Richard Strauss/Rudolf Kempe Reissue

[amateur51]

I was there too! (I just about caught a glimpse of self near the front of the arena). What a wonderful concert it was. Kempe playing harpsichord continuo in Handel's Op. 6 No. 1, Nerine Barrett (Jamaican, if I remember rightly - now teaching in Germany) as the soloist in Mozart's Concerto K503, and Heldenleben. I've still got the programme somewhere...

The DVD contents are available to view on youtube and it's the only time I've seen Kempe in action. I do envy you both for having seen him 'live', although the cameras' views are those from the orchestra mostly, and you can guage what a remarkable communicator his way, with a good stick technique, a wonderfully expressive left hand and he flexes from his knees in a similar way to Karl Boehm (and Thielemann today). Just occasionally a smile flickers across his face.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaVmw8Z1EaU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqN8tMF2_jA

[Ferretfancy]

A wonderful couple of performances imho and a quite heart-breaking momento of Kempe 'live' because he died so relatively young, months after taking on the BBCPO orchestra. What we might have heard .....

I was so lucky to have seen him conduct, both with the RPO and the BBC SO. Slight quibble it was the latter he took over before his sad death, not the BBC PO.

His RPO recording of the Alpine Symphony made by RCA after a famous RFH concert still ranks very high with me when I feel like mountain climbing.

[amateur51]

I was so lucky to have seen him conduct, both with the RPO and the BBC SO. Slight quibble it was the latter he took over before his sad death, not the BBC PO.

His RPO recording of the Alpine Symphony made by RCA after a famous RFH concert still ranks very high with me when I feel like mountain climbing.

My bad as the young ones say ... it was BBC Symphony Orchestra that he was appointed to as Chief conductior in 1975, shortly before he died in 1976.

http://www.rudolfkempesociety.org/rudolf-kempe.html

[Barbirollians]

Listened to it again today -it really is a marvellous Resurrection Symphony on BBC Legends .

[Petrushka]

Listened to it again today -it really is a marvellous Resurrection Symphony on BBC Legends .

That performance came just a few days after Kempe and the Munich PO had played the funeral march from Beethoven's Eroica in the Olympic Stadium following the 1972 Munich Olympic tragedy. One wonders if the Mahler performance was heightened by the experience.

[Barbirollians]

That performance came just a few days after Kempe and the Munich PO had played the funeral march from Beethoven's Eroica in the Olympic Stadium following the 1972 Munich Olympic tragedy. One wonders if the Mahler performance was heightened by the experience.

I think you said you recall listening to it on the radio Petrushka ? Did it make much of an impression at the time? Lovely singing too by Anna Reynolds and Sheila Armstrong.

[LaurieWatt]

Well, the sound is improved, anyway...

To bring this thread back to Strauss, I have just been given this set and I completely agree with Richard as my sampling demonstrates to me, as well, a quite dramatic improvement in the sound! Yes, wobbly horns but they play beautifully and are well presented in the fine acoustic; slightly light bass but we are talking about early '70's recordings, and, yes, somewhat papery cymbals but then they use those silly small cymbals that just sound ... papery! A fine set and am delighted to be remind of these recordings.

[Black Swan]

Thanks for the information on the Kempe set. I have been vacillating on whether to purchase or not. There will be so many sets out this year, I couldn't decide on whether to wait or not. OR to just buy the works I am interested in hearing. So I will now wait until the mail gets back to normal and proceed.

[Petrushka]

I think you said you recall listening to it on the radio Petrushka ? Did it make much of an impression at the time? Lovely singing too by Anna Reynolds and Sheila Armstrong.

Yes I did. It was a Sunday afternoon I recall. Unfortunately, I was only 18 at the time and this was one of the very first Mahler performances I heard so it's impossible for me to say much about the impression at the time. I'll have to give it a hearing again soon.

[Petrushka]

To bring this thread back to Strauss, I have just been given this set and I completely agree with Richard as my sampling demonstrates to me, as well, a quite dramatic improvement in the sound! Yes, wobbly horns but they play beautifully and are well presented in the fine acoustic; slightly light bass but we are talking about early '70's recordings, and, yes, somewhat papery cymbals but then they use those silly small cymbals that just sound ... papery! A fine set and am delighted to be remind of these recordings.

Hmm it looks like I may be about to replace my old EMI set. Kempe's Strauss has been a big part of my musical life so it deserves to be heard in the best possible sound.

[richardfinegold]

To bring this thread back to Strauss, I have just been given this set and I completely agree with Richard as my sampling demonstrates to me, as well, a quite dramatic improvement in the sound! Yes, wobbly horns but they play beautifully and are well presented in the fine acoustic; slightly light bass but we are talking about early '70's recordings, and, yes, somewhat papery cymbals but then they use those silly small cymbals that just sound ... papery! A fine set and am delighted to be remind of these recordings.

I particularly appreciate the information about the cymbals.
My only caution is the cheapness of the jewell box, which shattered as I opened it to extract he two discs inside. I am now storing the discs in the original EMI
CD reissue box.

[Barbirollians]

I am not sure I feel I need to get this new Warner remastering. The EMI Dresden Ein Heldenleben sounded fine to me this evening and no wobbly horns to my ears - lovely playing and deeply moving performance .

[amateur51]

I am not sure I feel I need to get this new Warner remastering. The EMI Dresden Ein Heldenleben sounded fine to me this evening and no wobbly horns to my ears - lovely playing and deeply moving performance .

No indeed Barbs, i give daily thanks that my ears are such that chasing the bit-rate is a fool's errand

[Karafan]

I don't have it but I thought the latest incarnation of the NYPO cycle (from the Japanese SACD remasterings) was supposed to be a sonic revelation?

Correct!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

An alternative set is the Zinman.

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Arte%2BNova/74321984952

Well worth considering.