Re-recordings: If at first......?

[Conchis]

Bernstein seemed determined to re-record his basic repertoire (and DG were happy to bankroll it) in the seventies eighties. Hence, his second Mahler cycle, shard among various orchestras. This time, his mannerisms really were to the fore - with bizarre, but intriguing results in the case of the Pathetique.

[Bryn]

Re. #15, the big technological change between early '60s and the '70s was the introduction of Dolby A noise reduction.

[cloughie]

Well, except the Pastoral symphony which is not nearly as good as Karajan's 1970's version.

I have long preferred both Cluytens readings of the pastoral to any of the Karajan versions, alogside Kleiber Sr who regrettably did not complete a cycle - it was not compulsory in his day!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Re. #15, the big technological change between early '60s and the '70s was the introduction of Dolby A noise reduction.

- and Herbie was an enthusiast for the Musicassette when it first came out.

[cloughie]

Sorry to be predictable and boring, but there are several examples of Strauss's Alpine Symphony that have been given a second or third go by the same conductor.

The composer's 1936 live recording was followed by a brisker studio recording, both fine in their own way (and an important lesson to OCD score gazers).

Karl Bohm recorded it 3 times, the 2nd & 3rd being the ones that made it to CD, and both very similar (and I find them dull).

Previn's interpretations are similar too.

Thielemann's 3 attempts are very fine indeed, but are very similar to one another.

Franz Welser-Möst has recorded it twice, both nightmarishly rushed in places, and right at the bottom of my list.

Mehta - very similar interpretations.

Karajan's CD and video versions are similar, but the recorded sound is better on the live DVD

Etc.


But an exception is Ashkenazy. His two recordings show how much the conductor rethought his interpretation, the second being leaps and bounds ahead of his earlier one.


So I would suggest a rerun is only worthwhile if the conductor has a good non-financial reason for doing so.

Lorin Maazel also changed his interpretation - his final one with the Philharmonia which was broadcast but never commercially recorded being very much slower than his RCA recording with BavRSO.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Lorin Maazel also changed his interpretation - his final one with the Philharmonia which was broadcast but never commercially recorded being very much slower than his RCA recording with BavRSO.

I'd forgotten about that one. I made sure I recorded that record-breaking performance lasting over 65 minutes. Not that I'm tempted to listen to it.

[Conchis]

Solti was dissatisfied with his original Vienna recording of Die Meistersinger, so recorded it again (at huge expense to Decca) with the CSO.

Personally, I prefer his first version, though neither are that great and both suffer from casting issues.

[cloughie]

I'd forgotten about that one. I made sure I recorded that record-breaking performance lasting over 65 minutes. Not that I'm tempted to listen to it.

I thought it was 59 mins but you’re probably correct with 65. Wasn’t his Also Sprach incredibly long too, maybe that was the 59 but I can’t think it could be that long! I’ll check if I can find the CDR!

[cloughie]

Re. #15, the big technological change between early '60s and the '70s was the introduction of Dolby A noise reduction.

That can improve recording quality but not performance!

[cloughie]

A parallel track to that of the performers' interpretations is the technology one. Think of Boult and the Planets through 78s, mono LP, stereo LP, quadraphonic (if he did one) and digital. This often went in parallel with any change of label for the artist - if they've made a killing in a particular work or repertoire for their old label, the new one will hope for a share of the loot by offering something New, Bigger, Better and more Hi-Fi!

In these days where the technology of the original recording matters less and less if the performance is good enough and great performance will always remain available (touch wood!), it's easy to forget how totally stereo led to the deletion of the mono catalogue except for a few deliberately 'historical' labels like HMV COLH and the odd RCA Victrola, and these were mainly focused on the 78 era rather than the mono LP.

Performance and recordings can be interesting - the Decca 1-8 / Everest 9 Boult Vaughan Williams are an interesting comparison with the later EMI set - both are good but in many ways the earlier performances are more likeable - mind you I wouldn’t want to be without either recordings. Wasps Suite and Job inclded in these comments, though there are Jobs on Decca, Everest and EMI - the Everest being the least successful!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I thought it was 59 mins but you’re probably correct with 65. Wasn’t his Also Sprach incredibly long too, maybe that was the 59 but I can’t think it could be that long! I’ll check if I can find the CDR!

I was wrong about 65 minutes. It’s actually a fract under 67!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CGw___Eeh60

[Barbirollians]

Suvi Raj Grubb told a story of Jacqueline du Pre and Daniel Barenboim turning up at his house one evening after they had recorded the Schumann Cello Concerto and Jackie saying she wasn’t happy with it and knew she could do better . SRG and Barenboim thought it was fine but EMI agreed - and Suvi said she was absolutely right- the second recording was better.

[cloughie]

I was wrong about 65 minutes. It’s actually a fract under 67!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CGw___Eeh60

His Also Sprach - similar vintage was just short of 42 minutes.

[Boilk]

I don't know about better or worse, but one hopes they will be different.

Sometimes perhaps not too different, but with better recording technology... e.g. Colin Davis's Tippett #2 and #3, which I still don't think have been bettered elsewhere.

[Pulcinella]

Sometimes perhaps not too different, but with better recording technology... e.g. Colin Davis's Tippett #2 and #3, which I still don't think have been bettered elsewhere.

I think that you've slightly misunderstood the main thrust of the thread, Bolik (though I grant that in the original post 'different' might well have been added or replaced 'better or worse'): Colin Davis only recorded Tippett 2 and 3 once. It would certainly have been interesting to see how different any subsequent recordings he made of them would have been, and whether or not they would have 'bettered' his first thoughts.