Sargent recordings

[HighlandDougie]

My grandparents had that LSO Sargent Enigma - was it coupled with the Tallis Fantasia on a reissue ?

How to feel old ... not my grandparents but my father. Not a reissue but a first issue on (S)XLP20007 of the Enigma plus the the V W T/T. Much listened to when I was about 8 years old and after. To be a bit anorak-y, Concert Classics numbers beginning with 2 were originals while those beginning with 3 were reissues. Our resident expert on such matters (Smittims, who else) will correct me if I've got that wrong.

[cloughie]

How to feel old ... not my grandparents but my father. Not a reissue but a first issue on (S)XLP20007 of the Enigma plus the the V W T/T. Much listened to when I was about 8 years old and after. To be a bit anorak-y, Concert Classics numbers beginning with 2 were originals while those beginning with 3 were reissues. Our resident expert on such matters (Smittims, who else) will correct me if I've got that wrong.

Spot on HD - many gems there that were ‘60s collection staples.

[Barbirollians]

On now to his late 1940s Messiah - a bit hissy and scruffy sounding . Sargent’s conducting direct but dated but what lovely singing from Baillie,Ripley and sound stentorian stuff from James Johnston and Norman Walker ,

[smittims]

According to EMI 120,000 sets of that late 78 recording were sold. His 1954 Lp remake wasn't so highly thought of, though there is some lovely solo singing. He made a final, stereo set for Reader's Digest with Elizabeth Harwood as solo soprano. .

[mikealdren]

On now to his late 1940s Messiah - a bit hissy and scruffy sounding . Sargent’s conducting direct but dated but what lovely singing from Baillie,Ripley and sound stentorian stuff from James Johnston and Norman Walker ,

Yes, a real period piece, probably as far from HIPP as you can get but I love it too and the Dutton release is in decent sound for its age.

[Pulcinella]

Sargent has featured on six BBC MM CDs: five times as conductor and once as composer (not counting the arrangement of Rule, Britannia).

As conductor:
Vol 6, No 12: Last Night of the Proms, 16 September 1961 (BBCSO; Basil Cameron conducts the main item, the Grieg Piano concerto with Gina Bachauer)
Vol 15, No 10: Elgar Symphony 2 (Live from Colston Hall, Bristol, 29 January 1964)
Vol 20, No 9: Delius Piano concerto (Benno Moiseiwitsch/BBCSO; BBC Proms, 13 September 1955)
Vol 23, No 10: Tchaikovsky Symphony 4 (BBCSO; BBC Proms 5 September 1964)
Vol 29, No 6: Mozart Clarinet concerto (Jack Brymer/BBCSO; BBC Proms, 5 September 1964)

[A pedant writes: were they the BBC Proms back then?]

As composer:
Vol 28, No 11: An Impression on a Windy Day (BBCSO/Oramo; Last Night of the BBC Proms, 9 September 2017)

[Barbirollians]

According to EMI 120,000 sets of that late 78 recording were sold. His 1954 Lp remake wasn't so highly thought of, though there is some lovely solo singing. He made a final, stereo set for Reader's Digest with Elizabeth Harwood as solo soprano. .

That's interesting . Eizabeth Harwood of course also sang on the Mackerras recording - her " I know that my redeemer liveth" is close to my heart as it was played at my grandmother's funeral as one of her favourite pieces of music.