Paul Kletzki

[Barbirollians]

In my one man Kletzki crusade a big heads up for his recording of Rachmaninov's Third Symphony on Decca with the SRO. On first hearing I am quite swept away , he really did have such a way with the great romantic composers and to get orchestras to play this music with commitment and passion without ever going over the top . Terrific .

[Ferretfancy]

In my one man Kletzki crusade a big heads up for his recording of Rachmaninov's Third Symphony on Decca with the SRO. On first hearing I am quite swept away , he really did have such a way with the great romantic composers and to get orchestras to play this music with commitment and passion without ever going over the top . Terrific .

Barbirollians
You've probably already got it, but I particularly like Kletzki's performance of Lutoslawski's Concerto for Orchestra. It's on a Decca Double coupled with Chantal Juillet's performance of the Szymanowski Violin Concerto and the Szymanowski 2nd and 3rd symphonies. You get Pears in Paroles Tissees as well.

One copy left on Amazon at £19.95 or 6 used at 16.79, probably available elsewhere

[Gordon]

EMI did issue a 2 disc compilation way back:

EMI Cat No 767 726 2 A Profile of Paul Kletzki with The Philharmonia
Disc 1 Glinka: Jota Aragonesa recorded September 1958 Kingsway Hall
^ Rimsky-Korsakov: Excerpts from Tsar Sultan Suite Op 57, recorded September 1958 Kingsway Hall
^ Tchaikovsky Arr Schmid: Andante Cantabile recorded September 1958 Kingsway Hall
^ Sibelius: Symphony 2 recorded July 1955 Kingsway Hall
Disc 2 Schubert: Rosamunde Overture (RPO) recorded October 1958 Kingsway Hall
^ Mahler: Symphony 4 with Emmy Loose recorded April and June 1957 Kingsway Hall
^ Mahler: Symphony 5 Adagietto, recorded October 1959 Abbey Road

But there is an abundance of recordings with the Philharmonia from the 50s that are certainly worth exploring. One from '52/3 is Tchaikovsky Serenade for Strings which the orchestra thought captured its string tone extremely well even if it was mono. Not issued on CD as far as I know - LP No was 33CX 1164 reissued on CfP 2045.

[cloughie]

CfP 2045.

I remember it well,

[Tevot]

One of my formative experiences of classical music (and indeed my first encounter with a Tchaikovsky Symphony) was listening to Kletzki's recording of the Pathetique.

Wonderful

Best Wishes,

Tevot

[cloughie]

One of my formative experiences of classical music (and indeed my first encounter with a Tchaikovsky Symphony) was listening to Kletzki's recording of the Pathetique.

Wonderful

Best Wishes,

Tevot

XLP20027, around 50 years ago - had a gaudy pink sleeve - but what a beautiful performance.

[Barbirollians]

XLP20027, around 50 years ago - had a gaudy pink sleeve - but what a beautiful performance.

Now available on Medici Masters CD !

[cloughie]

Now available on Medici Masters CD !

I have a copy on CfP with Tsar Saltan as the coupling - I also have Scheherazade coupled with Capriccio Italien. A bit of planning by EMI could have switched the couplings by composer - but never mind - they're must haves!

[Barbirollians]

I have a copy on CfP with Tsar Saltan as the coupling - I also have Scheherazade coupled with Capriccio Italien. A bit of planning by EMI could have switched the couplings by composer - but never mind - they're must haves!

That Scheherazade remains my favourite . I wish they would do a new CD transfer - the early CFP one has lost much of the bloom on the sound from my old cassette.

[Alain Maréchal]

Apologies for joining in belatedly, but I knew I had the LP somewhere - ASD296, a very fine 'Unfinished' and 'Rosamunde' with the RPO. (The cover is a Michelangelo Madonna and Child from the National Gallery of London: the relevance to the music escapes me). I concur with those who like his Czech PO Beethoven cycle; natural unforced interpretations with splendid orchestral playing.

The record catalogues are full of recordings by excellent first-rate musicians who just never seemed to be 'stars', or who were overshadowed by better-publicised names (in Kletzki's case several other Ks) and so their very fine interpretations have been overlooked. Who remembers Wilhelm Schuecter these days?

[cloughie]

Apologies for joining in belatedly, but I knew I had the LP somewhere - ASD296, a very fine 'Unfinished' and 'Rosamunde' with the RPO. (The cover is a Michelangelo Madonna and Child from the National Gallery of London: the relevance to the music escapes me). I concur with those who like his Czech PO Beethoven cycle; natural unforced interpretations with splendid orchestral playing.

The record catalogues are full of recordings by excellent first-rate musicians who just never seemed to be 'stars', or who were overshadowed by better-publicised names (in Kletzki's case several other Ks) and so their very fine interpretations have been overlooked. Who remembers Wilhelm Schuecter these days?

The Schubert reappeared on Concert Classics and CfP but to my knowledge on CD - and yes it was a very good record. Schuchter was overshadowed by other Schs - Schuricht and Scherchen!

[Alain Maréchal]

While thinking aout forgotten conductors, I found an LP conducted by Heinz Wallberg. Looking him up on Wikipedia I found this:

<<During World War II, he was a morse code operator, and simultaneously directed an army band and led a string quartet.>>

Doing all that simultaneously must have been quite fun to watch (and listen to).

I have just discovered that it was Wallberg who conducted that famous 1958 recording of Schwarzkopf and Ludwig in "Euch Lueften" from Lohengrin. Very fine it is too: he goes up in my estimation. (I expect the Legge/Larter/Philharmonia combination helped).

[Barbirollians]

Knew there was another thread

[cloughie]

Knew there was another thread

Looks like we think the same of him 5 years on!...and still no ICON or big box!

[Barbirollians]

The reissuing policy of Warner I never can quite get- I see suddenly a budget price pair of CDs Kletzki’s Columbia recordings of the Schumann symphonies with the IPO . Arrived today and though the recordings rather show their age - the Spring Symphony is a definite winner so far . Come on Warner - how about the rest of his recordings soon !