Radio 3 - Neville Marriner day

[Ein Heldenleben]

Don’t get me wrong ed, I love many, probably most of OK’s recordings but a few now have not aged well. How much fun is the merrymaking in his Beethoven 6. Try Cluytens and E Kleiber from the 50s and I think you’ll see what I mean. OK Leaden Gems - good or not?

Yes but Klemperer’s final movement of the Pastoral reaches a level of spiritual transcendence that few conductors have got any where near. The tremendous harmonic climax of the movement with that thrilling climatic chord sequence F , D min, G7 and then the stroke of genius C7 , F7 with a suspended G . No one has done it better…

[akiralx]

I’m wondering whether the issue has more to do with the record company recording methods and, in particular, the transfer of old analogue recordings to CD. My judgement is clouded by the Philips CD’s I have of Neville and the band in the late Mozart symphonies.

I have been enjoying his later EMI recordings of the final Mozart symphonies and find they have a little more spirit and 'edge'.

[Barbirollians]

Yes but Klemperer’s final movement of the Pastoral reaches a level of spiritual transcendence that few conductors have got any where near. The tremendous harmonic climax of the movement with that thrilling climatic chord sequence F , D min, G7 and then the stroke of genius C7 , F7 with a suspended G . No one has done it better…

Karajan comes close in his Philharmonia recording - which is far better than any of his DG pastorals.

[hmvman]

I enjoyed this performance of Britten's Les Illuminations by NM with the ASMF and Anthony Rolfe Johnson from a 1983 Prom on the iPlayer:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001ych5/sir-neville-marriner-at-the-proms-mendelssohns-italian-symphony

I didn't enjoy the performance of the Mendelssohn Italian symphony as much but I rather think it's a work I don't get on with that much anyway - one of those pieces one feels one ought to enjoy but don't.

With reference to a conversation on another thread, this Prom is 'presented' by the late, great Richard Baker - and what a contrast in style to the hyperbolic, hyperventilating presenting style of TV Proms nowadays!

[cloughie]

I have been enjoying his later EMI recordings of the final Mozart symphonies and find they have a little more spirit and 'edge'.

Going back to his Argo Mozart his Sym 25/29 coupling was outsatanding.

[cloughie]

I enjoyed this performance of Britten's Les Illuminations by NM with the ASMF and Anthony Rolfe Johnson from a 1983 Prom on the iPlayer:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001ych5/sir-neville-marriner-at-the-proms-mendelssohns-italian-symphony

I didn't enjoy the performance of the Mendelssohn Italian symphony as much but I rather think it's a work I don't get on with that much anyway - one of those pieces one feels one ought to enjoy but don't.

Indeed a Symphony not lacking in tunes but without the gravitas and joy of the Scotch and the Reformation.

[Barbirollians]

I think the Italian is a terrific work when played with passion rather than neatly . Abbado/LSO for example .

[hmvman]

Indeed a Symphony not lacking in tunes but without the gravitas and joy of the Scotch and the Reformation.

Agree.

[edashtav]

I think the Italian is a terrific work when played with passion rather than neatly . Abbado/LSO for example .

I would characterise Abbado /LSO as neat & passionate.

[Barbirollians]

I would characterise Abbado /LSO as neat & passionate.

Perhaps I should have said just neatly.

[hmvman]

I've heard many performances of the 'Italian', both live and recorded, but, sadly, none have changed my view of the work.

[richardfinegold]

I would characterise Abbado /LSO as neat & passionate.

My favorites are Bernstein/NYP and Stokowski/National Philharmonic

[smittims]

Beecham, Cantelli, van Beinum and Krips for me are the essential interpretations. . I find the 'Italian' endlessly delightful. I have an old, beautifully-printed Novello score which helps me enjoy the inexaustible joy and the contrapuntal subtlety of the string writing, e.g. the first movement coda. .

[cloughie]

I would characterise Abbado /LSO as neat & passionate.

Are you talking about the 1968 Decca - this is one of the best! Also the old IPO/Solti and NPO/Sawallisch!

[edashtav]

Are you talking about the 1968 Decca - this is one of the best! Also the old IPO/Solti and NPO/Sawallisch!

Indeed, golden , passionate oldies.