Favourite Conductor

[Peter]

But this is what people say about a lot of recordings and forgive me, but it is mostly the older generation who make statements like these and I think that it is because they have grown up with those older recordings. That is not a bad thing but in this case, the "newer" versions could never compare to the the versions they are used to.

I am sure there will be many comments to refute this such as "...actually, I though this and this newer recording was better than the old set..." but I stick by my argument...Just because it is from the 50's or 60's, it doesn't mean that it is better. Maybe it is just what you are used to...

In my early 40s I don't think I qualify yet for the 'older generation' and I don't think this should be an age issue. Not all the old recordings and artists are considered superior even by the older generation members here I'm sure!
In featuring the Schnabel recordings of Beethoven sonatas (the first complete cycle ever recorded) I truly believe that he comes closest to the spirit of Beethoven, despite the poor recording quality and I suspect this is the real issue with the 'young generation'. I grew up listening to Brendel's recordings and very fine as they are, he doesn't capture the Beethoven spirit in the way Schnabel does, in fact I now find him quite boring in comparison.

I think both Karajan's symphony sets (the first is the finer I think) are less successful than individual recordings by Toscanini, Kleiber, Bohm and Szell - my favourite Beethoven conductors. Ultimately though of course it is a matter of personal preference and our tastes do change with time - I'm dreading getting old and actually preferring Celibidache and Klemperer!

[Sorrano]

Have you heard any of Celibidache's recordings of Beethoven? Although his tempi are very slow I do think his Tchaikowsky recordings are very effective. Not many can get away with those tempi but in these cases (Symphonies No. 5 and 6) I think he is very successful.

[Sorrano]

But this is what people say about a lot of recordings and forgive me, but it is mostly the older generation who make statements like these and I think that it is because they have grown up with those older recordings. That is not a bad thing but in this case, the "newer" versions could never compare to the the versions they are used to.

I am sure there will be many comments to refute this such as "...actually, I though this and this newer recording was better than the old set..." but I stick by my argument...Just because it is from the 50's or 60's, it doesn't mean that it is better. Maybe it is just what you are used to...

I've not heard any of the newer set; I'm simply going by what the critics have said. I do have the older set and do like it.

[HaydnFan]

despite the poor recording quality and I suspect this is the real issue with the 'young generation'.

Yeah, I would agree with that...I have a recording of Schubert's 5th and 9th on DG with Eugen Jochum conducting (a 50's recording in mono stereo)...the sound is terrible but the playing is excellent! I wish they would have re-mastered the music instead of just re-releasing as is.

[Peter]

Have you heard any of Celibidache's recordings of Beethoven? Although his tempi are very slow I do think his Tchaikowsky recordings are very effective. Not many can get away with those tempi but in these cases (Symphonies No. 5 and 6) I think he is very successful.

I heard his Beethoven 7th and that was enough to put me off from listening to anymore - Klemperer all is forgiven! I'm not sure I could stomach Tchaikovsky at half speed either! Actually having had a go at poor old Klemp, I do recall his was the first recording I had of the Missa Solemnis and I thought it was wonderful - haven't heard it in years though.

[Gurn Blanston]

Well, HaydnFan, I hate to be in the group of refuters, particularly since I generally completely dislike "historic" recordings (read post-Romantic), but of that group, Karajan '63 is head and shoulders superior to any others I have heard. Back then Herb was lean and clean, in later years he spent more time in the studio cleaning things up than they spent performing them. Other than a rather mediocre 6th, the rest of the set is a gem.

That said, my favorite cycles are Gardiner, Harnoncourt, MacKerras and Zinman of modern performances. On DVD, I have the Berlin / Abaddo which I think are very special. I agree with the lovely and talented Ms. Susan, it is a joy to see them performed, and so well to boot.

[Chaszz]

I like a number of the conductors mentioned above. To just add a few comments, I like Bernstein for Fidelio. In my experience, he brings out the profound emotions of this opera better than any other conductor I've heard. I love Bruno Walter for the Brahms symphonies. For Wagner, the conductor Karl Muck was active at Bayreuth in the years following the composer's death. His 1927 78 RPM recordings of various Wagner excerpts and overtures, including large parts of Parsifal, are to me unsurpassed. These are available on CD and the sound is much better than one might expect. For anyone who likes Wagner, Muck is near to the source and quite worth exploring.

[Peter]

Interesting Chaszz. I really hadn't come across Karl Muck. Bruno Walter was of course particularly associated with Mahler - when you say you love him for Brahms, what recordings are you referring to date wise?

BTW have you been to Bayreuth?

[Chaszz]

Interesting Chaszz. I really hadn't come across Karl Muck. Bruno Walter was of course particularly associated with Mahler - when you say you love him for Brahms, what recordings are you referring to date wise?

BTW have you been to Bayreuth?

My experience with Walter and Brahms dates to years ago, on vinyl LPs. I don't have any of these albums anymore, and don't know the dates. (As with much music I love, I listen to it to death for several months and then sometimes rarely revisit it, having exhausted its interest for me, so I only listen to the Brahms symphonies rarely now.)

Muck is a revelation, to me, anyway.

I was on the waiting list for Bayreuth for several years, and meanwhile noticed that the hypermodern, stark productions were standard there, and I strongly dislike those after having seen two at the Met. Some of them are also of the variety called 'Eurotrash', which often frankly makes fun of the composer and the plot. So when I was informed a couple of years ago by Bayreuth that I was eligible for seats, I declined.

[Peter]

Oh Chaszz you the great Wagnerite turned down an opportunity to visit the shrine and Wahnfried!

I only asked about the Brahms recordings because Walter's later stereo recordings are not considered to show him at his best, so I wondered if they were mono?

[Chaszz]

The combination of Eurotrash productions, the hard seats and the lack of air conditioning in the sweltering summer season, decided me against it.

The Bruno Walter Brahms symphonies were with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra. I see they are available on Amazon, reissued 1995, dates not mentioned as far as I can see.

[Tony John Hearne]

How about Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin PO?

[Megan]

How about Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin PO?

TJ,
I enjoyed a superb performance at the Royal Albert Hall , with Sir Simon Rattle conducting Beethoven's Symphony No.9, with the Berlin Philharmonic about a year ago now .

You can listen to a mostly Mozart concert tonight if you like, on BBC Proms Radio 3. with Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra . 7:30

[Johan]

I heard his Beethoven 7th and that was enough to put me off from listening to anymore - Klemperer all is forgiven! I'm not sure I could stomach Tchaikovsky at half speed either! Actually having had a go at poor old Klemp, I do recall his was the first recording I had of the Missa Solemnis and I thought it was wonderful - haven't heard it in years though.

Peter!

Klemp's Missa is really the most wonderful of all recordings of this (almost) superhuman composition. You are advised to listen to it as soon as possible - and as often as possible!