NYP)
-Brahms Double Concerto (Francescatti and Fournier)
Excellent choices...should have listed these myself.
Quote from: Lilas Pastia on December 09, 2007, 06:16:16 AM
-Schubert Unfinished symphony (not so the 9th, a warm and genial interpretation that is rythmically slack and slightly too laid back for my taste).
I concur. I prefer the forward momentum offered by Munch or, if I'm in the mood for a more genial approach, the take by Krips for the 9th is more my cuppa tea (to mention only stereo options).
Quote from: Lilas Pastia on December 09, 2007, 06:16:16 AM
No mention yet of his Dvorak 8 and 9? I haven't heard them, but according to American Record Guide, they are gorgeous.
I like Walter's Dvorak 8th quite a bit, but his New World doesn't really do it for me--and certainly not against Szell, Kubelik and Talich.
My two cents only, of course.
Dirk
Quote from: Lilas Pastia on December 09, 2007, 06:16:16 AM
There are many I haven't heard, but some day a neat compendium will be issued once the 50-year copyrights have elapsed :D.
I am seriously doubting that.
Thanks to everyone for the recommendations! I've been having a fine time revisiting some of Walter's recordings this week -- I may dial up the Dvorak tonight.
On a personal note... as I was ripping my MP3s, I noticed that my disc with the Columbia Beethoven 3 & 8 has some sort of defect, which renders the 8th pretty much unlistenable. If anybody happens to have a copy or high quality MP3 of the 8th that they'd be willing to share, kindly shoot me a PM -- I have oodles of Beethoven in my collection, & I'd be happy to share the wealth. :)
Anyone familiar with this (Schumann 3rd)
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51BTM53P8RL._SS500_.jpg)
Quote from: PerfectWagnerite on December 07, 2007, 06:00:06 AM
I have his Brahms cycle but still in shrinkwrap...
WHY?? Go listen to them! they are excellent!
Quote from: PerfectWagnerite on December 07, 2007, 06:00:06 AM
The only Mozart I have with him is this one:
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51V9FR97JXL._AA240_.jpg)
and frankly it is terribly. Horribly rushed, no charm whatsover. Best to avoid.
I'll asume that you were intoxicated when you made this remark ;) But, seriously, Walter was THE intepretor of Mozart, and these recordings are AMAZING, the sound is unbelivable for an recording 4 decades old, and Walter's meticulous way with conducting mozart syphonies.. the are all here, you just have to listen to it.
Btw, you REALLY should check out the CBS Odyssey one called "Mozart the last Six Symphonies", maybe you will change your mind once hear that. It's Out of Print, and seldom does it show up on ebay, but you could still get it from other means, bittorent, or eMule both works.
Love the early Walter, full of fire and passion. Late Walter, much more autumnal, bleh.
Quote from: Gustav on March 06, 2008, 12:47:53 PM
WHY?? Go listen to them! they are excellent!
I'll asume that you were intoxicated when you made this remark ;) But, seriously, Walter was THE intepretor of Mozart, and these recordings are AMAZING, the sound is unbelivable for an recording 4 decades old, and Walter's meticulous way with conducting mozart syphonies.. the are all here, you just have to listen to it.
Btw, you REALLY should check out the CBS Odyssey one called "Mozart the last Six Symphonies", maybe you will change your mind once hear that. It's Out of Print, and seldom does it show up on ebay, but you could still get it from other means, bittorent, or eMule both works.
Incidentall I DID run across the 2 CD set on CBS Odyssey of Walter conducting the final 6 symphonies of Mozart not long after I made the above post and yes they are excellent. In fact drastically different from the first cd I had which I disliked. Then again I sold that single cd and if my memory was playing tricks on me I will never find out now for sure.
His Brahms is pretty good, lot of energy but not driven. Too bad the orchestra isn't great. The flute and horn playing are substandard all around. The fluffy, breathy flute is especially alarming. I think Vienna still owns this music. Here are the other complete Brahms cycles I have (well the ones I remember anyway):
Boehm/WP
Sanderling/SD
Solti/Chicago
Chailly/RCO
Harnoncourt/BP
Karajan/BP (analog 1970s)
and I think I prefer the Boehm by a wide margin just for the sheer finess and power of the playing.
Quote from: jwinter on December 11, 2007, 11:11:11 AM
On a personal note... as I was ripping my MP3s, I noticed that my disc with the Columbia Beethoven 3 & 8 has some sort of defect, which renders the 8th pretty much unlistenable. If anybody happens to have a copy or high quality MP3 of the 8th that they'd be willing to share, kindly shoot me a PM -- I have oodles of Beethoven in my collection, & I'd be happy to share the wealth. :)
My friend has an original copy of this. E-mail on GMG mail. Thanks - RF
Quote from: PerfectWagnerite on March 06, 2008, 12:58:38 PM
and I think I prefer the Boehm by a wide margin just for the sheer finess and power of the playing.
Interestingly, Boehm in his autobiography said that Bruno Walter made HIM love Mozart more, maybe Boehm was just being modest, or maybe there is some truth to that.
Bruno Walter was, to me, the greatest interpreter of Mozart. No matter the aesthetic changes, his version of Mozart last 6 Symphonies (with the New York Philharmonic), the 3rd and 4th violin concertos with Francescatti, remain unique.
Regarding Beethoven I am not so enthusiastic, but he recorded the best 4th, and very good 5th and 6th (all with the Columbia Orchestra).
Other great recordings:
Schubert's 9th Symphony with Columbia
Brahms 2nd, 3rd and 4th Symphonies with Columbia and a sublime version of the Schicksalslied.
Mahler's Kindertotenlieder and Das Lied von der Erde with Ferrier and the 4th Symphony with the VPO and Irmgard Seefried. His versions of the First, 2nd and 9th Symphonies are good but not as excepcional as the 4th.
Last but not least, his extraordinary version of the first Act of Die Walküre, with Lotte Lehmann and Melchior.
I never liked much his recordings of Haydn (102 in special) or Bruckner (7 and 9).
(http://www.mdt.co.uk/public/pictures/products/standard/UAR019.jpg)
Re the discussion on availability of Walter in Beethoven. Anybody aware of this?
(http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B000002A8A.01.MZZZZZZZ.jpg)
Anyone know if this is any good? It's Dvorak 8 with Colombia, btw.
Quote from: Perfect FIFTH on March 08, 2008, 09:47:32 PM
(http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B000002A8A.01.MZZZZZZZ.jpg)
Anyone know if this is any good? It's Dvorak 8 with Colombia, btw.
any good? Duh, it's great! i love that recording, I like Bruno Walter's Columbia recordings in general, they are preserved with excellent sound, and the playing is top quality.
Quote from: erato on March 08, 2008, 01:35:50 AM
(http://www.mdt.co.uk/public/pictures/products/standard/UAR019.jpg)
Re the discussion on availability of Walter in Beethoven. Anybody aware of this?
Yes, I succumbed a while ago to the temptation of yet another LvB cycle...
It's good, it's surprisingly
fierce, it's almost like another conductor compared to his later cycle.
It sounds very Viennese in style, very much in the Weingartner and Erich Kleiber mould: meticulous, driven, searching. For anyone familiar with his prewar recordings this will sound familiar.
He does overegg the pudding now and then, with climaxes collapsing, and Walter never seems able to get the 9th right. Despite these (minor) downpoints, I much prefer it to his later cycle and would not part from it. Sounds is OK but on the primitive side as far as the early '40s is concerned (rec. from 1942 - 1952). Remasterings/transfers are really excellent - original source quality.
Q
Quote from: Que on March 08, 2008, 10:38:17 PM
It's good, it's surprisingly fierce, it's almost like another conductor compared to his later cycle.
It sounds very Viennese in style, very much in the Weingartner and Erich Kleiber mould: meticulous, driven, searching. For anyone familiar with his prewar recordings this will sound familiar.
Walter's per-war ferocity can be heard even in not so well restroed recordings - I have the 1942 Met broadcast recording of him doing Don G with Ezio Pinza, Alexander Kipnis et al (on Naxos at a giveaway price). There is so much more flair and drive (comparable to the current HIP's) he does sound like a different conductor from the one most people associate with the "Columbia SO" recordings.
Quote from: fl.traverso on March 08, 2008, 11:16:35 PM
Walter's per-war ferocity can be heard even in not so well restroed recordings - I have the 1942 Met broadcast recording of him doing Don G with Ezio Pinza, Alexander Kipnis et al (on Naxos at a giveaway price). There is so much more flair and drive (comparable to the current HIP's) he does sound like a different conductor from the one most people associate with the "Columbia SO" recordings.
I have that as well - a stunning Don Giovanni!
Indeed, HIP
avant la lettre.
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41BZAQMV4PL._AA240_.jpg)
Q
For those interested in prewar Bruno Walter, I'd like to point out that Japanes Opus Kura has issued quite a few of them:
(http://cover6.cduniverse.com/MuzeAudioArt/Large/75/465375.jpg) (http://cover6.cduniverse.com/MuzeAudioArt/Large/23/481023.jpg)
(http://cover6.cduniverse.com/MuzeAudioArt/Large/49/462449.jpg)(http://cover6.cduniverse.com/MuzeAudioArt/Large/34/497634.jpg)
(http://cover6.cduniverse.com/MuzeAudioArt/Large/26/531526.jpg) (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51KTW9M3SHL._SS500_.jpg)
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51NAHBSJxNL._SS500_.jpg) (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/515ZF66B6PL._SS500_.jpg)
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51zV5mskhzL._SS500_.jpg)
Q
Quote from: Que on March 09, 2008, 12:17:41 AM
For those interested in prewar Bruno Walter, I'd like to point out that Japanes Opus Kura has issued quite a few of them.
Any general comments on the quality of the transfers?
Quote from: Daverz on March 09, 2008, 01:02:50 AM
Any general comments on the quality of the transfers?
I don't have any of these particular issues, but based on several other Opus Kura issues I think you can expect
very fine transfers with a purist approach: very little filtering and full blown, immediate sound. Transfers tend to have "body" at the lower end (unlike Pearl, for instance), some would say "bottom-heavy" but it sounds very realistic to me. Personally I consider Opus Kura one of the best in the historical recordings field.
Check the samples on the Opus Kura site
HERE (http://www.opuskura.com/cat_orchestral_e.htm).
Q
Bumping this thread with a re-post: :)
Quote from: Que on May 20, 2008, 10:14:29 AM
(http://mahler.nayes.net/discimages/walter147.jpg)
Brahms : Schicksalslied, op. 54 (Live 22.X.1947)
Mahler : Symphony No 1 (Live 16.X.1947)
Concertgebouw Orchestra, Toonkunstkoor Amsterdam
Unfortunately the quality of the recording is a major obstacle in appreciating the Brahms' Schiksalslied: the choir sounds murky and very distant. This work really needs a recording in which one can clearly distinguish the different lines in the chorus.
BUT Mahler's 1st is a different story altogether. Here Tahra mentions the use of the original tape in the radio archives of the Dutch broadcasting society AVRO - probably quite familiar to you. And it shows, or rather sounds... :) A fair amount of hiss, but apart from that excellent (for 1947), detailed and very immediate sound. And the performance is real Concertgebouw: intense, yet mellow and intimate. And Bruno Walter was clearly inspired that evening - as was the orchestra. Gorgeous! :)
Interestingly the booklet indicates that in both works Walter used Mengelberg's scores and followed his notations. Which is of course an excellent idea for the Mahler, but perhaps not such a good idea for Brahms... 8)
Q
My favourite recordings by Bruno Walter are:
Bruckner Symphony 9
Mahler Symphony 5 and Symphony 9
Samuel Barber Symphony 1
Walter's Sym 4 & 6 are simply very lovely. 6 is probably one of the top versions to set aside from Bohm/VPO. How are the others like?
The fifth is warm and glowing, but tired sounding in the finale. A less than triumphant achevement, I'd say. The first movement is without repeat (I don't mind), and boasts that special Sony Columbia Symphony sound that was so satisfying: lots of bass, excellent dynamic range and plenty of air around the orchestra. Strings sound a bit fuzzy, though. Still, it has a lot going for it, if only as a supplement to more driven, rythmically sharp readings.
I agree with your assessment of 4 and 6. I haven't heard the others.
Quote from: MichaelRabin on December 06, 2009, 03:24:01 AM
Walter's Sym 4 & 6 are simply very lovely. 6 is probably one of the top versions to set aside from Bohm/VPO. How are the others like?
I have heard all of them (the Columbia Symphony Orchestra set), and though it was many years ago, I remember them as - yes, lovely and warm and generally transparent with especially well focused winds. Well, maybe a little loose in the musical structure. I have considered a purchase, but the set is expensive and difficult to get hold of in Europe. The set is IMO far superior to the VPO / Böhm set, which´s greatest virtue is military precision.
Quote from: MichaelRabin on December 06, 2009, 03:24:01 AM
Walter's Sym 4 & 6 are simply very lovely. 6 is probably one of the top versions to set aside from Bohm/VPO. How are the others like?
The Walter LvB cycle with the Columbia SO is excellent with one caveat (more of that later). Numbers 4 & 6 are the pick of the cycle with the Pastoral being the best ever performance of this work IMO.
Now for the caveat - the 9th. It all goes very nicely until the 4th movement when the soloist enters. You immediately cringe as the bass utters 'O Freunde' and it deteriorates from there. You'd be much better off getting his earlier performance with the NYPO. It has a lot more drive and energy, far superior soloists and an excellent chorus. In fact, the 4th and 6th excepted, his cycle with the NYPO, although it's in mono, is a better set overall. However, the stereo set is also a top recommendation. So can I recommend that you get 1 - 8 in stereo and get this for the ninth
(http://www.musicandarts.com/CDpages/CD1155.jpg)
The 6th by Walter is my favorite rendition of all time, bar none. No, not even Bohm/VPO, good as that is.
The 4th doesn't surpass, say, Monteux/LSO or a few live items (including a couple of Carlos Kleiber's) but it's definitely in the top tier with them.
If you already have these, and you should, you have the cream of Walter's Beethoven symphonies IMO.
The rest of the Walter cycle never appealed to me that much. The Eroica has features I like very much but still ends up being far from my fave. I think Lilas's analysis of the 5th is quite on target. The 7th is similarly a mixed bag, and overall not a winner; to my ears, it plods when it should dance. The 8th, too, is too slow for me...give me Szell from the same period or (best of all?) Scherchen for that piece. It's been far too long since I've heard the 1st and 2nd to provide an accurate account, though I recall them as being pleasant if without a "wow" factor (which you CAN hear in the 2nd by Reiner/Pittsburgh mono or Scherchen again). But I definitely warn you away from the 9th, which I have always found most disappointing.
Remember, these are my opinions only. I'm not saying to avoid hearing Walter, but if you're planning an outlay of serious bucks, listen BEFORE committing.
Cheers,
Dirk
P.S. Just read Holden's post and his comment about the alternative 9th is, I think, quite a good one.
Thanks guys for your replies (and esp. Holden's help on more ways than 1). Cheers again.
Just rec a great Sym 5 & 6 BPO Maazel on Australian Eloquence. Though Maazel's 6 is very good, it doesn't beat the 6 on Sony (Bruno Walter's)
Quote from: dirkronk on December 06, 2009, 12:22:56 PM
The 6th by Walter is my favorite rendition of all time, bar none. No, not even Bohm/VPO, good as that is.
The 4th doesn't surpass, say, Monteux/LSO or a few live items (including a couple of Carlos Kleiber's) but it's definitely in the top tier with them.
The rest of the Walter cycle never appealed to me that much. The Eroica has features I like very much but still ends up being far from my fave. I think Lilas's analysis of the 5th is quite on target. The 7th is similarly a mixed bag, and overall not a winner; to my ears, it plods when it should dance. The 8th, too, is too slow for me...give me Szell from the same period or (best of all?) Scherchen for that piece. It's been far too long since I've heard the 1st and 2nd to provide an accurate account, though I recall them as being pleasant if without a "wow" factor (which you CAN hear in the 2nd by Reiner/Pittsburgh mono or Scherchen again). But I definitely warn you away from the 9th, which I have always found most disappointing.
P.S. Just read Holden's post and his comment about the alternative 9th is, I think, quite a good one.
Very interesting comments and comparisons. Thank you.
I was also curious if anyone compared Walter vs Walter - this more well Known Columbia-Sony set vs the New York/Philadelphia (Music &Arts / ...).
And particularly for the others Walter's 6ths - Vienna 1936 and Philadelphia 1946 - how do you compare them with the famous Columbia reading.
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51-J%2ByMYFBL._SL500_AA240_.jpg) (http://www.musicandarts.com/CDpages/CD1137.jpg) (http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/t_200/naxos8111032.jpg)
I've heard a few of them (4, 7 and 8 IIRC) and, like Klemperer's, it's a strange feeling. Objectively, I consider the earlier recordings of both to be much closer to the beethovenian ethos. But then, I feel like I've just discovered my grandparents are still sexually active... Somehow, the drive and agitation don't sem to derive from the right motivations...
Now, just imagine a 1940s-1950s concertgoer listening to 1960s Walter or Klemperer discs... zzzzz.... Your parents can disappoint you as much as your children will...so, in answer to your question: don't ask the question: enjoy what there is to be enjoyed ;)
Quote from: Lilas Pastia on December 09, 2009, 05:08:12 PM
I've heard a few of them (4, 7 and 8 IIRC) and, like Klemperer's, it's a strange feeling. Objectively, I consider the earlier recordings of both to be much closer to the beethovenian ethos. But then, I feel like I've just discovered my grandparents are still sexually active... Somehow, the drive and agitation don't sem to derive from the right motivations...
(http://spiffybaby.com/resources/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/slow-grandparents-sign-300x300.jpg) (http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb-media/91/67491-004-AD56C201.jpg)(http://content.answers.com/main/content/img/amg/pop_artists/DRP500/P558/P55864YRRFV.jpg)
;D
You got it, ccar !
When I was younger (say, the 1970s, :P), Walter and Klemperer were geriatric figures. It was all about Karajan. The HIP crowd had not been venturing into Beethoven yet... I was not even aware there was a HIP movement.... - let alone a crowd... ;)
Quote from: ccar on December 09, 2009, 04:51:58 PM
Very interesting comments and comparisons. Thank you.
I was also curious if anyone compared Walter vs Walter - this more well Known Columbia-Sony set vs the New York/Philadelphia (Music &Arts / ...).
And particularly for the others Walter's 6ths - Vienna 1936 and Philadelphia 1946 - how do you compare them with the famous Columbia reading.
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51-J%2ByMYFBL._SL500_AA240_.jpg) (http://www.musicandarts.com/CDpages/CD1137.jpg) (http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/t_200/naxos8111032.jpg)
Your post has prompted me to pull out the Philadelphia 6th and give it a good listen. Like Dirk, I consider the stereo 6th peerless with the Cluytens BPO coming in a close second. I'll report back after my listening session.
Walter recorded the best 4th Symphony I know, warm, dynamic, with a sublime phrasing in the Adagio. The 6th is also exceptional but there I prefer Furtwängler (VPO, 1952). Another great moment is the 5th.
But I didn't like much the 2nd, 3rd and 7th. Walter seems lost in details, not in the global movement, at least compared with Monteux (2nd), Toscanini or Reiner (3rd), Monteux (7th).
Quote from: val on December 09, 2009, 11:36:46 PM
Walter recorded the best 4th Symphony I know, warm, dynamic, with a sublime phrasing in the Adagio.
Prompted to relisten and to compare some of the Beethoven symphonies by Bruno Walter, I was again seduced by the constant singing flow of his phrasing. A very different approach from Furtwangler where the changing pulse, hesitation and drama are usually much more present.
This singing character was commented by Bruno Walter himself in an old interview - and I can't resist to transcribe some of his illuminating words:
... " All music is opera" ... "All music is singing" ...
" The ideal is to make the orchestra play like singers. Singing is the fundamental of making music - and if this had been recognized by everyone there would have been fewer aberrations. To sing is the most natural way of making music, and it is as old as mankind.
This was one of the things that made the Vienna Philharmonic such a great orchestra. Every evening they sat in the pit and heard singers - very often, very good singers - and it influenced their playing. ...
... My very first experience as a boy - I accompanied singers, lieder recitals. There you learn that you have to take breath - and breath-taking is the enemy of precision. This idea of precision in orchestral playing is very recent. It was a necessary reaction to a certain lackadaisical way of attacking tasks, and Toscanini in forwarding it did a wonderful service. But now precision has become an ideal, which is wrong.
Music must breathe. You must get used to that, and make allowances. It gives life to the singing. "
I am more and more tempted to pick up the last Walter Beethoven 6th, on account of this thread.
From the other two, though I've a while to sample either, I remember finding the 1936 more persuasive. As is the case in general with Walter's recordings, for me; the earlier, the better (cf. his Brahms, as well).
I am inclined to think that Bruno Walter's Sym 6 Sony is the "best" there is out there. Also, I love his Brahms Sym 3 Sony as well. In fact, I don't like Brahms 3 at all - except when Walter conducts it.
Quote from: MichaelRabin on December 10, 2009, 06:07:46 AM
I am inclined to think that Bruno Walter's Sym 6 Sony is the "best" there is out there. Also, I love his Brahms Sym 3 Sony as well. In fact, I don't like Brahms 3 at all - except when Walter conducts it.
Have you heard his 1935 (IIRC - could be '36 or '37) version with the Vienna Philharmonic?
I have it on Andante, and could make a case for it being the best Brahms 3rd I've heard in terms of reading. Melodic and heart-on-sleeve like the Columbia version, but also
powerful, even more than with the New York Philharmonic.
No - I didn't invest in many Brahms Sym 3 CDs. Sorry!
Quote from: MichaelRabin on December 10, 2009, 01:00:50 PM
No - I didn't invest in many Brahms Sym 3 CDs. Sorry!
Nothing to apologise for. :D
Besides, I have a particular obsession with Brahms' 3rd.
Quote from: Renfield on December 10, 2009, 06:36:25 AM
Have you heard his 1935 (IIRC - could be '36 or '37) version with the Vienna Philharmonic?
I have it on Andante, and could make a case for it being the best Brahms 3rd I've heard in terms of reading. Melodic and heart-on-sleeve like the Columbia version, but also powerful, even more than with the New York Philharmonic.
You've got me salivating, Renfield. While Walter's ColSO Brahms cycle isn't exactly chopped liver, I've long held that his NY Brahms 2nd from c. 1953 is one of the best I've heard, and the 3rd from that cycle is pretty darn good, too. But now it sounds like his Vienna version may be better still. I do have a Brahms 1st from sometime in the 1930s, which I haven't listened to in ages, but apparently I need to start tracking down that 3rd...
Dirk
Not wanting to disrupt the thread's focus, but I'll give another thumbs up to Walter's stereo Brahms 3rd. Along with the Double Concerto, the Schumann PC (Istomin) and the Beethoven 6th already discussed, I find them to be on a very, very high plane in these work's discography.
I'ts been too long since I heard the stereo CSO Mozart symphonies, but the earlier NYP versions are splendid.
Quote from: jwinter on December 11, 2007, 11:11:11 AM
Thanks to everyone for the recommendations! I've been having a fine time revisiting some of Walter's recordings this week -- I may dial up the Dvorak tonight.
On a personal note... as I was ripping my MP3s, I noticed that my disc with the Columbia Beethoven 3 & 8 has some sort of defect, which renders the 8th pretty much unlistenable. If anybody happens to have a copy or high quality MP3 of the 8th that they'd be willing to share, kindly shoot me a PM -- I have oodles of Beethoven in my collection, & I'd be happy to share the wealth. :)
Have you found a good copy of this yet?
Quote from: jwinter on July 09, 2012, 07:22:47 AM
[asin]B0056K4VRM[/asin]
I have Bruno Walter's older New York Mozart from the old Bruno Walter Edition CDs, but not the Columbia remakes...
I have been looking to get one of the Bruno Walter's sets but only want a stereo set. Any suggestion?
Quote from: Coopmv on
Today at 01:49:24 PM (http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php?topic=13.msg642621#msg642621)
I have been looking to get one of the Bruno Walter's sets but only want a stereo set. Any suggestion?
For Mozart, you mean? So far as I can tell, this one is with the Columbia SO, which is stereo (other than the Requiem, which is rather old and mono). It's still flying here via the post, so I can't make any definite comments just yet.
The Mozart in the Bruno Walter edition single CDs is a mixture of Columbia stereo & mono recordings from New York. I didn't have the Columbia versions of the late symphonies, nor the Violin concerti, so I pulled the trigger on this box.
If you mean Bruno Walter in general, the new Mahler box from the same series would be a good choice (I have the earlier & much more expensive Mahler + Bruckner + Wagner Original Jackets set, which I would certainly recommend if you have the $$$). Walter's stereo Beethoven, Schubert, and especially his Brahms are excellent and well worth acquiring, although I don't know if they're available in a box. Walter's Columbia Brahms symphonies are some of the best I've ever heard.
Quote from: Annie on July 09, 2012, 10:26:03 AM
if you mean mozart, i'd recommend this one:
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51AB1N8J84L._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
For the record, I think those recordings are all included in the newer set referenced above (although not the rehearsal extract, alas...)
Quote from: jwinter on July 09, 2012, 10:41:39 AM
For the record, I think those recordings are all included in the newer set referenced above (although not the rehearsal extract, alas...)
yes, but not remastered versions... No 36 is mono by the way
Quote from: jwinter on July 09, 2012, 10:11:46 AM
Quote from: Coopmv on Today at 01:49:24 PM (http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php?topic=13.msg642621#msg642621) I have been looking to get one of the Bruno Walter's sets but only want a stereo set. Any suggestion?
For Mozart, you mean? So far as I can tell, this one is with the Columbia SO, which is stereo (other than the Requiem, which is rather old and mono). It's still flying here via the post, so I can't make any definite comments just yet.
The Mozart in the Bruno Walter edition single CDs is a mixture of Columbia stereo & mono recordings from New York. I didn't have the Columbia versions of the late symphonies, nor the Violin concerti, so I pulled the trigger on this box.
If you mean Bruno Walter in general, the new Mahler box from the same series would be a good choice (I have the earlier & much more expensive Mahler + Bruckner + Wagner Original Jackets set, which I would certainly recommend if you have the $$$). Walter's stereo Beethoven, Schubert, and especially his Brahms are excellent and well worth acquiring, although I don't know if they're available in a box. Walter's Columbia Brahms symphonies are some of the best I've ever heard.
I am just looking for Bruno Walter in general. While I have no problems with piano performance in monaural sound - have many historical recordings by Schnabel, Cortot and Moiseiwitsch, etc., I am no big fan of orchestral music in mono, which almost invariably sounds thin. I will skip the original jackets set, as I am not prepared to shell out hundreds of dollars for a conductor that I am not too familiar with. A reasonably priced box or two will do it for me.
I honestly can't think of anything that I'd recommend more highly than this. Superb in every way:
(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000002A7Z.01.L.jpg)
Ah, and thanks for adding this to the old thread, o mysterious movers of the universe! ;D
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51FQE2AZFXL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
Without looking through this thread, how is this?
Quote from: Bogey on July 11, 2012, 01:36:36 PM
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51FQE2AZFXL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
Without looking through this thread, how is this?
Still probably my favorite First. The Second is pretty nifty, too, though not in the Bernstein III category.
Quote from: Bogey on July 11, 2012, 01:36:36 PM
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51FQE2AZFXL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
Without looking through this thread, how is this?
Superb all the way, my favorite 1st and this recording made me appreciate the 2nd. Bernstein didn't ...
A fantastic First. Doesn't get more natural and more nature-sounding than this. Very good sound. The Second is not earth-shaking, but rather earth (and Heaven) embracing. The Columbia Symphony 9th is my current favourite among the couple dozen versions on my shelves.
I bought these Walter boxes (Mahler and Mozart) and wish that more is coming: the Beethoven symphonies + violin concerto and triple concerto, the Bruckner symphonies and Te Deum and all the Romantic music he also did in his indian Summer: Wagner, Schumann, Dvorak, Schubert...
Quote from: Annie on July 09, 2012, 10:50:26 AM
yes, but not remastered versions... No 36 is mono by the way
FYI, I just received my set today, and 36 is marked as stereo (ie there's no asterisk * next to it denoting that it's mono), recorded 1960. I haven't had a chance to play it yet to verify either way. Did he record it more than once with the Columbia SO?
Quote from: jwinter on July 12, 2012, 04:55:44 AM
FYI, I just received my set today, and 36 is marked as stereo (ie there's no asterisk * next to it denoting that it's mono), recorded 1960. I haven't had a chance to play it yet to verify either way. Did he record it more than once with the Columbia SO?
Yes, in 1955...
http://www.virtuosochannel.com/2012/05/bruno-walter-mozart-symphony-36-linz.html
Quote from: Que on March 08, 2008, 10:38:17 PM
Yes, I succumbed a while ago to the temptation of yet another LvB cycle...
It's good, it's surprisingly fierce, it's almost like another conductor compared to his later cycle.
It sounds very Viennese in style, very much in the Weingartner and Erich Kleiber mould: meticulous, driven, searching. For anyone familiar with his prewar recordings this will sound familiar.
He does overegg the pudding now and then, with climaxes collapsing, and Walter never seems able to get the 9th right. Despite these (minor) downpoints, I much prefer it to his later cycle and would not part from it. Sounds is OK but on the primitive side as far as the early '40s is concerned (rec. from 1942 - 1952). Remasterings/transfers are really excellent - original source quality.
Q
Hi
Que!
Is your post referring to the 6CD United Archives set?
Quote from: George on April 01, 2015, 10:13:06 PM
Hi Que!
Is your post referring to the 6CD United Archives set?
Wow, that is a blast from the past! :o :D But yes, it is the United Archives issue and I would still count it as one my favourite Beethoven cycles (toghether with Jochum/RCO, Kletzki, Immerseel).
[asin]B005HO1WG0[/asin]
Q
One last bump of the old thread, in anticipation of the upcoming box. Anyone else planning to pick it up? Does anyone have any favorite Walter recordings that they've been enjoying of late?
[asin]B07MWXGCWL[/asin]
Also in anticipation of the box, I recently ordered a used copy of this. Has anyone read it? I've also considered picking up his book on Mahler...
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41WcsYlnBzL.jpg)
Quote from: j winter on October 25, 2019, 10:47:32 AM
One last bump of the old thread, in anticipation of the upcoming box. Anyone else planning to pick it up? Does anyone have any favorite Walter recordings that they've been enjoying of late?
[asin]B07MWXGCWL[/asin]
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41I%2BkcErDyL.jpg)
I have this set, which I feel more than covers my Walter needs. Don't get me wrong, I love the conductors work, but shelf space is at a premium and I am pretty much done re-buying stuff I already own.
I haven't listened to it in quite awhile, so thanks for the prompting. My faves are his LvB 6th and his Mozart symphony recordings.
Love his Mozart and Brahms. Getting this set will be contingent on what other people are saying about the transfers. They've mucked them up in the past.
I have all the Bruno Walter I need. I only listen to his Bruckner 7, Beethoven 4 & 6 and Die Walkure Act I. I have never been a fan of his Mahler, no matter how authentic/idiomatic/authoritative it is supposed to be.
Quote from: George on October 25, 2019, 01:21:11 PM
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41I%2BkcErDyL.jpg)
I have this set, which I feel more than covers my Walter needs. Don't get me wrong, I love the conductors work, but shelf space is at a premium and I am pretty much done re-buying stuff I already own.
I haven't listened to it in quite awhile, so thanks for the prompting. My faves are his LvB 6th and his Mozart symphony recordings.
That's the one I have. When I bought it it replaced 3 Sony white boxes (Mahler, Mozart, Brahms) and various odds and ends. I just felt I needed as much of his late conducting as possible. For my taste he epitomizes generosity of spirit and bigheartedness, qualities entirely different from those brought by Szell, Dorati, Toscanini, Solti, etc. who favour drive, incisiveness and faithfulness to the letter of the score. His music making is solar (warming) and brings a different perspective. Among works where he has not been excelled (IMO of course), I count Beethoven 6, Brahms 3 and Double concerto, as well as his Stereo Mahler 9. Very close to that level: his Mozart late symphonies, Bruckner 9, Dvorak 8 and 9, Schumann PC, Mahler 1 and 2, Brahms 4...
Quote from: j winter on October 25, 2019, 11:06:42 AM
Also in anticipation of the box, I recently ordered a used copy of this. Has anyone read it? I've also considered picking up his book on Mahler...
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41WcsYlnBzL.jpg)
That looks quite interesting, J Winter! 8)
I can see you cuddled up with your book while binge listening to the Walter box!!
Quote from: Moonfish on October 26, 2019, 02:30:35 PM
That looks quite interesting, J Winter! 8)
I can see you cuddled up with your book while binge listening to the Walter box!!
That's the plan! ;)
Considering this as a suppliment to the big box... the only thing I have from this is the famous 1938 Mahler 9, though in a different non-EMI mastering. Has anyone heard this set?
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71ikNY7fyZL._SX522_.jpg)
Quote from: André on October 26, 2019, 07:39:07 AM
That's the one I have. When I bought it it replaced 3 Sony white boxes (Mahler, Mozart, Brahms) and various odds and ends. I just felt I needed as much of his late conducting as possible. For my taste he epitomizes generosity of spirit and bigheartedness, qualities entirely different from those brought by Szell, Dorati, Toscanini, Solti, etc. who favour drive, incisiveness and faithfulness to the letter of the score. His music making is solar (warming) and brings a different perspective. Among works where he has not been excelled (IMO of course), I count Beethoven 6, Brahms 3 and Double concerto, as well as his Stereo Mahler 9. Very close to that level: his Mozart late symphonies, Bruckner 9, Dvorak 8 and 9, Schumann PC, Mahler 1 and 2, Brahms 4...
Well said, I concur with pretty much all of that. I did not pick up the last Walter set that you and George have, and am missing quite a lot of his earlier New York recordings, which is why the new box has much appeal. I'm also interested because I do have the Szell Columbia recordings box, which looks to be in the same format as the new set -- that's an outstanding set, so if this one is of as high a quality, I'll be a happy boy :)
Quote from: j winter on October 25, 2019, 11:06:42 AM
Also in anticipation of the box, I recently ordered a used copy of this. Has anyone read it? I've also considered picking up his book on Mahler...
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41WcsYlnBzL.jpg)
I just stumbled on this thread and am, indeed reading this book right now. I'm about a quarter of the way into it. The writing and research are solid, a bit better than average for this type of book, but that is the best I can say. The author refers to thousands of Walter letters, but he still never really brings the subject to life--he always stays at a respectful, academic distance.
Quote from: Biffo on October 26, 2019, 02:55:24 AM
I have all the Bruno Walter I need. I only listen to his Bruckner 7, Beethoven 4 & 6 and Die Walkure Act I. I have never been a fan of his Mahler, no matter how authentic/idiomatic/authoritative it is supposed to be.
I've been listening to the new remasters via Qobuz, and I have to say that I really like Walter's Mahler 2nd. I think Walter understands something about this work that some other conductors might be a bit embarrassed by or simply out of tune with, and that's a certain kind of religious sentiment that Walter and Mahler would have shared (but then how can this crusty old atheist recognize that, hmmmm.).
Quote from: Daverz on November 15, 2019, 04:13:38 AM
I've been listening to the new remasters via Qobuz, and I have to say that I really like Walter's Mahler 2nd. I think Walter understands something about this work that some other conductors might be a bit embarrassed by or simply out of tune with, and that's a certain kind of religious sentiment that Walter and Mahler would have shared (but then how can this crusty old atheist recognize that, hmmmm.).
Good point.