Wyn Morris

[Barbirollians]

My only record of the “Celtic Furtwangler” was the Des Knaben Wunderhorn selection which I find a bit rough round the edges and do not warm to Geraint Evans in -Janet Baker is the record’s saving grace.

I read the obituaries which made him sound like a rather drunk version of Frank Shipway but otherwise did not know any of his recordings .

Last week in my search for Beethoven 7 recordings that will help to reignite my love of the piece I found a Gramophone review of Muti’s 7th which RO said was terrific . I found a very cheap new copy on Amazon Prime and ordered it coupled with the Eighth- I have not listened to it yet.

To my surprise,however Amazon has downloaded into Amazon Music not this record but the same coupling with Wyn Morris and the LSO - the timings are different so it seems definitely not the same accounts.

So I listened to them through Sonos and have been more than pleasantly surprised . Terrific traditional beethoven but exciting propulsive stuff and the spirit of the dance throughout . An excellent Eighth too .

Any other of Morris’s recordings worth getting ?

[Belgrove]

The only (vinyl) recording I have of his is of Cooke's 1973 realisation Mahler 10 (the one with a dirty great 'X' on the box). Cooke made revisions to the orchestration in a subsequent version that tends to be performed nowadays. That recording introduced me to a work that I came to admire greatly, and played to death in the days before CD's, but I doubt whether it is a go-to choice for that work now.

[Bryn]

The only (vinyl) recording I have of his is of Cooke's 1973 realisation Mahler 10 (the one with a dirty great 'X' on the box). Cooke made revisions to the orchestration in a subsequent version that tends to be performed nowadays. That recording introduced me to a work that I came to admire greatly, and played to death in the days before CD's, but I doubt whether it is a go-to choice for that work now.

I have a few Wyn Morris recordings, including that Mahler 'X'. At least that does not get faded out and back in again during its final movement, as his Mahler 8th does (even in its transfer to CDs). He was the first to record 'Titan' (the 5 movement precursor of the 1st}, though the New Philharmonia is not shown to particularly good advantage in that recording.

[visualnickmos]

I have a CD of Wyn Morris and the London Symphony Orchestra, in Vaughan Williams's Symphony no 2 'London', and one of Beethoven's 'Eroica' which is pretty fiery, to say the least. Love it.

[Dave2002]

I always thought his Mahler 8 was impressive - I had it on LPs - though very hectic in the first movement, and I didn't often have the patience to work through to the second part. If I saw a CD of that available at a lowish price i'd probably buy it, though I wouldn't expect the kind of finale that Kubelik or Solti manage.

I do also have the Beethoven 10 CD with the X on the cover. Not sure what other recordings he made, either on LPs or CDs.

[cloughie]

I always thought his Mahler 8 was impressive - I had it on LPs - though very hectic in the first movement, and I didn't often have the patience to work through to the second part. If I saw a CD of that available at a lowish price i'd probably buy it, though I wouldn't expect the kind of finale that Kubelik or Solti manage.

I do also have the Beethoven 10 CD with the X on the cover. Not sure what other recordings he made, either on LPs or CDs.

Well he did also record Beethoven 1-9 with the LSO - very good they all are too, a good Wagner orchestral disc and a Mahler 4 - and a recording of Chausson: Poeme de l'amour et de la mer c/w Debussy:La Damoiselle Elue with Monserrat Caballe.

[Dave2002]

Well he did also record Beethoven 1-9 with the LSO - very good they all are too, a good Wagner orchestral disc and a Mahler 4 - and a recording of Chausson: Poeme de l'amour et de la mer c/w Debussy:La Damoiselle Elue with Monserrat Caballe.

Are any of those still available as CDs?

[Bryn]

Are any of those still available as CDs?

Several are to be found, used, via Amazon. The Beethoven set can even be found in new condition for less then £18.

[Alain Maréchal]

I possess on LP, Debussy and Chausson with Montserrat Caballe, "Helgoland" by Bruckner, Mahler's "Das Klagende Lied", and Wagner's "Das Liebesmahl der Apostel". He recorded much of what was at the time little-known music. I think at the time I purchased them the general opinion was that nobody would ever record them again, so snap them up.

[Bryn]

Thanks to this thread I made a search for his recordings on CD. Very much an admirer of Charles Rosen, I was pleased to add their recording of Beethoven's Piano Concertos 2 and 4 ("Very Good" condition, £2.34, including p&p) to their recording of the 5th.

[Barbirollians]

Thanks to this thread I made a search for his recordings on CD. Very much an admirer of Charles Rosen, I was pleased to add their recording of Beethoven's Piano Concertos 2 and 4 ("Very Good" condition, £2.34, including p&p) to their recording of the 5th.

From reviews it seems those were preferred by some to his Emperor.

Bought a Pickwick second hand CD for 88p of the Beethoven 7 and 8 - clearly the same performances as my surprise download and very good they are too .

The Eighth might even win Conchis over ( or should I say Wyn him over )

[Conchis]

I've only heard one of his recordings to my knowledge - that outlier Beethoven 10 (completion) he did towards the end of his life.

Tell a lie: he also collaborated with an immediately post-Downing Street Margaret Thatcher on a recording of Copland's Lincoln Portrait, which is highly recommended for those without an aversion to the ex-Leaderene's dulcet tones. To be objective, she is a very committed soloist (would we expect anything less?) and animates the text well.

[pastoralguy]

I've only heard one of his recordings to my knowledge - that outlier Beethoven 10 (completion) he did towards the end of his life.

Tell a lie: he also collaborated with an immediately post-Downing Street Margaret Thatcher on a recording of Copland's Lincoln Portrait, which is highly recommended for those without an aversion to the ex-Leaderene's dulcet tones. To be objective, she is a very committed soloist (would we expect anything less?) and animates the text well.

Doesn't really make up for her draconian policies...

[cloughie]

Doesn't really make up for her draconian policies...

...and Lincoln Portrait is probably my least favourite Copland work, but then unlike many on these boards I love Rodeo!

[pastoralguy]

...and Lincoln Portrait is probably my least favourite Copland work, but then unlike many on these boards I love Rodeo!

We heard the Lincoln Portraits with Charles Dance as Narrator at the Edinburgh Festival a couple of years ago. We'd just witnessed his demise in Game of Thrones and I so wanted to shout 'CLOSE THE KHAZI DOOR!!'