BaL 8.12.12 - Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

9.30am Building a Library
Rob Cowan with a personal recommendation from recordings of Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra

Available versions:-


Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Marin Alsop
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Karel Ancerl
Philharmonia Orchestra, Ernest Ansermet
Concertgebouw Orchestra, Eduard van Beinum
London Philharmonic Orchestra, Leon Botstein
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Pierre Boulez (DVD)
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
London Symphony Orchestra, Rafael Fruhbeck de Bourgos
NBC Symphony Orchestra, Guido Cantelli
Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, Sergiu Celibidache
Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Andrew Davis
Hungarian State Orchestra, Antal Dorati
Philadelphia Orchestra, Christoph Eschenbach
Budapest Festival Orchestra, Ivan Fischer
Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra, Adam Fischer
South West German Radio Symphony Orchestra, Michael Gielen
Concertgebouw Orchestra, Bernard Haitink
National Radio Orchestra, Jascha Horenstein
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Mariss Jansons
Royal Scottish National Orchestrs, Neeme Jarvi
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Paarvo Jarvi
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Herbert von Karajan
Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra, Zoltan Kocsis
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Serge Koussevitzky
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Rafael Kubelik
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Zubin Mehta
Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Zubin Mehta
Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Seiji Ozawa
Saito Kinen Orchestra, Seiji Ozawa
Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Andre Previn
Belgian Radio and Television Philharmonic Orchestra, Alexander Rahbari
CBSO, Sir Simon Rattle
CBSO, Sir Simon Rattle (DVD)
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Fritz Reiner
PIttsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Fritz Reiner
Seattle Symphony Orchestra, Gerard Schwarz
Minnesota Orchestra, Stanislaw Skrowaczewski
Saabrucken Radio Symphony Orchestra, Stanislaw Skrowaczewski
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Sir Georg. Solti
Cologne Radio Orchestra, Sir Georg Solti
Basel Symphony Orchestra, Walter Weller

[salymap]

I don't see my one recording on the list. BBC NOW conducted by Tadaaki Otaka. [BBCMM}

I don't think I've ever played it as it's one of my favourite works and I carry it in my head from live performances years ago.

[Bryn]

There is something Fischey about that list. Never confuse Adam with Ivan.

[Sir Velo]

Long time favourite is the Reiner, c/w a matchless MFSP&C. It has to be said that the sound is somewhat geriatric, but what a performance!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

There is something Fischey about that list. Never confuse Adam with Ivan.

Now I'm very confused.

[Thropplenoggin]

Now I'm very confused.

Ivan Fischer is the conductor of the Budapest Festival Orchestra.

[Tony Halstead]

IVAN F is the conductor of the BFO not Adam F.

[Bryn]

Now I'm very confused.

The Budapest Festival Orchestra recording (Philips, Classic FM, etc.) is conducted by Ivan. Adam conducted the Nimbus etc. issue with the Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra.

[PJPJ]

Ferenc Fricsay's 1957 DG recording is also very fine, made right at the end of DGG's mono era.

[EnemyoftheStoat]

There's also the Solti W.O.P. recording which I have on Decca but which recently reappeared as a BBCMM.

[rauschwerk]

I have owned at on time or another LSO/Solti, Fricsay, Jansons, Dohnanyi (still have that last, in fact). Better than any of these is CSO/Solti but the recording is a bit 'early digital'. I'll be interested in Rob's verdict.

[Parry1912]

Long time favourite is the Reiner, c/w a matchless MFSP&C. It has to be said that the sound is somewhat geriatric, but what a performance!

Inclined to agree although I think it sounds pretty good on SACD!

[Pabmusic]

Kubelik and the Bavarian RSO (on Orfeo) still seems available on Amazon.

[gurnemanz]

What about the Concerto for Orchestra but not for Orchestra? Obviously a contradiction in terms but György Sandor does an amazing job and it is well worth hearing. Only £49.95 at Amazon

[Bryn]

What about the Concerto for Orchestra but not for Orchestra? Obviously a contradiction in terms but György Sandor does an amazing job and it is well worth hearing. Only £49.95 at Amazon

I was more like £4.95 when I bought it from Orchesography.

[That was a 'second hand', i.e. review, copy back around 1985 by the way. A "CBS" rather than a "Sony" release.]