Kurt Sanderling - September 19, 1912 – September 17, 2011 - RIP

[jayne lee wilson]

I remember that concert very well, I taped it off R3 (alas, long-lost)... and wasn't there a Bruckner 3 (probably 1889, I'm afraid) the same week? The DSCH 5 was oustanding, but his Berlin Symphony one from Christuskirche is very fine too.

With DSCH 8, I'm pretty sure - no, I'm certain - he DID do it with the LAPO, but from the also newly-opened Birmingham Symphony Hall on R3, c/w the Haydn 39 (first time I ever heard it - revelatory, and still a favourite). I still remember the impact of the 8th's 3rd movement climax! Maybe you heard that one, Highland-D?
He's given us so much, a late, great Bruckner 7 live in Stuttgart on Hanssler with an especially powerful finale.

The Dresden Brahms, for any audiophiles here, is also available via Amazon etc. on separate Denon Mastersonic issues (20-bit remaster) for "rather" a high price, but I stretched to No.3/Haydn Variations and the sound really is revelatory, richer, fuller and more spacious than eg. the Navigators. But the whole cycle could set you back £100! So choose your favorites carefully... but it is a treat.

Anyone around in Glasgow in 1990 (its 'Year of Culture') might remember Sanderling conducting the Berlin Philharmonic (Haydn - was it no 88? - and a wonderful Shostakovich 5) in the newly-opened Concert Hall. He returned the next year but this time with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. More Shostakovich (was it the 8th?), with exceptionally good playing from an orchestra who clearly greatly admired him as a conductor. A sad loss but some wonderful recordings with which to remember him (I share Gurnemanz's views on his Brahms - my standard listening if I just want to hear a fine, unmannered performance from a proper German orchestra).

[amateur51]

I attended several of his Philharmonia concerts at the RFH in which they accompanied Uchida in Beethoven I think but the performance that sticks out in my mind was a spell-binding Shostakovich symphony no 15, the work of an orchestra on top-form and a conductor who knew exactly what he wanted.

In his later years Kurt Sanderling was rather bent forwards which made his entry on to the platform resemble the walk of Groucho Marx but his work was clearly no laughing matter.

[arundodo]

I count myself very fortunate indeed to have played contrabassoon in the finale of Beethoven 5 for Sanderling in the late 1970s.

The performance of the first 3 movements was so fine, it made me almost frightened to play.

The interpretation is still seared on my mind.

I didn't know of his Brahms cycle withe Dresden Staatskapelle - my favourite orchestra. I will seek this out.

RIP

[johnb]

I see there is a box of Sanderling's "Legendary Recordings" from Berlin Classics: 16CDs for ~ £52 on Amazon. But it is also available as an mp3 download for £13.98!

From what I can make out from the blurred image on Amazon, it includes his Shostakovich Symphonies 1, 5, 6, 10, 15, Sibelius Symphonies, Mahler Das Lied, Symphonies 9, 10, Franck, Bruckner 3 (?) and Borodin 2 - all for £13.98 (even if it is mp3)!