Who are YOURS, and why? What are his/her best recordings and/or concert performances?
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My all time favorite conductor is Herbert von Karajan. I have always loved his interpretations of Beethoven's music especially the 1970 Time-Life Beethoven Bicentennial Collection he conducted with the Berlin Philharmonic. I must admit that I also had back then quite a crush on von Karajan--such a handsome blue eyed man from Salzburg.
"God knows why it is that my pianoforte music always makes the worst impression on me, especially when it is played badly." -Beethoven 1804.
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Bernstein made a controversial recording of the Tchaikovsky 6th with the NYPO in his last years - the tempi were generally way too fast. Very disappointing. But he's one of my heroes all the same. I would have to put him in the top 10 category. (There's his excellent biography by Humphrey Burton too.)
What about current (or recently retired) conductors?
Barenboim, Haitink, Harnoncourt, Muti, Gardiner, Rattle, Abbado, Maazel
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Originally posted by Bonn1827 View PostBernstein made a controversial recording of the Tchaikovsky 6th with the NYPO in his last years - the tempi were generally way too fast. Very disappointing. But he's one of my heroes all the same. I would have to put him in the top 10 category. (There's his excellent biography by Humphrey Burton too.)
What about current (or recently retired) conductors?
Barenboim, Haitink, Harnoncourt, Muti, Gardiner, Rattle, Abbado, Maazel'Man know thyself'
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Originally posted by Michael View PostLeonard Bernstein, Karl Bohm, Klemperer, Gunter Wand ..... I could go on but they're all dead, and w'ere all going to die some day, so what's the point?
(Sorry ... I've been listening to Tchaikovsky's Sixth .....)'Man know thyself'
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Originally posted by Bonn1827 View PostWho are YOURS, and why? What are his/her best recordings and/or concert performances?'Man know thyself'
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I love Adrian Boult conducting Elgar, particularly "Enigma" Variations and "Introduction and Allegro". These were never played better, IMO. Also, Beecham cond. "Scheherazade" by R-K. Agree about the Elgar Cello Concerto and Barbirolli/DuPre. Also same conductor with Janet Baker and "Sea Pictures".
Carlos Kleiber's Brahms 4th Symphony is absolutely wonderful, though the (early) digital sound on my CD is harsh and "primitive" compared to today. I have Haitink's Beethoven 3 and 5 symphonies from the 1980's and these are superb - Amsterdam Concertgebouw. I adore JEG's Bach and Purcell recordings but my absolute fave is Dr. William Christie conducting , with Les Arts Florissants, performances of Rameau, Purcell, Gluck and music from the court of Roy Soleil. I would kill to see these in a live performance.
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I'm pretty sure Boulez was in Vienna to conduct with their Philharmonic in Musikverein last year, but I was unable to get tickets to any of their concerts!! The program was mostly modernist composers, as I recall. I remember thinking this was much more adventurous that the type of concerts we are used to in Sydney!! This weekend Mahler's "Symphony of a Thousand"! I just can't get past the idea that this work is over-inflated and pompous in the extreme - sorry Mahler fans!! I think Mahler got his ideas and inspiration from Berlioz (a "showman" and musical exhibitionist, IMO) and not from LvB. Oh dear, is there ANYONE in the world who agrees with me??!!
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