What Classical Music Are You listening to Now? III

[HighlandDougie]

Ravel: Ma Mère l'Oye

Paris Conservatoire Orchestre/André Cluytens

Continuing the Cluytens theme, I used to have this on LP and have always loved the very French sound of the orchestra so its reappearance in (newly and excellently by Art et Son Studio, Paris) remastered form in the 'André Cluytens: The Complete Orchestral and Concerto recordings' box is a source of much pleasure. Much to discover and rediscover among the 65 CDs - has BBM also invested in it?

[cloughie]

Ravel: Ma Mère l'Oye

Paris Conservatoire Orchestre/André Cluytens

Continuing the Cluytens theme, I used to have this on LP and have always loved the very French sound of the orchestra so its reappearance in (newly and excellently by Art et Son Studio, Paris) remastered form in the 'André Cluytens: The Complete Orchestral and Concerto recordings' box is a source of much pleasure. Much to discover and rediscover among the 65 CDs - has BBM also invested in it?

HD - so you have indulged - it is near the top of my get though behind me list - yes his very gallic sounding Ravel is a treat - I will probably convince myself that the box takes up less space than all the Cluytens I already have.

[HighlandDougie]

HD - so you have indulged - it is near the top of my get though behind me list - yes his very gallic sounding Ravel is a treat - I will probably convince myself that the box takes up less space than all the Cluytens I already have.

When I first saw that it was due to be released, I thought, "No, no, no - no more boxes", but my resistance melted away when I worked out that £1.50 per CD wasn't that expensive - and, given the generally depressing zeitgeist, I needed something to cheer me up - so, yes, courtesy of JPC (it came to France), I succumbed. It is a very handsome production - and the remastering really is excellent, certainly of what I have dipped into so far (Samson François in the Prokofiev PC 3 coming up next).

[Stanfordian]

Bruckner
Symphony No. 4 ‘Romantic’
(‘original’ version 1878/80 of the complete addition by Robert Haas, 1935)
Staatskapelle Dresden/Karl Böhm
Recorded 1936 Staatsoper, Dresden
Profil

[Petrushka]

Bruckner
Symphony No. 4 ‘Romantic’
(‘original’ version 1878/80 of the complete addition by Robert Haas, 1935)
Staatskapelle Dresden/Karl Böhm
Recorded 1936 Staatsoper, Dresden
Profil

I have this both in the Early Years box (not heard yet) and also on the Dutton label, which sounds really good. Having dipped into the Karl Böhm Early Years box I'm coming round to agreeing with your previous comment at the rather poor sound on offer. However, the Dresden Bruckner 5 (also on the Profil set, which I don't have, with the 4th) sounds very good indeed.

Which of these re-masterings of the 4th and 5th come up best in your opinion?

[Stanfordian]

Bruckner
Symphony No. 5
(‘original’ version of the complete addition by Robert Haas, 1936)
Staatskapelle Dresden
Staatskapelle Dresden/Karl Böhm
Recorded 1937 Staatsoper, Dresden
Profil

Mahler & Zemlinsky Lieder
Anne Sofie von Otter (mezzo-soprano)
NDR-Sinfonieorchester/John Eliot Gardiner
Recorded live 1993 Großer Saal, Musikhalle, Hamburg
Deutsche Grammophon

Mozart
Quintet for piano and winds, KV452
Andante from Piano Concerto No. 21, KV467
(arranged for Sextet for piano and winds by Bernd Schober)
Beethoven
Quintet for piano and winds, Op. 16
Margarita Höhenrieder (piano)
Blaser Solisten der Staatskapelle Dresden
Recorded 2012 Bibliotheksaal, Polling, Germany
Hänssler Classics
Sublime playing - one of the finest chamber releases around.

[Stanfordian]

I have this both in the Early Years box (not heard yet) and also on the Dutton label, which sounds really good. Having dipped into the Karl Böhm Early Years box I'm coming round to agreeing with your previous comment at the rather poor sound on offer. However, the Dresden Bruckner 5 (also on the Profil set, which I don't have, with the 4th) sounds very good indeed.

Which of these re-masterings of the 4th and 5th come up best in your opinion?

I think the re-masterings of the Karl Böhm/Dresden recordings of the 4th and 5th are pretty similar in quality. Not sound that I would wish to hear often these days but the 80 or so year old sound is very good for its age. I also have these Karl Böhm/Dresden performances coupled on a Profil set.

[BBMmk2]

Are these from the Cluytens set on Warner, BBM? I had the Lps on CfP when I a teenager and loved them. I'm sure they've been issued before.

Mine says Erato, PG. so far they're very good recordings.

[pastoralguy]

Mine says Erato, PG. so far they're very good recordings.

Of course they are! My stupidity...

Thanks for the reply.

[cloughie]

Of course they are! My stupidity...

Thanks for the reply.

But then Erato is French Warner!

[Jonathan]

Currently listening to my piano being tuned (at last!)

[pastoralguy]

Mozart. Violin concertos 1 - 5 & the Symphony no. 39 in Eb

Leonidas Kavakos, violin directing the Camerata Salzburg.

Lovely playing if, perhaps, not the last word in Mozart playing. (Imvho!)

[visualnickmos]

Mozart. Violin concertos 1 - 5 & the Symphony no. 39 in Eb

Leonidas Kavakos, violin directing the Camerata Salzburg.

Lovely playing if, perhaps, not the last word in Mozart playing. (Imvho!)

I expect you have his Sibelius violin concerto(s) - the original and the revised on BIS - I find that CD very rewarding. I would imagine his Mozart interpretations are well-worth a hearing, though.

[pastoralguy]

I expect you have his Sibelius violin concerto(s) - the original and the revised on BIS - I find that CD very rewarding. I would imagine his Mozart interpretations are well-worth a hearing, though.

Oh yes, I have a few of his CDs and I've been lucky enough to hear him live a couple of time. However, I can't quite put my finger on why I have reservations about his Mozart. Its possibly a bit serious for young Mozart. I'll listen again tomorrow.

[visualnickmos]

Oh yes, I have a few of his CDs and I've been lucky enough to hear him live a couple of time. However, I can't quite put my finger on why I have reservations about his Mozart. Its possibly a bit serious for young Mozart. I'll listen again tomorrow.

A comparison with Zukerman and the StPaul Chamber Orcestra (Sony) might prove an interesting and possibly revealing exercise...