WAGNER: Tristan and Isolde RACHMANINOFF: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18. BARTÓK:
Rhapsody No. 1 for Violin and Orchestra. VIOTTI: Violin Concerto No.
22 in A minor. SCHUMANN: Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54. Kinderseznen,
Op. 15. Abegg-Variations, Op. 1. Bunte Blätter, Op. 99. Waldszenen,
Op. 15. VERDI: Aïda Pristine continues their fine series of live performances of the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood conducted with this disk featuring two leading soloists of the time. Gary Graffman is sterling soloist in Rachmaninoff''s Concerto No. 2 from a concert August 19, 1961. Graffman's Columbia recording with Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic was made about the same time and has been in the catalog ever since. Isaac Stern is heard in the Bartók and Viotti works. He has recorded both, but his Viotti recording was made some years earlier with Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra. The concerto is the best-known of 29 such works, neglected by most violinists. The Stern performances are from a concert July 23, 1961. Both soloists are in top form, and the stereo broadcasts, as XR remastered by producer Andrew Rose, are rich and satisfying. An engaging release! Romanian pianist Clara Haskill (1895 - 1960) specialized in music of Robert Schumann and made numerous recordings. This newly-mastered disk offers performances recorded in Victoria Hall,k Genera, 1956 (Concerto), Bensacon, 1956 (Kinderszenen), Ludigsburg, 1953 (Abegg Variations), Ludigsburg, 1953/Amsterdam 1952 (Bünte Blätter), and London 1847 (Waldszenen). Here is a generously filled disk (78:43) of some of her live Schumann performances all of which have been issued previously, remastered in best possible sound. If you don't already have them, here is a convenient way to acquire these sensitive interpretations. Soprano Herva Nelli (1909 - 1994), born in Italy and came to Pittsburgh while very young. She showed great promise as a soprano and her career really took off when she successfully auditioned for Arturo Toscanini, who often featured her in performances and some recordings. She also appeared at the New York City Opera and the Metropolitan. When her sinfging career ended, she became a professional chef. Highly respected throughout her career, she never reached legendary status.You can see some of her performances on YouTube. This Aïda shows her in top form; she is fearless on that treatcherous climactic C in O patria mia. However, during Ritoria Vincitor she produces some very odd "squeaky! sounds; hard to believe Toscanini would have approved. It is quite comical, startling as well. These occiur at 3:31 and 3:40 into the aria. The remainder of the cast is first-rate, with Richard Tucker an admirable Radames. And of course Toscanini is electrifying on the podium. This is an NBC broadcast from June 1949, and Urania's remastering has made it very listenable. No CD notes, no libretto, but an opportunity to hear the Maestro leding an opera that was dear to him. R.E.B. (September 2016) |