Can we do this with Mozart now? I won't start too many of these at once, but there are several others I'll start at a later date, if nobody minds.
QuoteI know this is hard for some of you to fathom, but if someone wanted a balanced, satisfying collection of Beethoven without too many multiple recordings—no more than two or three of each work—and not including unessential works, what would you recommend as a solid collection of in-print recordings? Please include any tips on accumulating them.
I'm curious to see what you come up with.
Thank you.
I'll start by suggesting this for Mozart's Serenades Nos. 10 'Gran Partita' & 12 'Nacht Musique':
(http://cover6.cduniverse.com/MuzeAudioArt/Large/74/601974.jpg)
Serenades & Divertimenti for Strings and Winds - Marriner - ASMF - Philips label (from the Complete Mozart Philips Edition)
Piano Trios - Beaux Arts Trio - Philips label
I'll be interested in seeing the recommendations for Mozart's complete string quartets, quintets. I want these in my collection soon. :)
Quote from: Mark on December 11, 2007, 04:52:41 AM
I'll start by suggesting this for Mozart's Serenades Nos. 10 'Gran Partita' & 12 'Nacht Musique':
(http://cover6.cduniverse.com/MuzeAudioArt/Large/74/601974.jpg)
Mark, isn't the Gran Partita Serenade absolutely wonderful? What a joy to listen to! :)
Quote from: ChamberNut on December 11, 2007, 04:59:49 AM
Mark, isn't the Gran Partita Serenade absolutely wonderful? What a joy to listen to! :)
It is indeed wonderful. I first heard it on the Naxos recording about five years ago, and fell in love with it from the start. Actually, it was while listening to the Romance from this work (rather appropriately) that I first realised I was in love with the woman who is now my wife. :)
Everybody go, 'Aaaaah!' ;D
Remember to post a whole collection here, please. Thanks.
Symphonies, Divertimenti & Serenades - Karajan (DG)
Piano Concertos - Casadesus
Violin Concertos - Oistrakh (EMI)
Piano Sonatas - Pires (Brilliant Classics)
Violin Sonatas - Zimmermann/Lonquich
String Quartets - Smetana Qt.
String Quintets - Talich
Thank you, Boris.
No operas? ;D
Operas
Figaro Jacobs
Don Giovanni Giulini
Cosi Fan Jacobs
Enfuhrung Bohm
Flute see it live or Marriner
Requiem hmmm I have like 20...its to hard to pick 1 2 3 even half...
Quote from: MN Dave on December 11, 2007, 07:56:31 PM
Thank you, Boris.
No operas? ;D
Figaro - Bohm DG/1968, and Jacobs
Don Giovanni - Karajan DG/1985
Cosi - Jacobs
The Jacobs "Don", not surprisingly, seems undernourished.
I prefer to make a list of performances by people who are, in the main, still alive. ::)
Solo fortepiano music - Ronald Brautigam
Fortepiano concerti - Either Bilson/Gardiner or Anima Eterna/Immerseel
Sonatas for fortepiano & violin - Rivest/Breitman
Symphonies - Academy of Ancient Music/Hogwood
Last 10 String Quartets - Quartett Mosaiques
Wind serenades and divertimenti - Soloists of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe / Harnoncourt
Horn Concerti - Tafelmusik / Ab Koster
String Quintets K 515-516 - L'Archibudelli
Complete String Quintets - Griller Quartet (actually non-HIP, but damned good!)
Le Nozze di Figaro Concerto Köln / Rene Jacobs
Violin Concertos - Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment / Huggett
String Trio K 563 / Adagios & Fugues for String Trio - L'Archibudelli
Clarinet works - L'Archibudelli/Neidich
This will do for a start, MD. Come back when you're ready for more! :)
8)
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Now playing:
Haydn Symphonies 41 - 43 Tafelmusik - Tafelmusik / Bruno Weil - Hob 01 043 Symphony #43 in Eb 2nd mvmt - Adagio
Thank you, Gurn. This thread (and the Beethoven one) is more my wanting to know what peoples' basic set is--not recommendations for me personally. But I will consider these carefully in case I get the urge to splurge.
Quote from: MN Dave on December 12, 2007, 02:29:13 PM
Thank you, Gurn. This thread (and the Beethoven one) is more my wanting to know what peoples' basic set is--not recommendations for me personally. But I will consider these carefully in case I get the urge to splurge.
Well, then my post served both purposes! It IS my basic set, and it is also a recommendation. :D
8)
----------------
Now playing:
Haydn Symphonies 45 - 47 - Tafelmusik / Bruno Weil - Hob. I: 047 Symphony in G 3rd mvmt - Menuet - Trio
Well, we have two or three Mozart collectors in this forum anyway. ;D
Quote from: MN Dave on December 12, 2007, 02:29:13 PM
Thank you, Gurn. This thread (and the Beethoven one) is more my wanting to know what peoples' basic set is--not recommendations for me personally. But I will consider these carefully in case I get the urge to splurge.
Ah...I misunderstood the reason for this thread. Now I know. I have multiple versions of all the major works and many of the minor ones, but I would consider this my basic set:
Symphonies 25-41: Szell/Cleveland and Klemperer/Philharmonia
Symphonies 1-41 (HIP): Pinnock/English Consort
Adagio and Fugue C minor K.546: Klemperer/Philharmonia
Piano Concertos: Szell/Cleveland/Casadesus
Piano Concertos (HIP): Gardiner/EB Soloists/Bilson
Violin Concertos: Mutter/LPO
Sinfonia Concertante: Szell/Cleveland/Druian/Skernick
Horn Concertos: Mackerras/Scottish CO/Ruske (I need a HIP set, any recommendations?)
Clarinet Concerto: Szell/Cleveland/Marcellus
String Quintets: Grumiaux Quintet
String Quartets: Alban Berg Quartet
Piano Sonatas: Gould, Barenboim
Violin Sonatas: Mutter/Orkis
Serenade Posthorn: Szell/Cleveland
Serenade Haffner: Weil/Tafelmusik
Serenade Gran Partita: Klemperer/London Wind
Cosi fan tutti: Lombard/Strasbourg/Te Kanawa/von Stade
Don Giovanni: Karajan/Berlin/Ramey/Battle/Baltsa
Don Giovanni (HIP): Jacobs/Freiburger Barock/Weisser/Regazzo/Sunhae Im
Le Nozze di Figaro: Solti/LPO/Ramey/von Stade/Popp
Die Zauberflöte: KlempererPhilharmonia/Popp/Janowitz/
Requiem: Harnoncourt/CMW
Mass in C minor: Neumann/Collegium Cartusian/Schlick/Pregardien
I don't consider Jacobs' Don Giovanni to be undernourished or lacking drama. He presents it as originally intended by Mozart, without the 19th century romantic baggage: as opera buffa. I think he succeeds brilliantly The Don is a spoiled brat, as sung by the very young Johannes Weisser, not a Faustian tragic hero. Mozart's original Don was also sung by a young man.
Sarge
Thanks for your contribution, Sarge. I appreciate the time you took to create it.
Also try the Don Giovanni by Arnold Östman and the Drottningholm Court Theater. t has the same virtues, highly articulated singing which emphasizes phrasing and text over "great singing". You can learn Italian by listening to this recording. I am not kidding. I did, I suddenly understood every word (based on having studied Latin in school). But the singing is great the way it is. This is an intimate and detailed drama. But when Don Giovanni goes to hell, he really does, very audibly. BTW, Hagegard as DG also sounds "young and wild", not "Faustian".
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on December 14, 2007, 09:54:23 AM
Don Giovanni: Karajan/Berlin/Ramey/Battle/Baltsa
Yougoddabekidding.
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on December 14, 2007, 09:54:23 AM
Horn Concertos: Mackerras/Scottish CO/Ruske (I need a HIP set, any recommendations?)
It's "horn concertos", not "trumpet concerts". Ruske sounds like a trumpet. For "HIP", try Koster/Tafelmusik/Weil. Koster is not as well know as he should be, he is a Dutch horn player who used to be principal of the NDR SO, a total monster (technically and musically) on both the natural and valve horn. With his NDR colleagues, he delivered the by far best reading of Schumann's Konzertstück I have ever heard in a live recording of unedited horn madness. He also made a great CD of Haydn works on the natural horn. There are also nice "HIP" recordings by Halstead/AAM/Hogwood and Baumann/CMW/Harnoncourt.
Just a few alternate suggestions.
Piano Concertos: Barenboim/BPO - As I mentioned before, this is the one set where I feel the operatic nature of Mozart's writing in his concertos comes across best. The soloist-orchestra dialogue is just marvellous. Reduced modern band, but not overly big boned.
Violin Concertos: Grumiaux/Davis/LSO - Grumiaux's Mozart is simply natural, unmannered, unforced and completely engrossing. Absolutely top-notch fiddle playing.
Horn Concertos: Vlatkovic/ECO/Tate - Among modern valve-horn performances my first choice at the moment. Vlatkovic has a wonderful tone.
Clarinet Concerto: Meyer/BPO/Abbado
Piano Sonatas: Barenboim - Same as with his PCs, Barenboim just knows how to make Mozart's lines "sing". You hear echoes of other works of Mozart and start appreciating the context of his pianistic output.
Violin Sonatas: Hahn/Zhu - Not a complete set, but a joy from beginning to end.
Serenade Haffner: Abbado/BPO or Kubelik/BRSO - Either one is great fun. The soloists of these two bands are really excellent on these two recordings.
Le Nozze di Figaro: Solti/LPO/Ramey/von Stade/Popp - Still an unsurpassed cast. And Solti maintains a tight ensemble and keeps the action flowing.
Die Zauberflöte: Solti/VPO II (Heilmann/Moll/Jo/Ziesak) - In modern sound, this is the best IMHO. Best overall cast. Abbado has the better Tamino and his direction is more atmospheric, but overall I'd still give the nod to Solti's set.
Quote from: M forever on December 14, 2007, 10:16:35 AM
Koster is not as well know as he should be, he is a Dutch horn player who used to be principal of the NDR SO, a total monster (technically and musically) on both the natural and valve horn. With his NDR colleagues, he delivered the by far best reading of Schumann's Konzertstück I have ever heard in a live recording of unedited horn madness.
Where might one find that?
Thanks, M and O.
For a modern version of the Horn Concertos, I'm partial to Barry Tuckwell's recordings with the Philharmonia.
http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=99974
If you can find one, get a copy of Philips Best of the Complete Mozart Edition, a 25 CD subset of the complete Mozart Edition. A great sampling of all genres of his output
Quote from: O Mensch on December 14, 2007, 11:20:23 AM
Where might one find that?
Here: http://tinyurl.com/yobduu
Violin Sonatas--Accardo/Canino, part of the complete Brilliant set and an absolute delight.
Quote from: M forever on December 14, 2007, 10:16:35 AM
Yougoddabekidding (reference the Karajan Don)
Not at all. I've given my reasons in the opera room...can't recall if it were here or the old forum...and I won't repeat myself now. My opinion is a minority one, I realize, but that doesn't bother me. Karajan is my favorite conductor of opera, whether Mozart, Beethoven, Wagner, Puccini, Verdi or Strauss.
Sarge
Quote from: M forever on December 14, 2007, 10:16:35 AM
For "HIP", try Koster/Tafelmusik/Weil.... There are also nice "HIP" recordings by Halstead/AAM/Hogwood and Baumann/CMW/Harnoncourt.
Thanks for the recommendations.
Sarge
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on December 15, 2007, 07:37:30 AM
Not at all. I've given my reasons in the opera room...can't recall if it were here or the old forum...and I won't repeat myself now. My opinion is a minority one, I realize, but that doesn't bother me. Karajan is my favorite conductor of opera, whether Mozart, Beethoven, Wagner, Puccini, Verdi or Strauss.
Sarge
Karajan certainly was a great opera conductor in general, no doubt about that at all. Including Mozart. Some of his earlier recordings of Mozart (operas and other genres) are great. But I have real problems with that late DG. But I wouldn't mind being pointed to whatever qualities there that I can't see. Can you point me to where you elaborated on that?
Yesterday I got the Brilliant box with Mozart String Quartets, String Quintets and the String Trio, just to get a 'new' recording of the String Quintets by the Orlando Quartet. The mature quartets are by the Frans Schubert Quartet, a Nimbus recording I already had one cd of, unimpressive; I may give it away if I find a taker.
The String Trio is HIP-ish.
However, the quintets are by an excellent ensemble, the 1989 Orlando Quartet, recorded by Robert von Bahr of BIS records. It's a lush interpretation of these pieces, and well worth the small amount I paid for the entire box.
Some of my favorite Mozart in each catagory:
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51RZ9KbO0fL._SL500_AA240_.jpg) (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51JG2VM5C2L._SL500_AA240_.jpg) (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41PHAEHN5ML._SL500_AA240_.jpg)
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41SDJYBPG6L._SL500_AA240_.jpg) (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51XhqY9VSHL._SL500_AA240_.jpg) (Viviana Sofronitzki)
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41MianFe9CL._SL500_AA240_.jpg) (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/512JBRX4SNL._SL500_AA240_.jpg)
More favorites:
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31VY0X5ENTL._SL500_AA240_.jpg) (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Ysay3t9QL._SL500_AA240_.jpg)
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31FBVWCKRKL._SL500_AA240_.jpg) (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41HKlqtjCeL._SL500_AA240_.jpg) (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Q70KM11EL._SL500_AA240_.jpg)
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41PH8F4RB7L._SL500_AA240_.jpg) (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61T8fcmcPbL._SL500_AA240_.jpg) (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/612AJYA5NML._SL500_AA240_.jpg) (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5116PnthwDL._SL500_AA280_.jpg)
I bought this a few weeks ago and I am playing it a lot.
So slow and eccentric. I had always thought of the Prague as a beautiful, elegant stylish piece of music.
Maag turns it into real tragedy.
Despite initial repulsion, the recording has started to reveal itself as very interesting; it certainly confounds all expectations.
I didn't know where to put this,... feel free to move it, mods.
Question: I thought the Quartetto Italiano's set of EarlySQs was available seperately, no?
If not, should I go for the Hagen, or what? I was really hoping the QI was available by itself (and I thought I saw it somewhere).
Quote from: Mandryka on October 17, 2009, 06:38:20 AM
I bought this a few weeks ago and I am playing it a lot.
So slow and eccentric. I had always thought of the Prague as a beautiful, elegant stylish piece of music.
Maag turns it into real tragedy.
Despite initial repulsion, the recording has started to reveal itself as very interesting; it certainly confounds all expectations.
The Maag was probably the first "Prague" I ever purchased and heard, back in its vinyl London Stereo Treasury incarnation. And because it was the first, the "eccentric approach" was what I came to expect as a norm. Go figure. Regardless, it made me a true admirer of this symphony.
I need to revisit this recording, since it has to be several years since I last heard it. Luckily, it's still on my shelves. In the meantime, my search for alternative and/or "ultimate" performances of the piece led me to Britten's recording (from Maltings...also on Decca/London; I play this one quite a bit) and those of Klemperer, Bohm, assorted other conductors. The only Walter I can recall is one from way back in the 1930s...it's been quite a while but I recall being fairly impressed. Unfortunately, Szell never recorded the Prague in studio, though somewhere I do have an air check of a live performance.
FWIW,
Dirk
Quote from: dirkronk on January 27, 2010, 09:12:57 AM
. . . my search for alternative and/or "ultimate" performances of the piece . . .
Dirk
Mackerras maybe?
KV 421, Petersen Quartet and Juilliard Quartet (1962 recording)
The Petersens play it dark and nervous and full of bad feelings. Juiliards are warm and good humoured and humane .
I much prefer the Juilliards (which, BTW, is superbly well recorded.)
I am beginning to realise that in Mozart quartets I don't want too much nervous tension.
Does that mean that really, deep down, I'm middle brow?
I usually agree with almost everything Sarge Rock posts but need to strongly advocate two classic and famous opera recordings, both with Giulini:
Figaro with Taddei, Schwartzkopf, Wachter, Moffo. This is simply a wonderful performance. Great sonics (sweet). If I had to name the best single aria performance I'd ever heard, Wachter doing the Count's angry 3rd act aria would be on the short list.
Don Giovanni with Wachter in the lead role. Again with Taddei (superb in a supporting role) & Schwartzkopf. Sutherland is (as usual) made to sing a role slightly above her range. Very beautiful, dramatic. Again, the EMI recording is great. (Why was analog discarded exactly?)
These are reference recordings for many opera fans and deservedly so. Accept no imitations.
Quote from: cosmicj on June 03, 2010, 06:38:15 PM
I usually agree with almost everything Sarge Rock posts but need to strongly advocate two classic and famous opera recordings, both with Giulini:
Figaro with Taddei, Schwartzkopf, Wachter, Moffo. This is simply a wonderful performance. Great sonics (sweet). If I had to name the best single aria performance I'd ever heard, Wachter doing the Count's angry 3rd act aria would be on the short list.
Don Giovanni with Wachter in the lead role. Again with Taddei (superb in a supporting role) & Schwartzkopf. Sutherland is (as usual) made to sing a role slightly above her range. Very beautiful, dramatic. Again, the EMI recording is great. (Why was analog discarded exactly?)
These are reference recordings for many opera fans and deservedly so. Accept no imitations.
I agree that both are wonderful recordings (largely because I am a big Schwarzkopf fan). But was Donna Anna really above Sutherland's range? I have never heard that allegation made about anything she sang (usually you just hear the complaints about her diction) --- please elaborate!
BMW - I feel that Sutherland is strained in the upper ranges of certain numbers. An example would be the first act aria "Or sai chi lonore" where she struggles I think purely because of the high range. I'm not an opera buff but that was also my reaction to her recording of Norma.