Harold in Italy

[shelnatowsky]

I have the Primrose recording with Munch and BSO. A favorite piece/recording. Solo violists are hard to come by.

Any others you would recommend, as I love this piece and would like an equally or better(?) performance?

Shel Natowsky

[Karl Henning]

That's a classic, of course.  There's a repeat which, curiously, they elected not to take in that performance (call it a mild disappointment).  I think that the only other recording I've heard is the Colin Davis/Nobuko Imai.

[TheGSMoeller]

That's a classic, of course.  There's a repeat which, curiously, they elected not to take in that performance (call it a mild disappointment).  I think that the only other recording I've heard is the Colin Davis/Nobuko Imai.

Hm, interesting, look what happened to make the car-ride-to-work cut this morning.




A few other solids are Dutoit/Zuckerman, Davis/Zimmermann (LSO Live) and Minkowski/Tamestit.

[knight66]

I very much enjoy John Elliot Gardiner who accompanies Gerard Causse. It is luminous, no thick textures and it sweeps along. Seemingly, the orchestral playing is authentic to the time of Berlioz.

Mike

[Karl Henning]

Thanks, Mike, that sounds an excellent suggestion!

[Gurn Blanston]

I very much enjoy John Elliot Gardiner who accompanies Gerard Causse. It is luminous, no thick textures and it sweeps along. Seemingly, the orchestral playing is authentic to the time of Berlioz.

Mike

I have their Symphonie Fantastique on CD & an old VHS tape, Quite interesting to watch; my first ever ophiecleides!

Oddly enough, for a person of my proclivities, my Harold... is Montreal Symphony / Dutoit, with Zukerman playing viola. Accompaniment is uniformly very nice indeed, and Zukerman proves to be a more interesting violist than fiddler. I've always liked it enough to hang on to it.

[Brian]

Minkowski/Tamestit.

A right sock-knocker this - really lively and full-bodied. I definitely approve.

[DavidRoss]

I have the Primrose recording with Munch and BSO. A favorite piece/recording. Solo violists are hard to come by.

Any others you would recommend, as I love this piece and would like an equally or better(?) performance?

Minkowski/Tamestit, as Greg and Brian have already suggested. And Bernstein/Lincer with a fine Cleopatra's Death by Jennie Tourel, available now from Amazon at the insanely low price of $5.99.

[TheGSMoeller]

Minkowski/Tamestit, as Greg and Brian have already suggested. And Bernstein/Lincer with a fine Cleopatra's Death by Jennie Tourel, available now from Amazon at the insanely low price of $5.99.

That finale's coda is a rocket, very exciting.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Some good recs, for sure: Davis (Philips), Dutoit (all his Berlioz is first rate), and Gardiner, each with individualized approaches.

[Superhorn]

    What's the longest viola joke ? Harold in Italy !   LOL ! Actually, I really like this work, but it's a good viola joke

[listener]

I have and have enjoyed both the Primrose and Imai recordings, and for a change listen to the LISZT transcription for piano and viola* that may pop up in Hyperion's 'Please, someone, buy me' listings at a reasonable price.
*Leslie Howard and Paul Coletti
coincidence of coincedences!  It's on their site now for about another 48 - maybe 72 hours!
http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/o.asp?o=1016&vw=dc

[Brahmsian]

Montreal Symphony/Dutoit/Zukerman

[TheGSMoeller]

Montreal Symphony/Dutoit/Zukerman

For reals, Ray.
Plus, with that disc you'll get an incredible performance of Berlioz' best and rarely recorded (compared to his other overtures) Rob Roy overture.

[Brahmsian]

For reals, Ray.
Plus, with that disc you'll get an incredible performance of Berlioz' best and rarely recorded (compared to his other overtures) Rob Roy overture.

Darn it, Greg!  My recording doesn't have it, unfortunately.    Although it includes a great Symphonie Fantastique, excerpts of Romeo et Juliette, the Hungarian March from La Damnation de Faust and the Chasse Royale et Orage from Les Troyens

[Gurn Blanston]

Montreal Symphony/Dutoit/Zukerman

Good choice. Canada, eh! 

[Brahmsian]

Good choice. Canada, eh! 

Vive le Canada!    I've never heard Zukerman perform as a soloist live, but did attend a concert in Winnipeg where Zukerman and the National Arts Centre Orchestra perform a spellbinding Tchaikovky 5th Symphony.

[TheGSMoeller]

Darn it, Greg!  My recording doesn't have it, unfortunately.    Although it includes a great Symphonie Fantastique, excerpts of Romeo et Juliette, the Hungarian March from La Damnation de Faust and the Chasse Royale et Orage from Les Troyens

Ah, you got the 2-fer, its a good collection.

[val]

I prefer the very dramatic version of Markevitch with Heinz Kirchner and the Berlin Philharmonic.

[Mirror Image]

I really like the recording Monkey Greg has pictured with Imai/C. Davis. In my opinion, Colin Davis is still the greatest Berlioz conductor. In fact, it was Davis that made me appreciate and understand Berlioz's genius.