Conductors in rehearsal

[Dave2002]

Prompted by a recent offer of a set of Verdi CDs I discovered a few recordings of Toscanini in rehearsal -

http://open.spotify.com/track/6vTmAqVQyVQfrT1ZY6qFRj

http://open.spotify.com/track/6JfamnKXWaiBpeInbSSjNQ I have to say that I can't hear any difference between the first version which Toscanini felt wasn't right - "in tempo" - and the one which follows. I was also surprised at how much he did in Italian - with an American orchestra. The example with the double basses - is pretty excruciating. I wonder if the Italian language was a problem for many of the musicians. Perhaps the NBC orchestra which he worked with a lot got used to it.

Are there any other recordings of conductors in rehearsal which are of interest? There are some of Bruno Walter which are worth hearing.

[mercia]

quite a few videos on youtube of conductors rehearsing, but you probably knew that already

e.g. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Kqzx86-SJc

[umslopogaas]

The 1966 DG LP set of 'Tristan und Isolde' runs to nine sides; the tenth is given over to about 20 minutes of Karl Bohm rehearsing the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra with Wolfgang Windgassen, Eberhard Waechter and Erwin Wohlfahrt (who sings the Shepherd at the start of Act 3). Its in German, but the booklet gives an English translation. i have listened to it a long time ago, but its hard work for one like me who isnt musically trained, though I think it would be fascinating for musicians, especially those who have worked in orchestras and with singers. Unfortunately this rehearsal excerpt is not included on the CD version.

[Ferretfancy]

I have an entertaining CD of Beecham in Rehearsal in the Salle Wagram in Paris with the RPO, but we don't get much detailed work. Rain on the roof prevented recording, but a tape was left running as the orchestra were regaled by a series of anecdotes which are priceless. I don't suppose the disc is still in circulation, but it's well worth seeking out!

[Don Petter]

I see that the one which started it all (in LP days, at least) - The Birth of a Performance, with Bruno Walter rehearsing and then performing Mozart's 'Linz' Symphony - has resurfaced as a download from Naxos:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Walter-Bruno-Performance-Rehearsal-Symphony/dp/B005O2VR8I/ref=sr_1_cc_3?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1394440634&sr=1-3-catcorr&keywords=bruno+walter+rehearsal

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Interesting ones include Boult rehearsing Vaughan Williams' The Pilgrim's Progress, Britten rehearsing his War Requiem, Elgar, his 2nd symphony.

[Hornspieler]

The rehearsal shown on TV of Leonard Bernstein rehearsing his "West Side Story" with Kiri te Kanawa and José Carreras was hilarious - if you didn't mind Bernstein's language.

Hs

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The rehearsal shown on TV of Leonard Bernstein rehearsing his "West Side Story" with Kiri te Kanawa and José Carreras was hilarious - if you didn't mind Bernstein's language.

Hs

And his contra-tent with the trumpeter when rehearsing the Enigma Variations.

[Pabmusic]

Interesting ones include Boult rehearsing Vaughan Williams' The Pilgrim's Progress, Britten rehearsing his War Requiem, Elgar, his 2nd symphony.

The 1927 (?) Elgar take (one side of a 78) was done without his knowledge, which makes it even more interesting than later 'staged' recordings.

[Stunsworth]

There's also Britten rehearsing the War Requiem.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Mravinsky (a man of few words - you wouldn't want to argue with him! - but what an ear that could hear what the second violins in a Tutti were doing wrong ):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoGoVQKvtxU

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Furtwangler, standing like a clock at five past six, arms flapping like a penguin with two broken wings - and yet ... the results! (Again with few words):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUm-VfeCFBI

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Barbirolli rehearsing students in a "warhorse":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NUzmypYiT0

... and professionals in a work then unfamiliar to them:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcDBBYBTP-4

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Not a "rehearsal", but Szell gives a masterclass to Levine (and others):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2OSXvWtZm0

[Dave2002]

Mravinsky (a man of few words - you wouldn't want to argue with him! - but what an ear that could hear what the second violins in a Tutti were doing wrong ):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoGoVQKvtxU

Much less chatty than Kleiber. He didn't seem as severe as I'd feared, very matter of fact. Perhaps there was no confrontation because no one dared, so it all seemed very civilised!