Favourite Andre Previn recordings

[Uncle Monty]

Nothing to mention that others haven't -- I played the grooves off his Rachmaninov 2, Shostakovich 8, and Prokofiev Romeo & Juliet. And of course the RCA Vaughan Williams box: I remember as a poverty-stricken newlywed having earnest discussions with my wife about whether we could afford that or not. We decided we couldn't afford not to get it

[Tony.Haywood]

I would echo all the above and agree Previn has made precious few bad recordings. I certainly agree about the Elgar 1, a superb version and would add the Telarc Tchaikovsky 5, with magical horn playing from Jeff Bryant.

Ultimately its those early LSO recordings that are the blue chip classics - has there EVER been a Walton 1 to touch his, or a VW cycle that's any better, anywhere?
Not to my ears...

[Nachtigall]

All the Previn recordings I cherish have been mentioned, certainly that crackling Walton First Symphony, powerful Shostakovich 8, lyrical and sumptuous Rachmaninov Symphonies 2 & 3 and the Vaughan Williams symphonies. Of the latter I sometimes find myself playing the Intermezzo from Sinfonia Antarctica in isolation, the movement which follows Donne's words, "Love, all alike, no season knows, or clime…", spoken by Ralph Richardson. No one else captures quite the degree of poignancy and regret that Previn conveys here.

[BBMmk2]

My list is:=

Messaen: Turangalila;
Poulenc: Concert Champetre; Organ Concerto
Britten: 4 Sea Interludes & Passacaglia; Sinfonia da Requiem; Spring Symphony
VW Symp 4
Shostakovich: Symps 5 & 8
Rachmaninov: Symp No.2(Jack Brymer, clarinet solo in the Adagio: sublime!!)

[Pianorak]

Can I put in a word for Previn's albums with . . . Ashkenazy (Rachmaninov & Prokofiev concertos)

I think Anatole Fistoulari and the LSO with Ashkenazy in the 3rd Rachmaninov is even better. Fistoulari recorded the 2nd Rachmaninov with Julius Katchen - another outstanding performance IMNSHO.
I do like Previn's Gershwin recordings with the LSO, incl. the Concerto in F with him as soloist.

[rubbernecker]

My very favourites are Walton 1, VW5, Rach 2 and Romeo and Juliet as already mentioned, plus Shostakovitch 5 (RCA), Shostakovitch 6 (EMI), Prokofiev 1 (RCA), Prokofiev 7 (EMI), Mendelssohn overtures etc (RCA). The sound engineering on all these LPs is as fabulous as the performances.

[Petrushka]

Another great favourite of mine is the Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream incidental music - yes, complete and even with the linking bits lasting a few seconds.
There are some recordings on here that I never knew existed, Shostakovich 6 for one, so this could be another costly thread.

[Alf-Prufrock]

There are some recordings on here that I never knew existed, Shostakovich 6 for one, so this could be another costly thread.

I have this recording and it is as good as you would expect Previn's performance to be. I agree with all the posters who think he never made a bad record.

Ones that I have not got are Previn's performances of Shostakovich 10 and 13, which I should expect also to be good. Amazon only do mp3 downloads of the album but I have a rooted objection to buying such maimed sound.

I recently bought the 10-CD LSO Years album from EMI in order to fill a few gaps in my Previn discography and the impression one gets is that he was magnificent over a wide spectrum of music.

[Mahlerei]

Previn's DSCH 13 was my first exposure to the work. A rather good chromium dioxide cassette played on a Sony Walkman Mk I, no less.

This is the DSCH 6, a steal at under a fiver (used)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rachmaninov-Shostakovich-Symphonies/dp/B00000DOJ1/ref=sr_1_20?ie=UTF8&qid=1295694205&sr=8-20

[Ferretfancy]

Previn's brief time at Pittsburgh wasn't very productive, as an example his Ravel Ma Mere l'Oye coupled with the Carnival of the Animals, and I don't think the music that he re-recorded on Telarc comes over as well as earlier versions, but that said I've never wanted to part with any of his recordings.

[Alf-Prufrock]

Previn's brief time at Pittsburgh wasn't very productive, as an example his Ravel Ma Mere l'Oye coupled with the Carnival of the Animals.

I love this performance of the Ravel. I think it is my favourite. The Fairy Garden at the end is beautifully played - a wonderful hush that nobody else has quite achieved, in my experience.

[Thomas Roth]

Someone said that Previn never made a bad record, but I remember his Prokofiev 6 as extemely boring. There are quite a few versions of Shostakovich 6 that are better than his. Berglund is one.
But his Walton is superb, I have a dvd-audio of the second symphony and Belshazzar. The symphony is even better than Szell´s.

[Roehre]

Previn's DSCH 13 was my first exposure to the work. A rather good chromium dioxide cassette played on a Sony Walkman Mk I, no less.

I've got that one too, DSCH 13 on CrO2-tape.
Btw, my now 29-years old Sony Walkman Mk I still plays well, only the connection for the lead to the mains has become feeble (therefore only working on batteries...). Used it recently as we had a (scheduled) power cut (ManWeb replacing some poles and cables).

[Mahlerei]

Roehre

That's' amazing (about the tape and the player). Mind you, the first Walkman was pretty basic but all metal (and hence pretty robust), Do you still have the original headphones with their funky orange earpieces? Sony went on to make a direct drive model (the DD2) and that really was as good as portable tape players got.

[Alf-Prufrock]

I remember his Prokofiev 6 as extemely boring. There are quite a few versions of Shostakovich 6 that are better than his.

Though I agree that there are better versions of both these symphonies, I have never found the Prokofiev 6 recording boring. To me, Previn emphasises the darker aspects of the score with unusual results. And the actual sound recording is wonderful!

I seem to have lost my CD of the Prokofiev (lent out and not returned?) so I shall have to buy it again now that I have reminded myself of it!