Fantasy Overture Romeo and Juliet

[Barbirollians]

Not a BAL for a long time it seems . This is a work that seems very difficult to bring off . If it works it can be overwhelmingly thrilling especially the coda but so many times I have heard it the performance has hung fire.What is your favourite ? Mine is probably Dorati but I am still waiting go the one in my mind’s ear so to speak.

[BBMmk2]

Andrew Litton, has done a very good performance, with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. C/W T’s S5 & S6, plus The Tempest, too!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I recall a brilliant Talking About Music broadcast with Antony Hopkins, in which he illustrated the transformation of the original version of the work into its final form. He described as one of the greatest musical cut-and-paste jobs of all time, as indeed it surely was. The first version was fine as it stood, but the revision put it into a different league altogether.

[Petrushka]

One of my favourites was Antal Dorati with the National Symphony Orchestra of Washington, a version I bought on LP very many years ago but have never got on CD. Having been reminded of it, I've just placed an order for the Double Decca issue (which also includes Fatum, a work I was quite fond of at the time).

As far as CD is concerned, my usual 'go to' is LSO/Previn.

[Alison]

Philharmonia/Muti

Berlin Philharmonic/Haitink (dvd)

[cloughie]

How many times has this great work been recorded - I’ve not checked my EXCEL but I am probably in 3 figures here! The Decca VPO Karajan comes to mind as one which sonically impressed me at a young age but there are many others, often acquired coupled to a symphony or other works. VPO Maazel, LSO Previn come to mind - maybe time for a bit of a listen! Dorati was mentioned - which one - I think I have 2 or 3!

[Alison]

A work programmed not that often. Where do you put it?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

A work programmed not that often. Where do you put it?

Surely it could go anywhere, but the Radio 3 moguls would consider it much too long for inclusion in a morning programme. Yet it's a hugely popular orchestral work.

[Ein Heldenleben]

A work programmed not that often. Where do you put it?

Whenever I’ve heard it live it’s been an opener. It’s only 20 minutes.

[Petrushka]

A work programmed not that often. Where do you put it?

In 50 years of concert-going I've only heard it twice: BPO/Haitink (the DVD you mention) and Kirov Orch/Gergiev. I would normally place it as an opener but, like Elgar's Cockaigne and Strauss' Don Juan, it can work very well as a piece to end the first half of a concert.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

In 50 years of concert-going I've only heard it twice: BPO/Haitink (the DVD you mention) and Kirov Orch/Gergiev. I would normally place it as an opener but, like Elgar's Cockaigne and Strauss' Don Juan, it can work very well as a piece to end the first half of a concert.

It was part of the programme at my first ever concert - at the end of the first half!

[Barbirollians]

It was part of the programme at my first ever concert - at the end of the first half!

Not sure if I have ever heard it in concert possibly with the Halle in Sheffield in the 1980s

[pastoralguy]

I’m sure there’s a Barbirolli recording that was never completed. It stops just before the coda.

[cloughie]

I’m sure there’s a Barbirolli recording that was never completed. It stops just before the coda.

Yes there was

https://www.classicalsource.com/cd/tchaikovsky-barbirolli/

I don’t know if it was included the big Warner box - no doubt those on forum who indulged in this can inform!

[Barbirollians]

I’m sure there’s a Barbirolli recording that was never completed. It stops just before the coda.

Yes - I have not heard it but I cannot imagine he would have been happy with it being released in that form.

I have just remembered a complete belter of a performance - the 1951 Cantelli - giving it a spin later.