SAINT-SAENS, Camille (1835-1921)
Carnival of the Animals
Bohm, Vienna Phil. + Mozart Ser. K.525 (LP) DG 2530731
Pretre, Orch. du Conservatoire + etc. EMI 769112
The comic nature of this work is misleading - it demands
first class playing and engineering. From the moments of humor to
the beauty of Aquarium, Voliere and Le Cygne these two performances
are very well played and recorded.
Concerto No.2 in g for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 22
Entremont, Ormandy, Phila. Orch. + Con.4 + etc. Sony 48276
Ciccolini, Baudo, Orch. de Paris + Con.4 (LP) EMI CSD 3750
Entremont's recording was made in Manhattan Center, New
York in 1964 during the golden age of Columbia. It was very good on
LP and now on CD it is a joy to the ears. Ciccolini's is in the
same quality level but is not available on CD yet.
Concerto No.4 in c for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 44
Entremont, Ormandy, Phila. Orch. + Con.2 + etc. Sony 48276
Ciccolini, Baudo, Orch. de Paris + Con.2 (LP) EMI CSD 3750
Recorded in Town Hall, Philadelphia in 1961 the companion
work is from the same vintage. Again EMI produced an worthy
competitor. These two concertos are excellent music.
Concerto No.3 in b for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 61
C.-L. Lin, Thomas, Philha. + Mendelssohn Op.64 CBS 39007
J. Rachlin, Mehta, Israel Phil. + Wieniawsky #2 Sony 48373
Two digital recordings of his most successful violin
concerto, played by young virtuoses.
Dance Macabre Op. 40, Phaeton Op. 39,
La Jeunesse D'Hercule Op.50, Le Rouet D'Omphale Op. 31
Dervaux, Orchestre de Paris (LP) EMI CSD 3729
without Jeunesse + etc. EMI 769112
Dutoit, Philharmonia Orch. + etc. Decca or London 425021
With the exception of Dance Macabre, the tone poems of
Saint-Saenz have been unfairly neglected by conductors and the
recording industry. Phaeton and Jeunesse received their first
stereo recording in 1972 and were alone in the catalog until 1981,
when Dutoit recorded them too. Now EMI released the great Dervaux
recording on CD with Jeunesse removed to make room for Havanaise
and Bacchanale, in a rude choice and a disservice to music lovers.
Samson et Dalila - Opera (1877)
Vickers, Verret, others,
Colin Davis, Royal Opera (LD) Pioneer 82-014
Carreras, Baltsa, others,
Colin Davis, Bavarian Radio Sym. 2 CDs Philips 426243
Domingo, Obraztsova, others,
Barenboim, Orch. de Paris 2 CDs DG 413297
This work has great moments, the most famous being the duet
"Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix" and the Bacchanale. Shirley Verret
sings this duet to perfection in the only video of this Opera. On
CD my first choice is Barenboim's.
Symphony No. 3 in c Op. 78 "Organ"
Munch, Boston Sym., Zamkochian + Debussy:La Mer RCA 61500
Barenboim, Chicago Sym., Litaize + Dance + etc. DG 415847
Ormandy, Philadelphia Orch., Murray Telarc 80051
This Symphony only reached its due position in the
repertory at the stereo age, and the outstanding RCA recording by
Charles Munch started this trend in 1959. To capture all its energy
and the rich sonority of Boston's Symphony Hall, Richard Mohr and
Lewis Layton moved the orchestra from the stage to the audience
(after seats removal), a brilliant idea latter adopted by DG in the
Seventies.
Working in Chicago in 1976, DG crew realized that the sound
of new Orchestra Hall was unacceptable and that Medinah Temple has
no Organ, and so decided to record the Organ part in
synchronization with Barenboim's performance, at the Chartres
Cathedral (France), with excellent results.
Telarc avoided the deficiencies of the Academy of Music,
and used St. Francis de Sales Church in Philadelphia with its Organ
as the recording location, in their successful work for Ormandy
made on February 6, 1980 with digital equipment.
SCARLATTI, Domenico (1685-1757)
Sonatas for keyboard (performed on Piano)
Horowitz (L.430,483,241,118,22,164,187,23,etc.) CBS 42410
Precious small gems played by a great artist.
SCHMIDT, Franz (1874-1939)
Notre Dame:Intermezzo
Karajan, Berlin Phil. + etc. (LP) Angel 37810
EMI 764629
From an obscure Opera comes this moving piece, with a
strong gipsy character. Karajan has, among other merits, the credit
for keeping this music alive, recording it twice in the stereo age
(the first, for DG).
SCHUBERT, Franz (1797-1828)
Quartet No. 14 in d "Death and the Maiden"
Collegium aureum Quartett (LP) Harmonia Mundi 12503
Quartetto Italiano + Dvorak:No.12(American) Philips 420876
A work that must be present in any good classical
collection. The sweetness of tone, as captured by Harmonia Mundi,
is one of the best on records. Philips recording comes close.
Impromptus, Op. 90 (1-4) and Op. 142 (1-4)
Brendel (complete) Philips 411040
Brendel (complete - digital) Philips 422237
Sonata in A for Piano, Op. Posth., D.959
Brendel + Son. D.960, D.958 DUO Philips 438703
Brendel + German + Ungarishe + D.915 (d) Philips 422229
Sonata in Bb for Piano, Op. Posth., D.960
Brendel + Son. D.959, D.958 DUO Philips 438703
Brendel + Wanderer (digital) Philips 422062
The above selection includes some of the most important
works for the Piano. Brendel's performances are my favorite and
Philips' recordings of Piano music are second to none.
Symphony No. 3 in D, D.200
Bohm, Berlin Phil. + Sym.4 + Rosamunde DG 453662
Karajan, Berlin Phil. + Sym.4 EMI 566103
Marriner, ASMF + Sym. 5 (LP) Philips 6514149
The Third, and the Fifth, are masterworks composed before
he was 20 years old, rivals with the best by Mozart, and are
indispensable to any good collection.
Karl Bohm conducts the most exciting, well played and
recorded performance of the Third, coupled with a tedious Fourth.
Marriner, only on LP by the time I wrote this, has the best
companion work, and Karajan, also very good, conducts a recommended
Fourth.
Symphony No. 4 in c, D.417 "Tragic"
Kertesz, Vienna Phil. + Sym.5 (LP) London CS 6682
Karajan, Berlin Phil. + Sym.3 EMI 566103
Kertesz is the only one, among the many I heard, to conduct
the scherzo of this work at animated speed, alert, without
dragging. His performance of this Symphony is energetic and lyric
and comes with an excellent Fifth.
Karajan, only drags in the scherzo, showing the same verve
as Kertesz in the other three movements, and is coupled with a very
good Third.
Symphony No. 5 in Bb, D.485
Kertesz, Vienna Phil. + Sym.4 (LP) London CS 6682
Karajan, Berlin Phil. + Sym.6 + etc. EMI 566104
Marriner, ASMF + Sym. 3 (LP) Philips 6514149
Karajan and Kertesz are equally brilliant and well recorded
in this marvelous work, but Karajan's CD comes with the undesirable
Sixth. Marriner's, also very good, comes with a recommended Third.
Symphony No. 8 in b, "Unfinished" D.759
Haitink, Concertgebouw Orch. + Rosamunde Philips 420715
Jochum, Boston Sym. + Beethoven:Sym.5 DG 427195
Reiner, Chicago Sym. + Beethoven:Sym.5 RCA 5403
This is THE Schubert Symphony. Unlike his early Mozartian
symphonies or his uneven successor, this is an utterly novel work.
He never finished it, not by death (he lived more six years and
finished the next one) but because he felt unable to produce
something worth to follow these two movements. The scherzo and
finale of his last symphony are a sad proof of my theory.
There are many good recordings of this work, (and some
really awful) and the above list includes three performances and
recordings that I prefer.
Symphony No. 9 in C, "The Great" D.944
Giulini, Chicago Sym. (LP) DG 2530882
Haitink, Concertgebouw Orch. (LP) Philips 9500097
Munch, Boston Sym. + Sym.8 RCA 60792
Schippers, Cincinnati Sym. (LP) Vox Turn. 34681
The first half of this work justifies its nickname, but the
other is worth a different one: "The Unfinishable". Giulini, who
demanded all the repeats in the scherzo, and adopted a normal speed
in the finale, points that out in an unquestionable way.
The musical ideas in the first movement plus the beauty and
perfection of the second are enough to establish this work in the
repertory, but what follows is unworthy and sounds like a poor
man's Beethoven Seventh.
My list includes the exciting performance by Schippers, the
gorgeous sounding Philips recording by Haitink, the brilliant one
by Munch, and the didactic one by Giulini. In the second movement
Giulini adopts a slow tempo but the result is amazing.
SCHUMANN, Robert (1810-1856)
Concerto in a for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 54
Argerich, Rostropovich, NSO + Chopin:Con.2 (LP) DG 2531042
Cliburn, Reiner, Chicago Sym. + MacDowell:Con.2 RCA 60420
Both pianists plays very well but Reiner is better and Mohr-
Layton team did, as usual, an excellent job for RCA.
Symphony No. 3 in Eb, Op. 97, "Rhenish"
Giulini, LA Phil. + Beethoven:Sym.5 DG 445503
Solti, Vienna Phil. + Sym. 4 Decca or London 417799
Solti's recording includes the best symphonies of Schumann
in a single CD, and dates from 1968. For a digital recording I
recommend Giulini's, that comes with an unusually fast (for this
conductor) Beethoven Fifth.
Symphony No. 4 in d, Op. 120
Karajan, Vienna Phil. + Dvorak:Sym.8 DG 431095
Solti, Vienna Phil. + Sym. 3 Decca or London 417799
Karajan's is a digital recording and comes with a
recommended Dvorak Eighth. Choose based on the companion work you
prefer.
SCRIABIN, Alexander (1872-1915)
Etude Op.8 No.12 in D-Sharp
Cliburn + other favorite encores RCA 60726
Horowitz + other favorite encores CBS 42305
A favorite encore of many audiences and artists, this fiery
piece is his most famous composition.
SHOSTAKOVICH, Dmitri (1906-1975)
Symphony No. 5, Op. 47 (1937)
Haitink, Concertgebouw Orch. Decca or London 410017
Mackerras, Royal Phil. Tring TRP032
Skrowaczewski, Minneapolis Sym. + Gayne exc. Mercury 434323
Unlike his other symphonies, this was created under the
pressure to become a popular composer overnight, and so he put all
his energy into producing a work palatable to all audiences. The
result was an immediate and lasting success.
Colin Moorfoot placed the microphones far to capture the
rich sonority of Concertgebouw; Dick Lewzey choose a middle
distance to capture Mackerras performance in a London studio; and
Robert Eberenz the nearest possible, to avoid the ugly acoustic of
Northrop Auditorium in Minneapolis. They were all successful.
Mercury dates from 1961 and the other two are digital recordings.
SIBELIUS, Jean (1865-1957)
Finlandia, Op. 26 (1899)
Colin Davis, Boston Sym. + Sym.2 + Swan Philips 420490
Swan of Tuonela (from 4 Legends, Op. 22) (1893)
Colin Davis, Boston Sym. + Sym.2 + Fin. Philips 420490
Stokowsky, National Phil. + Sym.1 (LP) CBS 76666
Symphony No. 1 in e, Op. 39
Askenazy, Philharmonia Orch. + Karelia Decca 414534
Bernstein, Vienna Phil. DG 435351
Symphony No. 2 in D, Op. 43
Colin Davis, Boston Sym. + Finlandia + Swan Philips 420490
Karajan, Berlin Phil. EMI 769243
The most famous works by Sibelius are very well performed
by the artists in the above list, and the recording quality ranges
from excellent (Davis, Karajan and Stokowsky) to demonstration
level (Askenazy and Bernstein). In Op.39 the two digital recordings
sounds astonishing - buy both.
SMETANA, Bedrich (1824-1884)
My Fatherland
Solti, Bavarian Radio (Moldau) + etc (LD) London 071207
Kubelik, Boston Sym. DG 429183
Levine, Vienna Phil. DG 431652
Pesek, Prague Orch. (Moldau) + Bartered + etc. Pilz 449078
The Moldau sounds better in the bargain digital recording
by Pilz and comes with images in the expensive video by London. For
the complete Cycle it is hard to choose between Kubelik and Levine.
STRAUSS, Johann (II)(1825-1899)
Waltzes
Karajan, Vienna Phil. (New Year's Day 87) (LD) Sony 45985
Kleiber, Vienna Phil. (New Year's Day 89) (LD) DG 072246
Bohm, Vienna Phil. (Roses, Danube, Emper.) (LP) DG 2530316
Dorati, London Phil. (Voices, Art., Danube, +) Decca 417078
Reiner, Chicago Sym. (Art., Roses, Danube, +) RCA 68160
Despite its immense popularity these waltzes are fine music
and deserves the kind of performance and engineering you find here.
STRAUSS, Richard (1864-1949)
Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 (1896)
Haitink, Concertgebouw Orch. (LP) Philips 6500624
Reiner, Chicago Sym. (Rec.1962) + Four + etc. RCA 6722
Thomas, London Sym. + Don Juan Sony 45970
The sunrise introduction to this work became the most
played classical music after its use by Kubrick in the soundtrack
of 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). The recording used was the first
stereo made by Deutsche Grammophon in 1958 with Berlin Philharmonic
conducted by Karl Bohm. I never liked that recording and its sound
was already dated by the time it was released - the first stereo
recording of this work, made by RCA in 1954 with Chicago Symphony
conducted by Reiner is much better.
Reiner is still my favorite in the new recording made by
Lewis Layton and produced by Richard Mohr in 1962, again for RCA.
Haitink's (1974) and Thomas' (1990 - digital) are worthy
competitors.
Death and Transfiguration, Op. 24 (1889)
Dorati, Detroit Sym. + Don Juan + Till London 400085
Maazel, Philharmonia Orch. + Tch.:Franc. (LP) London 21067
Maazel, Vienna Phil. + Don Juan (LP) London 6415
The classical recording industry deserves the crisis they
are living - by the time I wrote this, none of the above recordings
were available. Dorati's is a demonstration quality digital one,
and Maazel's, the best analogue, never saw the laser light.
Don Juan, Op. 20 (1888)
Solti, Bavarian Radio Orch. + etc (LD) London 071207
Dorati, Detroit Sym. + Death + Till Decca or London 400085
Maazel, Vienna Phil. + Death (LP) London 6415
Thomas, London Sym. + Zarathustra Sony 45970
Ditto! Thomas' is the only one current available.
STRAVINSKY, Igor (1882-1971)
Firebird (1910) Ballet
Ansermet, New Philharmonia Orch. + Rehear. (2LP) Decca 468A
Colin Davis, Concertgebouw Orch. Philips 434731
Dorati, Detroit Sym. + Sacre Decca or London 448226
The rich orchestration of this score was very well captured
in the recordings above. Dorati's is the only digital, Davis' the
best analogue and Ansermet's, by the time it was available, came
with an interesting rehearsal.
Le Sacre du printemps (1913)
Dorati, Detroit Sym. + Firebird Decca or London 448226
This musical portrait of chaos and barbarity received an
irresistible choreography in the movie "Fantasia", and a superb
recording in this Decca production.
© Copyright 1999 Amilcar Schiappe Pereira End of section S