The Recordings of Andre Previn

[Alison]

Previn booked to conduct the LSO June 2015.

[visualnickmos]

Well, he was of Scottish descent, so perhaps what you heard might have been correct and, if so, we needn't be surprised...

It was the 1970s; he was most definitely brown bread!!!!

[Petrushka]

Previn booked to conduct the LSO June 2015.

Very interesting! The last I heard was that Previn was in shaky health so hope he is well enough to make this date.

[Rolmill]

In addition to some of those already listed, other Previn discs in my collection which I like very much include Berlioz (Requiem and SF), Ravel (L'Enfant et les Sortileges), Debussy (Images/Nocturnes) and Korngold (Symphony in F sharp, Violin Concerto with Shaham, film music scores). I also used to have a couple of his Richard Strauss recordings with the VPO, but foolishly gave them away to friends when trying to thin out the collection some years ago...

I didn't really respond to his Beethoven symphonies, but as someone has already said, far more successes than duds.

[richardfinegold]

When I first became interested in Classical Music in the 1970s, I erroneously thought that Previn was British. His recordings were with the LSO, featuring English Composers whose music was then unknown to me (RVW, Elgar) and Andre was not a commonly heard first name on this side of the pond back then.

When I started to read music magazines such as Gramophone, I remember being surprised when in the course of a negative review, the reviewer implied that as an American, Previn was ill suited to interpret English Composers. Of course, while Previn's parents were American, he spent most of his formative years on the Continent.
I have enjoyed most Previn recordings that I have heard , without any of them in particular becoming a 'favorite'. I have all of his RVW, for example, but I learned these works initially from Bryden Thompson, and then Boult and Barbirolli before discovering Previn. Previn's Third is the one RVW recording that I seem to keep returning to. I also concur with the praise elsewhere in this thread for Shos/8 and Carmina Burana.
When the Lyric Opera of Chicago performed his Opera, A Streetcar Named Desire, I attended a lecture that he gave. It was a wide ranging talk, partly about the featured work but containing many anecdotes about his career and music in general. I thought he was a wonderful speaker.
So finally, my nominee for a Previn recording that I haven't seen mentioned elsewhere here would be from the Teldec Label: Brahms German Requiem. After living with Klemperer in this music for years, I appreciated the lighter textures of Previn. I haven't heard his other recordings of the work so I can't comment on comparisons.

[BBMmk2]

A pity Previn hasn't recorded much Korngold.

[verismissimo]

A pity Previn hasn't recorded much Korngold.

Really fine Korngold VC (Gil Shaham) from 1994: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Barber-Korng...orngold+shaham

[verismissimo]

Really fine Korngold VC (Gil Shaham) from 1994: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Barber-Korng...orngold+shaham

It's also on this, together with other Previn Korngold recordings: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Romance-Korn...+about+nothing

[slarty]

A pity Previn hasn't recorded much Korngold.

Well - It may not be much but there are three Violin Concerto recordings - Perlman - Shaman and Mutter. The Symphony in f# for DG. a complete Korngold Film Scores CD for DG - and the Much ado about Nothing suite.
I always remember him playing the march from the "Adventures of Robin Hood" sound track with the LSO on an BBC TV "Music Night" way back in the early 70s.
An excellent advocate for Korngold.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

And this one -

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/DG/4748742

[slarty]

It's also on this, together with other Previn Korngold recordings: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Romance-Korn...+about+nothing

I would warn anyone wanting Previn not to buy this - I made that mistake. There are two CDs, mostly conducted by John Mauceri.
Previn does conduct the Violin Concerto, but only two of the movements of "Much Ado.."
I bought this thinking it was all Previn - it certainly is not.
It is just one of these dreadful compilation discs of bits and pieces. Amazing that the Violin Concerto is presented here complete (Shaman recording)

[BBMmk2]

I would warn anyone wanting Previn not to buy this - I made that mistake. There are two CDs, mostly conducted by John Mauceri.
Previn does conduct the Violin Concerto, but only two of the movements of "Much Ado.."
I bought this thinking it was all Previn - it certainly is not.
It is just one of these dreadful compilation discs of bits and pieces. Amazing that the Violin Concerto is presented here complete (Shaman recording)

I have the Shaham Korngold recording, te Sea Hawk too I didn't know about the symphony. I have that Chandos recording for that work?

[gradus]

Korngold, 'more Korn than Gold' was AP's amusing remark (c1970's).

[BBMmk2]

Back then, yes, but since then, Korngold has been re-established, as a major composer.

[slarty]

Back then, yes, but since then, Korngold has been re-established, as a major composer.

I wholeheartedly agree BBM.