New releases

[Roehre]

Thought I was familiar with most Four Last Songs recordings but this is a new one to me. I have Previn with Arleen Auger and it's one of my personal favourites, but Rothernberger?? My inability to find the time or will to sign up for Gramophone on-line means I can't find any reviews on line. Would be grateful for views if anyone has heard it?

I got the LP version of Rothenberger's Letzte Lieder (ASD 3082, with only the Strauss items, no Wolf) as far back as 1976. Beautifully sung, very nicely recorded.
A friend of mine used the record to demonstrate (on Radio 3, iirc in 1981) a panel of critics that Rothenberger was much more than a operetta-singer singing duets with Rudolf Schock - by not announcing the singer and only revealing her name after the four panel members were flabbergasted by this -in their ears- brilliant recording without immediately recognizing the voice....

[martin_opera]

I got the LP version of Rothenberger's Letzte Lieder (ASD 3082, with only the Strauss items, no Wolf) as far back as 1976. Beautifully sung, very nicely recorded.
A friend of mine used the record to demonstrate (on Radio 3, iirc in 1981) a panel of critics that Rothenberger was much more than a operetta-singer singing duets with Rudolf Schock - by not announcing the singer and only revealing her name after the four panel members were flabbergasted by this -in their ears- brilliant recording without immediately recognizing the voice....

Nice anecdote. Thank you. I have been very pleased with the recording and Rothenberger now sits alongside my favourite VLL along with Norman, Auger, Isokowski and Lott. And Della Casa of course!

[Barbirollians]

First post of 2013 on this thread!

And what a cracker - late 'live' Boult in fourth symphonic thoughts of Brahms and Mendelssohn, both in stereo

http://www.mdt.co.uk/brahms-symphony-no-4-mendelssohn-sir-adrian-boult-ica-classics.html

Hurrah - I wish they would release this apparently amazing last Proms performance of Elgar 2 he conducted though- perhaps in a specially priced double with the equally legendary Ida Haendel/Haitink Elgar Violin Concerto

[pastoralguy]

I'd have to add this, which I've been raving about on another thread - Mozart Piano Concertos nos. 21 and 22 by Christian Ihle Hadland with the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra under Arvid Engegård

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00A8WMH88/ref=asc_df_B00A8WMH8811665090?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&tag=googlecouk06-21&linkCode=asn&creative=22206&creativeASIN=B00A8WMH88

NB in that link, they list the cadenzas incorrectly: it's in No 22 that the 1966 Britten cadenzas are played... in No 21, the pianist plays his own.

I really liked what I heard on CD Review yesterday so have ordered this from Amazon. (Well, who is there left to order it from?!)

[pastoralguy]

Hurrah - I wish they would release this apparently amazing last Proms performance of Elgar 2 he conducted though- perhaps in a specially priced double with the equally legendary Ida Haendel/Haitink Elgar Violin Concerto

:

[Petrushka]

Hurrah - I wish they would release this apparently amazing last Proms performance of Elgar 2 he conducted though- perhaps in a specially priced double with the equally legendary Ida Haendel/Haitink Elgar Violin Concerto

Wholeheartedly agreed!

I had that 1977 Elgar 2 on cassette but it's long disappeared.

[Barbirollians]

Nice anecdote. Thank you. I have been very pleased with the recording and Rothenberger now sits alongside my favourite VLL along with Norman, Auger, Isokowski and Lott. And Della Casa of course!

What ! No Jurinac/Busch from 1950 ! on EMI References - indispensable.

[martin_opera]

What ! No Jurinac/Busch from 1950 ! on EMI References - indispensable.

Jurinac is great (apart from the applause after each song which always infuriates me and I wish they could have edited it out before CD release). But she's second tier in my book along with Popp, Te Kanawa, Schwarzkopf, Studer, Sass and Janowitz. Third tier (worth an occasional listen) is Fleming, Tomowa Sintow, L Price, Caballe, Stemme, Harteros, Mattila and Harper. Those I have not returned to include Schwanewilms and Merbeth. Does anyone know if Julia Varady ever recorded these - some dodgy You Tube live performances with Kurt Masur are the only things I have found so far.

[Barbirollians]

Second tier ! Splutters in disbelief.

I cannot agree . Norman sounds like a ship in full sail - beautiful voice but she could be singing a shopping list nothing very valedictory about her performance . Isokowski is very good but just a little lacking in character . Auger's recording I do not know. Della Casa is the other one in the premier league with Jurinac IMO and Popp comes a close third.

[Nick Armstrong]

Nice anecdote. Thank you. I have been very pleased with the recording and Rothenberger now sits alongside my favourite VLL along with Norman, Auger, Isokowski and Lott. And Della Casa of course!

A propos that list, and for what it's worth, here's a link to a previous contribution I made, about a private BAL with a musical mate, from which Lott emerged on top... http://www.for3.org/forums/showthrea...326#post153326

Jurinac and Rothenberger weren't in the running however...

[gurnemanz]

I heard a track from a newly issued album featuring Parsifal for jazz trio (and why not?) on Bayern 4 Klassik. Gurnemanz is there, of course. Samples here. Interesting. Final track is Beethoven's An die Freude.

[Mahler's3rd]

I'd like to get the Solo Piano Version of Mussorgsky's "Pictures At An Exhibition". I notice theres a new version just come out of Alice Sara Ott doing this piece, does anyone have that recording and if so whats it like? Does anybody have any recommendation's of the piece I could check out otherwise. I've seen the Ravel & Henry Wood Arrangements of the work and saw Emerson Lake & Palmer do it years ago. Would like to get the solo piano version, but dont know which one to get hold of, Thanks Everyone

[Thropplenoggin]

I'd like to get the Solo Piano Version of Mussorgsky's "Pictures At An Exhibition". I notice theres a new version just come out of Alice Sara Ott doing this piece, does anyone have that recording and if so whats it like? Does anybody have any recommendation's of the piece I could check out otherwise. I've seen the Ravel & Henry Wood Arrangements of the work and saw Emerson Lake & Palmer do it years ago. Would like to get the solo piano version, but dont know which one to get hold of, Thanks Everyone

I don't know the work so can't recommend anything. This is just to flag a new release by Steven Osborne on Hyperion of the piece you seek. More info here: http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Hyperion/CDA67896

If you don't have a response, you might like to start a new thread about it which will be more visible to other forum members.

[cloughie]

Second tier ! Splutters in disbelief.

I cannot agree . Norman sounds like a ship in full sail - beautiful voice but she could be singing a shopping list nothing very valedictory about her performance . Isokowski is very good but just a little lacking in character . Auger's recording I do not know. Della Casa is the other one in the premier league with Jurinac IMO and Popp comes a close third.

Obviously 4LS versions are a very personal taste - my favourites are Lott, Auger and Schwanewilms with the Bonney Martineau piano version close and Te Kanawa Solti in there too. J Norman I agree is too full on.

[Barbirollians]

Christine Brewer is good with Runnicles too .