Tristan Und Isolde conducted by Beecham/Reiner

[Conchis]

There is a recording of Melchior and Flagstad in T&I from Covent Garden in the 30s. EMI released it in 1991, trailered as 'conducted by Beecham', though it later turned out Beecham was only responsible for one act. The rest of it was conducted by Reiner.

Is this the same recording that was subsequently issued on Naxos Historical with the same principals and attritubted solely to Reiner, or a different recording altogether?


Thanks, if anyone can help! :)

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The Naxos consists of a Live recording of a single performance from Covent Garden given on 18th May, 1936 but with the Act 1 Prelude from 2nd June. It is a tremendous performance, but with quite a lot of audience and stage noise. Perhaps for that reason, the Beecham "excerpts" from the following year were incorporated into the EMI hybrid release.

The Naxos is Beecham-less.

[Conchis]

The Naxos consists of a Live recording of a single performance from Covent Garden given on 18th May, 1936 but with the Act 1 Prelude from 2nd June. It is a tremendous performance, but with quite a lot of audience and stage noise. Perhaps for that reason, the Beecham "excerpts" from the following year were incorporated into the EMI hybrid release.

The Naxos is Beecham-less.

Excellent! Thanks for that. So, it's obviously a case of having to hear both. Which of the two would you say is the best?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Excellent! Thanks for that. So, it's obviously a case of having to hear both. Which of the two would you say is the best?

I no longer have a copy of the Beecham (a result of my oft-since-regretted experiment at "down-sizing" 25 years ago) so can't do a one-to-one comparison - the noise problems on the "whole-Reiner" might be a greater issue for some listeners than it is for me: it's such a great performance, I can easily filter it out.

But I remember being very impressed with Beecham, too, and I wish Warner s would release his contribution separately. You've twisted my arm - I'm going to see if there's a cheap copy of the EMI composite available from the usual online sources.

[prb]

I no longer have a copy of the Beecham (a result of my oft-since-regretted experiment at "down-sizing" 25 years ago) so can't do a one-to-one comparison - the noise problems on the "whole-Reiner" might be a greater issue for some listeners than it is for me: it's such a great performance, I can easily filter it out.

But I remember being very impressed with Beecham, too, and I wish Warner s would release his contribution separately. You've twisted my arm - I'm going to see if there's a cheap copy of the EMI composite available from the usual online sources.

There are releases with Beecham conducting all three acts, for example this one. In fact there are recordings of Beecham conducting the second act from two separate evenings (which makes EMI's error in inserting the Reiner act 2 all the more bizarre). I used to have a Discocorp LP set which included both versions of act 2.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Oh, good - it did occur to me after I'd posted that the Beecham bits might be available separately. Many thanks, prb - though I hope that there are versions that are a little bit cheaper around!

[ARBurton]

I no longer have a copy of the Beecham (a result of my oft-since-regretted experiment at "down-sizing" 25 years ago) so can't do a one-to-one comparison - the noise problems on the "whole-Reiner" might be a greater issue for some listeners than it is for me: it's such a great performance, I can easily filter it out.

But I remember being very impressed with Beecham, too, and I wish Warner s would release his contribution separately. You've twisted my arm - I'm going to see if there's a cheap copy of the EMI composite available from the usual online sources.

Really wish I hadn`t read this!!! I am currently thinking about downsizing my ludicrously large collection but there you are casting doubt upon the merit of such things!! Actually I think I`m doomed anyway - just acquired another Rheingold (Roberto Paternostro in Kassel, on Ars Produktion who incidentally I`d like to praise for their customer service as I emailed them back in 2012 to ask when they were going to release the Rheingold (the other parts of the Ring being already available) whereupon they replied saying they couldn`t afford to, then last night their producer emailed me to say it was now available! I`d already spotted that and bought it, but v impressed with their service.

[prb]

Oh, good - it did occur to me after I'd posted that the Beecham bits might be available separately. Many thanks, prb - though I hope that there are versions that are a little bit cheaper around!

£14 for 'used - very good' doesn't seem unreasonable. It would have been slightly more than that when it was still generally available.

This site (which I came across yesterday when I was trying to confirm my recollection about there being two versions of act 2) seems to offer downloads for a '$5 donation'. This is merely an observation - I make no recommendation concerning their quality or legality.

[Conchis]

£14 for 'used - very good' doesn't seem unreasonable. It would have been slightly more than that when it was still generally available.

This site (which I came across yesterday when I was trying to confirm my recollection about there being two versions of act 2) seems to offer downloads for a '$5 donation'. This is merely an observation - I make no recommendation concerning their quality or legality.

It's been a long time since I've listened to an Archipel recording (I remember them as being rather good soundwise) but the cover art for that set is beyond abymsal.
I know that these are 'grey market' releases but there really is no excuse for that kind of presentation in this day and age.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Really wish I hadn`t read this!!! I am currently thinking about downsizing my ludicrously large collection but there you are casting doubt upon the merit of such things!!.

As I mentioned, this was 25/26 years ago - nowadays I'd rip everything to computer files: not an option themadays! No doubt in another 25 years I 'll need to downsize again, and shall then use whatever technology is available to keep my library/libraries (books will need to be taken into consideration then, too) - and, with luck, there will be a CD resurgence similar to the vinyl trend now which I'll be able to take advantage of!

But I still miss greatly the CDs I got rid of back then - and it's still physical CDs that I prefer now.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

£14 for 'used - very good' doesn't seem unreasonable. It would have been slightly more than that when it was still generally available.

This site (which I came across yesterday when I was trying to confirm my recollection about there being two versions of act 2) seems to offer downloads for a '$5 donation'. This is merely an observation - I make no recommendation concerning their quality or legality.

£14 is indeed, as you say, very reasonable - just a smidgen beyond my current budget for individual single CD releases of repertoire I already have multiple copies of. I hope, the reasonable price notwithstanding, that an even cheaper copy might become available.

The download might be a splendid stop-gap until then - many thanks!

[Conchis]

£14 is indeed, as you say, very reasonable - just a smidgen beyond my current budget for individual single CD releases of repertoire I already have multiple copies of. I hope, the reasonable price notwithstanding, that an even cheaper copy might become available.

The download might be a splendid stop-gap until then - many thanks!

When i last looked the EMI Beecham/Reiner hybrid was going for £6.75 with p&p.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

When i last looked the EMI Beecham/Reiner hybrid was going for £6.75 with p&p.

[ARBurton]

£14 for 'used - very good' doesn't seem unreasonable. It would have been slightly more than that when it was still generally available.

This site (which I came across yesterday when I was trying to confirm my recollection about there being two versions of act 2) seems to offer downloads for a '$5 donation'. This is merely an observation - I make no recommendation concerning their quality or legality.

Similarly making no recommendation regarding quality or legality, but I essayed a test purchase and am now listening to a 1971 Gibson Walkure which came as a zipped file of 3 mp3s with a text note of cast details. What next, I wonder...

[Barbirollians]

I have Furtwangler, Bohm and Kleiber in this the only Wagner opera I really love rather than admire.