Like to buy some recordings?

One thing we would like to do in this blog is to provide what we hope will be some useful guidance in your own exploration of classical music. A question we are asked fairly often, for instance, concerns recordings of the music the RCO plays. In many cases there are multiple recordings of a work available – for instance, the hundred or so versions of Mozart’s “Turkish” Concerto and the nearly eighty recordings of the Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 currently in print. Which to purchase? There are plenty of books available on this subject, but as we in the RCO office have access to some of these books (as well as our own strongly-held opinions!), from time to time we’ll offer a few ideas.

We would also like to mention that we have a new arrangement with ArkivMusic, the website for purchasing classical CDs and DVDs that we’ve so often praised. When you make your purchase by using the ArkivMusic link you’ll find in the right hand column of this blog – or by clicking on the links for the recommended recordings below – the RCO will receive a portion of the proceeds. So you can increase your musical enjoyment while supporting the RCO! You’ll find that their website is pretty easy to navigate – you can search by composer (and then, within the composer’s catalog, by individual work), or conductor, or pianist, etc.

So let’s start with the music featured in the first two RCO concerts of the year:

Dvorák: Legends – Sir Charles Mackerras is one of the great conductors of Czech music, and his Supraphon recording of all ten Legends also includes a couple of other tasty Dvorák orchestral works. Rafael Kubelik’s recording is also a good one, but you’ll be buying a double CD with Dvorák’s Stabat Mater. Some may like Neeme Järvi’s more aggressive approach to the Legends, but I find it rather overpowers these gentle pieces.

Mozart: Divertimento, K. 131 – This is a pretty easy choice. In his KUNR interview before the September concerts, Ted Kuchar called George Szell’s recording of this piece one of the great Mozart recordings ever. Having lived with it for over twenty years myself, I can heartily concur: the elegance of Szell’s interpretation and the seemingly effortless virtuosity of the Cleveland Orchestra are unbeatable, and this very low-priced recording features some delightful Mozart overtures and the Symphony No. 28.

Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 – Most of the great pianists and conductors of the last several decades have taken on this centerpiece of the concerto repertoire for recording, so there’s almost literally a recording for every taste. Once again George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra, in their collaborations over the years with the great pianists Leon Fleisher, Rudolf Serkin, and Clifford Curzon, must be counted among the major contenders. The Fleisher/Szell recording, often cited as the finest of all, is currently packaged with their version of my personal favorite among all piano concertos, the Brahms Second. Other versions that come strongly recommended are: Maurizio Pollini/Claudio Abbado, Emil Gilels/Eugen Jochum, and Artur Rubinstein/Fritz Reiner.

Tippett: Divertimento on “Sellinger’s Round” – The only recording currently available, led by Christopher Hogwood, happens to be very fine, and is part of a fascinating program featuring several works by Igor Stravinsky.

Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 5 “Turkish” – For years the generally acknowledged favorite version of all five of Mozart’s violin concertos has been that of violinist Arthur Grumiaux, with conductor Sir Colin Davis, now very handily available in a budget priced two disc set. Once again, most of the great violinists have recorded this work, so if your favorite violinist happens to be Itzhak Perlman, or Joshua Bell, or Jascha Heifetz, or David Oistrakh, or Isaac Stern, you’re well set. Our own Ted Kuchar has also recorded this concerto with violinist Oleh Krysa, and you’re welcome to stop by the RCO office and pick up a copy of their CD, or give us a call and we’ll send it your way.

Janacek: Idyll – Ross Pople, whom you may remember as a guest conductor of the RCO a few years ago, has made a very nice recording of this gentle piece, and it’s not at all expensive. If you don’t mind spending a few more dollars, Iona Brown and the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra have a fine version on the Chandos label.

Haydn: Symphony No. 87 – Probably the easiest way to acquire this work is in a complete set of the six “Paris” Symphonies, Nos. 82-87. Excellent versions are readily available under the direction of Neville Marriner (modern instruments) and Sigiswald Kuijken (period instruments). Remarkably, the classic set by Leonard Bernstein seems not to be in print at the moment, but if you come across a copy somewhere, you won’t be disappointed. For the adventurous and deep-pocketed listener, just over $100 will get you a very nice set of all 104 Haydn symphonies, led by Ivan Fischer on the Brilliant Classics label.

Recommended Recording Links:

Dvorák: Stabat Mater, Legends / Kubelik, Mathis, Reynolds

Mozart: Overtures, Etc / Schippers, Szell, Entremont, Et Al

Heritage Brahms: Piano Concertos No 1 & 2, Etc / Fleisher

Brahms: Klavierkonzert No 1 / Pollini, Abbado, Berlin Po

Brahms: Die Klavierkonzerte, Fantasien / Gilels, Jochum

Brahms: Piano Concerto No 1; Et Al / Curzon, Szell

Brahms: Piano Concerto No 1 / Rubinstein, Reiner, Cso

Christopher Hogwood - Klassizistische Moderne Vol 2

Mozart: Violin Concertos / Grumiaux, Davis, Leppard

Janácek: Idyll, Mladi, Suite / Ross Pople, London Festival

Haydn: The Paris Symphonies Nos 82-87 / Sir Neville Marriner

Haydn: The Paris Symphonies No 82-87 / Kuijken, Et Al

Haydn: Complete Symphonies / Fischer, Austro-hungarian Haydn