Post by fafnir October 19, 2006 (31 of 36)
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Most recordings of this music are far too sedate and cool for my taste. It comes much more involving when performed with intensity and fervor. Gilels/Reiner IMO leads the pack with Richter/Leinsdorf (dispite a few rough patches) not far behind. Interesting to compare Gilels/Reiner with Gilels/Jochum - they are so dissimilar, one wouldn't think it was the same pianist.
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Post by brenda October 20, 2006 (32 of 36)
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fafnir said: Gilels/Reiner IMO leads the pack ... to compare Gilels/Reiner with Gilels/Jochum - they are so dissimilar, one wouldn't think it was the same pianist.
which reminds me, WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY hasn't RCA released the Gilels /Reiner in its Living Stereo series, especially as DGG will presumably never release the G/Jochum on SACD?? And the same goes for RCA's Gilels solo recordings of Schubert and Liszt. Anyone fancy joining a write-in campaign to RCA if I got it started????? Brenda
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Post by krisjan October 20, 2006 (33 of 36)
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I'm in the Brenda and Andrewb camp on this one. The performance is just OK - nothing special. I've never been a big fan of Litton's conducting and I place the blame mostly on him. The first mvmt especially seems to drag. Sound (in stereo SACD) is 4 stars tops. I will eventually write a review of this reflecting this stance. Of recent Brhams PC's, I really enjoy the Friere/Chailly on rbcd very much. Chailly's conducting is fantastic and that makes the difference. Sound is also excellent.
Mark
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Post by fafnir October 20, 2006 (34 of 36)
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brenda said:
which reminds me, WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY hasn't RCA released the Gilels /Reiner in its Living Stereo series, especially as DGG will presumably never release the G/Jochum on SACD?? And the same goes for RCA's Gilels solo recordings of Schubert and Liszt. Anyone fancy joining a write-in campaign to RCA if I got it started????? Brenda
You can certainly count me in. I've posted the request on the Living Stereo SACD web site (truly an exercise in futility - no one from BMG/Sony appears to be monitoring it), but would be delighted to make a request in writing. Any enthusiasm also for the Reiner Song of the Earth?
We all have different candidates for classic RCAs that deserve reissue in SACD, but these two stick out like the proverbial sore thumb.
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krisjan said:
I'm in the Brenda and Andrewb camp on this one. The performance is just OK - nothing special. I've never been a big fan of Litton's conducting and I place the blame mostly on him. The first mvmt especially seems to drag.
FWIW regarding Litton, I attended Hamelin's performance of this piece in Detroit a couple of weeks ago, and while I enjoy this disc a great deal, I recall the live performance as having been slightly better--at least it made a greater impact on me. Take this with a heaping cup of salt, since I'm pretty sure I hadn't heard it played by anyone before that concert. I'm looking forward to picking up one of the reference recordings with Gilels or Richter for comparison purposes.
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Post by seth November 15, 2006 (36 of 36)
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ProzacMessiah said:
I'm looking forward to picking up one of the reference recordings with Gilels or Richter for comparison purposes.
Do not skip Fleisher.
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