Gina Bachauer

[Barbirollians]

There is recording of the Grieg Piano Concerto with RPO and George Weldon - was an HMV Concert Classics LP, but did appear in a CD Piano Concerto compilation on EMI. Her Mercury Brahms 2 also is available in a Reader's Digest 3 CD Brahms set which includes Sym 1 LSO Horenstein and Sym 4 RPO Reiner - of which I have 2 copies from charity shops bought at very favourable prices!

Ah this is the set I have recently referred to but it suggests it is with Dorati not Skrowacewski? A listing error or did she record it twice ?

[richardfinegold]

The big Mercury box(es) have several recordings by her, but those are no longer available as integrales

[vibratoforever]

Ah this is the set I have recently referred to but it suggests it is with Dorati not Skrowacewski? A listing error or did she record it twice ?

She recorded it twice with the LSO. The Mercury recording with Skrowaczewski was released in 1964. The Dorati recording was for Readers Digest and recorded in 1966

[Barbirollians]

She recorded it twice with the LSO. The Mercury recording with Skrowaczewski was released in 1964. The Dorati recording was for Readers Digest and recorded in 1966

Thanks VF the 1966 Dorati is very good to my ears . I go further having heard the whole concerto it is a splendid account . The finale is particularly good.

[cloughie]

Thanks VF the 1966 Dorati is very good to my ears . I go further having heard the whole concerto it is a splendid account . The finale is particularly good.

The Skrowaczewski Brahms PC2 is available fairly cheaply on an amazon download and has the R Serkin/Ormandy coupled for comparison.

[Barbirollians]

The Skrowaczewski Brahms PC2 is available fairly cheaply on an amazon download and has the R Serkin/Ormandy coupled for comparison.

I have just taken delivery of the Profil box.

[Barbirollians]

Only just got round to the Profil box . The first CD starts with a charming live Grieg Concerto from the Proms. I was reminded of Bryce Morrison’s suggestion she was not at her best in the studio . She certainly seems much more relaxed here with a charming slow movement and plenty of fizz elsewhere.

The second performance is the recording of Beethoven 5 from Mercury with old Stan S. I loved her Fourth live with Barbirolli so I should not be surprised that this is outstanding . A terrifically grand performance like Barenboim/Klemperer and Pollini/Bohm and in the same league but with a more flowing Adagio.

The finale starts less grandly but soon builds up a head of steam - no wonder TH in Gramophone described her performance as outstanding both technicallly and interpretatively. Worth the price of the set .

[Barbirollians]

Only just got round to the Profil box . The first CD starts with a charming live Grieg Concerto from the Proms. I was reminded of Bryce Morrison’s suggestion she was not at her best in the studio . She certainly seems much more relaxed here with a charming slow movement and plenty of fizz elsewhere.

The second performance is the recording of Beethoven 5 from Mercury with old Stan S. I loved her Fourth live with Barbirolli so I should not be surprised that this is outstanding . A terrifically grand performance like Barenboim/Klemperer and Pollini/Bohm and in the same league but with a more flowing Adagio.

The finale starts less grandly but soon builds up a head of steam - no wonder TH in Gramophone described her performance as outstanding both technicallly and interpretatively. Worth the price of the set .

This is a great set and I see it only remains at its reduce price of £19.68on Presto until the end of today.

I have now listened to the Mozart concertos which I think may also be on APR . K491 and 537 - beautifully played and certainly no dawdling along in the outer movements or Dresden China in the slow movements.

The third disc contains French music. A very lovely performance of Faure’s Ballade is coupled with Saint Saens Piano Concerto No 2 - a slightly odd performance this - the first movement never quite catches fire though the other two are sparkling and very good .Gaspard de la Nuit seems to me to deserve the praise heaped upon it.

[Barbirollians]

This is a great set and I see it only remains at its reduce price of £19.68on Presto until the end of today.

I have now listened to the Mozart concertos which I think may also be on APR . K491 and 537 - beautifully played and certainly no dawdling along in the outer movements or Dresden China in the slow movements.

The third disc contains French music. A very lovely performance of Faure’s Ballade is coupled with Saint Saens Piano Concerto No 2 - a slightly odd performance this - the first movement never quite catches fire though the other two are sparkling and very good .Gaspard de la Nuit seems to me to deserve the praise heaped upon it.

Very much enjoyed the Brahms 2 with Skrowacewski - how two Gramophone reviewers in the 1960s described it as completely lacking in poetry beats me. I like the restraint in the third movement and sense no lack of poetry. I would say I probably prefer the Dorati Reader’s digest recording as it is a bit more exciting and Bachauer and LSO cellist there are even more poetic but this is a fine account and I particularly like the finale and the woodwind playing in it. I see RO was a fan in his 1990s review.

[Barbirollians]

Very much enjoyed the Brahms 2 with Skrowacewski - how two Gramophone reviewers in the 1960s described it as completely lacking in poetry beats me. I like the restraint in the third movement and sense no lack of poetry. I would say I probably prefer the Dorati Reader’s digest recording as it is a bit more exciting and Bachauer and LSO cellist there are even more poetic but this is a fine account and I particularly like the finale and the woodwind playing in it. I see RO was a fan in his 1990s review.

A splendid set all round. I wish her Rachmaninov 3 had been included though . A great shame that like so many HMV artists of the 1950s she is now ignored by Warner as EMI ignored them previously. it baffles me that they have not seen the potential for their own version of Eloquence with all those deleted classic recordings.

[Barbirollians]

ASI continue to talk to myself on this thread a word about the other shorter pieces - a charming Pour le Piano , some very interesting if not so well recorded Liszt and a recording of Busoni’s orchestration with extra piano flourishes of the Rhapsodies Espagnole which would have surely brought the house down played like this in concert.