Available for the first time in the United States, this set from the Sony Classical Masters Series features Leonard Slatkin conducting the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra and the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra (featuring Pinchas Zukerman on violin) in the works of Elgar including Symphonies nos. 1 & 2, Violin Concerto, Cello Concerto, and “Enigma” Variations.
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Leonard Slatkin's Elgar recordings are among the best recordings of the works in the past 20 years. Slatkin's understanding of Elgar's music and his ability to articulate both its grandly monumental and deeply intimate qualities is unsurpassed among his contemporaries and his interpretations are marvelously controlled and wonderfully expressive. Of course, Slatkin is aided by the strong and sympathetic playing of the London Philharmonic and by the soulful virtuosity of violinist Pinchas Zukerman and cellist Janos Starker. And RCA does capture all their performances in clear, deep, and warm digital sound. While no one who loves Elgar's music should be without Barbirolli and Boult's recordings, anyone who loves Elgar's music would like Slatkin's recordings.
Claude Baker: Glass Bead Game / Slatkin, Vonk, St. Louis Symphony
Naxos
CD
$9.99$19.99Save 50%Sep 25, 2012
BAKER The Glass Bead Game.1 Awaking the Winds.2 Shadows: Four Dirge-Nocturnes.3 The Mystic Trumpeter4 • Leonard Slatkin, cond; 4Hans Vonk, cond; Saint Louis SO • NAXOS 8.559642 (66:36) Live: St. Louis 11/21–24/1991; 25/14–16/1993; 35/18–20/1990; 44/16–18/1999
From 1991 to 1999 Claude Baker was the composer-in-residence to the Saint Louis Symphony, the fourth and last in a program in which he was preceded by Joseph Schwantner (1982–85), Joan Tower (1985–88), and Donald Erb (1988–91). Recorded souvenirs of the residencies of the first three were issued by Nonesuch and New World; neither Schwantner release made it to CD, but the Tower and Erb did and can still be purchased. Though arguably the most compelling artist of this distinguished quartet—please don’t send nasty notes—and certainly the one longest in residence, Baker was not so honored. A 1993 live recording of Shadows: Four Dirge-Nocturnes was included in the limited edition commemorative set, The Slatkin Years, but that is long out of print. (The Naxos disc opts for the 1990 premiere.) So this Naxos release of live recordings originally made for broadcast between 1990 and 1999, funded by Indiana University in Bloomington where Baker holds an endowed professorship, is a most welcome redress of an unfortunate oversight.
The Glass Bead Game (1982/83)—inspired, as is almost all of his music, by a literary work and quoting from the compositions of others as annotation—is quintessential Claude Baker and therefore a perfect work to open the program. Baker, inspired by Hermann Hesse’s novel of the same name, takes his thesis from the intellectual narcissism of Hesse’s Castalian scholars. Their obsession with analyzing the past, their fascination with games, trivial detail, cleverness, and systemic complexity, and their eventual stagnation and decline through failure to create anything new are all reflected in the musical program. Baker uses Hesse and the music to shine a light on 20th-century musical obsessions, using a brilliantly executed numerologically complex serial canon; a dream-like, period-correct performance of a Johann Schein courtly dance commented upon by modern atonality; and an amazing collage of six works by Dallapiccola, Schoenberg, Vaughan Williams, Shostakovich, Penderecki, and Liszt, given unity by their incorporation of the famous B-A-C-H motive. These six pieces are assimilated Castalian-syle into a final movement, which is both amazing in its virtuosity and sobering in its ultimate emptiness.
Shadows: Four Dirge-Nocturnes (1990) and The Mystic Trumpeter (1999) are grounded as well in literary sources. In Shadows, Baker explores four haiku, using characteristics of the form—syllable counts, binary construction, and motivic concision—as compositional elements. The verses and the music are dark, evoking death, the graveyard, and mourning in each of the seasons from spring through winter. Woven into the nocturnal work are gestures, fragments, and quotes from works by Mahler, Britten, and Stravinsky, ending touchingly with a quote from “In diesem Wetter” from Kindertotenlieder. The Mystic Trumpeter concerns itself with Walt Whitman, finding both literal and symbolic connection between the verse—the title poem and “The Dalliance of the Eagles”—and Ives’s The Unanswered Question, and works by Messiaen, George Rochberg, and medieval troubadour Guiraut de Bornelh. Awaking the Winds (1993) is the anomaly. It has no literary precursor, contains no borrowed music, and is “freely chromatic” rather than Baker’s usual combination of tonality and atonality. Unlike the other works that are heavily driven by the percussion section, this one eschews even timpani. It essentially is a pastorale, though the composer disavows any programmatic intent, with suggestions of wind and sounds of nature, a storm, and a quiet dénouement.
During the decade of these performances, Leonard Slatkin and the SLSO had a well-deserved reputation as promoters of new music, especially by native composers, and the orchestra was in superb shape, able to play anything that their composer might write for them. Vonk, who took over the podium in 1996, may not have taken to the idiom as naturally, but the orchestra still knew the way home and the Dutch maestro paces them most effectively. The execution of this bold, dramatic, and exceedingly challenging music is flawless, the moments of quiet and delicacy are sublimely poised, and even more to the advantage of the music, all is presented with absolute conviction. Recordings exist online of Indiana University ensembles playing this music—although The Mystic Trumpeter seems to have disappeared for now—but good as they are—and the fine Shadows is even conducted by Slatkin—none of the IU performances can match these in function or insight. The recordings themselves, the majority engineered by the late/lamented William Hoekstra, are demonstration class, and reveal little of the very quiet audiences. I was present for at least three of these concert series, so for me there could not be a better tribute to Claude Baker or to his years with the SLSO than the release of these recordings. They should serve admirably to introduce the work of the composer to those not so fortunate, as well.
Copland: Symphony No 3 / Slatkin, Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra
RCA
CD
$17.99Jan 08, 2010
There are pages here to rival even Bernstein. Come the finale, Slatkin well and truly throws down the gauntlet: his "Fanfare" is impressive, and within bounds—the right side of credibility— but it's the contrapuntal jubilance, the dance of life at the heart of the movement that really begins to set the adrenalin flowing. And nowhere more so than at the moment when we see this raunchy music for what it really is: counterpoint in search of its theme—namely, the "Fanfare" itself. Slatkin forges a toughly syncopated climax in its wake, driving home the halting dissonance which by now seems somehow inevitable—a moment of truth. The most moving pages of all then ensue, and Slatkin is still unassailable weaving Copland's piccolo-led tracery (woodwind, harps, piano, celeste) towards a tremendous peroration. Ihe anvil and xylophone hammer through terrifically at the close, heavy brass, bass drum and tam-tam ensuring a formidable pay-off.
So where are the drawbacks? Are there any? One or two: I am not entirely happy with the sound. Warmth, perspective and weight (handsome bass extension) are not a problem, but there is what can only be described as a curiously 'covered', unfocused quality which makes for a degree of opaqueness, particularly in the more densely scored tuttis. You need plenty of volume for the best effect. Not that Bernstein's live recording (DG, coupled with Quiet City) was ideal. Best for sound so far has been the 1987 EMI Mata/ Dallas Symphony Orchestra disc (nla). Sound apart, though, I don't think Slatkin quite catches the sheer audacity of the scherzo. Bernstein is second-to-none here: the raucous trumpet cackles and side-drum rim-shots—their effect in the Slatkin is somewhat muted, though he does pull off a swaggering climax as the trio tune reappears unexpectedly in canon. Again, though, I should like to hear it in more sharply focused sound.
Slatkin's first and third movements seem to me ideal. He certainly honours Copland's instruction "with simple expression" as the New England/ Quaker hymnody unfolds at the outset (Bernstein is inclined to burden these bars with 'significance'). The Saint Louis orchestra play very sweetly indeed as the words dolce, sonore and intensivo begin to appear on the page. The archlike superstructure is surely drawn, its two climactic edifices like great pillars of support. In the slow movement, Bernstein achieves a greater sense of dream-like remoteness in the opening bars though Slatkin is by far the subtler of the two as solo flute spirits us into nostalgic reverie. The texture is gorgeously light and airy, even as the dancing grows more boisterous (Bernstein does rather rush his fences here), and Slatkin's control of the long, slow wind-down (the dream fading gradually into the deepest recesses of the mind) is masterly. I only wish he had held the pause on the final diminuendo in the strings just a shade longer (lunga, Copland marks) so as to heighten the moment at which the flutes so magically announce both "Fanfare" and finale. This is a performance of real distinction, though. Bernstein's burning conviction, his unique electricity, set him apart, but there's always room for more than one view.
Slatkin's coupling might sway some collectors. Copland's own 1966 CBS recording of Music for a Great City, his reworking (for the LSO's sixtiethbirthday season) of the score for Jack Garfine's 1961 film Something Wild, has not yet resurfaced on CD. But Slatkin's reading is a winner: gritty and urgent in Copland's suitably frantic evocation of the New York City "Skyline" with its jazz and latino explosions, not least the movement "Subway Jam"—a kind of angry Rumba, fractured brass and percussion to the fore. "Night Thoughts" is Edward Hopper/Quiet City territory: now languid, now anxious, now wistful—a telling reminder of just how well Copland understood the soul of both rural and urban America.
World Premiere Recording. Tolstoy's Anna Karenina is a mastework of 19th Century literature; a parable on the struggle for personal freedom against the conventions of a hostile society, play our in a tragic love story. Contains a libretto by director Colin Graham after the novel by Leo Tolstoy.
This wonderful two-disc set charts the progress of Dvo?ák’s relationship with the concerto form over the course of his career, from the tentative but beautifully peaceful Piano Concerto of his early days to the masterwork that is the Cello Concerto, widely considered the greatest of all concertos for the instrument. This evolution was accompanied by a range of musical and personal influences: the concertos interact with Dvo?ák’s other key pieces, such as his famous Slavonic Dances, showing snippets of his main musical preoccupations as well as his changing geographic location; and are testament to his important relationships with some of the star soloists of his day – such as the violinist Joseph Joachim or the cellist Hanuš Wihan – for whom he wrote most of the concertos.
Alongside Dvo?ák’s most famous examples of the concerto form, we are also treated to less-known soloist-and-orchestra works, including the charming Romance in F minor and the dazzling Mazurek in E minor. The soloists in this collection are all veterans of their instruments who deliver exemplary performances, directed under the esteemed baton of Walter Susskind: "In these Dvorak performances his great gifts as accompanist to elite soloistic talents is abundantly evident – he was one of the great concerto conductors of his generation – and the soloists respond in diverse ways, emotional, technical, expressive to the differing demands of the concertos" (MusicWeb International).
Other information:
- The three solo concertos and smaller concertante works by Dvorak, on two CDs!
- In Dvo?ák’s substantial symphonic oeuvre there are only three concertos, but each is a masterwork of its kind, frequently played and audience favourites.
- The Cello Concerto is the best and most popular in its genre, a dramatic and sweeping display of romantic passion, the Piano Concerto and Violin Concerto are strong and virtuoso works, with hints of the rich folklore of Dvo?ák’s home country Bohemia.
- Reissue from the rich Vox catalogue, featuring excellent soloists of international fame: cellist Sara Nelsova, pianist Rudolf Firkusny and violinist Ruggiero Ricci. - Brilliant Classics
Rachmaninov: The Bells, Isle of the Dead / Slatkin, St. Louis Symphony
Vox
CD
$19.99Apr 06, 2018
This release from the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus with Leonard Slatkin conducting presents two dark works by Sergei Rachmaninoff. The first is the choral symphony The Bells Op. 35. Written in 1913, the words are taken from the poem ‘The Bells’ by Edgar Allan Poe. Symbolist poet Konstantin Balmont translated the poem loosely into Russian. The Bells is joined on this release by the tone poem Isle of the Dead Op. 29. This work was inspired by a black and white reproduction of Arnold Bocklin’s painting of the same name, which Rachmaninoff viewed in Paris in 1907. The common thread that can be heard throughout both of these pieces is the use of the Gregorian plainchant, the Dies Irae, used as an allusion to death.
Learn more about the VOX Label, the Elite Recordings production team, and the reissuing of these classic Utah Symphony recordings on the Naxos Classical Spotlight Podcast!
Maurice Abravanel and the Utah Symphony Orchestra’s recordings of Tchaikovsky’s orchestral works, originally released on Vox in 1974, remain much admired to this day. These classic recordings of Symphony No. 4 and Romeo and Juliet make a welcome return to the catalogue, newly remastered in 192kHz / 24-bit high-definition.
REVIEWS:
These sonically remastered recordings are from Maurice Abravanel’s legendary Tchaikovsky Integrale. The remastering probably couldn’t make the violins sound much fuller and warmer, but the slight limitations as far as the Utah orchestra and the somewhat treble-emphasized recording, especially in the Fantasy Overture, can’t really detract from the quality of Abravanel’s delicate, spontaneous, elegant and tense interpretations. In the Fourth Symphony, Abravanel by no means overplays the darker side of the music, expressing fatum feelings as well as nostalgia.
-- Pizzicato
Although the Salt Lake Tabernacle was far from an ideal recording venue, its oval domed shape being highly reflective, the Elite Recordings team did their best to deaden the space. The end result is excellent, the orchestra sounding as though it is playing in a large hall, but nothing is blurred.
As for the performances, they are also excellent, Abravanel careful not to overplay the dramatic elements to the point where they start to sound hysterical. That is not to say the playing lacks energy, for it certainly does not. This is simply very good, straightforward, well-played, and excellently recorded Tchaikovsky. Good stuff.
Gershwin: Works for Orchestra / Slatkin, St. Louis Symphony
Vox
CD
$19.99Jun 23, 2023
Learn more about Elite Recordings and the revival of their VOX Classics albums on the Naxos Classical Spotlight Podcast!
These Vox recordings from 1974 capture Leonard Slatkin and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in classic performances of Gershwin’s most popular orchestral works including An American in Paris, Catfish Row and Cuban Overture. Newly remastered in 192kHz / 24-bit high definition.
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto Nos. 2 & 3 / Simon, Slatkin, Saint Louis Symphony
Vox
CD
$19.99Mar 24, 2023
Learn more about Elite Recordings and the revival of their VOX Classics albums on the Naxos Classical Spotlight Podcast!
Sergey Rachmaninoff's concertos for piano and orchestra continue to be his most successful compositions together with his second symphony. The piano concerto No. 3 belongs to the most demanding repertoire ever written for this genre. The composer himself cited it as his favorite. Abbey Simon was a pianist in the great Romantic tradition. His repertoire centered on Chopin, Schumann, Rachmaninoff and Ravel, and he had a virtuoso technique which he employed with effortless ease coupled with a smooth, clear sound. Internationally acclaimed conductor Leonard Slatkin has received not less than six GRAMMY-Awards and numerous other prizes and has conducted virtually all the leading orchestras in the world. The recordings of American orchestras produced for VOX by the legendary, GRAMMY-Award winning Elite Recordings team of Marc Aubort and Joanna Nickrenz are considered by audiophiles to be among the very finest sounding orchestral recordings ever made.
REVIEW:
Pianist Abbey Simon who came onto the scene in the 1940s quickly established a reputation as one of the best musicians at the time. His interpretations of these two warhorses of the repertoire are refined, clear headed and devoid of any exaggerated mannerisms or hyperbole so common these days. Nonetheless, they prove highly sensitive to the emotive aspects of the music. There have been so many recordings of this music in the interim 45 years or so since then, that new pianists feel the need to impose their own personal stamp on the music in order to stand out from the crowd, to the detriment of the music itself.
Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 2 / Slatkin, Saint Louis Symphony
Vox
CD
$19.99Feb 10, 2023
Learn more about Elite Recordings and the revival of their VOX Classics albums on the Naxos Classical Spotlight Podcast!
Sergey Rachmaninov’s orchestral works range from 1887, when he was not yet 14, to 1940, when he produced his valedictory work. His Second Symphony was written between 1906 and 1908 and the composer expressed doubts about being able to compose a symphony. This program of works was recorded by the Saint Louis Symphony with Leonard Slatkin.
![Carlson, D: Anna Karenina [Opera]](http://arkivmusic.com/cdn/shop/files/1507354.jpg?v=1786701566&width=400)
![Carlson, D: Anna Karenina [Opera]](http://arkivmusic.com/cdn/shop/files/1507354.jpg?v=1786701566&width=800)
