More from Luboshutz and Nemenoff plus....

 

Hambro and Zayde! More music for piano four hands. Yes, you all know how much I this stuff and well, I cannot resist. Luboshutz and Nemenoff on a mono Remington and Hambro and Zayde on an Enoch Light stereo special.

What I enjoy about these two records is that the artists play with the utmost taste and discretion. Nothing is thrown off slapdash for pure effect and every piece receives the serious attention to the proper style that it justly deserves. There is a little of everything here and together, a fine 75+ minutes of satisfying music making is offered.

Details in the downloads. I think there is about 10 -12 years between both these recordings.

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Dvorak performed by the Berkshire Quartet

Wonderful music by Dvorak today. From a VoxBox, early 60's issue, comes the Berkshire Quartet in Dvorak's Double Bass Quintet and Twelve Cypresses.

I love Dvorak so much because his music has the strength to transport me to his homeland and smell and see the beauty of Bohemia.  Such is the case here with these two(actually there are 12 Cypresses but I am counting them as "1" whole piece) seldom heard works. The Double Bass Quintet, of course, augments the quartet by adding a double bass and it is a novel and refreshing idea. The Twelve Cypresses are arrangements of songs for quartet and these delightful miniatures capture brief moments and emotions from the composer's life with intimacy, warmth and directness.

The Berkshire Quartet plays with an authentic and idiomatic sound. I admittedly was not familiar with this ensemble and thought them to be a "Tanglewood" based ensemble that was briefly here and now gone. Interestingly it was the first incarnation of the Berkshire Quartet by Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge that was based in the Berkshires of Massachusetts. The group on this recording was the successor group to the Gordon Quartet who, after the founder Jacques Gordon's death, found themselves in dire straits. Ms Coolidge offered to rescue them with the priviso that they become the "new" Berkshire Quartet. As part of the bargain, the quartet spent the school year at Indiana University and returned east to Music Mountain Connecticut for the annual summer chamber music festival which Gordon had founded.

One frustration I have is that these VoxBox sets, especially from the late 60's into the 70's were pressed on inferior vinyl and the records often ended with lots of extraneous noise. Such was the case here and after running the sides through ClickRepair several times, I achieved better results then the vinyl but still surface noise does remain. Please do not let that interfere with gorgeous music performed by top flight artists.

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Dvorak and Smetana played by the Stradivari Records Quartet

I love the quartets of Dvorak and Smetana and, I was very pleased to pick up this old lp recently. It is a mono Stradivari Records release featuring the "From My Life" and "American" quartets of Smetana and Dvorak respectively. These masterworks are played by the Stradivari Records String Quartet, presumably a house creation of New York based musicians? In short, these are nice renditions, idiomatic and well played by the quartet. Really, these works are so well written, with beautiful melodies and phrases, that it is quite difficult to NOT present them well. Not to worry here!

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The wonderful Schuyler Symphony in Verklaerte Nacht and Suite Provencale!

Haha...got your attention! Who, what, where??? The Schuyler Symphony is of course the RCA Camden pseudonym for the St Louis Symphony Orchestra and its music director of a quarter century, Vladimir Golschmann.  On this Camden release, Golschmann leads strong performances of Schoenberg's "Verklaerte Nacht", Milhaud's  delightful "Suite Provencale", and a couple of encore Dvorak Slavonic Dances from Op. 46.

Golschmann was a fine conductor, if not at the very top tier. Well respected, and highly held by musicians and teh public alike,  he was a welcome guest conductor and a favorite of a number of composers, probably due in part to his musical honesty and freedom from excess and egotism. The program here is tailor made for Golschmann as he was closely associated with both Schoenberg and even more so with Darius Milhaud.  My favorite on this recording is Suite Provencale, it simply sparkles. Its really a wonderful piece of writing if you do not know of it, you need to make an acquaintance. Golschmann lets the music speak clearly and naturally and though Munch's take with the superior BSO is tremendously exciting, the latter conductor does tend to overdrive the piece. Golschmann seems so right.

Sound is so so on this Camden as it is in most Camden reissues. How technology for reissuing classics has changed!  Still, it is nice to have Golschmann conducting this orchestra, one that best represents his art on record. Mono FLACs.


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More from the Sinequan Collector's Series: Dvorak, Brahms and Strauss

A while back, I posted one of these Sinequan Collector's series which featured two of Brahms' trios played by BSO principals. Here's another in this distinguished series which features Brahms' Clarinet Trio and Dvorak's Wind Serenade. I've also included, from another lp  in the series, the Strauss wind serenade op. 7 for good measure.

The clarinet trio features Gino Cioffi on clarinet, Samuel Mayes playing cello, and Ralph Berkowitz performing the keyboard duties. Cioffi was longtime principal clarinet of the BSO (prior to the great Harold Wright) and I think, a most consumate ensemble player. Samuel Mayes, we know as one of the great orchestral cellists of the 20th century, and Ralph Berkowitz's fame came as a favorite accompanist to Gregor Piatigorsky and assistant to Serge Koussevitzky. What strikes me about this performance is that the artists blend so well, a sure sign that they are listening to one another!

The Boston Woodwind Ensemble is featured in the Dvorak and Strauss works. The playing is extremely assured but I must confess that I know nothing about Eric Simon, the director. I believe that he might be a clarinetist, composer and teacher. Simon does get some terrific virtuoso playing from this group though I'm not sure if they BSO members or, if the ensemble is assembled from Boston's rich freelance community. Needless to say, I especially love the Dvorak, another bit of proof of that composer's great understanding of various instruments and ensembles. Strauss' serenade is a neat little "fluff" piece, sort of Beecham lollipop!

There will be more of the Sinequan Collector's Series coming up in the weeks ahead: Brahms' Piano Quartet op 25, Thuille's Sextet, a Samuel Mayes solo disc and Mozart's Horn Concertos played by James Stagliano, to name a few of the titles. I am so glad that I discovered this small treasure trove of forgotten records!

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Dvorak Symphony No. 8, The Golden Spinning Wheel and The Wood Dove

I've received my inspiration for this post from Neal at Neal's Historical Classical Recordings Corner. Those of you that know his excellent blog have been privy to a wide range of very fine recordings coming from the former Czechoslovakia, releases originating on the Ultraphon and Supraphon labels. Neal has performed painstaking work resurrecting many gems from the 78's era,  introducing many of us to nearly, or sometimes totally forgotten, artists.

Here we have Dvorak conducted by one fairly well known conductor, Vaclav Neumann and one, not so well known  here in the "west," Zdenek Chalabala. First up, Chalabala conducting the glorious Czech Philharmonic in two magnificent tone poems, The Golden Spinning Wheel and The Wood Dove. These recordings date from near the end of Chalabala's life and they are quite vivid for c. 1960. Needless to say, Chalabala leads wholly idiomatic performances which capture the rustic nature of both works, where melodies intertwine with the harmonies in such a winning way. This is positively Dvorak at his inspired best and Chalabala's long, long association with Dvorak shines through. In fact, I'd say that Chalabala's theatrical experience from years with the National Theatre in Prague pays great dividends here. Wonderful stuff, released here on the Artia label.

Vaclav Neumann's take on the Symphony No. 8 is especially fine. Dating from the early 70's, this recording captures this maestro at his peak. At the time, I believe he was the director of both the Czech Philharmonic and the esteemed Gewandhaus Orchestra. I was able to locate a couple reviews from the period that were rather lukewarm towards this recording. I can not understand why. The playing is especially fine, the woodwinds have that tangy Czech sound and the brass that wonderful burnished Central European style. The rhythms are elastic enough and there is a fair amount excitement where that all needs to be. If not Kubelik or Mackerras at their very best, this is a very fine and strong interpretation of this most beautiful of scores. I certainly never tire of the great number 8 and I welcome Neumann as about as authentic as it gets. Compare this to Sawallisch's Philadelphia account and you will here two different works, the American rendition plodding, the Czech bouyant and refreshing. My transfer is from a Quintessence lp.

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Hugo Rignold conducts Dukas, Ravel and Dvorak

A while back, David Gideon at reDiscovery posted a paperback issue featuring the English conductor Hugo Rignold in Rimsky-Korsakov's Suite from The Golden Cockeral and Mussorgsky's Night on a Bald Mountain in the R-K orchestration. Both performances struck me as quite good and rather idiomatic. So with those fresh in mind, I set out to locate a few more examples of Hugo Rignold's art.

Here we have a Somerset recording of Dukas' Sorcerer's Apprentice and Ravel's Bolero and, an Alshire LP with Dvorak's New World Symphony. All performances feature the London Philharmonic and they date from around 1960.

Of the three compositions, Sorcerer's is the strongest performance with exemplary playing and an insightful interpretation that really goes all out to tell the story in music. Bolero is good, though others have done a far stronger job of building the tension through dynamics and phrasing. This piece REALLY needs significant rehearsal in order to maximize its effect. The New World Symphony practically plays itself although Rignold exhibits a strong sensibility for Dvorak's musical language by stressing the "folk" elements of the score. This recording does possess the tell tale signs of a "rush job," most notably in some intonation problems with the horns. That aside, there is an excitement level present and an overall firm grasp of the symphony is readily apparent.

It would appear that Rignold had a brief recording career, for whatever reason I don't know. From the evidence of these recordings, and those available through reDiscovery, it seems a bit of a pity that Hugo Rignold is all but forgotten today.

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Jonel Perlea conducts delights from Central Europe

I miss the Vox label. When I was growing up, Vox and Nonesuch offered me many points of discovery at an unbeatable bargain price. Typically these Vox issues could be found at a local bookstore with a big sticker advertising $1.98. Great price for a kid on a budget though I must admit that the productions were at times variable, as you all know.

One great, and consistent find, was the large body of work recorded by the underrated Romanian conductor Jonel Perlea. Advertised by Vox as an "exclusive Vox artist," Perlea recorded just about all the heavy hitters of the repertoire, most records made with the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, an orchestra originally called the German Philharmonic of Prague and staffed by a majority of Central Europeans. To Be honest, I cannot recall a bad Perlea performance, though engineering, and often preparation were less then first rate due to money and time constraints.

I offer here the contents of two Perlea records, focusing on the music of Central Europe. PL 9500, from 1955, features Smetana's Moldau, Dvorak's Scherzo Capriccioso, Kodaly's Dances of Galanta and Enescu's Romanian Rhapsody No. 1. STPL 511.240, from 1963, contains the contents of Side 1: Brahms' Hungarian Dances 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 17, 19, and 21. This all adds up to a nicely filled cd of lively, well played and idiomatic music making. I especially want to point out the outstanding account of the Romanian Rhapsody. Perlea's got this in his blood for sure and the orchestra sound like they are enjoying it immensely!

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Dvorak's Complete Slavonic Dances played by Grete and Josef Dichler, piano four hands

Dvorak's two sets of Slavonic Dances are, quite simply, wonderful musical miniatures. Admiring Brahms' Hungarian Dances, Dvorak set out to do the same, albeit with a decidedly Slavic twist. So successful was Dvorak with the first set, op. 46, that publishers, and music lovers, were able to coax op. 72 from him without loss of inspiration or gift for melody. Absolutely delightful stuff!

Most of us know these dances in their usual presentation for full orchestra. Curiously, few recordings have been made in their original piano four hand renditions. So, imagine how excited I was when I happened upon this rather forgotten Vanguard LP featuring the four hand duo of Grete and Josef Dichler.

The Dichlers were, in their day, the foremost four hand piano duo in the German speaking lands. Well regarded teachers in Vienna, they recorded rather extensively and I'm told that one of their most prized recordings was the first piano four hand account of Bach's The Art of Fugue. I'd like to emphasize that this husband and wife team played four hand piano music exclusively on one piano. Today, most often piano four hand is presented on two pianos rather then one, a pity since that intimacy and timbre of one instrument alone is lost amid a reworking of the composer's intentions.

Turn the lights down, grab your favorite beveridge, close your eyes, and allow Dvorak, through the Dichler's 20 magical fingers,  paint a splendid musical picture of the beautiful Czech countryside through these vivid and fresh sounding musical gems.

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Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops go Hungarian and Czech

Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops....thirty years gone and the maestro and his orchestra are still household names! This very nice album, LM 9017, is typical Fiedler fare done with panache, good taste and with  a whiff of effervesence. The featured program has Smetana's Vltava (The Moldau), Brahms' Hungarian Dances 1 - 6 and a rarity at the time, Dvorak's Hutsitska (Hussite) Overture.

Though most people equate Fiedler with "popular" fare, he was a highly accomplished violinist with exquisite taste who longed to be taken seriously as a master of the podium. He demanded much of himself and treated all music with respect and purposefulness. The results speak for themselves: best seller after best seller and financial stability for the parent organization, the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Ultimately, Fiedler was rewarded by the BSO by being allowed to conduct and record with it, by then music director William Steinberg. The product of the collaboration was a very fine New World Symphony.

Here, Fiedler displays a real flair for the Smetana, Dvorak and Brahms pieces on this album. Whether the earthy feel of a peasant dance or the pull of Vltava's currents, everything just sounds so right, natural is the word, and the musicianship is impeccable. What a great and responsive orchestra the Pops was during the late 40's through mid 50's when these recordings were made.  I hope you enjoy!

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George Singer conducts Dvorak's New World Symphony with the Tonkuenstler Orchestra

The name of George Singer is probably all but forgotten today, however we are fortunate to have this well interpreted Dvorak "New World" Symphony as a momento of his work.

Singer was a Czech born musician of Jewish heritage who emigrated to what was then Palestine prior to WW II. He was a very important part of the musical establishment in Palestine, later Israel, and conducted virtually all the orchestras and opera companies there. After the war, he was contacted by Don Gabor of Remington Records to conduct a number of recordings, most made with the reconstituted Tonkuenstler Orchestra, often referred to as the Austrian Symphony, Viennese Symphonic Society and a whole lot of other pseudonyms. Among Singer's recordings were this one, a good Les Preludes and some fine renditions of a handful of Slavonic Dances by Dvorak.

The recording here is well interpreted and it is evident that Singer was comfortable with this very Czech music since he himself grew up with it. Everything sounds very right, not forced and natural though the orchestra is decidedly second tier, often dropping into third tier status. The real problem, admittedly is the brittle sound of this Plymouth re-release of  a Remington original. Plymouth was a bargain label and what deficiencies Remington had in pressings are magnified here. Still, I encourage everyone to have a listen to this fine performance by a solid, an unfortunately, rather forgotten musician.

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Mitropoulos + Minneapolis = FUN!

Here's a fun one...from Harmony HL 7129, the great Dimitri Mitropoulos conducting his Minneapolis Symphony in The Sorcerer's Apprentice, a couple Slavonic Dances by Dvorak, the coronation march from Meyerbeer's 'The Prophet," Lalo's overture to Le roi d'Ys, and Gliere's Russian Sailors Dance.

I love the work of Mitropoulos. Everything he put his hand to created a kind of electricity and nervous energy. These "lollipops" as Beecham would say, positively sparkle under Mitropoulos. The orchestra is with him every step of the way and these pieces come off sounding more important then they really are.

Enjoy!

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