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Presto News - 14th January 2008Composers' Own Recordings |
 Two of our best-selling recordings from our current Sony BMG box set promotion (which ends on Wednesday) are the recordings of Rachmaninov playing his own Piano Concertos and Stravinsky conducting his own works. Throughout history a number of great composers have also been superb conductors - Mendelssohn, Mahler and Richard Strauss being ones which immediately spring to mind - but it is only in the past 80 or so years that the technology has been in place to start preserving some of their performances. True, there are some piano rolls and early acoustic recordings from before this date (indeed even a piano roll of Mahler playing some of his own works) but generally speaking it was the late 1920s with the advent of electrical recording that any quantity of recordings began to be made and preserved.  Elgar conducting One of the early pioneers of electrical recording was Elgar who between 1926 and 1933 recorded almost all his own major works for EMI (with a very long baton!). Unfortunately a lot of them are not currently available but with the help of Naxos a few are. They display a very different style of orchestral playing from what we hear today with frequent portamento (sliding between notes) in the strings and a very sparing use of vibrato. There is also a somewhat casual treatment of rhythm and, compared to most modern recordings, a lot of very fast tempos.  Rachmaninov Fast tempos also dominate Rachmaninov's playing, but what also comes across is a much more straight-forward approach and overall a less sentimental account. Stravinsky's recordings stand out less from alternative accounts mainly because they were made much later. So how should we evaluate the composer recordings? Should we ultimately be viewing them as the 'definitive versions' of these works, performed exactly how the composer intended them? Well no, probably not. For a start, not all composers were great conductors. Stravinsky although fairly well thought of certainly wasn't considered a great conductor; Tippett by all accounts was pretty dreadful. But the obvious pull of the composer's name on the concert programme or the record sleeve often made them an obvious choice. The fact that many composers (including Stravinsky) recorded the same work more than once, often quite differently, also goes against the 'definitive' argument. That said however, listening to the composers themselves performing is a fascinating and often ear-opening experience and the Rachmaninov set below is a prime example.
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 The Complete Recordings by Sergei RachmaninovPhiladelphia Orchestra, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Eugene Ormandy, Leopold Stokowski Recorded 1920-1942 |
 Works of Igor StavinskyA re-issue of the legendary 22 CD Sony Complete Edition "The Recorded Legacy", available now at astonishing value. |
 Masters of the Piano Roll - Mahler Plays Mahlerfeatures Mahler and Bartok playing their own compositions plus performances by Grainger, Dohnanyi and Lhevinne |
 Elgar: Violin Concerto & Enigma VariationsYehudi Menuhin (violin), London Symphony Orchestra & Royal Albert Hall Orchestra, Sir Edward Elgar |
 Elgar: Cello Concerto & Symphony No. 2Beatrice Harrison (cello), London Symphony Orchestra, New Symphony Orchestra, Edward Elgar |
Chris O'Reilly - chris@prestoclassical.co.uk |
New Releases14th January 2008 |
This is just the pick of the recent releases. The New Releases and Future Releases pages are always available for browsing all the new and forthcoming releases. |
 Jonas Kaufmann - Romantic AriasJonas Kaufmann is without question the most versatile tenor of his generation, and his current repertoire includes an astonishing range of opera roles from Mozart to Wagner. He is also a celebrated Lieder interpreter, equally at home on the concert platform. His Decca Debut album celebrates a luscious range of Romantic opera arias, showcasing the astonishing diversity of his voice. |
 Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition & Borodin: Symphony No. 2Berliner Philharmoniker, Sir Simon RattleI haven't heard this yet as it was astonishingly only recorded 15 days ago at the famous Silvesterkonzert (New Year’s Concert) on New Year’s Eve at the Philharmonie, Berlin. |
 Purcell - Here Let my Life and other songsJames Bowman & Daniel Taylor (counter tenors), Theatre of Early MusicDaniel Taylor joins well established countertenor James Bowman on this recording of various Purcell songs. ‘Here Let My Life’ is a superb example of the art which gained Purcell his place in music history – his genius for word-painting and his ability to capture profound human emotion is immediately in evidence. |
 Ballad for Edvard Grieg - DVDLeif Ove Andsnes (piano)Leif Ove Andsnes is our guide on a journey through Europe, with the Ballad in G minor as the musical focus of the programme. This documentary provides an incredibly interesting insight into Grieg and Leif Ove himself. (Leif Ove's interview is in Norwegian with English subtitles available and English Narration.) ... plus a complete performance of the Piano Concerto, a work which Andsnes has made his own. Also, one of the most remarkable cover photos I ever remember seeing! |
 New Year's Concert 2008Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Georges PretreThe New Year’s Concert in Vienna has been a glorious tradition for over six decades. A best-selling classical event year on year, the concert has unique global appeal. It is broadcast on TV and radio to over 50 countries, and is viewed by tens of millions of people all over the world. This year conducted by a French conductor - Georges Prêtre - for the first time. |
 10 new titles in EMI's popular 'Mid-Price Opera' seriesIncluding the classic Sawallisch Die Meistersinger, a Domingo Faust, a Montserrat Caballé I Puritani and a lot more! |
A new Budget priced series from CapriccioAn attractively packaged new budget priced series from Capriccio drawing on their last and distinguished catalogue. Includes recordings by Ton Koopman, Sandor Vegh, Marcus Creed and more. |
 BBC Radio 3 CD ReviewSaturday 12th January 2008 |
Building a Library - Wagner: Die Walküre |
 First ChoiceSiegmund - Jon Vickers; Hunding - Martti Talvela; Wotan - Thomas Stewart; Sieglinde - Gundula Janowitz; Brünnhilde - Régine Crespin; Fricka - Josephine Veasey; Gerhilde - Liselotte Rebmann; Ortlinde - Carlotta Ordassy; Waltraute - Ingrid Steger; Schwertleite - Lilo Brockhaus; Helmwige - Daniza Mastilovic; Siegrune - Barbro Ericson; Grimgerde - Cvetka Ahlin; Rossweisse - Helga Jenckel Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan |
 First Choice (as part of the whole Ring cycle)Siegmund - Jon Vickers; Hunding - Martti Talvela; Wotan - Thomas Stewart; Sieglinde - Gundula Janowitz; Brünnhilde - Régine Crespin; Fricka - Josephine Veasey; Gerhilde - Liselotte Rebmann; Ortlinde - Carlotta Ordassy; Waltraute - Ingrid Steger; Schwertleite - Lilo Brockhaus; Helmwige - Daniza Mastilovic; Siegrune - Barbro Ericson; Grimgerde - Cvetka Ahlin; Rossweisse - Helga Jenckel Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan |
CD of the Week |
 Bloch: Piano QuintetsGoldner String Quartet, Piers Lane |
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