Past Purchases (CLOSED)

[Coopmv]

This year Sony-RCA reissued a lot of their back catalogue in ridiculously cheap, intelligently assembled collections of 4-14 discs, all from stereo master tapes.

Among the treasures to be had feature collections by Stokowski, Munch, Wand's Cologne  Bruckner, Beethoven and Prokofiev symphonies by Leinsdorf, Haydn by Weil and Szell, concertos by Heifetz, Van Cliburn, Fleisher, Bruno Walter conducting Mahler and Mozart, Vaughan-Williams symphonies under Slatkin, Brahms piano works and concertos by Rubinstein, bla bla bla. Well, these are the ones I purchased a few weeks ago. There are more but I am not interested in them or I have it already.

An outright and rather unexpected winner is the box of Prokofieff symphonies 2, 3, 5 and 6 + piano and violin concertos (plus Romeo And Juliet and Lieutnant Kijè excerpts) under Leinsdorf, with the BSO. I don't know what prevented them from recording the other symphonies, but in the four contained herein, there is no contest between them and other contenders such as Weller, Järvi, Martinon or Gergiev. Indeed the most surprising comparison was with Gergiev's LSO which sound uniformly blasé, sleepy, dodgy and flat in comparison. Leinsdorf's bostonians are at once alert, spicy, rythmically pungent and sonically up to Prokofieff's mélange of tartness and lyricism. Even the sound is more open and better defined. A sleeper if ever there was one.

I already shelved one of the Munch boxes and the Rubinstein Brahms (both very good but in slightly boxy sound), and have started the Haydn Weil and mammoth Stokowski compendium. I'l get back to these in due time when I'm done listening.

The whole series is highly recommended.

Leinsdorf's Beethoven Symphonies, Wand's Schubert Symphonies and Fleisher Plays Beethoven and Brahms are all very appealing to me.

[listener]

Downtown at Sikoras in their 'recycled' section
DYSON    Violin Concerto  and  Suiteafter Poems by La Fontaine
RONCALLI   6 Caprices for Spanish Guitar
SÖDERMAN   Music for the play Marsk Stigs döttrar
they do not duplicate anything already in my collection

[Dancing Divertimentian]

An outright and rather unexpected winner is the box of Prokofieff symphonies 2, 3, 5 and 6 + piano and violin concertos (plus Romeo And Juliet and Lieutnant Kijè excerpts) under Leinsdorf, with the BSO. I don't know what prevented them from recording the other symphonies, but in the four contained herein, there is no contest between them and other contenders such as Weller, Järvi, Martinon or Gergiev. Indeed the most surprising comparison was with Gergiev's LSO which sound uniformly blasé, sleepy, dodgy and flat in comparison. Leinsdorf's bostonians are at once alert, spicy, rythmically pungent and sonically up to Prokofieff's mélange of tartness and lyricism. Even the sound is more open and better defined. A sleeper if ever there was one.

Goodness! I've been hollering long and loud about these recordings for years now! YEARS! Glad someone finally made their acquaintance even if I had no hand in it.
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                                                                           V

Interestingly I find the Boston Symphony to be really in tune with Prokofiev's unique aesthetic, not just here but in the piano concertos and symphonies as well (with Leinsdorf).

Prokofiev again - the fifth piano concerto with Browning/Leinsdorf.

Wow, great price! Hopefully this will inspire a new wave of interest in these vastly underrated gramophone gems. [Prokofiev/Leinsdorf]

It was nice of Testament to initially resurrect these recordings but the prices they charge can be off-putting. Though I suppose licensing doesn't come cheap.

Anyway, good to see these recordings back at a reasonable price-point!

I haven't heard Ashkenazy's Prokofiev PCs but these are works that I've been extremely fond of over the years and I've been well served by other recordings, first and foremost Browning/Leinsdorf/Boston Symphony as far as sets.

The piano concerto recordings in that set pack a punch, too [Browning/Leinsdorf]. If ever the urge hits you to give 'em a go I'd be curious as to your opinion.

[nico1616]

Some purchases from the bargain bin at the local shop.

[Coopmv]

Just placed the following order this morning to fill in some gaps in my collection ...

[Coopmv]

Just placed the last order for this weekend with Qualiton Imports and before my one-week vacation next week ...

       

The most interesting recordings have got to be Kempff performing Chopin and Richter performing Scriabin, though the recordings by Berman and Moravec should be quite nice as well ...

[Karl Henning]

Good to know! I've only listened to Karajan's 10th twice (both times this morning), but I think it may be the greatest piece of music I have ever heard. I think I'll give it another listen tonight.

The Tenth is a terrific piece! To my ears, the HvK account is not the best (though the band certainly sound swell).

[Brian]

Good to know! I've only listened to Karajan's 10th twice (both times this morning), but I think it may be the greatest piece of music I have ever heard. I think I'll give it another listen tonight.

That's definitely one of my favorite pieces ever. Totally extraordinary, gripping from first second to last!

[Todd]

UMG has released a couple Brahms recordings by Kun Woo Paik on DG.  I opted to start with the solo works disc.  If it is good, I may go for the PC 1, where he teams with the Czech PO under Eliahu Inbal.

[Gold Knight]

The Tenth is a terrific piece! To my ears, the HvK account is not the best (though the band certainly sound swell).

Which conductor's reading of this piece would be your favorite, then? Perhaps Haitnik, Petrenko, Gergiev or one of the other Russians? 

[Brian]

Which conductor's reading of this piece would be your favorite, then? Perhaps Haitnik, Petrenko, Gergiev or one of the other Russians?

I know Karl is fond of Jansons; my personal top three would include V. Petrenko, Jansons, and Kurt Sanderling. The Herbie CD that Zizekian just listened to is an 'honorable mention' along with Skrowaczewski.

[Gold Knight]

Ok. Brian. Thanks!

[TheGSMoeller]

Purchased the full discs of the two Naxos, and then just several tracks from the two discs of songs from iTunes.

[mc ukrneal]

Purchased the full discs of the two Naxos, and then just several tracks from the two discs of songs from iTunes.

This one is a total joy. It's not my favorite Elgar, but they play it very well. I hope the marches, played by the same group, are equally fine.

[madaboutmahler]

This one is a total joy. It's not my favorite Elgar, but they play it very well. I hope the marches, played by the same group, are equally fine.

+1
An absolutely wonderful disc, hope you enjoy it, Greg! Many beautiful pieces here!

[Wanderer]

Arrived today, after a small delay (might be because it came from an amazon seller):
[asin]B007CMTNIY[/asin]
The postman was considerate enough to deliver this earlier than his usual hour, before today's heat wave hits him in the head and melts the discs in their box. 

Excellent, Greg! Excellent performances full of Solti vigour! And he does all the magical moments incredibly well too.

If you think that's good, wait till you hear Sinopoli (or have you?)

Good to know! I've only listened to Karajan's 10th twice (both times this morning), but I think it may be the greatest piece of music I have ever heard. I think I'll give it another listen tonight.

It doesn't hurt that this particular performance is also stellar.  0:)

... my personal top three would include V. Petrenko, Jansons, and Kurt Sanderling.

I'd also add Bychkov to the A-list.

[Karl Henning]

Which conductor's reading of this piece would be your favorite, then? Perhaps Haitnik, Petrenko, Gergiev or one of the other Russians?

Howdy! Brian reported accurately that right up among my favorite Tenths, is Jansons. Also in the august company for the marvelous Op.93 are: Ancerl, Shostakovich fils ... and I need to give ear again to Brian's well-liked Petrenko.

[TheGSMoeller]

This one is a total joy. It's not my favorite Elgar, but they play it very well. I hope the marches, played by the same group, are equally fine.

+1
An absolutely wonderful disc, hope you enjoy it, Greg! Many beautiful pieces here!

I really love Nursery Suite and Wand of Youth suites, I have other recordings but this Judd disc along with the marches are inexpensive. Sampled quite a bit and it sounds good, the P.andC. Marches sound very detailed and balanced.

Thanks for comments, friends!


And from Daniel's earlier comment about Elder/Halle, I've really come to appreciate that series, only own three of them right now (both symphonies and Music Makers disc) and they are very passionate.

[Sadko]

UMG has released a couple Brahms recordings by Kun Woo Paik on DG.  I opted to start with the solo works disc.  If it is good, I may go for the PC 1, where he teams with the Czech PO under Eliahu Inbal.

I'm curious how you'll like it. So far I found Kun Woo Paik a very intersting pianist.

[jwinter]

[asin]B006ZJJ70O[/asin][asin]B0056K4VRM[/asin] 

I have Bruno Walter's older New York Mozart from the old Bruno Walter Edition CDs, but not the Columbia remakes...