Andrew Litton recordings

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  • Beef Oven!
    Ex-member
    • Sep 2013
    • 18147

    #31
    Originally posted by Brassbandmaestro View Post
    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

    Comment

    • Alison
      Full Member
      • Nov 2010
      • 6455

      #32
      Originally posted by Pulcinella View Post
      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.

      Comment

      • BBMmk2
        Late Member
        • Nov 2010
        • 20908

        #33
        Originally posted by Alison View Post
        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!
        Don’t cry for me
        I go where music was born

        J S Bach 1685-1750

        Comment

        • Pulcinella
          Host
          • Feb 2014
          • 10897

          #34
          Originally posted by Brassbandmaestro View Post
          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.

          The world's greatest classical music festival - stunning performances and collaborations.

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          • Alison
            Full Member
            • Nov 2010
            • 6455

            #35
            Thinking about it I have a feeling it was Richard Bernas who conducted the WP at the RFH.

            Comment

            • secondfiddle
              Full Member
              • Nov 2011
              • 76

              #36
              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.

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              • Pulcinella
                Host
                • Feb 2014
                • 10897

                #37
                Originally posted by Alison View Post
                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.

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                • maestro267
                  Full Member
                  • Nov 2010
                  • 355

                  #38
                  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.

                  Comment

                  • BBMmk2
                    Late Member
                    • Nov 2010
                    • 20908

                    #39
                    Andris Nelsons does a very good account, to name but one.
                    Don’t cry for me
                    I go where music was born

                    J S Bach 1685-1750

                    Comment

                    • richardfinegold
                      Full Member
                      • Sep 2012
                      • 7657

                      #40
                      Originally posted by Brassbandmaestro View Post
                      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!

                      Comment

                      • BBMmk2
                        Late Member
                        • Nov 2010
                        • 20908

                        #41
                        Originally posted by richardfinegold View Post
                        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.
                        Don’t cry for me
                        I go where music was born

                        J S Bach 1685-1750

                        Comment

                        • ferneyhoughgeliebte
                          Gone fishin'
                          • Sep 2011
                          • 30163

                          #42
                          Originally posted by Brassbandmaestro View Post
                          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.
                          [FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]

                          Comment

                          • BBMmk2
                            Late Member
                            • Nov 2010
                            • 20908

                            #43
                            Originally posted by ferneyhoughgeliebte View Post
                            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).
                            Don’t cry for me
                            I go where music was born

                            J S Bach 1685-1750

                            Comment

                            • ferneyhoughgeliebte
                              Gone fishin'
                              • Sep 2011
                              • 30163

                              #44
                              Originally posted by Brassbandmaestro View Post
                              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.
                              [FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]

                              Comment

                              • Alison
                                Full Member
                                • Nov 2010
                                • 6455

                                #45
                                Originally posted by Pulcinella View Post
                                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.

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