Andrew Litton recordings

[Beef Oven!]

Five years ago he conducted a fantastic three parter-Prom, which I attended! The highlight was seeing the much lauded Yuja Wang playing I think Bartok PC No.2!! :)

Those famous Anglophiles, Wang & Bartok

[Alison]

He gave the German premiere, apparently.
This is from the Boosey & Hawkes biography of Maw.

Maw’s most famous orchestral work to date is undoubtedly Odyssey. It took him fourteen years to write and has been billed as the longest continuous orchestral work ever written. It was finally commissioned by the BBC, completed in 1987, and premiered that year at the London Promenade Concerts by the BBC Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Mark Elder. At first it seemed wildly improbable that a 96-minute, large-scale orchestral work would ever be performed again, let alone become a very good selling classical CD on both sides of the Atlantic. However, in 1991 Odyssey was performed by Sir Simon Rattle and the City of Birmingham Symphony, and they also gave several further performances in England, and in Vienna and Madrid in 1999. After the 1991 performances, Sir Simon believed so strongly in the work that he famously refused to renew his recording contract with EMI until EMI agreed to record it.

Odyssey was given its US premiere by Leonard Slatkin in 1994 with the St. Louis Symphony, and received its German premiere by the Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper, conducted by Andrew Litton, on October 2, 2005. Andrew Litton also conducted the work in London in December 2005, with the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

Many thanks for the clarification. I will seek it out.

[BBMmk2]

Many thanks for the clarification. I will seek it out.

I always thought it were The Rattler that did the WP! ah well, we learn!

[Pulcinella]

I always thought it were The Rattler that did the WP! ah well, we learn!

Well, the Proms archive site suggests that only three sections were played, so perhaps Rattle DID give the first complete performance.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/events/e8mj5v

[Alison]

Thinking about it I have a feeling it was Richard Bernas who conducted the WP at the RFH.

[secondfiddle]

A fine conductor with an interesting repertoire that he no doubt expanded while he was principal conductor of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. A fine Elgarian and I think a recipient of the Elgar Medal from the Elgar Society. Good in Rachmaninov (his set of the Piano Concertos was well received) and Gershwin - he conducted Porgy and Bess at Covent Garden in 1992. Shows a great interest in British music.

[Pulcinella]

Thinking about it I have a feeling it was Richard Bernas who conducted the WP at the RFH.

You are right!
Just checked the liner notes in the recording.
The first complete performance of Maw's Odyssey was with the BBCSO conducted by Richard Bernas, in the RFH in April 1989.

[maestro267]

I have yet to find a more satisfying Manfred Symphony than Litton's with the Bournemouth SO, which was the first one I heard. Other recordings and performances I've heard just don't quite pack the same punch.

[BBMmk2]

Andris Nelsons does a very good account, to name but one.

[richardfinegold]

Andris Nelsons does a very good account, to name but one.

I just came across Markevitch, in a big Phillips box. No dawdling to take in the Tuscan countryside allowed!

[BBMmk2]

I just came across Markevitch, in a big Phillips box. No dawdling to take in the Tuscan countryside allowed!

Thank you RFG! I just just thought of another very good version, this time with LSO/Andre Previn, which I purchased earlier on this year. Equally highly recommendable. It's not generally available, I think, as on amazon it forms part of the old EMI Classics two-fer series(forte). On the 2nd cd it has a rather good account of Rach's 2nd Symphony with Yuri Temirkanov conducting the RPO.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Thank you RFG! I just just thought of another very good version, this time with LSO/Andre Previn, which I purchased earlier on this year. Equally highly recommendable. It's not generally available, I think, as on amazon it forms part of the old EMI Classics two-fer series(forte).

Well, yes - and I'd add Muti, Haitink, and the grotequely underrated Ondrej Lenard to the list.

But none of this has much to do with maestro 267's contribution to the Thread that he finds Litton's recording the most satisfactory for him.

[BBMmk2]

Well, yes - and I'd add Muti, Haitink, and the grotequely underrated Ondrej Lenard to the list.

But none of this has much to do with maestro 267's contribution to the Thread that he finds Litton's recording the most satisfactory for him.

True, Ferney.I was trying to point out other recordings which I felt were better than Litton's.(Incidentally I do have Litton's complete cycle as well).

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

True, Ferney.I was trying to point out other recordings which I felt were better than Litton's.

Yes, fair point - this is the general problem I have with this conductor; unlike maestro267, there isn't any recording of his that I know that is "better" than others. They're all very good, and I'd love to hear him Live, but I don't know of any that I could cite on a Thread like this.

[Alison]

You are right!
Just checked the liner notes in the recording.
The first complete performance of Maw's Odyssey was with the BBCSO conducted by Richard Bernas, in the RFH in April 1989.

Thanks for the confirmation. I haven't come across Richard Bernas of late. Some feat to tackle such a score.

Going back to Andrew Litton his BBCSO performance just over ten years ago, Maida Vale I think, was very gripping. Would make a splendid BBCMM disc - or two.