Constantin Silvestri

[hafod]

Can see no discrepancies between the Disky and EMI sets, save the EMI including the Tchaikovsky symphonies....

Thank you - that's helpful as I have the Disky set as well as the Tchaik symphonies on Royal Classics. I would, however, be most interested to know if the transfers in the Icon box differ significantly from those in the Disky.

[Karafan]

I suspect they don't, Hafod, but will do an A-B check when I get a mo.

Disky licensed them from EMI and EMI have undertaken no restoration work* on any of the Icon boxes that I can see, given their budget price tag. (*Not that the Silvestri recordings required any remastering as such - they have always sounded top-drawer to me).

K.

[Dave2002]

I suspect they don't, Hafod, but will do an A-B check when I get a mo.

Disky licensed them from EMI and EMI have undertaken no restoration work* on any of the Icon boxes that I can see, given their budget price tag. (*Not that the Silvestri recordings required any remastering as such - they have always sounded top-drawer to me).

K.

I hope you've not been buying unnecessary duplicates, but thanks for checking the contents and maybe also the audio quality too.

[Karafan]

I hope you've not been buying unnecessary duplicates, but thanks for checking the contents and maybe also the audio quality too.

No Dave, thanks - I went into it with eyes wide open, I wanted the Tchaikovsky symphonies he recorded and may well sell the Disky on or treat a pal!

[gurnemanz]

I took this photo when we came across his grave by chance while visiting the splendid "Gothic Revival" St Peter's Church in Bournemouth a couple of years ago.

[amateur51]

I took this photo when we came across his grave by chance while visiting the splendid "Gothic Revival" St Peter's Church in Bournemouth a couple of years ago.

Wonderful, many thanks for sharing this, gurnemanz!

[silvestrione]

The EMI has everything in the Diski box, plus Tchaikovsky 4 - 6, and Manfred, plus two versions of Dvorak 9, plus Berlioz Sym Fantastique, plus Elgar In the South, plus Weber Der Freischutz, plus an additional (second) older version of Saint-Saens Danse Macabre. It also claims the Bartok Divertimento and Hindemith Mathis der Maler are in stereo for the first time. Just about justifies the duplication, I decided! At the Archiv price.

So far I've listened to the Borodin Overture Prince Igor, which is NOT one of the ones marked mono, but, though splendid, sounded mono to my ear! Early stereo perhaps, me perhaps.

[Karafan]

I took this photo when we came across his grave by chance while visiting the splendid "Gothic Revival" St Peter's Church in Bournemouth a couple of years ago.

Nice picture, thanks Gurnemanz. I am sure it was badly vandalised (some people, I ask you) and had to be replaced of late.

[Barbirollians]

I took delivery today of the new Icon box of Constantin Silvestri's complete EMI recordings and, after a busy day scribbling, have just rewarded myself by spinning the first disc - all Russian fare via three orchestras: the Philharmonia in Ruslan & Ludmila and Prince Igor Overtures, the Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire in the Polovtsian Dances and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in Borodin's In the Steppes of Central Asia, plus a Tchaikovsky trio: 1812, Capriccio italien and the Polonaise from Eugene Onegin.

The Polonaise goes with tremendous élan and I was quite struck by the blazing brass of the BSO and the almost Russian oboe tone!


One quibble so far - why, over a fifteen CD box, six of which are devoted to Russian music, could EMI have not found a way to present Tchaikovsky's Fifth without it being split over two discs?

I have just listened to that disc for the first time - the box having lain reproachfully by the stereo and what a treat it is . It feels very decadent to be listening to it instead of Die Walkure !

[Hornspieler]

I have just listened to that disc for the first time - the box having lain reproachfully by the stereo and what a treat it is . It feels very decadent to be listening to it instead of Die Walkure !

A no brainer! But I would say that, wouldn't I?

HS

[salymap]

It certainly looks a new stone on Silvestri's grave.

Surely the earlier one wasn't vandalised ? In Bournemouth ?

Does HS have details of this ?

Good morning all, by the way

[Barbirollians]

Afternoon ! The Capriccio Italien is a particular delight .

[Karafan]

It certainly looks a new stone on Silvestri's grave.

Surely the earlier one wasn't vandalised ? In Bournemouth ?

Does HS have details of this ?

Good morning all, by the way

Afraid so, Saly, I read it in the biography but here is the BBC on the subject. It was back in 2005. Deplorable. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/4353124.stm

Best to all, K.

[salymap]

Thanks Karafan, unbelieveable but sadly true.

[Barbirollians]

On to disc 14 - surely one of the plums . How lovely to hear his stupendous account of In The South reunited with his Tallis Fantasia and The Wasps - what a shame Silvestri did not record any VW symphonies .

Has anyone ever recorded the Romanian Rhapsody with as much fizz as Silvestri ? This is a real box of delights .

The splitting of the Tchaikovsky 5 is just unfathomably stupid though !