Recordings That You Are Considering

[Que]

  Sorry Que, apologies are in order since I was the one who started this whole Tchaikovsky/Karajan "fiesta" ...but as you can see we all LOVE Tchaikovsky and Karajan !
with apologies  0:) ,
Marvin
PS:  I just bought my first complete Tchaikovsky/Karajan Symphony set  .

Que, regarding the Karajan onslaught, the man asked for a good set of the Tchaikovsky symphonies. And so we obliged in recommending one.

(Although I do consider Mravinsky's 4-6 a rather awesome achievement. However, they are still not a set. Also, Karajan's affinity with Tchaikovsky, which I originally doubted very much, is not to be underestimated, surprisingly!)

Guys, please indulge in your love for Karajan! 
And Marvin, I do hope you'll enjoy your purchased set.

I had some of Karajan Tchaikovsky before and indeed it is rather good, though quite German (late) Romantic (Bruckner, Strauss) in approach. Which incidentally works surprisingly well, but IMO not quite what Tchaikovsky is about. I prefer others and nothing better for a good discussion than to drop a few other names - which point has been amply proven!

BTW I noticed that the Karajan set does not contain the Manfred symphony? (if so, it is IMO not a full, complete set either.... ).
I want to second Sidoze here - don't forget/neglect that symphony!!  , which should be in anyone's top-3 Tchaikovsky symphonies!

Q

[Renfield]

BTW I noticed that the Karajan set does not contain the Manfred symphony? (if so, it is IMO not a full, complete set either.... ).
I want to second Sidoze here - don't forget/neglect that symphony!!  , which should be in anyone's top-3 Tchaikovsky symphonies!

Q

You're right!

And would you believe it that I've never heard that piece? I've all sorts of great recordings of the "regular" six symphonies, but I have never heard the Manfred. Surely, this is an oversight I ought to swiftly amend, if it really is that good.

Thankfully, I'll be paying the Athens equivalent of high street music stores a somewhat-overdue visit to mark the beginning of October, tomorrow. What Manfreds should I keep an eye out for?

[BorisG]

You're right!

And would you believe it that I've never heard that piece? I've all sorts of great recordings of the "regular" six symphonies, but I have never heard the Manfred. Surely, this is an oversight I ought to swiftly amend, if it really is that good.

Thankfully, I'll be paying the Athens equivalent of high street music stores a somewhat-overdue visit to mark the beginning of October, tomorrow. What Manfreds should I keep an eye out for?

The one that comes with the Muti box, of course.

[sidoze]

There's an absolutely rocking Manfred Symphony with the Philadelphia Orchestra under Silvestri. Not available on CD though. PM me if you want the download links.

[George]

BTW I noticed that the Karajan set does not contain the Manfred symphony? (if so, it is IMO not a full, complete set either.... ).
I want to second Sidoze here - don't forget/neglect that symphony!!  , which should be in anyone's top-3 Tchaikovsky symphonies!

Q

I have a Svetlanov performance on Melodiya that I have been waiting to crack open. It just moved closer to the top of my "to play" list. 

[Que]

You're right!

And would you believe it that I've never heard that piece? I've all sorts of great recordings of the "regular" six symphonies, but I have never heard the Manfred. Surely, this is an oversight I ought to swiftly amend, if it really is that good.

Thankfully, I'll be paying the Athens equivalent of high street music stores a somewhat-overdue visit to mark the beginning of October, tomorrow. What Manfreds should I keep an eye out for?

My favourites are the Markevitch - simply utterly superb - and the "dark horse"....Chailly and the Concertgebouw Orchestra! Haven't heard Svetlanov.

 

Q

[George]

[Que]

George, you're going more and more "historical" all the time!  

Q

[sidoze]

IMO it's a bit too extreme a jump for you. That's the sort of step you take after hearing dozens of other historical pianists (though it's essential to hear Rosenthal's Chopin PC 1 which you can get either on Pearl or in a new release on Altara coupled with Hofmann's PC 2 - http://www.altaramusic.com/html/more_info12.html ).

[sidoze]

i used to have the Andrew Manze CD of the 12 fantasias and found them awfully dull. If anyone could change my mind it would be Grumiaux, who hopefully can add an intense spiritual or fantastic dimension to them. Has anyone heard this recording?

[The new erato]

  Sorry Que, apologies are in order since I was the one who started this whole Tchaikovsky/Karajan "fiesta" ...but as you can see we all LOVE Tchaikovsky and Karajan !

I don't. I find his symphonies overblown and dripping with sentimentality and grew away from them twenty years ago. That's not to take away from them some fine tunes and excellent orchestration, but still the whole package too often puts me off.  Give me Haydn or Stravinskys Symphony of Psalms any moment. And yes - I have both the Karajan and Mravinsky sets in my collection. The Karajan I've had since the early 70'ies, when I actually liked them a lot. Now flame me - just thought I would air a dissenting view.

[George]

George, you're going more and more "historical" all the time!  

Q

Better than "hysterical," no? 

I saw it in the store today and thought I'd ask. Looked pretty cool. 

[dirkronk]

i used to have the Andrew Manze CD of the 12 fantasias and found them awfully dull.

Sorry I can't help with the Telemann/Grumiaux query, Tony, though I don't think I've heard anything from Grumiaux that wasn't at least beautifully played and emotionally engaging.

But since you've mentioned Manze, could you tell me if you have much experience with that violinist beyond Telemann? I've been toying with the idea of purchasing the guy's Biber--but if his fiddling isn't that inspiring, I'd like to avoid another dust-gathering disc.

Thanks,

Dirk

[George]

Sorry I can't help with the Telemann/Grumiaux query, Tony, though I don't think I've heard anything from Grumiaux that wasn't at least beautifully played and emotionally engaging.

Seconded. 

[rubio]

Are these different performances of Shostakovich, Beethoven compared to the recently released Melodiya sets?

http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product//2564698905.htm

[dirkronk]

Are these different performances of Shostakovich, Beethoven compared to the recently released Melodiya sets?

Without dates, it's hard to tell what performances they are. Here are the listings from the two older "Mravinsky Edition" 10-CD sets in my collection (but those were released years ago):

Mravinsky Edition, vol. 1 (10 CDs)            BMG/Melodiya
1.   Weber Oberon o'ture; Schubert sym 8 D759; Brahms sym 2 op.73 (1978)
2.   Mozart Figaro o'ture K492, sym 39 K543; Sibelius swan of tuonela op.22/3, sym 7; Mussorgsky khovanshchina prelude (dawn on moscow river) (1965)
3.   Stravinsky Agon (1965); Shostakovich sym 15 (1976)
4.   Bruckner sym 9 (1980)
5.   Tchaikovsky nutcracker excpts; Prokofiev romeo & juliet ste.2 (1981)
6.   Hindemith harmonie der welt; Honegger sym 3 (1965)
7.   LvB sym 4 op.60; Tchaikovsky sym 5 op.64  (both 1973)
8.   Debussy faune; Bartok music for SPC; Stravisnky Apollo (1965)
9.   Shostakovich sym 6 op.54 (1972) & 10 op.93 (1976)
10.   Wagner meistersinger act 1 prelude (1982), lohengrin act 1 prelude (1978), act 3 prelude (1965), tannhauser o'ture (1978), tristan prelude & death of isolde (1978), gotterdammerung sieg funeral march (1978), ride of valkyries (1965).

Mravinsky Edition, vol. 2 (10 CDs)            BMG/Melodiya
11.   LvB sym 5 op.67 (1949) & 7 op.92 (1958)
12.   Brahms sym 3 op.90 (1972) & 4 op.98 (1973)
13.   Bruckner sym 8 (1959)
14.   R. Strauss hron cto.1 op.11 (1964), Alpine Sym op.64 (1962)
15.   Ovsyaniko-Kulikovsky sym 21; Shostakovich sym 5 op.47 (1954)
16.   Shostakovich sym 7 op.60 "leningrad" (1953)
17.   Shostakovich sym 8 op.65 (1947)
18.   Tchaikovsky sym 4 op.36 (1957); Glazunov sym 4 op.48 (1948)
19.   Rimsky-Korsakov tale of city of kitzezh; Tchaikovsky sym 6 op.74 "pathetique" (1949)
20.   Tchaikovsky francesca da rimini op.32 (1948), serenade for strings op.48 (1949), capriccio italien op.45 (1950)
   
I notice that the Beethoven selections don't include Mravinsky's take on the 4th. Too bad. I have two versions, one in the above set and the other on a Praga CD, and both are worth hearing.

FWIW,

Dirk

[sidoze]

But since you've mentioned Manze, could you tell me if you have much experience with that violinist beyond Telemann? I've been toying with the idea of purchasing the guy's Biber--but if his fiddling isn't that inspiring, I'd like to avoid another dust-gathering disc.

I haven't heard anything else by Manze. I tend to stay away from anything stinking of the grave (HIP).

As for Grumiaux, I don't know many violinists but he's my favourite

[The new erato]

I tend to stay away from anything stinking of the grave (HIP).

In that case I suggest you stop listening to classical music and start listening to contemporary music like Britney Spears.

[dtwilbanks]

In that case I suggest you stop listening to classical music and start listening to contemporary music like Britney Spears.

[sidoze]

In that case I suggest you stop listening to classical music and start listening to contemporary music like Britney Spears.

way to throw out the blanket there