Favourite Sargent recordings.

[Ferretfancy]

Another nice Sargent recording that comes to mind is Dohnanyi's Suite for Orchestra Op.19 with the RPO. My CD is probably deleted, but it is coupled with the Nursery Variations played by Dohnanyi himself, with Boult and again the LPO. Dohnanyi was 79 when he made the recording in 1956, and died in 1960. It's in good early stereo, but I can't really say it's a competitive version, however, the Suite is a gem, recorded in 1961.

[salymap]

I still have a cassette tape of MS conducting Dohnanyi's Suite in F sharp minor which he included in his programmes quite lot, also the Nursery Variations, often with Cyril Smith [remember him?] and with Phyllis Sellick in the Carnival of Animals by St Saens. I had them all but they have been lost over the years.

[Barbirollians]

One missed out inadvertently here - the Du Pre recording of the Delius Cello Concerto. A wonderful performance .

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

One missed out inadvertently here - the Du Pre recording of the Delius Cello Concerto. A wonderful performance .

Oh YES! How could I have forgotten that life-enhancing recording???!!!

[barber olly]

I seem to remember a quite good Eroica on HMV Concert Classics.

[Alf-Prufrock]

I seem to remember a quite good Eroica on HMV Concert Classics.

I remember the reviewer in one of the mags at the time, probably Gramophone, saying that the Funeral March was like 'a procession in purple'. (I hope I've got that right.) I have the CD now, and he is perfectly correct. A fascinating performance.

[salymap]

Someone said something very similar about one of MS's Elgar symphony recordings, I remember.

[Barbirollians]

Is there anything to explain why he was such a great conductor of choral works ? I am just listening to Hiawatha's wedding Feast on CfP - terrific fun .

I still love his Messiah and his Gerontius back in 1945 with Nash and Morison tops the lot.

[salymap]

Well, Sargent enjoyed his choir rehearsals and they were a mixture of a music lesson and fun. He joked with and cajoled the choir and seemed far more relaxed than his manner with orchestras.
I attended RCS rehearsals sometimes and had friends in the choir. He knew the difference between professionals and amateurs but didn't patronise them.