Adrian Boult - a great Tchaikovsky conductor

[Barbirollians]

Are there any recordings of him in the symphonies . Listening to his Romeo and Juliet and Nutcracker Suite in the big Warner box and his BAL winning recording of Suite No 3 he strikes me as having been a great Tchaikovsky conductor - there is terrific passion and sweep but it never goes too far . It is not restrained but real and heartfelt rather than hysterically applied ( like much of Gergiev )

What a shame he did not record a set for EMI in his indian summer .

PS An Amazon search shows there are recordings of the 3rd 5th and 6th it seems once on Pye Golden Guinea and never on CD ( except the 3rd )

[Beef Oven!]

Are there any recordings of him in the symphonies . Listening to his Romeo and Juliet and Nutcracker Suite in the big Warner box and his BAL winning recording of Suite No 3 he strikes me as having been a great Tchaikovsky conductor - there is terrific passion and sweep but it never goes too far . It is not restrained but real and heartfelt rather than hysterically applied ( like much of Gergiev )

What a shame he did not record a set for EMI in his indian summer .

PS An Amazon search shows there are recordings of the 3rd 5th and 6th it seems once on Pye Golden Guinea and never on CD ( except the 3rd )

How can you know this, in either case?

[makropulos]

Are there any recordings of him in the symphonies . Listening to his Romeo and Juliet and Nutcracker Suite in the big Warner box and his BAL winning recording of Suite No 3 he strikes me as having been a great Tchaikovsky conductor - there is terrific passion and sweep but it never goes too far . It is not restrained but real and heartfelt rather than hysterically applied ( like much of Gergiev )

What a shame he did not record a set for EMI in his indian summer .

PS An Amazon search shows there are recordings of the 3rd 5th and 6th it seems once on Pye Golden Guinea and never on CD ( except the 3rd )

I do so agree!
CRQ editions has done a CD transfer of the Pathetique. Info here (it's the second item in the list).

http://crqeditions.co.uk/crqeditions.php#Catalogue

[pastoralguy]

I quite agree with your statement that Boult was a fine Tchaikovsky conductor. Like you, I've always cherished his revording of the Suite No. 3 which is, IMHO, one of the finest Tchaikovsky recordings in the catalogue. I've long cherished my EMI Studio cd of it. I once wrote to Rodney Friend about this recording and he complimented me on my 'great taste' in enjoying this work. He went on to say that, for him, Sir Adrian summarised all the virtues required of a top class musician that were all too often lacking in today's practioners.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

My first experience of Boult's Tchaikovsky was on his Decca Ace of Clubs recording of Hamlet:



I can still "hear" those uncorrected wrong notes that were so characteristic of his 1950s' recordings. A pity, since they detract from some fine performances.

[Pabmusic]

I do so agree!
CRQ editions has done a CD transfer of the Pathetique. Info here (it's the second item in the list).
http://crqeditions.co.uk/crqeditions.php#Catalogue

CRQ have done both 5 (1959) & 6 (1958):

http://crqeditions.bandcamp.com/album/crq012-tchaikovsky-5-boult

http://crqeditions.bandcamp.com/album/crq002-tchaikovsky-symphony-no-6-boult-1959

[umslopogaas]

He recorded No. 3 in D major with the LPO on Decca in 1957: LXT 5297 mono only. I dont know if it has been transferred to CD.

I also have LP versions of his recordings of Capriccio Italien, March Slave and Mazeppa Gopak (ASD 3093) and the Suite No. 3 (ASD 3135)

[Pabmusic]

He recorded No. 3 in D major with the LPO on Decca in 1957: LXT 5297 mono only. I dont know if it has been transferred to CD...

Here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tchaikovsky-...lt+tchaikovsky

Or here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Boults-Tchai...lt+tchaikovsky

[Karafan]

I am usually a great fan of Sir Adrian's (his live Elgar from the Proms being an especial case in point) but I found his reading of the 'Polish' hugely uninvolving and rather underwhelming, sad to say....
K.

[seabright]

The 3rd movement of the LPO "Pathetique" on the CRQ release can be heard on You Tube. The comments underneath the video correctly refer to the lack of a good bass response in the transfer. A lively performance, even so ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RicAP5l_qr0