Misunderstood/neglected/ignored conductors

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I mentioned George Weldon (much) earlier, but after he died, the Halle had two stand-in conductions for a while. One of these, Lawrence Leonard, suddenly vanished from the scene. According to Wikipedia, he was Halle Associate conductor until 1968, but in practice, that didn't appear to be the case.

[gamba]

Nothing wrong with Welser-Most, cloughie! He just didn't get on with the LPO. It happens. I've heard him conduct magnificent Wagner performances with Zurich Opera.

I seem to remember him described by some members of a Scottish orchestra as ' Worse than most.'

[Ferretfancy]

As in

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Finlandia-En-Saga-Swan-Tuonela/dp/B00000E3B7/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1381852925&sr=1-1-fkmr1&keywords=sibelius+horst+stein

Quite possibly the most exciting 'En Saga' ever committed to disc.

Co-incidentally I listened to the Stein / En Saga today. I find it a bit too fast, not enough mystery and weight, and surprisingly Jimmie Locke's recording is rather harsh. The disc is from the Decca Sound box. I think his Pelleas and Melisande is much better with a more convincing recording. I haven't yet listened to the Pohjola's Daughter.

[Barbirollians]

Paul Kletzki.

Not by me !

A great conductor - his Sibelius 2 is up there with the best , a gorgeous Mahler 4 , the best Scheherazade, a cracking Das Lied von der Erde , a fine Beethoven set with the Czech PO with a great pastoral and a sensational Tchaikovsky 6 - just for starters .

[Beef Oven!]

I wasn't aware of that box.

Just bought one

At £1.60 a disc, be daft not to.

Merci bien Monsieur LeBoeuf

I'm playing the Brahms 1 again. Great box-set, gone up in price methinks

[Beef Oven!]

Anthony Collins. A new one on me. Turns out he's got a bit of a cult following on the Sibelius front.

The first complete set of recordings of Sibelius' symphonies (Kingsway Hall, 1952 - 1955, Decca, Mono).

I've not seen him mentioned on these boards, anyone know of him?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Yes - I remember Collins' Sibelius from my teenage years and Sibelius LPs from the local Library. A very good Delius disc, too (bought on cassette from Woolworths in 1984 together with my first "Walkman", in preparation for a hospital trip).

[Bryn]

Anthony Collins. A new one on me. Turns out he's got a bit of a cult following on the Sibelius front.

The first complete set of recordings of Sibelius' symphonies (Kingsway Hall, 1952 - 1955, Decca, Mono).

I've not seen him mentioned on these boards, anyone know of him?

All seven symphonies, plus Pohjolah's Daughter, etc. are to be found on Qobus, though it's no good searching using "sibelius collins". That only finds one of the double albums. To find the other just search among "sibelius symphonies", or maybe add "LSO" to the mix. It's only the Karelia Suite which is provided by the DRSO under Jensen, by the way.

[Roehre]

Anthony Collins. A new one on me. Turns out he's got a bit of a cult following on the Sibelius front.

The first complete set of recordings of Sibelius' symphonies (Kingsway Hall, 1952 - 1955, Decca, Mono).

I've not seen him mentioned on these boards, anyone know of him?

I've got the 5th symphony with the Karelia overture (opus 10) and Night Ride and sunrise on a Decca Eclipse LP (ECS 605)from 1971 in a nice sleeve covered with a picture of Gowbarrow (Lake District) in the snow

"Further Ecipse LPs for your collection" mention all the other Sibelius symphonies with Anthony collins/LSO (As well as Bruckner 4 Knappertbusch/VPO and RVW Antarctica Ritchie/Gielgud/Boult/LPO)

[Beef Oven!]

Thanks Ferney, Bryn & Rohre. I've ordered the set and I'm looking forward to getting my ears around them

[JFLL]

Anthony Collins. A new one on me. Turns out he's got a bit of a cult following on the Sibelius front.

I bought the Fourth + Pohjola's Daughter on Ace of Clubs in the early 60s and still treasure it. I was very surprised to see this comment from a Gramophone review on the Presto website:

"A disappointingly tentative, undermotivated Fourth aside, Collins's readings possess a red-blooded fervour and thrusting energy to which many will rightly respond.”

Not my reaction to his Fourth at all.

[Don Petter]

He was the touchstone for Sibelius in early LP days. His 2nd was my introduction to the composer.

[makropulos]

He was the touchstone for Sibelius in early LP days. His 2nd was my introduction to the composer.

Very good Elgar, Delius and VW (all of which I had on Ace of Clubs) as well as a famous complete Façade. Delighted to see that he appears in the forthcoming Decca mono box

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Decca/4787946

(Elgar Falstaff, Serenade, Intro and Allegro; VW Tallis Fantasia; Walton Façade; Paganini and Rachmaninov concertos).

[Gordon]

Yes, Collins' Sibelius was once well recommended. I have had the complete set for a long while issued by Beulah I expect that the Eloquence might be better remastered so perhaps worth exploring.

Collins was also conductor for Peter Katin of this parish for his Mendelssohn PCs recorded with the LSO in Kingsway almost exactly 59 years ago on February 9/10th 1956!! Early stereo from James Brown and the mono from Kenneth Wilkinson.

Available from Amazon here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mendelssohn-Piano-Concertos-Felix/dp/B000009M5D/ref=sr_1_35?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1423237961&sr=1-35&keywords=KAtin

where it says they are mono even though the LSO Discography states that they were made in stereo and mono which would be about right for that time. I got them ages ago from Decca 425 404 2 - these are the stereos. The fill ups with Martinon are mono.

[Beef Oven!]

Yes, Collins' Sibelius was once well recommended. I have had the complete set for a long while issued by Beulah I expect that the Eloquence might be better remastered so perhaps worth exploring.

Collins was also conductor for Peter Katin of this parish for his Mendelssohn PCs recorded with the LSO in Kingsway almost exactly 59 years ago on February 9/10th 1956!! Early stereo from James Brown and the mono from Kenneth Wilkinson.

I have read that there is little difference in the sound. The Decca having slightly more audible hiss and more treble, so your Beulah recordings have not been superseded.