Sargent recordings

[smittims]

Yes, there's no doubt Malcolm was uneven and in some cases his earlier recordings are better. e.g. his early '50s Elgar Variations on Decca with the LSO and his 1946 Messiah with Isobel Baillie ad Norman Walker .

[Ein Heldenleben]

Yes, there's no doubt Malcolm was uneven and in some cases his earlier recordings are better. e.g. his early '50s Elgar Variations on Decca with the LSO and his 1946 Messiah with Isobel Baillie ad Norman Walker .

I was very taken with an extract from a 60’s Messiah he conducted with the RLPO and the Huddersfield Choral society. It was a welcome relief from all the other Christmas stuff played on R3 on Saturday. In particular what struck me was the very careful preparation the HCS has clearly put in with a lovely soprano line and some slightly “old fashioned “ vigorous basses. The “problem” with a lot of HIPP recordings is that the voices are often professionals and very highly trained young choristers. They can just sound restrained and within themselves - all a bit too perfectly. The HCS sounded like “real “ people which , to me , is more impactful.
SMS also conducted very well. I can see why it was a hot ticket in December in Huddersfield.

[Barbirollians]

The Philharmonia don’t half play well though on Sargent’s
Enigma.

[smittims]

Yes, and that's an excellent recording, also of the VW on the disc. I was lucky recently to find a near-mint copy of the original SXLP (HMV Concert Classics) issue with its lovely landsacpe photo on the cover . I last heard Sargent conduct the Variations at the 1966 proms and that was a fine performance, with, of course,the organ prominent at the end. .

[Petrushka]

There's a recording out on the Somm label of Sargent conducting the first performance of the RVW 9th in 1958. Presumably this is taken from a BBC broadcast.

Has anyone got this disc and able to comment on the sound quality?

[Roger Webb]

Sargent of course conducted the premiere of Songs of Farewell, Beecham sadly being uninterested in Delius' late works. And his recording ofthe Cello Concerto was the only l one for some years.

Sargent also conducted the Delius Violin Concerto with Albert Sammons as soloist, this is on an interesting Testament CD (SBT 1014) with Moiseivitch playing the Piano Concerto cond. Constant Lambert, who also conducts Intermezzo and Serenade from Hassan.

[Barbirollians]

The Icon box includes the Bliss and Rubbra piano concertos but no other concerto recordings . A shame - the Tortelier Dvorak and Elgar , du Pre's Delius would have been welcome.

[oliver sudden]

There's a recording out on the Somm label of Sargent conducting the first performance of the RVW 9th in 1958. Presumably this is taken from a BBC broadcast.

Has anyone got this disc and able to comment on the sound quality?

It is what you would expect under the circumstances. No better but no worse, I would say. I find it perfectly listenable although my ears are reasonably used to compensating when recordings of this sort of age and provenance are passing through them. It’s on YouTube and as I think is generally the case you can rely on the CD to be somewhat better without being in another class entirely.

[Barbirollians]

It is what you would expect under the circumstances. No better but no worse, I would say. I find it perfectly listenable although my ears are reasonably used to compensating when recordings of this sort of age and provenance are passing through them. It’s on YouTube and as I think is generally the case you can rely on the CD to be somewhat better without being in another class entirely.

Makropoulos may correct me but I am sure I read somewhere that RVW regretted promising the premiere to Sargent when he would have rather had Boult or Barbirolli.

[Petrushka]

It is what you would expect under the circumstances. No better but no worse, I would say. I find it perfectly listenable although my ears are reasonably used to compensating when recordings of this sort of age and provenance are passing through them. It’s on YouTube and as I think is generally the case you can rely on the CD to be somewhat better without being in another class entirely.

Thanks for that, and the steer towards YouTube. I'll give it a listen. I'm very used to listening to historical recordings but tend to draw the line at truly abysmal sound so would have avoided if that had been the case.

[cloughie]

Thanks for that, and the steer towards YouTube. I'll give it a listen. I'm very used to listening to historical recordings but tend to draw the line at truly abysmal sound so would have avoided if that had been the case.

Or you could stream it free on spotify!

[Barbirollians]

Got to the Belshazzar's Feast recording of 1959 - vigorous singing but pretty unsubtle .

[oliver sudden]

Or you could stream it free on spotify!

If I ever send someone towards that particular streaming service you will know my account has been hacked…

[cloughie]

If I ever send someone towards that particular streaming service you will know my account has been hacked…

Handy to sample if not a regular streamer!

[smittims]

The Sargent VW9 has been broadcast a number of times. I found the sound quality quite acceptable. The interpretation is another matter. Some commentators have criticised it severely, Roy Douglas (who at the time, of course, knew the symphony better than anyone except the composer) being especially scathing. I liked it myself.

I think Sargent conducted the concert because the symphiny was commissioned by the RPS and Sargent was down to conduct that concert. He did have a pedigree as a VW interpreter, having conducted the first public stagings of three of the operas. The RPS didn't provide enough rehearsal and VW actually paid for an extra one out of his own pocket.