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Apart from Janowitz Four Last Songs, no Lieder or indeed English or French song..
Berlioz Nuits, d'éte and Ravel Shéhérazade at "No. 8" –granted, it's not a lot, but those are French songs. I seem to remember that the CD includes some of Crespin's Poulenc songs as well.
Just a lazily-assembled list of overrated recordings for the most part. I've got 4 or 5 I think.
Most of them were the finest around when they were made many years ago but have been superseded since. The snag is many music journalists (and music lovers) of a certain age just hate the idea that they have listened to rather mangy sacred cows for decades, and that (off the top of my head) a young person picking up Zoltan Kocsis' recording of Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra will enjoy a far more idiomatic and brilliantly performed interpretation than the one they have been enjoying (Fritz Reiner's) for donkey's years.
I guess here that great = (very) good + old. I often wonder, when did these recordings become great - the day after they were released? Maybe so in the case of Britten's War Requiem, perhaps one of the few that should be on the list, though I don't like the work.
Just a lazily-assembled list of overrated recordings for the most part. I've got 4 or 5 I think.
Most of them were the finest around when they were made many years ago but have been superseded since. The snag is many music journalists (and music lovers) of a certain age just hate the idea that they have listened to rather mangy sacred cows for decades, and that (off the top of my head) a young person picking up Zoltan Kocsis' recording of Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra will enjoy a far more idiomatic and brilliantly performed interpretation than the one they have been enjoying (Fritz Reiner's) for donkey's years.
I guess here that great = (very) good + old. I often wonder, when did these recordings become great - the day after they were released? Maybe so in the case of Britten's War Requiem, perhaps one of the few that should be on the list, though I don't like the work.
Kleiber's Figaro, Klemperer's Zauberflote, Walter's Mahler 9, old school Bach and Giulini's Verdi Requiem - oh come on! There have been dozens of digital stereo versions that better these lp classics. And for Mozart opera a whole HIP movement. I sense that some critics just won't be parted from their first purchases when they were teenagers. I rapidly scanned the list but failed to see a Verdi or Donizetti opera. When I couldn't see any Schubert or Sibelius I lost interest. How about a list of 50 greatest digital stereo recordings - I don't think it would be hard.
Just had a good look at the list and, given that its THEIR list, not OURS or MINE, I think it's pretty good.
If indeed it were MINE, I'd have included some Schumann/Richter, and some Furtwangler, and some Stravinsky conducting Stravinsky. Oh, and Suk in the Berg Violin Concerto and the potted Ring from 1927 to 1932 with Leider, Austral, Melchior, Schorr, and...
I think that the age of the compiler(s) must be a significant factor in all lists of 'great' performances especially where matters of performing style are concerned as with Bach for example but also increasingly with romantic and even late romantic composers. I wouldn't take issue with the choices but there are so many performances of many works now available that I can't see much point in the complilation other than to fill feature space and provide the basis for a discussion/argument - as the mood takes. How often BAL recommendations these days turn out to be performances by lesser known artists.
Parts of the list could well have been lifted straight from the monthly offers from Britannia Records - remember them? Solti Ring, Kleiber 5/7, Elgar Cello/Sea Pictures, Katya K, Kleiber Brahms 4 and several more.
Just had a good look at the list and, given that its THEIR list, not OURS or MINE, I think it's pretty good.
If indeed it were MINE, I'd have included some Schumann/Richter, and some Furtwangler, and some Stravinsky conducting Stravinsky. Oh, and Suk in the Berg Violin Concerto and the potted Ring from 1927 to 1932 with Leider, Austral, Melchior, Schorr, and...
Yes, yes, yes, yes,and yes.
And Kreisler's Brahms Concerto. And Moyse, Laskine and Ginot in Debussy. And Ansermet's Beethoven 5. And ...
...surely Caruso's earliest hotel room recording (1902) should be top of the pile. Started a line which made everything else not only possible but feasible.
Last edited by Tapiola; 11-10-13, 22:00.
Reason: afterthoughts
...surely Caruso's earliest hotel room recording (1902) should be top of the pile. Started a line which made everything else not only possible but feasible.
Yes! Caruso was the first outstanding musician whose career was substantially facilitated by the new-fangled medium of recording.
Ditto to part 1, but can't agree with part 2. There are quite a few I'd like to add in my missing 17 - Furtwangler Tristan (I only have a highlights LP so gave myself a half-mark), Mravinsky's Tchaik 4 & 5 (I have 6), Pollini Chopin Etudes, Carlos K Brahms 4, Britten's recording of B Budd, the Kubelik Ma Vlast...
Even maybe the Stockhausen...
I keep hitting the Escape key, but I'm still here!
Finally got round to looking and concluded:
All have been well feted by reviewers over the years so all do classify as classics even if we dislike some and prefer others. There are too many old performances but again, I guess, it takes time to achieve immortality.
The key thing about lists themselves is that they are a waste of time. I remember at the time I heard Rubinstein, the Manchester Evening News described him as being one of the 6 greatest pianists before the public. The trouble was I could easily name a dozen others who also were.
I'm surprised that no-one has commented on there being two Janacek operas, yes the Mackerras cycle is superb but that surely is imbalance.
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