Andrew Litton recordings

[visualnickmos]

I've recently been listening to some Walton recordings with Andrew Litton conducting (Decca) and am very taken with them. He is a conductor relatively unknown to me in terms of his recorded output, and I just wondered if any of you have any particular recommendations of works for future listening? Thank you all - I'm anticipating an informative and knowledgeable response...

[pastoralguy]

I heard him conduct and play solo piano with the (R)SNO many years ago when he was just starting out. I remember being very impressed with him as were the members of the orchestra.

Didn't he do a set of the Tchaikovsky Symphonies that were well received? They often pop up in charity shops and bargain basement offers. I must listen to them again.

[Pulcinella]

I heard him conduct and play solo piano with the (R)SNO many years ago when he was just starting out. I remember being very impressed with him as were the members of the orchestra.

Didn't he do Astra of the Tchaikovsky Symphonies that were well received? They often pop up in charity shops and bargain basement offers. I must listen to them again.

Astra? Do you perhaps mean 'a set'.
This, in fact:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tchaikovsky-Symphonies-Andrew-Litton/dp/B00005A9NQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1480871355&sr=1-1&keywords=Litton+tchaikovsky

I think that many of his recordings have been well received, and he seems able to get his orchestras (though perhaps especially US ones) to 'swing' in a way that other conductors can't.

[jayne lee wilson]

Just about any of these from his BIS catalogue, with the Bergen PO (note the reviews...!)

http://www.eclassical.com/en/search.php?id=17116&op=search&text=andrew+litton&x=0&y=0

I love most of his BIS Mendelssohn Symphonies having bought them as they came out. Just about to delve into the Prokofiev 4&7, very impressed with 5 and 6. All of which reviewed very well indeed, deservedly so... sonically - demonstration standard... (iirc, the Lobgesang is a little different, more set back than usual in its Grieg Hall setting. Very enjoyable nonetheless).
Of his more adventurous choices, rather taken with the Kalevi Aho Contrabassoon Concerto (c/w the one for Tuba from other artists).

[Ferretfancy]

Astra? Do you perhaps mean 'a set'.
This, in fact:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tchaikovsky-Symphonies-Andrew-Litton/dp/B00005A9NQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1480871355&sr=1-1&keywords=Litton+tchaikovsky

I think that many of his recordings have been well received, and he seems able to get his orchestras (though perhaps especially US ones) to 'swing' in a way that other conductors can't.

Apart from his Tchaikovsky recordings, I have a nice CD on the Dorian label with the Dallas SO entitled American Tapestry. This includes Ives's Three places in New England, Piston's The Incredible Flutist, Griffes The White Peacock William Schuman's New England Triptych and Hovhannes's Mysterious Mountain.

Litton is an excellent conductor of concertos. There's a fine CD with Joshua Bell playing Chausson's Poeme and another fine disk with Thea King in music by Seiber, Rietz and Solere. He has also recorded Steven Isserlis in the 2nd Kabalevsky concerto
and Peter Donohoe in two Litolff concertos.

He has conducted frequently at the Proms, and seems to relish lesser known music.

[HighlandDougie]

Part of the issue of people being a bit sniffy about him is that, when I've seen him, he arrives at the podium and just gets on with the job. No hype. But, he can get great results: the Walton; the Prokofiev 6th mentioned by Jayne; and in what has become one of my favourite CDs of all time:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Copland-Colorado-Symphony-Andrew-BIS2164/dp/B015P76J5C/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1480872828&sr=1-1&keywords=copland+andrew+litton

Forget Lenny - if you want to hear Copland in absolutely first-rate sound, played as to the manor born, this is it.

[cloughie]

Part of the issue of people being a bit sniffy about him is that, when I've seen him, he arrives at the podium and just gets on with the job. No hype. But, he can get great results: the Walton; the Prokofiev 6th mentioned by Jayne; and in what has become one of my favourite CDs of all time:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Copland-Colorado-Symphony-Andrew-BIS2164/dp/B015P76J5C/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1480872828&sr=1-1&keywords=copland+andrew+litton

Forget Lenny - if you want to hear Copland in absolutely first-rate sound, played as to the manor born, this is it.

I saw him conduct the CBSO at the old Birmingham Town Hall back in the 80s - he was very good then and from evidence of recordings is now. His Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov Symphonies are good and there is a good Shostakovich 10

[Pulcinella]

One of Litton's recordings where he DOESN'T get enough swing (for me) is in the Bernstein components (with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra; hence my previous comment about getting orchestras to ’swing') of this 2CD set:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bernstein-Copland-Orchestral-Works-Leonard/dp/B000026CID/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1480879013&sr=1-1&keywords=Copland+bernstein+litton

Fancy Free, Candide overture, Symphony no 2 (The Age of Anxiety)

[pastoralguy]

Astra? Do you perhaps mean 'a set'.
.

Of course. A set!

Bloody predictive text. My fault for not proof reading my post.

[BBMmk2]

.
Of his more adventurous choices, rather taken with the Kalevi Aho Contrabassoon Concerto (c/w the one for Tuba from other artists).

Absolutely recommend this one! A must! :)

[pastoralguy]

Absolutely recommend this one! A must! :)

A wonderful recording! Mrs. PG got it for Christmas last year! Lots of deep, sustained bass notes!

[PJPJ]

Part of the issue of people being a bit sniffy about him is that, when I've seen him, he arrives at the podium and just gets on with the job. No hype. But, he can get great results: the Walton; the Prokofiev 6th mentioned by Jayne; and in what has become one of my favourite CDs of all time:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Copland-Colorado-Symphony-Andrew-BIS2164/dp/B015P76J5C/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1480872828&sr=1-1&keywords=copland+andrew+litton

Forget Lenny - if you want to hear Copland in absolutely first-rate sound, played as to the manor born, this is it.

I agree; I think that Copland disc is wonderful!

[AmpH]

Forget Lenny - if you want to hear Copland in absolutely first-rate sound, played as to the manor born, this is it.

The Copland disc is indeed superb ..... but I'll keep my Lenny recordings as well !

[cloughie]

The Copland disc is indeed superb ..... but I'll keep my Lenny recordings as well !

Let's face it you don't ditch Lenny recordings!

[AmpH]

Let's face it you don't ditch Lenny recordings!

Generally speaking , no , although I have disposed of one or two of his more indulgent ( imv ) recordings over time - Elgar / later Mahler come to mind.