Carmina Burana and Shostakovich #5 records

[romax]

Hi all.
I need your advice for 2 recordings (on LP).
I can't wait to listen to Carmina Burana and Shostakovich symph. #5 on my Logans but I can't really decide which recording to get.
I listened to Carmina Burana on DG and was not really impressed, listenable but not too exciting. I know of a Telarc edition out there and Harmonia Mundi. Anybody familiar with the Harmonia Mundi one? How does it compare to the Telarc?
About Shostakovich, I saw the reissue on Speakers Corner and since I have been disappointed with them in the past I am not going to get that. Any suggestions?
By the way, yesterday I got a brand new Thelma Houston and the Pressure Cooker on sheffield lab. It makes the whole house rock to the foundation!!!
Happy Friday!

 

[captain_tinker]

romax,
I have the telarc version of the Carmina Burana recording, was my very first sacd. It is a very nice recording, but I cannot really compare it to any other version, since the only other version I have of it is on an old cassette tape. I am not familiar with the Shostakovich symph. #5 that you mentioned so I cannot comment on it. I would recommend the Carmina Burana if you are interested in it.

-capT

 

[miljac]

Hi,

have the DG on vinyl and CD and the Telarc SACD. The Telarc stuff is somewhat usnpectacular, with much less "life" to the performance if you know what I mean. I happen to have another 2 Carmina Burana CDs - and of all recordings somehow I still prefer the DG - if we are talking about the same - with Eugen Jochum et al. Also is THE performance signed by Carl Orff himself. Haven't heard the Harmonia Mundi though.

HTH

miljac

 

[lugano]

Got this one...quite rare IMHO:

 

[twich54]

Romax, Good evening, I don't have any Shostakovich on viynl but I can heartly recomend his 5th conducted by Leonard Bernstein and the NYP, a Live recording done in 1979 in Tokyo, I have it on redbook CD, CBS Masterworks, it is quite good.

I love this Symphony for it was my son's senior class Orchestra performance in 1999.

 

[romax]

I love this Symphony for it was my son's senior class Orchestra performance in 1999.

Was it his high school senior performance? If so, my hat off to him and his conductor!!!

 

[twich54]

Was it his high school senior performance? If so, my hat off to him and his conductor!!!

yes sir, it was. All four movements were performed by the Orchestra and parts of the second and forth movement were actually put into the Marching Bands performance as well !

 

[[email protected]]

Shostakovich performed by Russians

I have heard the Shostakovich fifth played by the Concertgebouw/Haitink,
the Detroit Symphony Orchestra/Jarvi and most recently by the Kirov from St. Peterburg under Valery Gergiev, all in life performances.

Ther is no doubt that Shostakovich, probably the greatest of 20th century composers, should be heard performed by Russians. The Kirov's performance left me stunned and was one of the greatest musical events I ever attended. I suspect that CD's of this orchestra are available, I have not checked since I only listen to analog recordings on vinyl.

There you can easily find No. 5 performed by the USSR Symphony conducted by his son Maxim Shostakovich in 1970 and the Moscow Philharmonic under Kiril Kondrashin a few years later, both on the Melodiya label. Reissued numerous times on EMI.

Melodiya's recordings from the 1970's and 80's are the best kept secret in audio by the way. The original Russian LP issues with crummy cardboard covers and cheap printing, contain some of the most beautiful analog recordings (all tube consoles and microphones) ever made anywhere. And quiet to boot. I probably should not have let this cat out of the bag.

If you like Shostakovich's symphonies, do not stop there. He also wrote 15 string quartets, same as Ludwig von and with equal power and intensity. Try Nr. 8 and also Nr. 15 which always leaves me in tears.

Just a note on Deutsche Grammophone recordings, they had a stunning line up of performers and orchestras from the 60's through the 80's and left pile of dry almost unlistenable LP's of these great artists. Multi miked sterile, manufactured sounding affairs that are still the least collectable recordings from the era of great analog sound.

They are probably the only recording company whose sound improved after switching to digital.

 

[twich54]

I have heard the Shostakovich fifth played by the Concertgebouw/Haitink,
the Detroit Symphony Orchestra/Jarvi and most recently by the Kirov from St. Peterburg under Valery Gergiev.

Ther is no doubt that Shostakovich, probably the greatest of 20th century composers, should be heard performed by Russians. The Kirov's performance left me stunned and was one of the greatest musical events I ever attended. I suspect that CD's of the orchestra are available, I have not checked since I only listen to analog recordings on vinyl.

There you can easily find No. 5 performed by the USSR Symphony conducted by his son Maxim Shostakovich in 1970 and the Moscow Philharmonic under Kiril Kondrashin afew years later, both on the Melodiya label. Reissued numerous times on EMI.

Melodiya's recording from the 1970's and 80's are the best kept secret in audio by the way. The original Russian LP issues with crumy cardboard covers and cheap printing, contain some of the most beautiful analog recordings (all tube consoles and microphones) ever made anywhere. And quiet to boot. I probably should not have let this cat out of the bag.

If you like Shostakovich's symphonies, do not stop there. He also wrote 15 string quartets, same as Ludwig von and with equal power and intensity. Try Nr. 8 and also Nr. 15 which always leaves me in tears.

Just a note on Deutche Grammophone recordings, they had a stunning line up of performers and orchestras from the 60's through the 80's and left pile of dry almost unlistenable LP's. Multi miked sterile, manufactured sounding affairs that are still the least collectable recordings from the era of great analog sound. They are probably the only recording company whose sound improved when switching to digital.

Thanks for the info !!!! Good stuff !!!

 

[nsgarch]

Mostly Carmina

I do have the LP Shosta 5th, by Ormandy/PSO on RCA Quadradisc (would you believe!) but I've nothing to compare it with. Guess it's OK?

The Carmina Burana, with Ormandy/PSO and the Rutgers University Choir on Columbia Masterworks LP is another story altogether. My favorite performance.

The 1/2 speed mastered CBS Masterworks LP with Michael Tilson Tomtom/CSO and CSO Chorus is the best one sonically, even compared with my SACD of the Atlanta Symphony Orch. and Chorus.

FWIW

 

[romax]

Just a note on Deutche Grammophone recordings, they had a stunning line up of performers and orchestras from the 60's through the 80's and left pile of dry almost unlistenable LP's of these great artists. Multi miked sterile, manufactured sounding affairs that are still the least collectable recordings from the era of great analog sound.
They are probably the only recording company whose sound improved after switching to digital.

Couldn't have said that better myself!

Interesting to hear that the CBS record is good. I have never listened to one that was even decent.

 

[nsgarch]

Interesting to hear that the CBS record is good. I have never listened to one that was even decent.

Are you referring to their regular issue? I'll have to check, I'm sure I must have some. I just got this 1/2 speed mastered CBS recording on Ebay, and it's really terrific (sonically). I think MTT takes the tempo a little fast however (another Toscanini in the making?)

 

[MiTT]

Regarding the Shostakovich I have it on a Mercury Living Presence with Stanislaw Skrowaczewski conducting the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra - but I find the tempo of the first movement way too fast for the somber tone of the music. I prefer my pressing from DCC Classics that is a re-issue of a three channel Everest recording with Leopold Stowkowski conducting the Stadium Symphony Orchestra of New York. It was originally recorded in 1958 and sounds spectacular on top of it being a very moving performance.

As far as the Orff - I also have the Telarc vinyl, and it is a great recording (gotta love those Telarc bass drum whacks), and Shaw was possibly the finest choral conductor of all time (I like John Rutter too), but ultimately I prefer this piece on an an Alto reissue I have. The original recording is on Angel/EMI from 1966 with Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos conducting the New Philharmonia Orchestra and Chorus. Overall, a warmer recording with better spotlighting of the soloists than the Telarc and a truely inspired performance.

 

[romax]

Are you referring to their regular issue? I'll have to check, I'm sure I must have some. I just got this 1/2 speed mastered CBS recording on Ebay, and it's really terrific (sonically). I think MTT takes the tempo a little fast however (another Toscanini in the making?)

Yes, I was referring to the regular issues. It's too bad because some great performers were recorded on CBS. Sometimes one has to choose between a great performance poorly recorded or a not so great performance with beautiful sound. I recently purchased Szering playing the Tchaikovsky Violin concerto on RCA living stereo. Great performance, but very disappointing sonically speaking (and definetely not worth the money some online stores are asking for these!).

 

[twich54]

Romax, Don't know if your still looking for Shostakovich's 5th, but I scored this one while poking around the bins @ "The Mad Platter" in West Chester, Pa while out to lunch the other day. I have no idea when it was recorded since I can't find any dates on the record jacket, it is a realitvely good recording with minimal grove noise.

 

[MiTT]

Romax, Don't know if your still looking for Shostakovich's 5th, but I scored this one while poking around the bins @ "The Mad Platter" in West Chester, Pa while out to lunch the other day. I have no idea when it was recorded since I can't find any dates on the record jacket, it is a realitvely good recording with minimal grove noise.

Dave,

That's the same recording I was talking about in my post! I still find the first movement played a bit to fast for my taste.

 

[twich54]

Dave,

That's the same recording I was talking about in my post! I still find the first movement played a bit to fast for my taste.

duhhhhhhhhhh, call me brain dead !! but you won't be the first !!

Tim, you know what, I'm gonna have to play it and compare back-to-back with my CBS masterworks CD to see if I can detect tempo issue.

 

[jk319]

very cool

I find it simply fantastic that with the better speakers I look to purchase, the more and more classical music lovers I find! (I've been an anomaly with my Onkyo htib ). Didn't notice this thread till now, since I am always trying to scour the main forum.

I used to have that 5th symphony with Bernstein/NY live in Tokyo, and just LOVED it. The only thing I wonder is who stole it from me. From what I hear about variations on tempos, its the 4th mvmt that has the greatest variety. I think some conductors play it at practically double-time compared to others, if Im not mistaken. Anyways, that recording that is now lost also had Yo-yo Ma playing the Cello Concerto, with I believe * the Philly orchestra. I guess I tend towards live recordings. Oh ya, I own the complete Shosta string quartets by the Borodin quartet. Richter on the quintet. Fantastic.

Ok, sorry if I am hijacking here- looking for rec's on:
Beethoven 7th. (used to own Kleiber, thats also gone. Yes, I know, you guys will never lend me a recording now).
Josquin masses
Ockeghem masses and/or motets
Anything else at all. Like 99.99% of the rest of classical lovers, Bach is my god. Ohhh, how about some dvd-a rec's ? (Going to try to listen to my first multi-ch once I get my new ML's).

If you want to hear an unbelieveable recording of an insane microtonal work, I just recently acquired Gorli's requeim led by Herreweghe. Makes 2001 A Space Oddysey sound like a Disney movie...

 

[lugano]

jk, the more you'll read this forum and its various threads, the more you'll understand that ML owners are not merely ML owners. We are music owners, and we appreciate the way our owned music comes out from a particluar LS, coming from Martin Logan. That's all u need to know.