Beethoven Pastoral Symphony - Gramophone Collection

[hmvman]

I have a very soft spot for William Steinberg conducting the Pittsburgh Symphony. The MfP LP was what got me into classical music 50 years ago so it's very special to me. I bought the VPO/Böhm recording because it was a Penguin Guide recommendation but I didn't really warm to it. I should dig that LP out again and give it another go.

[Bryn]

I have a very soft spot for William Steinberg conducting the Pittsburgh Symphony. The MfP LP was what got me into classical music 50 years ago so it's very special to me. I bought the VPO/Böhm recording because it was a Penguin Guide recommendation but I didn't really warm to it. I should dig that LP out again and give it another go.

Did that, like their 9th, use Mahler's reorchestration?

[hmvman]

Did that, like their 9th, use Mahler's reorchestration?

I don't know, Bryn. I'll have to have a look at the LP and see if it's mentioned. An interesting point!

[hmvman]

Just checked the LP and no mention of Mahler orchestration. According to this article the 9th was a special case:

https://www.classicstoday.com/review/steinberg-pittsburghs-classic-beethoven-symphonies/

[richardfinegold]

Can you tell us the source of this ? It seems to be rather inconsistent with Walter’s criticism of musicians like Menuhin forgiving Furtwangler? And that reportedly he had said he converted to Christianity as the only way he could get a job.

I’ve seen it in more than one place. One was Fanfare Magazine, possibly in a review by James Altena, who is a Walter expert who has contributed both written liner notes and actual tapes of unissued live performances used for recent issues of Walter concerts. I think you need a digital subscription to Fanfare to have unfettered access to their archives

[smittims]

The S.John Passion is sometimes felt to be hard on 'the Jews', as he calls them. Otto Klemperer pointed this out to the members of the Berlin choir he rehearsed for a performance shortly before the Nazi takeover, as Peter Heyworth records in his biography.

[Bryn]

The S.John Passion is sometimes felt to be hard on 'the Jews', as he calls them. Otto Klemperer pointed this out to the members of the Berlin choir he rehearsed for a performance shortly before the Nazi takeover, as Peter Heyworth records in his biography.

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/sunday/american-hypocrisy-on-russian-hacking-why-young-men-an-over-the-phone-book-club-bach-and-anti-semitism-1.3919404/was-j-s-bach-anti-semitic-1.3922936

[smittims]

Thanks , Bryn. I think the subject has been aired on another thread too. Maybe works of visual art , plays and poems and novels , will come into consideration too. Many 19th-century novels contain remarks which would be considered anti-semitic or otherwise racist . I can;t help thinking that its alike retrospective legislation to blame someome, or 'cancel' their work for what wouldn't have been disapproved or illegal at the time. It'sa large and contentious subject, even including Enid Blyton's children's books

[Barbirollians]

When he conducted the Columbia Symphony in the early 1950s, Walter was recording one of the Bach Passions. Many of the Jewish players walked out over what they felt to be excessively anti semitic comments. Apparently as a convert, Walter was a true believer

Not doubting you have read this somewhere but looking at the big complete Bruno Walter Columbia box there are no Bach recordings in it .