The Symphony

I have dozens and dozens of classical cd's.  Among my most recent purchases was a complete Mahler symphony set conducted by Bernstein, Shostakovich's Symphonies 1 & 7 also conducted by Bernstein and the complete symphonies of Vaughan Williams conducted by Leonard Slatkin.  Bruckner is definitely one of my favorite composers and I have a complete set of his symphonies conducted by Eugen Jochum which was recorded in the 50s & 60s.  I have had vintage recordings from the 30s & 40s before but the sound was always a turnoff for me.  I prefer my recordings to be in modern stereo instead of mono.  I like George Szell's recordings of Beethoven, Brahms, Dvorak, Mendelssohn & Schubert.  He really brought a fiery passion to his recordings which I like.  I also have Munch's recording of Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique.  Outstanding!

Szell was a great Strauss conductor for sure.  His recording of Don Quixote, Don Juan and the Horn Concerto is very good.  I would also recommend Evgeny Mravinsky's recording of Tchaikovsky's symphonies 4, 5 & 6.  You won't believe this is the same composer who wrote Swan Lake & the Nutcracker!  This recording absolutely smokes!

I've heard Klemperer's Mahler 9th and totally agree with you.  It's so monumental!  I wish Klemperer would've recorded more Mahler since he had such an affinity for him.

Klemperer's Mahler 2nd is a landmark recording, no doubt about it.  Klemperer was a pretty good conductor.  I especially like his way with Bach.  Those who prefer their baroque performed with small ensembles and on period instruments will certainly run screaming out of the room!

Are you familiar with Eine Alpensinfonie from Richard Strauss?  So powerful and majestic!

Totally agree.  The version I have is Karajan's who excelled in Strauss.  I don't typically go for Karajan recordings as there are generally too lush sounding for my taste, but the lushness actually works beautifully in Strauss.  Bohm was a great Strauss conductor as well, but I have not heard any recordings from Strauss himself.  Klemperer's Beethoven recordings are legendary.  I like how heavy & gothic they sound.  The 6th is one of the best I have ever heard.

presdoug wrote: Yes, Klemperer is really something

He was so good that even in music that was totally different from his area of comfort (if we consider romanticism as that area) he somehow excelled. As I said before, Klempeper's Bach's St. Matthew Passion lasts longer than the entire lent period it would seem , but it is unique, profound, solemn, glorious, and manages to survive among the sea of HIP performances. 

my top three symphonists are

1) A. Bruckner
2) H. Berlioz
3) R. Strauss

and also Tchaikovsky, Mahler, Elgar, Sibelius, Beethoven, Brahms, Shostakovitch are up there below those three for me.
         

   

^I've never even heard of Langgaard. Are there historical recordings of his symphonies? (knowing me)
         I love Charles Ives symphonies, especially the first two, I have the world premiere recording of the 1st with Morton Gould conducting, fabulous, and am looking for the 2nd with Bernard Herrmann conducting, which is hard to find.
                 I also like his "Holidays Symphony"
           Have you heard any of Roy Harris's symphonies? Or my fellow Canadian Healey Willan? They are quite striking, but overlooked.
        


Edited by presdoug - March 28 2014 at 16:24

I would recommend Willan's 2nd Symphony. There are a couple of really good recordings of it done in Canada, one with the superb conductor Karel Ancerl and I think the Toronto Symphony (but haven't seen it on cd yet)
   and another recording on cd with Uri Mayer.
                          I will check out Langgaard on youtube.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Heribert Ritter von Karajan !! 

Edited by Rick Robson - April 17 2014 at 17:13