I once heard Tennstedt in concert and was impressed, but not enough to seriously investigate his recordings. Later, a friend provided me with copies of a number of his Mahler symphonies (1,2,3,4,5,9 and 10) and I enjoyed my first pass through these, but am just now pulling them out to listen afresh. What else by this conductor would you consider an absolute must-hear?
Thanks again to everyone. I hope this series is fun for you--it's certainly eye-opening for me.
;)
Dirk
Hey Dirk...Paul here,
Hope you're doing well.
Here are a few to start with:
Beethoven symphonies (live cycle) on Memories (at Berkshire)
Bruckner 4, 7, & 8 on LPO
Mahler 1 & 8 on DVD (EMI)
Beethoven 9 on BBC
His Bruckner 8 broadcast with the BSO is just... wow. A white heat of the moment performance. I think it was eventually issued on CD by one label, but the original broadcast sounds good enough (without need for "remastering") to have been distributed on Operashare etc. I don't have the files atm, but perhaps somebody else does?
Quote from: Lethe on July 17, 2008, 04:33:21 PM
His Bruckner 8 broadcast with the BSO is just... wow. A white heat of the moment performance. I think it was eventually issued on CD by one label, but the original broadcast sounds good enough (without need for "remastering") to have been distributed on Operashare etc. I don't have the files atm, but perhaps somebody else does?
Do you remember the date on that telecast? I probably have a good copy...
Quote from: Lethe on July 17, 2008, 04:33:21 PM
His Bruckner 8 broadcast with the BSO is just... wow. A white heat of the moment performance. I think it was eventually issued on CD by one label, but the original broadcast sounds good enough (without need for "remastering") to have been distributed on Operashare etc. I don't have the files atm, but perhaps somebody else does?
OK, I found it...Bruckner 8/Tennstedt with the BSO was on December 20, 1974. That's the only one listed on Berky's website.
Do you restrict recommendations to things currently in print? If not, the live EMI CSO Mahler 1st is a must, in my view. As are his studio recording, and especially his live video recording of Mahler's 8th, both happily still available from EMI (the latter on DVD, of course*). :D
* And coupled with the video version of the CSO Mahler 1st I just recommended, if I'm not mistaken. That is to say, it is a CSO Mahler first, but I'm not entirely sure it is the exact same performance.
Beyond those, there's the eye/ear-opening Mahler 7th on BBC Legends, coupled with an unexpectedly brilliant (big-band) Mozart 41st:
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51tkC9pPg5L._SL500_AA240_.jpg)
And also a stunning, in my opinion, live (very live) Beethoven 9th, again on BBC Legends:
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31JEGG0JJ8L._SL500_AA240_.jpg)
Additionally, there is a live Mahler 5th and 6th from his later years with the London Philharmonic that some people seem to swear by (I have the 5th, but I wouldn't rank it all that highly), and of course the rest of his studio Mahler cycle, which I highly recommend. :)
Re Bruckner, I've never heard any under Tennstedt. But he was an extraordinary enough musician that I wouldn't be surprised if he could cook something great up with Bruckner's music, too. 8)
(Although I'd be surprised if it was anything but highly individual in approach, Tennstedt being who he was! ;))
Quote from: Renfield on July 17, 2008, 05:35:19 PM
And also a stunning, in my opinion, live (very live) Beethoven 9th, again on BBC Legends:
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31JEGG0JJ8L._SL500_AA240_.jpg)
That's an exceptional performance but I would caution that the sound is very reverberant and borders on execrable. Tennstedt gives it a good ride, though, and his energy is contagious, which more than justifies BBC Legend's decision to release this particular performance. If only all music-making were this good.
So, just a heads up.
Oh, what the heck. I've only got...what? maybe 40 or so Beethoven 9ths? Not counting the 18 or 20 I culled years ago. I guess I could always do with another one.
;D
Meanwhile, I managed to find that Bruckner 8 w/ BSO on Operashare. Thanks for the heads-up, Lethe.
Dirk
Dirk,
The Tennstedt 9th is good, and I could even see it rising *almost* to the level of reference material - yes, it's that good - if only the sound were up to snuff. But for me high reverb is tough to stomach and ultimately is the deal breaker for me.
Quote from: donwyn on July 17, 2008, 07:45:37 PM
Dirk,
The Tennstedt 9th is good, and I could even see it rising *almost* to the level of reference material - yes, it's that good - if only the sound were up to snuff. But for me high reverb is tough to stomach and ultimately is the deal breaker for me.
This is a point. I've had a friend to whom I sent samples of the recording take the same stance, and I do suppose it comes down to how much one minds the - admittedly odd - sound.
As for the performance, I did mean it when I said "stunning", at least as far as I'm concerned. And live. 8)
Particularly since you seem to be a fellow 9th-a-holic, this is one I believe you certainly should not ignore! :)
Quote from: Renfield on July 17, 2008, 08:16:55 PM
As for the performance, I did mean it when I said "stunning", at least as far as I'm concerned. And live. 8)
Certainly
no argument there!
Of my three Mahler boxes I rank Tennstedt top, above Bertini and Bernstein (NYPO). His 7th is the best I've heard, and 6 is also interesting, brisk and quite "classical". (I mention these because you don't have these recordings from his cycle.)
Other that these, I'm not very familiar. I was unimpressed by an EMI disc with Mendelssohn 4 and Schubert 9, ditto his Prokofiev 5 and 7 on Hanssler - proficient run-throughs but not exceptional.
Quote from: dirkronk on July 17, 2008, 07:31:25 PM
Meanwhile, I managed to find that Bruckner 8 w/ BSO on Operashare. Thanks for the heads-up, Lethe.
Neat - I assumed it would've expired by now. I have an account so I'll get it and rehost it for GMG people :)
Edit:
http://rapidshare.com/files/130557872/Bruckner_8_Tennstedt.zip.001
http://rapidshare.com/files/130559802/Bruckner_8_Tennstedt.zip.002
http://www.mediafire.com/?29mymcy09mt
http://www.mediafire.com/?zbztzxq5imm
Join with HJ Split (http://www.freebyte.com/hjsplit/).
Quote from: Lethe on July 17, 2008, 09:54:37 PM
Neat - I assumed it would've expired by now. I have an account so I'll get it and rehost it for GMG people :)
Edit:
http://rapidshare.com/files/130557872/Bruckner_8_Tennstedt.zip.001
http://rapidshare.com/files/130559802/Bruckner_8_Tennstedt.zip.002
http://www.mediafire.com/?29mymcy09mt
http://www.mediafire.com/?zbztzxq5imm
Join with HJ Split (http://www.freebyte.com/hjsplit/).
Thanks for this (I got it in its earlier incarnation but it's good to see it back).
Btw, rapidshare is now accepting uploads up to 200MB. Makes a really handy difference with big works.
Quote from: edward on July 18, 2008, 04:20:29 AM
Thanks for this (I got it in its earlier incarnation but it's good to see it back).
It's also apparently a different source, that doesn't have the light static at the start.
Edit: hmm there is a bit of a swishy sound during the quiet parts which I am not sure was there last time. Wish I could remember the exact SQ of the old one to work out which was best.
Quote from: Lethe on July 17, 2008, 09:54:37 PM
Neat - I assumed it would've expired by now. I have an account so I'll get it and rehost it for GMG people :)
Edit:
http://rapidshare.com/files/130557872/Bruckner_8_Tennstedt.zip.001
http://rapidshare.com/files/130559802/Bruckner_8_Tennstedt.zip.002
http://www.mediafire.com/?29mymcy09mt
http://www.mediafire.com/?zbztzxq5imm
Join with HJ Split (http://www.freebyte.com/hjsplit/).
Thanks for posting that, Lethe!
Quote from: Lethe on July 17, 2008, 09:54:37 PM
Neat - I assumed it would've expired by now. I have an account so I'll get it and rehost it for GMG people :)
Edit:
http://rapidshare.com/files/130557872/Bruckner_8_Tennstedt.zip.001
http://rapidshare.com/files/130559802/Bruckner_8_Tennstedt.zip.002
http://www.mediafire.com/?29mymcy09mt
http://www.mediafire.com/?zbztzxq5imm
Join with HJ Split (http://www.freebyte.com/hjsplit/).
I listened this morning--love the performance. However, I sourced from the Operashare rapidshare files last night, and noticed while listening that there are some stereo channel issues in a few places (mainly channel-switching or momentary weakness/dropout) and some general quavery sound. I can't be sure that it isn't something in the download on my machine, though, so I might try sourcing from the mediafire files at a later date to see if they provide cleaner sonics. Thanks so much for posting these!
Dirk
I'll add a couple of EMI cheapies I picked up a while back -- Wagner overtures with Berlin, very nice indeed; and a coupling of Mendelssohn 4 and Schubert 9 that was strong in the Mendelssohn, good but not exceptional in the Schubert. I wouldn't say either disc is a top choice, but well worth considering at bargain price if you're curious.
Of these, I only know the Schubert 9 which I have coupled with Schumann's Konzertstück für 4 Hörner. Both are rather heavy and massive performances, but basically musically interesting, except that - man, is the sound brutally bad! This is so dry and glaring and plasticky, everything that some people say early digital (or even digital recordings in general) sound like (and I don't even remember if they were actually digitally recorded). Which is of course not generally true, but the sound here really is highly unpleasant to listen to and doesn't do the sound of the orchestra justice at all.
Incidentally, is the Bruckner 8 discussed above identical to this?
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ODTQrJXwL._SL500_AA240_.jpg)
Quote from: Renfield on July 23, 2008, 12:32:50 AM
Incidentally, is the Bruckner 8 discussed above identical to this?
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ODTQrJXwL._SL500_AA240_.jpg)
The broadcast is with the Boston SO.
Quote from: Lethe on July 23, 2008, 04:18:28 AM
The broadcast is with the Boston SO.
My face firmly ensconced within my palms, I declare myself unable to read properly, promising to remedy this without delay! $:)
(Thanks.)
Quote from: Renfield on July 23, 2008, 04:30:06 AM
My face firmly entrenched within my palms, I declare myself unable to read properly, promising to remedy this without delay.
(Thanks.)
It is interesting that the Gramophone review (to the extent that it described the music rather than generalised about Tennstedt's conducting style in Bruckner) makes it sound quite similar to the Boston 8th - not sure whether it would be worth buying the CD if the broadcast is found to be satisfying, but perhaps some site could have useful samples for checking the differences...
Quote from: Lethe on July 23, 2008, 04:33:58 AM
It is interesting that the Gramophone review (to the extent that it described the music rather than generalised about Tennstedt's conducting style in Bruckner) makes it sound quite similar to the Boston 8th - not sure whether it would be worth buying the CD if the broadcast is found to be satisfying, but perhaps some site could have useful samples for checking the differences...
If I find it in a store, I
will pick the LPO release up, Gramophone non-review (by far one of my least favourite of Osborne's in recent times, "up" there with that of Pletnev's Beethoven cycle) notwithstanding. If that is the case, I could upload samples. :)
What do you mean, "up there with that of Pletnev's Beethoven"?
Quote from: M forever on July 23, 2008, 07:58:41 AM
What do you mean, "up there with that of Pletnev's Beethoven"?
Richard Osborne's review of Pletnev's Beethoven.
I found it an example of what a good review should
not be, histrionic and pedantic.
Edit: And I am generally positive to Osborne's reviews, much more than I am to, say, Edward Greenfield's.
Interesting. I will look that up later.
Quote from: M forever on July 23, 2008, 08:38:01 AM
Interesting. I will look that up later.
See here (http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,8569.0.html), so we don't end up derailing this thread. :)
I happened to get a hold of a live Bruckner 7 with the BSO and Tennstedt recently that I found absolutely riveting, whereupon I realized that my collection has a gaping hole in the absence of any Tennstedt recordings. Do you guys have any recommendations where to start? Thanks in advance.
His Wagner seems highly thought-of on this board, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra live disc of Wagner excerpts was greeted by me, at least, with great satisfaction. He's got some Bruckner and Beethoven recordings on the LPO (live in the '80s) which I haven't heard but am sorely tempted by.
Quote from: Mensch on January 23, 2010, 07:09:00 PM
Do you guys have any recommendations where to start?
Here:
http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,29.msg358823.html#msg358823 (http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,29.msg358823.html#msg358823)