Best of Marriner, MTT, JEG, A Davis et al

[verismissimo]

Perhaps in atonement for the thread that caused a certain amount of concern, what about the best of those who came up most regularly as not "doing it for you".

To kick off, I'll offer the Magic Flute of ASMF under Marriner. Quite superb! Great cast and wonderful playing. Champagne throughout.

[LeMartinPecheur]

ASMF/ Marriner in Tippett string works. My LP had (has?) a sticker proclaiming it as containing the theme music for 'Akenside'. Who he?? Should I seek this out? - only 35-odd yrs too late??

[Thomas Roth]

From MTT: Ives, Piston, Ruggles, Copland, Mahler, R.Strauss - Ein Heldenleben, Prokofiev 5, Janacek - Sinfonietta and Glagolitic Mass, Stravinsky, Gershwin, Tchaikovsky, Debussy ... a great conductor.

[Rolmill]

A small selection for each:

Marriner - Bizet Symphony in C (Argo recording), Rossini string sonatas (+ quite agree re Magic Flute, still my favourite version on record)
MTT - Villa Lobos Bachianas Brasileiras, Stravinsky in America, Brahms Serenades
JEG - Chabrier L'Etoile, Handel Solomon, Beethoven Mass in C
A Davis - Elgar Falstaff, Stenhammer Serenade

All terrific performances IMO.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Marriner - I first heard him live in Elgar's Serenade for Strings. And still one of the best recordings of this work (and Introduction and Allegro)
JEG - Elgar again - "In the South: Alassio" with the VPO. Simply the best. With same orchestra - Lehar's "The Merry Widow"
A Davis - Elgar yet again 2nd symphony and "The Crown of India" (orch. Payne)

[Chris Newman]

In the case of JEG I find his Bach exciting. His Berlioz "Messe Solonelle" and "Les Troyens" (the latter on DVD) prove that British conductors (Davis and Beecham as well) are the masters in this repertoire.

[hafod]

ASMF/ Marriner in Tippett string works. My LP had (has?) a sticker proclaiming it as containing the theme music for 'Akenside'. Who he?? Should I seek this out? - only 35-odd yrs too late??

Akenfield is a Peter Hall film from 1974 based upon Ronald Blythe’s book Akenfield: Portrait of an English Village. It used music from Tippett’s Fantasisa Concertante on a Theme of Corelli.

[Mahlerei]

Not a huge fan of JEG but his recording of L'Enfance du Christ is very special. MTT did a TV performanec of Heldenleben with the LSO some years ago, where he talked through the score with the audience as well. One of the most memorable Heldenlebens I've heard. As for Andrew Davis, he tEnds to focus on repertoire I don't particularly know or care for, so I'll pass on that one.

[vinteuil]

Over time I have come to find John-Eliot Gardiner too driven and theatrical in Bach, but I still like his Mozart operas (tho' currently I am more completely convinced by René Jacobs in this repertoire... ) ; I also enjoy J-E G's Berlioz, and his Chabrier l'Étoile is gorgeous...

[MickyD]

Akenfield is a Peter Hall film from 1974 based upon Ronald Blythe’s book Akenfield: Portrait of an English Village. It used music from Tippett’s Fantasisa Concertante on a Theme of Corelli.

It was financed by LWT who were friendly next door neighbours to Peter Hall on the South Bank at the time. To my knowledge the film was only broadcast once or twice - is there a DVD available I wonder?

[Chris Newman]

I also have a very strong affection for JEG's recordings of works (orchestral and choral) by Percy Grainger. I defy anyone not to end up with moist eyes after hearing his recording of Shallow Brown.