Conductors who avoid certain composers....

[Suffolkcoastal]

Most conductors seem to avoid George Lloyd...

With good reason!

Bernstein seems to have largely avoided Bruckner, I believe he recorded the 6th Symphony once and the 9th Symphony twice and apart from Peter Grimes rarely conducted Britten.

Karajan avoided Elgar, though I think he admired the 2nd Symphony, yet you would have thought that with his R Strauss like opulence at times, Elgar would have been right up Karajan's street.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I suppose a lot depends on recorded repertoire for the older conductors: Kubelik recording for DG at the time Jochum was recording his Bruckner cycle - and at a time when two rival Bruckner cycles from the same company appearing at the same time might have been a financial liability - or Jochum recording a Mahler cycle, of course. But neither recorded the "missing" cycle when they moved to other recording companies, even though they re-recorded other cycles (Jochum a second Bruckner cycle, Kubelik a second Schumann).

[Petrushka]

I suppose a lot depends on recorded repertoire for the older conductors: Kubelik recording for DG at the time Jochum was recording his Bruckner cycle - and at a time when two rival Bruckner cycles from the same company appearing at the same time might have been a financial liability - or Jochum recording a Mahler cycle, of course. But neither recorded the "missing" cycle when they moved to other recording companies, even though they re-recorded other cycles (Jochum a second Bruckner cycle, Kubelik a second Schumann).

If we could have a database of live performances from the great conductors (do any exist?) it might be a good deal more revealing than examining recordings alone for exactly the kind of reasons given here.

[Suffolkcoastal]

That would be fascinating Pet, I'm sure someone must have tried to create one at some time. For example Boult was a far more versatile conductor that one would realise, I know that he actually conducted quite a lot of American music, but you would never know this from his recorded legacy.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Bernstein seems to have largely avoided Bruckner, I believe he recorded the 6th Symphony once and the 9th Symphony twice and apart from Peter Grimes rarely conducted Britten.

I didn't know about the Bruckner #6. LB recorded the first A Time there Was - significantly, perhaps, after Britten had ceased conducting (even after Britten's death?). Perhaps he felt it unnecessary to put himself in competition with Britten, except with Grimes with which he had (in the best sense) history. LB frequently expressed admiration for BB, but I don't know how often he programmed his Music in concert. The Four Sea Interludes made up the first half of his very last concert, and the whole opera was amongst the recording projects he intended in the year following his death. (Poor grammar - I don't mean he had a list of "recording projects to do after I'm dead"!)

Karajan avoided Elgar, though I think he admired the 2nd Symphony, yet you would thought his his R Strauss like opulence at times, Elgar would have been right up Karajan's street.

- he very nearly decided to programme the Second (at around the time he recorded the Nielsen Fourth) but decided against it. He had asked for several scores to be sent to him, returned the others fairly rapidly and spent some months studying the Second before returning it. A pity - I'd love to have a Karajan Elgar #2 - and a 'cello Concerto with Rostropovich!

[Suffolkcoastal]

A time there was... is the only other Britten work I know Bernstein recorded, I think it dates from 1977, and very good it is too far better than the Rattle recording IMO. I'm sure he did conduct the Young Persons Guide and the Bridge Variations at one time, now I think about it.

[amateur51]

If we could have a database of live performances from the great conductors (do any exist?) it might be a good deal more revealing than examining recordings alone for exactly the kind of reasons given here.

Didn't John Hunt used to compile such items and publish them?

[CallMePaul]

I've read JEG (who conducts all sorts of things these days) being very rude about Bruckner symphonies in an interview (comparing them unfavourably to Brahms ), tho' he has done lots of the motets etc....

I'd have thought the E Minor Mass right down his street too - maybe with period winds (this is fairly early Bruckner, remember!)

[EdgeleyRob]

Mention has been made of Haitink and Sibelius. I recall him saying somewhere that Scandinavian music does nothing for him. The Nielsen 5 was on one of his Prom programmes at one time but was dropped in favour of, I think, the Tchaikovsky 5.

Ah,interesting.

[EdgeleyRob]

Most conductors seem to avoid George Lloyd...

With good reason!

[Alison]

Are we saying sir Edward Downes was a fool? No way!!

[EdgeleyRob]

About time a big name conductor tackled Weinberg.
Be right up uncle Bernie's street,judging by his DSCH.

[Bryn]

Are we saying sir Edward Downes was a fool? No way!!

Perhaps the intention was to suggest that most conductors are not up the job?

[Suffolkcoastal]

I think we can forgive Sir Edward Downes an occasional lapse in judgement

Haitink and Weinberg now that would be a very enticing combination, perhaps though Haitink may think he's now too old to learn the music of a new composer. I admit to being somewhat puzzled by Haitink's avoidance of a lot of Scandinavian composer, one would have thought the expansive nature of many of these works would appeal to a Brucknerian like Haitink.

How about Petrenko having a go at conducting Weinberg?

[slarty]

Which Petrenko do you mean? Kirill, who is GMD at the Bavarian State Opera or Vasily, the Liverpool fan?