dubai2000 Posted January 20, 2004 Share Posted January 20, 2004 For the Verdi Requiem I'd actually give the old Fritz Reiner recording on Decca a try. Yes, most reviewers find this performance far too slow, but I think it's quite powerful and much better than the critics suggest. Otherwise the latest Abbado (on EMI?) is supposedly fine - and even the Naxos recording got a very positive review in Gramophone. But tonight I'll try the Brahms, that is if I am not too tired. Wolfram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 God - how embarrassing. I went home and straight to the shelf to grab my Brahms requiem to get the details as promised and what-ho - no Brahms. Being a total dumbass I confused Brahms with Berlioz. I do have the Berlioz Requiem, Op. 5, on Philips (UK) in a box set of 2. Colin Davis conducting the London Symphony Orchestra and Choir at Westminster Cathedral - fabulous recording and performance but not the Brahms we were talking about. Of course when I say no Brahms I dont mean NO brahms. My very limited Brahms collection includes (for reference): 1. Violin Concerto on Living Stereo 180 gramme with Heifetz and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Reiner conducting. 2. Tragic Overture Concerto for Violin and Cello on Praga/Suppaphon records (SVA 10573 - the mono version). Karel Ancerl conducting the Czech Philharmonic. 3. Symphony No. 1. Sterorama Colombia re-issue. George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra. 4. Symphony No. 4. EMI. Halle Orchestra conducted by James Loughran. (My local orchestra when I was a boy, which I was in 1974 when this recording was done). 5. Piano concerto No. 2. Colombia Odyssey series. Leon Fleisher - pianist, George Szell conducting the Cleveland Orchestra. From now on I am going to verify I have something before I say I have it. Quick additonal note on box sets: The Berlioz above is a box set. I have noticed that the proportion of Box sets that are in mint condition (i.e. probably never played) is higher than for normal productions. I think this might be because they were more likely to be bought as gifts, in addition to the extra protection afforded the vinyl by the box. Basically they are always worth checking out when you find them and are often comparitivily inexpensive compared to single album purchases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 OK update / newsflash / hot breaking news etc. etc. I now own the Brahms - I think!!! I went to get that record specifically - not to browse. The shop owner cornered me with a deal not to refuse, so I got: Box Sets: Mendelssohn ELijah - EMI Verdi - Traviata - Capitol Verdi - Ernani - RCA Victor Verdi - Rigoletto - DECCA Mozart - Seraglio - EMI (mono) Albums: Haydn 83/101 - EMI Haydn 73/96 - Supraphon / Colombia Haydn 103/82 - Counterpoint Haydn 94/103 - EMI (crap - that's 2 copies of 103) Haydn 44/49 - PYE Golden Guinea (thats a first for me for this label) Haydn 45/94 - Classics Club (crap 2 copies of 94 too) Bach Cantata 140/57 - Nonsuch Liszt Preludes/Orpheus/Mephisto/Spanish - ABC Liszt Concerto 1/Saint-Saens concerto 2 - DECCA Stravinsky Firebird Suite - Colombia Beethoven Violin Concerto (Heifetz) - RCA Victor Beethoven Symphonies 2 / 4 - Everest (My existing 4 is screwed) Tchaikovsky Symphony 5 (Montreux) - RCA Victor Mahler Symphony 4 - Colombia Moussorgsky - Boris Godounov - RCA Victrola (Mono) Treasury of Early Music - Haydn Society Chopin - Fourteen waltzes - Philips Rossini Overtures - EMI Verdi Attila Excerpts - Philips Festivo Series (Dutch) Verdi Traviata - Colombia Masterworks (I Know - doubled again) Bartok Concerto for Orchestra - EMI Mozart Piano concerto 11/15 - Turnabout (mono) Mozart Horn Concertos 1-4 - EMI Mozart Piano concertos 21/27 - EMI Dvorak Concerto for Violin and Orchestra - Supraphon and finally Johannes Brahms - A German Requiem Opus 45 Teresa Stich-Randall Soprano and James Pease Baritone - Nonsuch That's 31 works (one doubled) - god knows how many records - and defintely nowhere to store them!!!! All in all $170 - not bad I thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 ---------------- On 1/21/2004 6:49:03 AM maxg wrote: I now own the Brahms - I went to get that record specifically - not to browse. The shop owner cornered me with a deal not to refuse, so I got: Box Sets: Mendelssohn ELijah - EMI.... Albums: Tchaikovsky Symphony 5 (Montreux) - RCA Victor Moussorgsky - Boris Godounov - RCA Victrola (Mono) Rossini Overtures - EMI Johannes Brahms - A German Requiem Opus 45 Teresa Stich-Randall Soprano and James Pease Baritone - Nonsuch ---------------- Max, you have a mighty, mighty collection! I have the old Boris (Christoff in the lead?), EMI Elijah and Rossini overtures and Tchaikovsky 5th, probably the same recordings as yours. The Brahms Requiem seems to present unusual difficulties in effectively recording a felt, lively performance. Thanks! Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 Larry, The collection is getting there slowly. Every time I think I have it covered I find another 50 or so I fancy and have to allow for up to 5 duplicates each time. I am trying to avoid counting my albums these days - its totally out of control. I have nowhere for these!! I'll let you know how my Brahms sounds (hopefully tonight - depending on sleep times for wife and baby). If it sounds OK I will post the full album details so you can hunt out your own copy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai2000 Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 Larry, I gave those two Brahms Requiem recordings mentioned above a short try. I think I like the Herreweghe a bit better. The orchestra sounds slightly 'darker' which is more to my taste in this piece. But please take my comment with a pinch of salt as I have a cold and my hearing ability is clearly limited. To be honest, I think the Brahms IS very difficult to bring off successfully as most of the music tends to be 'slow', plus I grew up with the Klemperer and the 1963 Karajan (DG Originals) so I am probably biased. Those later versions I have not revisited though. So good luck hunting. Wolfram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 ---------------- On 1/21/2004 12:04:12 PM dubai2000 wrote: Larry, I gave those two Brahms Requiem recordings mentioned above a short try. I think I like the Herreweghe a bit better. The orchestra sounds slightly 'darker' which is more to my taste in this piece. But please take my comment with a pinch of salt as I have a cold and my hearing ability is clearly limited. To be honest, I think the Brahms IS very difficult to bring off successfully as most of the music tends to be 'slow', plus I grew up with the Klemperer and the 1963 Karajan (DG Originals) so I am probably biased. Those later versions I have not revisited though. So good luck hunting. Wolfram ---------------- Great,Max and Wolfram. I also think the Requiem is unusually dark and subdued for Brahms -- it's nearly all very slow as you said, plus low strings, few contrasts from almost hidden woodwinds and brass, and vocal writing to match. I think I'll take a flyer on the Herreweghe. Thanks, guys! Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai2000 Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 Larry, hope you'll like his version. Is there any chance that you can sample it online? Please report what you think of it (btw: The Fanfare people liked it). Wolfram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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