Pablo Casals, Conductor?

[Guest]

Most people will know Pablo Casals as the great anti-fascist Catalan cellist, who made famous recordings of chamber music and concertos. Others will know him as the founder of the Prades Festivals after WWII. But how many know him as a conductor?

My reason for creating this thread is that I've just made a wonderful and cheap discovery. Mark Obert-Thorn has produced and restored a CD for Naxos featuring Casals as conductor in Beethoven symphony no 1 & symphony no 4 (both with Pablo Casals Orchestra of Barcelona 1929) plus the overture Ruin of Athens with the same orchestra; and Brahms Variations on a theme by J Haydn with London Symphony Orchestra recorded in the Queen's Hall in 1927.

The recordings do not belie their age and the performances are full of interest - I've enjoyed this disc enormously. The grocer's price is most attractive.

https://www.sainsburysentertainment.co.uk/en/Music/CD/Ludwig-Van-Beethoven/Symphonies-Nos-1-And-4-Casals-LSO/product.html?product=E10186724

At the other end of Casals' career comes another favourite recording of Casals as conductor, sadly nowhere near as cheap in UK these days. It is with the Marlboro Festival orchestra, which he conducted in many performances, and features just about my favourite performance of Schubert symphony no 8, with Schumann symphony no 2 as a splendid makeweight.

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp;jsessionid=D24D71BF28A069B3AC37DDA12803823E?album_id=151177

Do other boarders rate Casals as a conductor and a first-class musician?

[umslopogaas]

I've a couple of LPs of Casals conducting:

Philips ABL 3219 (mono). Mozart piano conc. 9, soloist Myra Hess, Casals conducting the Perpignan Festival O.

CBS SBRG 72523 (stereo). Beethoven symph. 8 and Mendelssohn symph. 4. Casals conducting the Marlborough Festival O.

The CBS sleeve says he also conducted Bach orchestral suites and Bach Brandenburg concertos. Interestingly, the numbers are MET/SET 2015 and MET/SET 3001, which I thought were Decca codes, not CBS. It would be a bit unusual for a record company to give a plug for one of its rivals.

I dont remember the recordings as outstanding, but neither do I recall any serious problems. Interesting that he seems to have conducted at festivals, perhaps because the atmosphere was more relaxed.

[mikealdren]

His accompanying of Gendron in the Haydn D major and Boccherini, although now dated in style, is an old favourite of mine.

Mike

[verismissimo]

Forty five years ago I loved his recording of the Bach orchestral suites with the Marlboro Festival Orchestra. Not sure how I'd respond nowadays. Too expensive to find out.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Orchestral-Suites-1-4-Casals/dp/B0002XB7YS/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1368986997&sr=8-5&keywords=casals+bach+orchestral

[Beef Oven]

Wow, I knew him as an anti-fascist, never knew he could play the cello.

[richardfinegold]

Wow, I knew him as an anti-fascist, never knew he could play the cello.

Another revelation--he was also more Catalonian than Castilian. His name is really Pau Casals.
I would be interested in hearing what his earlier conducting efforts sounded like. His recordings from the Marlboro Festival from the end of his long life can be pretty somnolent.

[Beef Oven]

Forty five years ago I loved his recording of the Bach orchestral suites with the Marlboro Festival Orchestra. Not sure how I'd respond nowadays. Too expensive to find out.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Orchestral-S...ach+orchestral

eight an' 'alf quid too expensive!? you need to sign on.

[mathias broucek]

Years ago I visited the small Casals museum in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Casals is a really big deal there - he had a huge impact on the classical musical life of the island.

As a complete aside, if anyone has enough £££ left after record buying to visit the Caribbean, I STRONGLY recommend Puerto Rico which has great culture, architecture, a rain forest and some mountains as well as more predictable offerings such as beaches and water sports. (We went off-season which was cheaper but rather warm.)

[amateur51]

Years ago I visited the small Casals museum in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Casals is a really big deal there - he had a huge impact on the classical musical life of the island.

As a complete aside, if anyone has enough £££ left after record buying to visit the Caribbean, I STRONGLY recommend Puerto Rico which has great culture, architecture, a rain forest and some mountains as well as more predictable offerings such as beaches and water sports. (We went off-season which was cheaper but rather warm.)

Thanks for this fascinating lead, mathias

This link is full of interesting information. Once I've won the EuroLottery (and bought the Decca Clifford Curzon boxed set ) I shall definitely make haste to Puerto Rico

http://www.festcasalspr.gobierno.pr/abouteng.html

[mathias broucek]

Once I've won the EuroLottery (and bought the Decca Clifford Curzon boxed set ) I shall definitely make haste to Puerto Rico

If it's a rollover, make sure you stay here: http://www.elconvento.com/

[mathias broucek]

At the other end of Casals' career comes another favourite recording of Casals as conductor, sadly nowhere near as cheap in UK these days. It is with the Marlboro Festival orchestra, which he conducted in many performances, and features just about my favourite performance of Schubert symphony no 8, with Schumann symphony no 2 as a splendid makeweight.

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp;jsessionid=D24D71BF28A069B3AC37DDA12803823E?album_id=151177

Do other boarders rate Casals as a conductor and a first-class musician?

Inspired by this thread, I've just purchased the Schubert/Schumann from Fine Records in Hove for £5.49

Thanks A51!

[amateur51]

Inspired by this thread, I've just purchased the Schubert/Schumann from Fine Records in Hove for £5.49

Thanks A51!

Great price, mathias - I hope that you're pleased with it

[Dave2002]

Inspired by this thread, I've just purchased the Schubert/Schumann from Fine Records in Hove for £5.49

Thanks A51!

Is that an LP?

I have long wanted his Brandenburgs, together with the rehearsal discs. I remember no 2 "No, no, no! Not 'di da didi da didi da di da ... But 'di DAA didi da didi da di da di DAA didi ...'" or something like that. There may even have been foot stamping as well!

I have seen some rehearsal CDs offered recently, but not no 2. Possibly the playing etc. would be mannered and sound odd now, but what conviction!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I have long wanted his Brandenburgs, together with the rehearsal discs. I remember no 2 "No, no, no! Not 'di da didi da didi da di da ... But 'di DAA didi da didi da di da di DAA didi ...'" or something like that. There may even have been foot stamping as well!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXnasy6s5ek

... and the whole performance:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5lz5HBqPZw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9_kpMVSv2U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9_kpMVSv2U

[amateur51]

Casals rehearsing Schubert symphony no 8 in Puerto Rico in 1957 - a man who knows what he wants, in English!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWwDSB5kF9s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2FcF-rD4RU