Thanks to you, I have been listening to more Hindemith lately, incl. Der Schwanendreher, featuring PH himself with Fiedler's Sinfonietta. Also agree that Klemperer deserves props for his beautiful recorded legacy. TY!
When testament released the earlier recordings on Klemperer Mozart i was hooked. Could not stop playing them. I love the remakes too. These are eternal recordings that will be cherished for decades to come.
Good heavens yes... how right you are. David here once described his Haydn symphonies as "Haydn seen through the eyes of Beethoven" They just have keel and substance, yet his genius surrounds his ability to keep the music moving so well, in spite of always moderate tempi. Kind regards
I recently bought one of these editions -- Klemperer doing Mendelssohn's Scottish and Italian symphonies, and Schumann's 4th. Great recordings, and great packaging!
What I'm listening to? Imagine being 55 years old (me) and hearing Mozart's Piano Sonata no 12 for the first time. The adagio is so beautiful, tender, and perfect it makes me teary-eyed. I had avoided Mozart until recently, because in the popular imagination (at least here in the US) he's been painted as a frivolous genius, but that recapitulation of the melody in the tonic minor (of the adagio) hit me like a ton of bricks: 'Oh, so he understands the human condition, he knows the darker corners of the heart, too, the melancholy.' So, here I am at the very beginning of my Mozart journey- I'm very excited to get to know him better.
Lately I've been listening to the amazing jochum bruckner cycle with the staatskapelle dresden on warner. I recently got a physical copy from presto music, and I was really pleased with the fact that it had the orginal jackets for the album covers with jochum in random places around Stift St. Florian smiling with crossed arms.
Ive been listening for the first time for many years, early Mehta in Vienna & LA. What wonderful recordings he made! The Strauss & Bruckner are quite outstanding.
Christmas music. My beloved opera Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Christmas Eve”, Oper Frankfurt, 2022, Naxos. Christmas works new to me that Dave has reviewed like “Stories for Christmas”, and Vaughan Williams' "Hodie”.
I have had these recordings on LPs and CDs since the the 1980s. Previously I had the repertoire covered on DG LPs with Boehm. The DGs were never replaced on CD and are now long gone. They were very good, but the Klemperer performances are great. I found once EMI re-released these recordings on LPs and I bought them at the first opportunity that I would always play the Klemperer and poor Boehm was left on the shelf. Fortunately I had a musical friend who happily re-homed the DG set. I am glad these recordings are still available. They stand up very well on every level, even compared to the more recent recordings and I think show that the so called authentic music, HIPP, style still has a lot to learn from the great musicians from the older era. In fact I think some of the latest Mozart recordings represent a less musical style than that prevalent in the 1960s and '50s. Certainly anyone who loves Mozart's Symphonies owes it to themselves to listen to these recordings. But I think they would make a most inviting way into the music for Mozart novices as well. They may not be everyone's final favourites, but they make a top recommendation for anyone, I would say. Best wishes from George
Thank you, Dave. Klemperer and EMI is another example of your recent theme about how studios/artists were mutually reinforcing and mutually supportive back in the day. EMI spared clearly spared no expense in putting this Signature package together on behalf of one of their great conductors. Similarly, Solti and Decca, and as you mentioned recently, Leontyne Price and RCA knew how to take care of one another. Wesley
I have been listening to Hindemith's orchestral works (mostly the Konzertmusik für Streichorchester und Blechbläser, Der Schwanendreher, Symphonia Serena, and the "Die Harmonie der Welt" Symphonie) from Blomstedt and the San Fransisco Symphony/Leipzig Gewandhaus. I also just got the 9-disc Decca Shostakovich box of concerti, orchestral suites, and the Barshai orchestrations of 4 string quartets which I am slowly working my way through
I have the Klemperer EMI Bruckner SACD set - the Mahler set is still available from HMV Japan. Coincidentally I’ve been listening to Klemperer’s Magic Flute.
Lately (this very day actually) I'm finishing up, also from EMI, the Sawallisch 1989 Ring Cycle with Götterdämmerung. And, the perfect antidote to hours of Wagner, Handel, in the new Messiah recording by John Nelsons on Erato, which you recently reviewed favorably. I've also been exploring Profil-Hanssler Classics 475 years of the Dresden Staatskapelle, though it's actually the last hundred years, 1923-2023. From Busch and Strauss through Blomstedt and Thielemann. 10 CDs.
I have been trying to get into Saint-Saens' chamber music, on your recommendation. To that end, I have recently been listening to a twofer by the Nash Ensemble on Hyperion. I loved their Brahms and Mozart and so I thought I would try them. I really enjoyed the performances and I found it an excellent way in to this music.
The Signature series were an attempt to market the Japanese SACD's in the rest of the world. If you put these discs in your computer, you'll see that statement is right (Japanese track names). While beautifully packaged, EMI managed to screw some things up. For example the recording dates as mentioned in the packaging of this Klemperer set is wrong for many works (EMI recorded some of tgese works twice with Klemperer). Also e.g. Klemperers Mendelssohn and Schumann were in these series, and I think also Schurichts Bruckner.
Ive been listening through two box sets: the new Tilson-Thomas Sony/RCA set and the Ashkenazy Chamber Music/Lieder set. Last night the Ruggles orchestral music and the Beethoven Archduke Trio. 🎉
I have been listening to neeme jarvi’s Glazunov cycle and Oramo’s Nielsen cycles based on your recommendations as I have never listened to those composers before. The Nielsen cycle blew me away. The Glazunov is great too. Lots of choral works too
Harnoncourt's last St Matthew Passion and Minkowski's Bizet disc stand out in my memory for unusually attractive presentation in addition to excellent performances.
I've been listening to various recordings of Dvorak's 8th on disk - von Dohanyi/Cleveland, Munch/Boston. Walter/Columbia, and Inkinen/Deutsche /Radio Philharmonie - to see if your latest recommendation of Ormandy/Philadelphia brings something great to the table.
I have been listening to Rachmaninov's 1st symphony whith Concertgebouworkest and Ashkenazy and Vaughan Williams's Symphony cycle whith Philharmonia and Slatkin.
The Signature series weee an attempt to market the Japanese SACD's in the rest of the world. If you put these discs in your computer, you'll see that statement is right. While beautifully packaged, EMI managed to screw some things up. For example the recording dates as lentioend in the packaging of this Kleperer set is wrong for many works (EMI recorded some of tgese works twice with Klemperer). Also e.g. Klemperers Mendelssohn and Schumann were in these series, and I think also Schurichts Bruckner.
Been listening to Andrew Davis’s Charles Ives recordings in Melbourne (Chandos). Pretty impressive given their location and (lack of) exposure to Ives.
What Are You Listening to Lately? For no particular reason and in no particular order, I’ve been listening to a lot of George Crumb and Leos Janacek (and Jeff Beck and Mahavishnu Orchestra).
WAYLTL: Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas music! Currently "This Is Christmas". I love big fat symphonic arrangements (Bennett's Many Moods, Ormandy's Glorious Sound, Kunzel's etc.) and hunger for more every year, and the Saints seem to be the only ones reliably churning out new ones in that old style, their conductors are gifted and creative arrangers and they have a whole sumptuous orchestra with bells and organ at their disposal. I will even forgive the doctrinal niggles that make them change a lyric or two when things get too trinitarian lol they do excellent work
I've been listening to Mendelssohn chamber music (on your recommendation). I have gone through the quartets (Pacifica Qt), the quintets, the octet, the piano trio... I knew the octet and op 44 no 2 before but that was as far as it went. Now I'm going to go around again.
WAILTL? Right now, it's the Boston Symphony Chamber Players box on RCA. Basically, it's the first desks of the Boston plus pianist Claude Frank. I believe Leinsdorf formed it (too lazy to look at the notes and check). I owned some of this on LP when they first came out. It's sort of nostalgic for me. Itt was my introduction to the Piston and Martinů Nonets, scores that should be better known, but won't because how many nonets are there? The BSCP also represents a certain sound and style from the 60s and 70s - a bit corporate, but very finely played. I'm more drawn to newer chamber groups. I find their sound more incisive and the interpretations more varied. However, these are superb "baseline" performances. There's a gorgeous Mozart Flute Quartet and only one misfire so far - a stodgy, aimless Brahms Piano Quartet No. 3. But that's for now my only disappointment. Still have a few discs to go.
Lately I’ve listened to Hindemith and Reger organ works played by Piet Kee at St Bavo, Haarlem, and a selection of baroque organ works played by Kee at Weingarten Basilica, both on Chandos (excellent sonics!); Haydn’s Seven Last Words played by Le Concert des Nations under Savall, on Dave’s recommendation (I hadn’t pulled that disc off the shelf in many years); and Fiedler and the Boston Pops doing Christmas music on RCA - fun stuff! (There’s also a Fiedler/Boston Pops disc on DG, on CD under the title “White Christmas,” apparently recorded in the 1970s, but it’s to be avoided, on CD at least: the trebles are mastered so “hot” that the brass is painful to the ears. The 1950s RCA sound is far superior.)
I am listening recent Wispelwey box on Channel Classics. I was quite sure I will not be able to sit on it for a long time, cello can be monotonous for me. But these are so wonderful recordings and the repertoire is greatly diversified - it is on the top of the file since a month. Schubert and Schumman are my best, but Telemann is solid too. (and Bach and Lutoslawski and everything else)
I am working on a box by the Hilliard Ensemble, a 2fer (?) by Pleyel including a bassoon concerto, which is a nice snack (curious if we will see that CD in the overflow room). I listened to Respighi's Roma Trilogy for the very first time (Toscanini): big disappointment! On the other side I listened to a CD called Commedia dell'Austria on DHM: Composers include Schmelzer and Biber, Instruments include bagpipes and Maultrommel. Lot's of Fun!
I’ve enjoyed many of your reviews on Classics Today over the years - and found your review of this 3-CD set particularly interesting. You noted the original tapes are old, they don’t improve with age, and the remastering into SACD format provides at most (subjectively) marginally better sound. With all the “remasterings currently hitting the market, I wish you would post a video talking about what a remastering is, how it can improve sound, and whether listeners should assume a “remastering” is an improvement. Like many of your viewers I’m willing to pay for significantly improved sound but would like to hear your thoughts about how much improvement is possible.
Yes, Klemperer's late Mozart is also one of my favorites. Unfortunately that EMI Signature line didn't have many releases, but it was good while it lasted. As for what I'm listening to lately: I'm finally getting around to the Pierre Monteux complete RCA box that you reviewed in its reissue a while back. I just finished the first of the Franck symphony recordings in the box -- not as good as his final stereo version with the CSO, but interesting and the sound isn't as bad as I had feared it might be. BTW, for anyone who might care, the pitch problems in the d'Indy recordings have been corrected in this reissue of the box. Next up after Monteux will be the Marriner/ASMF Haydn symphonies box.
Klemperer’s late Mozart symphonies are my long standing favorites. And yes, what a thrill it was discovering them for the first time!
What have I been listening to lately? The answer is very straightforward, Dave. I've been listening to most things you talk about.
Thanks to you, I have been listening to more Hindemith lately, incl. Der Schwanendreher, featuring PH himself with Fiedler's Sinfonietta. Also agree that Klemperer deserves props for his beautiful recorded legacy. TY!
When testament released the earlier recordings on Klemperer Mozart i was hooked. Could not stop playing them. I love the remakes too. These are eternal recordings that will be cherished for decades to come.
I adore Klemperer's late Mozart symphony recordings. Nice to get your seal of approval on my listening choice!
Klemperer’s Haydn is also an unlikely revelation.
Good heavens yes... how right you are. David here once described his Haydn symphonies as "Haydn seen through the eyes of Beethoven" They just have keel and substance, yet his genius surrounds his ability to keep the music moving so well, in spite of always moderate tempi. Kind regards
I recently bought one of these editions -- Klemperer doing Mendelssohn's Scottish and Italian symphonies, and Schumann's 4th. Great recordings, and great packaging!
What I'm listening to? Imagine being 55 years old (me) and hearing Mozart's Piano Sonata no 12 for the first time. The adagio is so beautiful, tender, and perfect it makes me teary-eyed. I had avoided Mozart until recently, because in the popular imagination (at least here in the US) he's been painted as a frivolous genius, but that recapitulation of the melody in the tonic minor (of the adagio) hit me like a ton of bricks: 'Oh, so he understands the human condition, he knows the darker corners of the heart, too, the melancholy.' So, here I am at the very beginning of my Mozart journey- I'm very excited to get to know him better.
I've never heard Mozart described as a "frivolous genius" here in the USA.
@DavesClassicalGuide I took some liberties. :) I think what I had in mind was the portrayal in the movie 'Amadeus'.
Lately I've been listening to the amazing jochum bruckner cycle with the staatskapelle dresden on warner.
I recently got a physical copy from presto music, and I was really pleased with the fact that it had the orginal jackets for the album covers with jochum in random places around Stift St. Florian smiling with crossed arms.
Ive been listening for the first time for many years, early Mehta in Vienna & LA. What wonderful recordings he made! The Strauss & Bruckner are quite outstanding.
Christmas music. My beloved opera Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Christmas Eve”, Oper Frankfurt, 2022, Naxos. Christmas works new to me that Dave has reviewed like “Stories for Christmas”, and Vaughan Williams' "Hodie”.
I have had these recordings on LPs and CDs since the the 1980s. Previously I had the repertoire covered on DG LPs with Boehm.
The DGs were never replaced on CD and are now long gone. They were very good, but the Klemperer performances are great. I found once EMI re-released these recordings on LPs and I bought them at the first opportunity that I would always play the Klemperer and poor Boehm was left on the shelf. Fortunately I had a musical friend who happily re-homed the DG set.
I am glad these recordings are still available. They stand up very well on every level, even compared to the more recent recordings and I think show that the so called authentic music, HIPP, style still has a lot to learn from the great musicians from the older era. In fact I think some of the latest Mozart recordings represent a less musical style than that prevalent in the 1960s and '50s.
Certainly anyone who loves Mozart's Symphonies owes it to themselves to listen to these recordings. But I think they would make a most inviting way into the music for Mozart novices as well. They may not be everyone's final favourites, but they make a top recommendation for anyone, I would say.
Best wishes from George
Thank you, Dave. Klemperer and EMI is another example of your recent theme about how studios/artists were mutually reinforcing and mutually supportive back in the day. EMI spared clearly spared no expense in putting this Signature package together on behalf of one of their great conductors. Similarly, Solti and Decca, and as you mentioned recently, Leontyne Price and RCA knew how to take care of one another. Wesley
I have been listening to Blomstedt's Nielsen cycle - great performances of great symphonies. (P.S. The SF cycle)
Suitner Dvorak Symphonies box, Warner Saint Saens box, and Brilliant Bach transcriptions box
I have been listening to Hindemith's orchestral works (mostly the Konzertmusik für Streichorchester und Blechbläser, Der Schwanendreher, Symphonia Serena, and the "Die Harmonie der Welt" Symphonie) from Blomstedt and the San Fransisco Symphony/Leipzig Gewandhaus. I also just got the 9-disc Decca Shostakovich box of concerti, orchestral suites, and the Barshai orchestrations of 4 string quartets which I am slowly working my way through
I have the Klemperer EMI Bruckner SACD set - the Mahler set is still available from HMV Japan. Coincidentally I’ve been listening to Klemperer’s Magic Flute.
Lately (this very day actually) I'm finishing up, also from EMI, the Sawallisch 1989 Ring Cycle with Götterdämmerung. And, the perfect antidote to hours of Wagner, Handel, in the new Messiah recording by John Nelsons on Erato, which you recently reviewed favorably.
I've also been exploring Profil-Hanssler Classics 475 years of the Dresden Staatskapelle, though it's actually the last hundred years, 1923-2023. From Busch and Strauss through Blomstedt and Thielemann. 10 CDs.
I have been trying to get into Saint-Saens' chamber music, on your recommendation. To that end, I have recently been listening to a twofer by the Nash Ensemble on Hyperion. I loved their Brahms and Mozart and so I thought I would try them. I really enjoyed the performances and I found it an excellent way in to this music.
The Signature series were an attempt to market the Japanese SACD's in the rest of the world. If you put these discs in your computer, you'll see that statement is right (Japanese track names).
While beautifully packaged, EMI managed to screw some things up. For example the recording dates as mentioned in the packaging of this Klemperer set is wrong for many works (EMI recorded some of tgese works twice with Klemperer).
Also e.g. Klemperers Mendelssohn and Schumann were in these series, and I think also Schurichts Bruckner.
Ive been listening through two box sets: the new Tilson-Thomas Sony/RCA set and the Ashkenazy Chamber Music/Lieder set. Last night the Ruggles orchestral music and the Beethoven Archduke Trio. 🎉
I have been listening to neeme jarvi’s Glazunov cycle and Oramo’s Nielsen cycles based on your recommendations as I have never listened to those composers before. The Nielsen cycle blew me away. The Glazunov is great too. Lots of choral works too
Harnoncourt's last St Matthew Passion and Minkowski's Bizet disc stand out in my memory for unusually attractive presentation in addition to excellent performances.
I've been listening to various recordings of Dvorak's 8th on disk - von Dohanyi/Cleveland, Munch/Boston. Walter/Columbia, and Inkinen/Deutsche /Radio Philharmonie - to see if your latest recommendation of Ormandy/Philadelphia brings something great to the table.
I have been listening to Rachmaninov's 1st symphony whith Concertgebouworkest and Ashkenazy and Vaughan Williams's Symphony cycle whith Philharmonia and Slatkin.
The Signature series weee an attempt to market the Japanese SACD's in the rest of the world. If you put these discs in your computer, you'll see that statement is right.
While beautifully packaged, EMI managed to screw some things up. For example the recording dates as lentioend in the packaging of this Kleperer set is wrong for many works (EMI recorded some of tgese works twice with Klemperer).
Also e.g. Klemperers Mendelssohn and Schumann were in these series, and I think also Schurichts Bruckner.
Been listening to Andrew Davis’s Charles Ives recordings in Melbourne (Chandos). Pretty impressive given their location and (lack of) exposure to Ives.
What Are You Listening to Lately? For no particular reason and in no particular order, I’ve been listening to a lot of George Crumb and Leos Janacek (and Jeff Beck and Mahavishnu Orchestra).
WAYLTL: Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas music! Currently "This Is Christmas". I love big fat symphonic arrangements (Bennett's Many Moods, Ormandy's Glorious Sound, Kunzel's etc.) and hunger for more every year, and the Saints seem to be the only ones reliably churning out new ones in that old style, their conductors are gifted and creative arrangers and they have a whole sumptuous orchestra with bells and organ at their disposal. I will even forgive the doctrinal niggles that make them change a lyric or two when things get too trinitarian lol they do excellent work
I've been listening to Mendelssohn chamber music (on your recommendation). I have gone through the quartets (Pacifica Qt), the quintets, the octet, the piano trio... I knew the octet and op 44 no 2 before but that was as far as it went.
Now I'm going to go around again.
Doing the exact same symphonies as this video, I've been listening to Levine and the Vienna Phil.
WAILTL? Right now, it's the Boston Symphony Chamber Players box on RCA. Basically, it's the first desks of the Boston plus pianist Claude Frank. I believe Leinsdorf formed it (too lazy to look at the notes and check). I owned some of this on LP when they first came out. It's sort of nostalgic for me. Itt was my introduction to the Piston and Martinů Nonets, scores that should be better known, but won't because how many nonets are there? The BSCP also represents a certain sound and style from the 60s and 70s - a bit corporate, but very finely played. I'm more drawn to newer chamber groups. I find their sound more incisive and the interpretations more varied. However, these are superb "baseline" performances. There's a gorgeous Mozart Flute Quartet and only one misfire so far - a stodgy, aimless Brahms Piano Quartet No. 3. But that's for now my only disappointment. Still have a few discs to go.
Lately I’ve listened to Hindemith and Reger organ works played by Piet Kee at St Bavo, Haarlem, and a selection of baroque organ works played by Kee at Weingarten Basilica, both on Chandos (excellent sonics!); Haydn’s Seven Last Words played by Le Concert des Nations under Savall, on Dave’s recommendation (I hadn’t pulled that disc off the shelf in many years); and Fiedler and the Boston Pops doing Christmas music on RCA - fun stuff! (There’s also a Fiedler/Boston Pops disc on DG, on CD under the title “White Christmas,” apparently recorded in the 1970s, but it’s to be avoided, on CD at least: the trebles are mastered so “hot” that the brass is painful to the ears. The 1950s RCA sound is far superior.)
I am listening recent Wispelwey box on Channel Classics. I was quite sure I will not be able to sit on it for a long time, cello can be monotonous for me. But these are so wonderful recordings and the repertoire is greatly diversified - it is on the top of the file since a month. Schubert and Schumman are my best, but Telemann is solid too. (and Bach and Lutoslawski and everything else)
Klemperer is a 20th Century great.
Who are the greatest conductors of the 21st?
See the 10 greatest living conductors and the other 10 greatest living conductors
I am working on a box by the Hilliard Ensemble, a 2fer (?) by Pleyel including a bassoon concerto, which is a nice snack (curious if we will see that CD in the overflow room). I listened to Respighi's Roma Trilogy for the very first time (Toscanini): big disappointment! On the other side I listened to a CD called Commedia dell'Austria on DHM: Composers include Schmelzer and Biber, Instruments include bagpipes and Maultrommel. Lot's of Fun!
WAYLTL?
In my case, Szell’s & Reiner’s Richard Strauss. And Kempe’s RPO APLENSINFONIE (since neither George nor Fritz ever recorded it). Wow Wee Wow.
Love these, & the Haydn. They're "politically incorrect" but...musical!
I’ve enjoyed many of your reviews on Classics Today over the years - and found your review of this 3-CD set particularly interesting. You noted the original tapes are old, they don’t improve with age, and the remastering into SACD format provides at most (subjectively) marginally better sound. With all the “remasterings currently hitting the market, I wish you would post a video talking about what a remastering is, how it can improve sound, and whether listeners should assume a “remastering” is an improvement. Like many of your viewers I’m willing to pay for significantly improved sound but would like to hear your thoughts about how much improvement is possible.
@@jac9229 a guest spot with Andrew Rose from Pristine Audio?
Yes, Klemperer's late Mozart is also one of my favorites. Unfortunately that EMI Signature line didn't have many releases, but it was good while it lasted.
As for what I'm listening to lately: I'm finally getting around to the Pierre Monteux complete RCA box that you reviewed in its reissue a while back. I just finished the first of the Franck symphony recordings in the box -- not as good as his final stereo version with the CSO, but interesting and the sound isn't as bad as I had feared it might be. BTW, for anyone who might care, the pitch problems in the d'Indy recordings have been corrected in this reissue of the box. Next up after Monteux will be the Marriner/ASMF Haydn symphonies box.