BaL 15.11.14 - Rossini: William Tell

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I think the Chailly version mentioned above is available on CD and possibly a recording by Muti with La Scala (I have a DVD of this and I think it was also issued on CD). There might also be a historic recording (1965) with Rossi conducting and Taddei in the title role (heavily cut compared with later recordings). I think the reviewer will have to be fairly generous re availability if he is going to have enough recordings to compare.

If anyone has links that show Chailly and others to be generally available, I'll happily add 'em to the list.

[AmpH]

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/w/68269/Gioacchino-Antonio-Rossini-Guglielmo-Tell

[Tony Halstead]

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/w/6...Guglielmo-Tell

I am very glad to see that the 1979 Chailly version ( obscenely over-priced - not Mr Chaillly's fault of course) is 'number 9' in that list and rightly so. I was playing in the 'orchestra' which was a hotch-potch 'telephone band' with absolutely no continuity of personnel or 'performing tradition' - fixed by the late Sid Sax. Of course, Chailly was very lucky in that he had superb soloists but as far as the orchestra was concerned he was perplexed by the players' lack of understanding of what he was trying to achieve in an opera recording that had no basis in real life, no theatrical preparation or precedent.
Ripe in living memory was what Solti had achieved several decades earlier with his Wagner Ring Cycle Decca recordings - never mounted in the Opera House - but fortuitously he had the sublime advantage of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra...a tad more accomplished and experienced than the 'National Philharmonic Orchestra'.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/w/6...Guglielmo-Tell

Many thanks, AmpH. It was the different spellings - William/Guillaume/Guglielmo that misled me.

[makropulos]

I am very glad to see that the 1979 Chailly version ( obscenely over-priced - not Mr Chaillly's fault of course) is 'number 9' in that list and rightly so. I was playing in the 'orchestra' which was a hotch-potch 'telephone band' with absolutely no continuity of personnel or 'performing tradition' - fixed by the late Sid Sax. Of course, Chailly was very lucky in that he had superb soloists but as far as the orchestra was concerned he was perplexed by the players' lack of understanding of what he was trying to achieve in an opera recording that had no basis in real life, no theatrical preparation or precedent.
Ripe in living memory was what Solti had achieved several decades earlier with his Wagner Ring Cycle Decca recordings - never mounted in the Opera House - but fortuitously he had the sublime advantage of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra...a tad more accomplished and experienced than the 'National Philharmonic Orchestra'.

Good to hear this from someone who played in the orch. I pretty much agree, except with the idea that £33 is "obscenely over-priced" for four CDs...it doesn't seem that bad, especially when the singing is distinctly decent. Having said that, I actually prefer it in French (so I usually play Gardelli's EMI set, which has a pretty useful cast too).

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

( obscenely over-priced - not Mr Chaillly's fault of course)

We expect great music to be with us at ever-decreasing prices. This is a 4 CD set with a superb cast. Bear in mind that when CDs were first released in 1983, they cost £9.50 each. Inflation has devalued that.

[Nick Armstrong]

I was playing in the 'orchestra' which was a hotch-potch 'telephone band' with absolutely no continuity of personnel or 'performing tradition' - fixed by the late Sid Sax.

Ah! is that what the "National Philharmonic Orchestra" was, that one saw on various records back then? I always wondered (a friend had Bonynge's recordings of Tchaikovsky ballets with the NPO - were you on those too?) - it always seemed a bit odd as a concept, compared with orchestras that had a town name in their title!


OT: this BAL shows that R3 still has an advantage over France Musique - their "Tribune des Critiques" programme devoted an hour and a half the other week to "Guillaume Tell" - but just the overture......

Bumping this too, for this weekend....

[vinteuil]

OT: this BAL shows that R3 still has an advantage over France Musique - their "Tribune des Critiques" programme devoted an hour and a half the other week to "Guillaume Tell" - but just the overture......

... what, all of it?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

... what, all of it?

Oh, I can listen to it 'til the cows come home.

[Nick Armstrong]

... what, all of it?

Quite....

[Tony Halstead]

Ah! is that what the "National Philharmonic Orchestra" was, that one saw on various records back then? I always wondered (a friend had Bonynge's recordings of Tchaikovsky ballets with the NPO - were you on those too?) - it always seemed a bit odd as a concept, compared with orchestras that had a town name in their title!


OT: this BAL shows that R3 still has an advantage over France Musique - their "Tribune des Critiques" programme devoted an hour and a half the other week to "Guillaume Tell" - but just the overture......

Bumping this too, for this weekend....

Yes, indeed, the 'National Philharmonic Orchestra'.
I didn't play on those Bonynge / Tchaikovsky recordings.

[visualnickmos]

I like this one better:

That is again - wonderful!

[visualnickmos]

Sorry to be boring, but OT again:

That's cleared up the mystery of the National Philharmonic Orchestra, but can anyone tell me who the Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra are, or were?

I have a rather splendid CD with them 'doing' Dvorak's 7th, conducted by Carlos Paita., but no idea about the band (Lodia label)

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Yes, indeed, the 'National Philharmonic Orchestra'.
I didn't play on those Bonynge / Tchaikovsky recordings.

OT and just out of curiosity, did you play on those RCA film score recordings conducted (?and arranged?) by Charles Gerhardt? Superb playing and tremendous recording quality (and tremendously entertaining Music, too).

[verismissimo]

OT and just out of curiosity, did you play on those RCA film score recordings conducted (?and arranged?) by Charles Gerhardt? Superb playing and tremendous recording quality (and tremendously entertaining Music, too).

Glazunov, was it, ferney?