Bartók for Orchestra

On this CD:

1. The Wooden Prince, ballet in one act for orchestra (A fából faragott királyfi), Sz. 60, BB 74 (Op. 13)
Composed by Bela Bartok
Performed by Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Adam Fischer

2. Portraits (2), for violin & orchestra (Két portré), Sz. 37, BB 48b (Op. 5)
Composed by Bela Bartok
Performed by Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Adam Fischer

3. Music for Strings, Percussion, & Celesta, Sz. 106, BB 114
Composed by Bela Bartok
Performed by Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Adam Fischer

4. Divertimento, for string orchestra, Sz. 113, BB 118
Composed by Bela Bartok
Performed by Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Adam Fischer

5. Violin Concerto (No. 1), for violin & orchestra, Sz. 36, BB 48a
Composed by Bela Bartok
Performed by Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra with Gerhart Hetzel
Conducted by Adam Fischer

6. Violin Concerto (No. 2), for violin & orchestra in B minor, Sz. 112, BB 117
Composed by Bela Bartok
Performed by Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Adam Fischer

7. Seven Romanian Folk Dances, for orchestra (Román népi táncok), Sz. 68, BB 76
Composed by Bela Bartok
Performed by Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Adam Fischer

8. Dance Suite, for orchestra (Táncszvit), Sz. 77, BB 86a
Composed by Bela Bartok
Performed by Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Adam Fischer

9. Hungarian Sketches, for orchestra (Magyar képek), Sz. 97, BB 103
Composed by Bela Bartok
Performed by Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Adam Fischer

10. Pictures (2), for orchestra (Két kép), Sz. 46, BB 59 (Op. 10)
Composed by Bela Bartok
Performed by Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Adam Fischer

11. Romanian Dance, for orchestra (Román tánc), Sz. 47a, BB 61
Composed by Bela Bartok
Performed by Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Adam Fischer

12. Concerto for Orchestra, for orchestra, Sz. 116, BB 127
Composed by Bela Bartok
Performed by Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Adam Fischer

13. The Miraculous Mandarin, pantomime in 1 act Op. 19, Sz. 73, BB 82
Composed by Bela Bartok
Performed by Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Adam Fischer

14. Háry János-Suite, Op 35a/1-6, complete
Composed by Zoltan Kodaly
Performed by Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Adam Fischer

15. Dances of Galánta for orchestra
Composed by Zoltan Kodaly
Performed by Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Adam Fischer

16. Variations on a Hungarian Folksong "The Peacock" for orchestra
Composed by Zoltan Kodaly
Performed by Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Adam Fischer

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Some people are frightened by the (mostly) 20th century Hungarian composer Béla Bartók. His colorful orchestration and by turns folksy and angular rhythms and melodies seem to be cut from very exotic cloth. But there's nothing to fear--this six-CD set presents his most popular orchestral music played with authentic flair by the Hungarian State Orchestra: the two violin concerti with the excellent soloist Gerhart Hetzel, the suite from his ballet The Wooden Prince, the Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta, the Concerto for Orchestra, and several other flavorful works. As a bonus, three pieces by his compatriot, Zoltán Kodály are included. A fine introduction to a master composer. --Robert Levine

Bartók for Orchestra, Music, Bela Bartok, Zoltan Kodaly, Adam Fischer, Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra, Gerhart Hetzel, 20th/21st Century Ballet, 20th/21st Century Occasional Music, 20th/21st Century Orchestral Music, 20th/21st Century Variations, Ballet, Box Sets (Audio Only), Classical, Classical Music, Concerto, Concerto for Orchestra, Dance/Single-Movement/Miscellaneous Work for Orchestra, Keyboard, Orchestral, Orchestral & Symphonic, Orchestral Music, Suite for Orchestra, Suite/Partita for Keyboard, Violin Concerto

Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra; Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta; Hungarian Sketches
Average customer rating:

5 stars if it weren't for Solti

Essential Recordings

Only Boulez/Chicago gets 5 Stars

Reiner Is Great In The Music Of Bela Bartok, RCA Deserves Praise For The Sound

Too much hissing

Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra; Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta; Hungarian Sketches

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000003FEJ
Release Date: 1993-08-10

Tracks:

Concerto For Orchestra: Introduzione: Andante non troppo; Allegra vivace
Concerto For Orchestra: Giuoco delle coppie: Allegretto scherzando
Concerto For Orchestra: Elegia: Andante non troppo
Concerto For Orchestra: Intermezzo interrotto: Allegretto
Concerto For Orchestra: Finale: Pesante; Presto
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celesta: Andante tranquillo
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celesta: Allegro
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celesta: Adagio
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celesta: Allegro molto
Hungarian Sketches: An Evening In The Village
Hungarian Sketches: Bear Dance
Hungarian Sketches: Melody
Hungarian Sketches: Slighty Tipsy
Hungarian Sketches: Swineherd's Dance

Amazon.com essential recording

Since its release on LP in the mid-1950s, Fritz Reiner's rendition of the Concerto for Orchestra has stood as the standard against which all other recordings of the work are measured. Even after all these years, the recording remains just as convincing and authoritative. Reiner's superb control of his orchestra and of Bartók's rhythms and textures is still unsurpassed, even by dozens of subsequent conductors in the digital age. Likewise, the Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta shows just what an incredible ensemble the Chicago Symphony was under Reiner's direction. This umpteenth reissue, in RCA's Living Stereo series, promises to be the one to have, its sonics noticeably improved over the earlier CD release in 1989. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

5 stars if it weren't for Solti.......2007-06-06

First of all let me say that if you are unfamiliar with Concerto for Orchestra you will not be dissapointed with this recording. The interpretation is lively and dynamic with the understanding and pathos that is needed for a well rounded interpretation. The only reason I give it 4 stars is because I am familiar with the recording of the Chicago Symphony under Solti. The Solti recording of the next generation Chicago Symphony has the same dynamism and drama but has much greater nuance. Solti simply makes music come to life in certain phrases that is seemingly overlooked by Reiner. However this recording is usually available at cheaper prices (especially used).

Essential Recordings.......2007-03-27

Fritz Reiner was the driving force behind Bela Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra. Reiner and Bartok had been friends for over 40 years having met as piano students at the Budapest Academy. The composer had been in the United States since 1940 and the separation from his beloved Hungary combined with his ill health made the transition unhappy and he had no will to compose. Agatha Fassett's book Bela Bartok: The American Years recounts the composer's life during this time and, since Ms. Fassett knew Bartok's wife, her portrait of the composer is first hand. Maestro Reiner convinced Serge Koussevitsky in 1943 to commission the work and conducted the premiere in December of that year. The Concerto for Orchestra became Bartok's most popular work.

This recording with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra was made in 1955 and I do not think that a finer one has been recorded. The details of Bartok's score come through and the balance is perfect, allowing us a true live performance and the quality of the recording really comes through during quieter moments. Reiner's intimate knowledge of the score and his control are apparent in this recording. This is also true for the recording of Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta and Hungarian Sketches from 1958. Both works are beautifully played with great precision that lacks nothing for the feel of the music. The Hungarian Sketches are marvelously stylish, bringing out the nature of the music.

These recordings are essential and have certainly lost nothing since they were made in the 1950's. Rather than have any distortions the transfer to CD has been carried out with great success so the original sound is even better.

Only Boulez/Chicago gets 5 Stars.......2006-09-17

Sorry Reiner fans.
3 things I do not like about this recording that keeps it at a 4 star level.
First i do not like "iron rod" style conducting. Musicality is thrown out to justify percision and disipline. I do not like Reiner's style
Secondly is the record quality is poor, especially compared to Boulez/DG
Third is the screechy instruments tonality in some of Reiner's band winds.
For Bartok I look to Boulez/Chicaho, Skrowaczewski/Minnesota and Dorati/Detroit. Ivan Fischer has also done some nice recordings on Philips, but NOT his CfO, which is a dud. I also have issues with Boulez's CfO with the New York.

Reiner Is Great In The Music Of Bela Bartok, RCA Deserves Praise For The Sound.......2006-09-09

Just a mention that this is a review of the RCA 'Living Stereo' release, not the later SACD compatible version. RCA was famous for it's ground-breaking work in the mid-to-late fifties when it came to vivid, immersive stereo sound and it's reputation lives to this day. I'm not sure if the reviewer below is experienced in vintage classical recordings predating the digital era. Yes, they contain some tape hiss but it's really insignificant to what value the performances themselves have and the soundstage is very vibrant. I have personally listened to recordings from Solti on DECCA, Jansons on EMI and Fischer on Philips in these fine works by Bartok and none have come close to the passionate intensity of the interpretations or the wonderful recorded sound that these Reiner versions capture.

Reiner's account of the Concerto for Orchestra, one of the most famous 20th-century orchestral works, is on everyone's list as truly exceptional. The Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta receives just the kind of wicked, eerie, powerhouse performance that will make you a fan of Bartok for life and this piece in particular.

If you're going to own one Bela Bartok CD, this is one of the best choices on the market today. After you've ingrained this music into your mind, time for the Miraculous Mandarin, the Piano Concertos and the String Quartets to follow.

Too much hissing.......2006-08-24

After reading so many positive reviews, I was very exited when I recieved this cd in the mail. I popped it in my bose wave radio, turned it up to 85, and listened to the most annoying hissing sound I've ever heard coming from my system. I regret purchasing this cd.

Bartok: Violin Concertos, Viola Concerto, 6 Duo for 2 Violins, Violin Rhapsodies; Yehudi Menuhin

Average customer rating:

As good as it gets

Bartok: Violin Concertos, Viola Concerto, 6 Duo for 2 Violins, Violin Rhapsodies; Yehudi Menuhin
Yehudi Menuhin , Bela Bartok , Pierre Boulez , Antal Dorati , New Philharmonia Orchestra , and BBC Symphony Orchestra
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Berg: Violin Concerto; Schoenberg: Piano Concerto; Violin Concerto

ASIN: B0000CE7FG
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Tracks:

I: Andante Sostenuto
II: Allegro Giocoso
I: Moderato
II: Adagio Religioso
III: Allegro Vivace
I: Lassu: Moderato/II: Friss: Allegretto Moderato
I: Lassu: Moderato/II: Friss: Allegretto Moderato

Tracks:

I: Allegro Non Troppo
II: Andante Tranquillo
III: Allegro Molto
28. Sorrow
31. New Year's Greeting 4
33. Harvest Song
36. Bagpipes
41. Scherzo
42. Arabian Song
I: Tempo Di Ciaccona
II: Fuga: Risoluto, Non Troppo Vivo
III: Melodia: Adagio
IV: Presto

Customer Reviews:

As good as it gets.......2007-02-07

First you have to like Bartok. Not everyone enjoys the 20th century extention of classical music. If you do like Bartok and want to hear his violin compositions - then buy this CD and hear a true master at work.

Average customer rating:

The Real Stuff
My Cup of Tea
Get it for the Copland

Collector's Edition

Manufacturer: Sony
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Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Prelude, Fugue And Riffs
Con
Ebony Con: I. Allegro Moderato
Ebony Con: II. Andante
Ebony Con: III. Moderato; Con Moto
Derivations: I. Warm-Up
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Customer Reviews:

The Real Stuff.......2007-03-25

This disk collects Benny Goodman performances with the composers conducting, so it is historic and probably authoritative as to performance, but great to have Copland, Stravinsky, etc. themselves and Goodman in your collection. Nice performances, although sound varies with these vintage sessions.

My Cup of Tea.......2002-05-22

Goodman's performances of all the music on this disc are superb. He (along with violinist Joseph Szigeti) commissioned the Bartok score and, notwithstanding its age (mono/1940) there has never been a better recording than this one. The other performances are first-rate stereo recordings that appeared on a 1966 CBS/Columbia Lp titled "Meeting at the Summit." Morton Gould's music often sounds like watered-down Copland to my ears, but "Derivations" is a really strong piece and quite memorable. The Stravinsky is a true masterpiece that has never sounded better, and the same goes for Bernstein's powerfully imagined, joyous "Prelude, Fugue and Riffs." Having the composers conduct was an inspired idea (in the case of the Bartok, the composer accompanies at the piano); not at all gimmicky. It's amazing how well Goodman still played in the middle '60s. Although he gave solid performances well into the '70s, he was still at or near his peak when these recordings were made and the dead-on intonation and range of color in his playing is simply breathtaking. The other reviewer mostly likes the Copland score. It's nice, but the real show-stopper here is the Bernstein: 7 1/2 minutes of sheer big-band bravado. Not to be missed!

Get it for the Copland.......2001-10-10

Aaron Copland's Clarinet Concerto is one of the most magical pieces of music ever to come out of North America, and for me, this is *the* recording. Fifty years old, but as is so often the case, the original is the best - Mr Goodman's finest twenty minutes. Great value, too! The other pieces (by Bernstein, Stravinsky and Bartok) I can take or leave, but who knows, they might be your cup of tea.

Average customer rating:

A+
Even for a trained jazz musician who thinks classical artists are overhyped, this stands out as one of the best albums.
Fantastic
Enjoyable listening
very interesting

Midori ~ Encore!
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Release Date: 1992-12-08

Tracks:

Praeludium and Allegro (in the style of Pugnani)
Habanera, Op. 21, No. 2
Cantabile
Kaleidoscope: Orientale, Op. 50, No. 9
Oberek, No. 2
Salut d'Amour
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24 Preludes, Op. 34: No. 10 - Moderator non tropp
24 Preludes, Op. 34: No. 15 - Allegretto
24 Preludes, Op. 34: No. 16 - Andantino
24 Preludes, Op. 34: No. 24 - Allegretto
Chanson de matin, Op. 15, No. 2
Introduction et Tarentelle
Slavonic Dance in E minor, Op. 46, No. 2 (B 170)
The Love For Three Oranges: March
Souvenir d'un lieu cher: Melodie, Op. 42, No. 3
Mythes, Op. 30: La FOntaine d'Arethuse
Syncopation
Orfeo ed Euridice: Melodie ('Dance Of The Blessed Spirits')
Berceuse, Op. 16
Etude in Thirds, Op. 8, No. 10
Romanian Folk Dances, Sz 56: Dance With Sticks - Allegro moderato
Romanian Folk Dances, Sz 56: Waistband Dance - Allegro
Romanian Folk Dances, Sz 56: Stamping Dance - Andante
Romanian Folk Dances, Sz 56: Hornpipe Dance - Molto moderato
Romanian Folk Dances, Sz 56: Romanian Polka - Allegro
Romanian Folk Dances, Sz 56: Quick Dance - Allegro
Reve d'enfant, Op. 14

Customer Reviews:

A+.......2007-05-10

To say that I love this disc would be an understatement. I have probably listened to it 500 times. To comment on just a few of the tracks...
The "Praeludium and Allegro" is definitely the best recording anyone (except maybe Kreisler!) has ever done. The praeludium, which is almost all quarter notes, is often just blindly sawed out. Midori treats each note individually. The allegro is also nice - not rushed at all. The staggeringly difficult Skryabin-Szigeti "Etude in Thirds" tossed off with impeccable technique and spotless intonation. Sarasate's "Habanera" sparkles with a decisive 'Spanish' flavor. Elgar's "Chanson de Matin" is just plain beautiful. Also nice are inclusions of some numbers not heard hardly ever, including Bacewicz's "Oberek #2" mazurka and the Shostakovich preludes. Robert McDonald, definitely one of the best, is the able pianist for all the numbers.

Even for a trained jazz musician who thinks classical artists are overhyped, this stands out as one of the best albums........2007-04-11

Let's be honest--any kid with a violin who ever set foot in a conservatory thinks (s)he's a prodigy, the next Mehta or Yo Yo Ma, while they play the same old tired music everyone else plays, exactly as the greats play it, with hardly a shred of originality that doesn't arise out of an inability to replicate the 'masters' as well as their CD players (and that goes for jazz musicians too, but they don't get as snobby about it). The musicians who are truly great don't have any sort of attitude about their playing or their music--they just play, and they play anything, and it's great.

Midori has been one such great artist from early on. She simply had the knack. You would still want to listen to her if she was half as skilled. Every decent musician practices assiduously, seeks out the best people to learn from, makes sacrifices in life just for the chance to play for a living (even weddings and strip clubs if need be), but few have 'the knack.'

I don't know if Midori has a similar story, nor does it really matter in terms of actually making music. I know her parents moved from Osaka to the States with her when she was about ten just so she could pursue her potential--as all great students have great parents. I'm sure she didn't just pop out of the womb playing violin. But, like I wrote above, she's got the knack that you can't get through practice or training. She's just plain great.

Yes, I'm bored by classical music in general. I like 'good' music regardless of style though, and this album is so far beyond good that it belongs in whatever collection of immortal artist you may have--say: Miles Davis, Joe Henderson, Johnny Cash, Billy Joel, Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, Shaka Khan, Luther Vandross, and--even if you have no other classical music in your collection--Midori.

Fantastic.......2006-08-11

Midori produces some amazing sounds out of her violin!
You cant go wrong with Encore! Shes brilliant.

Enjoyable listening.......2005-09-24

I enjoyed this cd especially the first three pieces. Midori played Sarasate and Paganini pretty well.

very interesting.......2005-09-13

I as watching (and listening!) her play live in Dubrovnik this summer. In this record she is equally brilliant as she is when playing live!

Average customer rating:

Everybody is fascinated by a "posthumous work"
Polished performance of a Bartok masterpiece
Magnificent!
Great Performances
2 versions of unfinished concerto performed together.

Bartok: Viola Concertos

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Release Date: 1998-08-25

Tracks:

Concerto For Viola And Orchestra: Allegro moderato
Concerto For Viola And Orchestra: Lento
Concerto For Viola And Orchestra: (Finale) Allegretto
Two Pictures Sz 46: In Full Flower: Poco adagio
Two Pictures Sz 46: Village Dance: Allegro
Concerto For Viola And Orchestra, Sz 120: Moderato
Concerto For Viola And Orchestra, Sz 120: Adagio religioso
Concerto For Viola And Orchestra, Sz 120: Allegro vivace
Rhapsody For Viola And Orchestra

Amazon.com

Bartók did not live to finish his Viola Concerto, and Tibor Serly's completion from Bartók's sketches hasn't satisfied anyone except violists hungry for repertoire. This disc offers the Serly version and a new completion by the composer's son Peter and violist Paul Neubauer. Neither edition ranks among Bartók's masterpieces, although the new version seems a bit more convincing. The most striking element about this disc is the thrillingly dark tone and passionate playing of Xiao, a superb Chinese musician who now teaches in Michigan. Janós Kovacs and the orchestra also sound splendid. The Serly piece is just a brief suite of transcriptions from Bartók's For Children, but Bartók's Two Pictures is marvellous music. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Everybody is fascinated by a "posthumous work".......2007-06-30

If you compare the Bartok Viola Concerto with other candidates in the same league such as Schubert No 8 , Bruckner No 9 or most famous of all, the Mozart Requiem, then it clearly doesn't quite make it. The Concerto for Orchestra and even the third Piano Concerto are better pieces. This is well played, however, and I will let the musicologists argue about which version is better.

Polished performance of a Bartok masterpiece.......2004-06-26

I am really not concerned about the controversy surrounding the Bartok viola concerto. It is simply a splendid work, with many passages marked undeniably with Bartok's stamp. (Don't listen to the editorial reviewer; it's a great piece!) It is wonderful to have both the Serly and the Peter Bartok/Paul Neubauer versions together for comparison. If anything, I like the newer version better: it has many felicitous examples of orchestration and adds fewer embellishments to the original Bartok sketches. Of course, had Bartok lived, he might have added more to his concerto (for instance, the slow movement as it stands seems rather brief - though I think it works just fine). But perhaps it is better simply to stick with what Bartok wrote and leave it at that. The performances are ideal: the violist's tone is firm and rich throughout, and the orchestra provides supple dialogue with the soloist. My only complaint is that the last movement could have gone a bit faster (when I played it in my college orchestra, the soloist really went like a whirlwind). Were they perhaps worried that this movement too would sound too short? But no matter. Naxos continues to astound with its fine issues at extraordinarily low prices. I encourage music lovers to grab the best Naxos CD's (including this one) with avidity.

Magnificent!.......2004-06-26

I am really not concerned about the controversy surrounding the Bartok viola concerto. It is simply a splendid work, with many passages marked undeniably with Bartok's stamp. (Don't listen to the editorial reviewer; it's a great piece!) It is wonderful to have both the Serly and the Peter Bartok/Paul Neubauer versions together for comparison. If anything, I like the newer version better: it has many felicitous examples of orchestration and adds fewer embellishments to the original Bartok sketches. Of course, had Bartok lived, he might have added more to his concerto (for instance, the slow movement as it stands seems rather brief - though I think it works just fine). But perhaps it is better simply to stick with what he wrote and leave it at that. The performances are ideal: the violist's tone is firm and rich throughout, and the orchestra provides supple dialogue with the soloist. My only complaint is that the last movement could have gone a bit faster (when I played it in my college orchestra, the soloist really went like a whirlwind). Were they perhaps worried that this movement too would sound too short? But no matter. Naxos continues to astound with its fine issues at extraordinarily low prices. I advise music lovers to grab the best Naxos CD's (including this one) with avidity.

Great Performances.......2004-03-06

This disc contains excellent recordings of
"Two Pictures" and the "Viola Concerto".

I definitely prefer the version with Tibor Serly's orchestration.

Though this concerto is not in the same league as Bartok's two brilliant violin concertos, I'd say the finale qualifies as a masterpiece.

Bartok was dying when he composed the "Viola Concerto". It sounds as if his spirit were being called home to Transylvania.

2 versions of unfinished concerto performed together........1998-10-04

The viola concerto, unfinished at Bartók's death, was completed by violist/composer/conductor Tibor Serly in the version familiar to listeners. Critics and musicologists have frequently criticized Serly's version, and Bartók's son supervised a new completion of the concerto, published in 1995. The casual listener will hear little difference in the 2 versions performed together here by Hong-Mei Xiao, though aficionados will enjoy the chance to compare them (Bartók's final version surely would have been better than either). Her tone is bright and violin-like, lacking some of the mellow darkness of Lars Anders Tomter's performance of the Walton "Viola Concerto" on Naxos 8.553402. She performs with virtuosity, and the Hungarian orchestra is steeped in Bartók's idiom. His "Two Pictures" are early works, showing promise, but not up to the standards of his mature orchestral masterpieces. Serly's own "Rhapsody," composed while he was revising the concerto, is a harmless virtuoso showpiece, reminiscent of Georges Enescu. As always, Naxos provides a full disc of well-recorded, polished performances by lesser-known musicians at an bargain price.

Average customer rating:

excellent, all the way around
Beyond Interesting...
Worth adding if you already own other versions of Sacre
Speed performance
Buy it for Mussorgsky

Le Sacre du Printemps [Hybrid SACD]

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
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Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 [Hybrid SACD]
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Horizons - Leif Ove Andsnes

ASIN: B000F39M9W
Release Date: 2006-10-10

Tracks:

A Night on the Bare Mountain - Original Version
Suite
Introduction
The Harbingers of Spring, Dance of the Adolescents
Mock Abduction
Spring Rounds
Games of the Rival Tribes
Procession of the Sage
The Sage
Dance of the Earth
Introduction
Mystical Circle of the Adolescents
Glorification of the Chosen One
Evocation of the Ancestors
Ritual of the Ancestors
Sacrificial Dance (The Chosen One)

Album Description

This is Esa-Pekka SalonenÂ's debut live recording from the Walt Disney Concert Hall and his first recording as the principal conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic on DG. The central piece, StravinskyÂ's Le Sacre du printemps was conducted by Salonen on the inaugural night of the Hall in 2003, a masterpiece that becomes something of a miracle within the outstanding acoustics of the Walt Disney Hall. This recording captures the energy, beauty and musical power of this extraordinary collaboration.

To capture the full sound experience of this concert, DG delivers this recording on a hybrid SACD. This release is certain to be a superior musical experience if not the new reference recording of this classical music milestone. Other pieces on this release are MussorgskyÂ's Night on Bald Mountain and BartÃ³kÂ's Miraculous Mandarin SuiteÂ—works that benefit greatly from the superb acoustics at the Walt Disney Concert Hall as well as the highest possible recording sound quality.

Customer Reviews:

excellent, all the way around.......2007-06-03

These are fast, exciting, and superbly executed performances. They're also not lightweight, as there's plenty of brass and percussion in all of them. It's ridiculous to argue that the 1947 version of "Le Sacre" should be dismissed because it's easier to play. It's not easier to play. Regardless of the circumstances surrounding Stravinsky's revision, the 1947 version is a legitimate alternative to the orginal. The vast majority of listeners would never know the difference. Simply put, the '47 version is slightly leaner, with textures clarified a bit. Yes, there is some minor reduction in the orchestration. But one could just easily argue that the original version is over-orchestrated. Again, the differences are just not that noticeable. Personally, I prefer the revised version for the cleaner textures that the permit the rhythms to be more sharply etched - just slightly so. Either way, this is a great performance - one that comes closer to Stravinsky's incredibly fast metronome markings than most.

I also prefer the original version of "Night On Bare Mountain" to the well known Rimsky version. Here's a case where a later revision - Rimsky's complete rewrite of the original - truly makes the piece a completely different work. As unfamiliar as the original version is, it's clearly better. And yes, the Abbado recording may be just slightly better - but with emphasis placed on "slightly". This one is plenty exciting, and just as well detailed as the Abbado.

For me, the benchmark for any performance of Bartok's "Miraculous Mandarin" is the fast chase sequence (located at the end, in the truncated "suite" version). This one is very fast, and very exciting. You can also hear ALL of the numerous, short (and sometimes, ringing) strokes of the tam-tam; the large orchestral gong. That adds lots of color, as well as an Asiatic tinge to the chase. If you're interested in any or all of these works, you'd be hard-pressed to do better.

Beyond Interesting..........2007-04-13

This disc contains three of my favorite pieces of music, all extremely well played and in excellently recorded sound. That said, two of the pieces--The Rite and The Night--come in forms not usually heard. While one piece, in my personal judgement, suffers a bit (you can't really accuse Mussorgsky of pulling Stokowski's punches, since Mussorgsky wrote the piece, but that's what it feels like...) this disc makes for fun and adventurous listening.

Maestro Salonen is the man. Let's get that out up front. If he's not the greatest working conductor today then he's damn close.

Salonen and his forces get the job done here. So much is made of the fact that this thing was recorded at Disney's new music hall that one fears this music and the muscians who do such an excellent job playing it might get overlooked. That would be a shame.

While I slightly prefer Ivan Fischer's Mandarin, the one found here is great as well. Usually on discs with programs like this you expect at least one lemon. In this case, I had expected that the Bartok would suffer.

I was pleasantly surprised that I was wrong.

This Rite of Spring stands with Stravinsky's own recording on CBS as one of my favorites. Yes, as other people have noted, this is the revised version. Still, this recording has all the thunder and emotion you could want from this piece.

I've already kind of shared my opinion on the Mussorgsky. Stokowski was a much better arranger than Mussorgsky was a composer. Still, the spark of life that Stoki drew out inhabits the original--and either way, listening for those differences keeps you on the edge of your seat.

This is fun music. This is a great disc. You should not hesitate to get a copy.

I give this disc my full recommendation.

Worth adding if you already own other versions of Sacre.......2007-04-13

Like some other reviewers, I was expecting to fall in love with Salonen's work (given how strong a performance he recently recorded of three major works by Hindemith, and the care he took with those, albeit recorded in a different concert hall with the LA Philharmonic). This version of Le Sacre does have its moments, but I find Gergiev's performance more compelling (notwithstanding the sometimes recessed sound of the eight French horns), and surely more dramatic. Sonically, there's enough bass drum content in this recording to probably inspire some low rider to tool around town in a lowered Chevy playing this CD loud enough to crack his own ribs, a result that's highly desirable in his value system. But the bass drum is more dramatic and even harrowing in Gergiev's recording, which is somewhat inexplicable yet nonetheless true. In any event, the hype over this recording is somewhat overstated: it is hardly revolutionary.

I also regret to report that Salonen's performance of the original version of Mussorgsky's "Night on Bald Mountain" does not compare to the premiere recording by Claudio Abbado, which still comes across as definitive interpretationally, in regard to balance, and with respect to sonic clarity. This is something of a surprise, given how little competition Salonen has to deal with in bringing this work to the public's attention. My complaint throughout most of my listening was "where are the details? everything sounds muddy compared to Abbado!" Maybe the engineers are still figuring out how to get clarity recording in this new hall -- they certainly haven't achieved it as yet.

The Bartok work is well-recorded, and although I own several other versions, this might end up being my go-to interpretation for the work: it is at least tied with the other top contenders (Abbado's on DG, and the Complete Bartok Edition version as well).

Speed performance.......2007-02-08

Good sound, but the fastest paced "Rite" I have ever heard. It loses the dramatic effect for me when a piece of music is played at such breakneck speed. Impressive musicians to keep up this speed of tempo.

Buy it for Mussorgsky.......2007-01-28

The hype surrounding this recording is somewhat unwarranted. The Walt Disney Concert Hall provides acoustics that are superior to those of any other venue, and this recording captures that sound wonderfully. The deep booming bass and superb dynamic contrasts are the uniquely pleasurable aspects of this recording. But great sound doesn't equal great performance. I've always been somewhat disappointed in the way Esa-Pekka conducts early 20th century music from Eastern Europe. Salonen always imbues these pieces with a kind of Boulezian gloss that obscures the primitivism that defines the music of Stravinsky, Bartok, and others of the "countryside to concert hall" school. What we're left with are perfectly performed versions of the Rite and the Miraculous Mandarin that lack the excitement and force found in other recordings. Despite the less than stellar sound, I'd take Dorati's version of the complete Miraculous Mandarin any day over this version. And we don't have to sacrifce sound for a great performance of the Rite, thanks to Valery Gergiev's magnificent recording that evokes all of the necessary primitivism in one of the most exciting performances on record. The Mussorgsky piece might be worth the price of admission, due to the relative obscurity of this version. But depending on how interested you are in hearing the original version of the piece, the price tag may still be too steep. I should add that since I've never heard another performance of this version, I can't honestly determine whether this is an excellent performance or just an average one. But if you're buying this for the Rite or the Miraculous Mandarin, I'd say look elsewhere. You can find better versions for less.

Bartók: The Miraculous Mandarin; Hungarian Peasant Songs; Rumanian Folk Dances

Average customer rating:

A less horrific Miraculous Mandarin, along with many energetic dances
Savage Mandarin, Delightful Dances
Definitive "Miraculous Mandarin" and Other Great Bartok
Some Rarely Recorded Bartok and a Great Mandarin
Superb perfomances of rare Bartok and a great ballet

Bartók: The Miraculous Mandarin; Hungarian Peasant Songs; Rumanian Folk Dances

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra; Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta; Hungarian Sketches
Bartok: Complete Solo Piano Music
Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsodies

ASIN: B0000060AV
Release Date: 1998-10-20

Tracks:

Hungarian Peasant Songs, Sz. 100, BB 107: Ballad
Hungarian Peasant Songs, Sz. 100, BB 107: Hungarian Peasant Dances
Hungarian Sketches, Sz. 97, BB 103: 1. An Evening At The Villlage
Hungarian Sketches, Sz. 97, BB 103: 2. Bear Dance
Hungarian Sketches, Sz. 97, BB 103: 3. Melody
Hungarian Sketches, Sz. 97, BB 103: 4. Slightly Tipsy
Hungarian Sketches, Sz. 97, BB 103: 5. Swineherd's Dance
Roumanian Folk Dances, Sz. 68, BB 76: 1. Stick Dance (From Mezoszabad)
Roumanian Folk Dances, Sz. 68, BB 76: 2. Sash Dance (From Egres)
Roumanian Folk Dances, Sz. 68, BB 76: 3. In One Spot (From Egres)
Roumanian Folk Dances, Sz. 68, BB 76: 4. Horn Dance (From Bisztra)
Roumanian Folk Dances, Sz. 68, BB 76: 5. Roumanian Polka (From Belenyes)
Roumanian Folk Dances, Sz. 68, BB 76: 6. Fast Dance (From Belenyes)
Roumanian Folk Dances, Sz. 68, BB 76: 7. Fast Dance (From Nyagra)
Dances Of Transylvania, Sz. 96, BB 102B: 1. Allegretto
Dances Of Transylvania, Sz. 96, BB 102B: 2. Moderato
Dances Of Transylvania, Sz. 96, BB 102B: 3. Allegro vivace
Roumanian Dance, Sz. 47a, BB 61
The Miraculous Mandarin, Op. 19, Sz. 73, BB 82: Allegro
The Miraculous Mandarin, Op. 19, Sz. 73, BB 82: Moderato (First Decoy Game)
The Miraculous Mandarin, Op. 19, Sz. 73, BB 82: (Second Decoy Game)
The Miraculous Mandarin, Op. 19, Sz. 73, BB 82: Sostenuto (Third Decoy Game)
The Miraculous Mandarin, Op. 19, Sz. 73, BB 82: Maestoso
The Miraculous Mandarin, Op. 19, Sz. 73, BB 82: Allegro
The Miraculous Mandarin, Op. 19, Sz. 73, BB 82: Sempre vivo
The Miraculous Mandarin, Op. 19, Sz. 73, BB 82: Adagio
The Miraculous Mandarin, Op. 19, Sz. 73, BB 82: Agitato
The Miraculous Mandarin, Op. 19, Sz. 73, BB 82: Molto moderato
The Miraculous Mandarin, Op. 19, Sz. 73, BB 82: Piu mosso

Customer Reviews:

A less horrific Miraculous Mandarin, along with many energetic dances.......2006-07-05

This CD contains a set of short Hungarian songs, but everything else is about the dance. Bartok was not just a collector of folk songs with Kodaly but an expert in dance traditions throughout the Balkans. He extended his curiosity into the Arab world of North Africa, as one can hear in the popular Dance Suite. Here we get 16 lesser-known dance collections from Romania, Transylvania, and Hungary, Mostly quite brief, they build from a fascinating palette of rhythms, each more exotically syncopated than the last. Fischer and his Budapest orchestra perform them with complete ease and native flavor.

Even without the fillers, however, the main work is superbly done. The Miraculous Mandarin ballet has been called Bartok's response to Stravinsky's Rite of Spring. But superficial resemblances aside in terms of motor rhythms and dissonant harmonies, the Mandarin is a more shocking, horrific scenario, featuring sexual craving, torture, despair, and a suicide by hanging. Most condcutors set out to maximize the shock value of this often barbaric-sounding music, but Fischer is comparatively less aggressive. He loosens the tension a notch, letting the rhythms become more lilting--even comic in their macabre way--and asking the woodwinds to sing as much as screech. As a result, we don't feel quite so assaulted, and for me that led to more enjoyment. He is aided by exceptionally clear, natural sonics from Philips that convey the music with wonderful impact.

Savage Mandarin, Delightful Dances.......2006-01-27

I bought this recording based on hearings of some of Fischer's other recordings, primarily for the Miraculous Mandarin. I was not disappointed, but I was delightfully surprised at how much I enjoyed the other works which I had not heard previously. The recording quality and playing are first-rate, and Fischer's interpretation of the music is superb, easily the equal of Boulez and Dorati. I would recommend this version of the Mandarin as my first choice for someone seeking a recording of it.

Definitive "Miraculous Mandarin" and Other Great Bartok.......2001-05-02

Having just heard this recording in its entirety, I'm not surprised that Ivan Fischer is a sought after guest conductor for some of the world's great orchestras, such as the New York Philharmonic. Here he conducts Bartok with much warmth and compassion. I thought Abbado's version of "Miraculous Mandarin" was superb until I heard Fischer's. Although the Budapest Festival Orchestra's level of playing isn't as refined as either the London Symphony Orchestra's or Berlin Philharmonic's, they perform Bartok's music with tremendous energy and compassion. It's a pleasure hearing rarely performed Bartok in conjunction with the entire score of "Miraculous Mandarin". If you want a first-rate introduction to Bartok's orchestral music, you should definitely acquire this fine CD.

Some Rarely Recorded Bartok and a Great Mandarin.......2001-01-06

Ivan Fischer is a Bartok expert in the tradition of Sir Georg Solti, Fritz Reiner and Antal Dorati. Like the former conductors, he has insights into the music of his countrymen that give his performances the force of authority. The recording of the Miraculous Mandarin was the initial offering by Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra and has been followed up with other equally significant recordings of Bartok and Kodaly.

With this recording, Fischer has given us some Bartok that is not recorded with much frequency, particularly the Hungarian Peasant Songs and the Dances of Transylvania. These short orchestral works were inspired from Bartok's folk song collecting trips. They are central to Bartok's development as a composer, and we are lucky that so many of these short pieces have been collected here.

The recording of the Miraculous Mandarin is superbly done, bringing out the hard edge of this ballet about a group of thugs who force a woman to lure their victims to them. Bartok found the scenario for this work printed in a magazine. The music has a hard edge to it, a gritty depiction of the events of the ballet. Bartok makes effective use of the orchestra in the hesitation of the girl, at first, to seduce men to be robbed. The mandarin's appearance, his pursuit of the girl and his eerie death are given force by the dissonant themes Bartok juxtaposes.

Ivan Fischer gives the score a great reading that will be almost impossible to beat. Even if you already have a copy of the Miraculous Mandarin you will also want to own this one.

Superb perfomances of rare Bartok and a great ballet.......2000-04-01

This Bartok album from conductor Ivan Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra is a real treat. It brings wonderful performances of Bartok not often recorded...even Boulez hasn't recorded some of these pieces in his Bartok survery.

In addition to the colorfully, zesty performances of these rare Bartok gems, this dics has (to my mind) the best performance of the Complete Mircaculous Mandarin Ballet out on CD. The orchestra and conduct go for color and refinement rather than sheer power. The opening bristles with excitement, and the chase shows the orchestra in fine form at a tempo that is daringly fast. In this case it works. It is clear that conductor and orchestra are very much home in these works of Bartok. For a complete Mandarin I would say that this is now first choice...even over the excellant Boulez version for DG. The playing in this ballet is some of the best I've heard (only the Berlin Philharmonic in their recording of the suite...not complete ballet...plays better).

Perhaps until the BPO makes a complete recording with Abbado or Rattle...this is the Mandarin to get I would say.

Tracks:

Introduction And Rondo Capriccioso For Violin And Orchestra - Itzhak Perlman
Violin Concerto No.2 In D Minor, Op.22: Romance (Andante) - Gil Shaham
Zigeunerweisen, Op.20 - Ruggiero Ricci
Violin Concerto No.2 In B Minor, Op.7: Rondo A La Clochete 'La Campanella' - Salvatore Accardo
Thais: Meditation - Joshua Bell
Partita No.3 In E, BWV 1006: Preludio - Nathan Milstein
Partita No.3 In E, BWV 1006: Gavote And Rondo - Gidon Kremer
The Four Seasons: Concerto No.2 In G Minor, RV 269 'Summer': Presto - Pinchas Zukerman
Sonata No.4 In G Minor, Op.1 'The Devil's Trill' - Gil Shaham
Violin Sonata No.3 In D, Op.9 No.3: Tambourin (Presto) - Henryk Szeryng
Minuet In G, WoO 10 No.2 - Arthur Grumiaux
Songs Without Words: Spring Song, Op.62 No.6 - Christian Ferras
24 Caprices For Solo Violin: Caprice No.9 In E Major - Shlomo Mintz
24 Caprices For Solo Violin: Caprice No.17 In E-Flat Major - Ruggiero Ricci
24 Caprices For Solo Violin: Caprice No.24 In A Minor 'Tema Quas' - Salvatore Accardo

Tracks:

Violin Concerto In D, Op.35: Canzonetta (Andante) - Nathan Milstein
Polonaise No.1 In D, Op.4 - Leila Josefowicz
Ave Maria, D 839 - Christian Ferras
Hungarian Dance No.1 In G Minor - Samuel Sanders
Humoresque, Op.101 No.7 - Arthur Grumiaux
The Legend Of Tsar Saltan: Flight Of The Bumblebee - Henryk Szeryng
Hebrew Melody, Op.33 - Ruggiero Ricci
Salut D'amour, Op.12 - Phillip Moll
Waltz 'La Plus Que Lente' - Henryk Szeryng
Three Old Viennese Dances: Liebesfreud - Joshua Bell
Three Old Viennese Dances: Liebesleid - Phillip Moll
Baal Shem: Nigun - Arthur Grumiaux
Berceuse, Op.16 - Anne-Sophie Mutter
Tzigane - Concert Rhapsody For Violin And Piano - Gerhard Oppitz
Danzas Espanola, Op.37: Andaluza (Dance No.5) - Arthur Grumiaux
Hora Staccato - Christian Ferras
Six Romanian Folk Dances, Op.Sz 56 - Henryk Szeryng

Customer Reviews:

Perfect.......2005-02-15

I love classical music but I dont own very much of it, so I thought I would start my collection with Masters of the Bow. What a beautiful selection it was. I just love the sound of a Violin, Joshua Bell is my favorite,I would love to hear more from him. This collection really helps you get to know the masters. Lovely Lovely!

Outstanding.......2004-08-17

I love the violin and this collection is one of my favorites. A great choice for someone like me who doesn't know enough about music and never knows what to buy. It has introduced me to some artists and pieces that I knew nothing about and will help me know what to look for in violin music in the future. This is my favorite but I would also recommend The Cello and Voice CDs in the "Masters of" series. I can't wait for more in this series.

Average customer rating:

Mostly Magnificent Menuhin, with a Few Reservations

The Violinist
Yehudi Menuhin , Johann Sebastian Bach , Bela Bartok , Ludwig van Beethoven , Alban Berg , Johannes Brahms , Max Bruch , Arcangelo Corelli , Edward Elgar , Franz Joseph Haydn , Edouard Lalo , Felix Mendelssohn , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Carl Nielsen , Niccolo Paganini , Camille Saint-Saens , Jean Sibelius , Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky , Michael Tippett , Henri Vieuxtemps , Antonio Vivaldi , William Walton , Alberto Lysy , Anatole Fistoulari , Antal Dorati , Anthony Bernard , Gaston Poulet , John Pitchard , Mogens Woldike , Pierre Boulez , and Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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Heifetz Showpieces

ASIN: B0000BWTKJ
Release Date: 2003-11-04

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Affettuoso
III. Allegro
I. Allegro
II. Andante
III. Allegro Assai
I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Allegro Assai
I. Vivace
II. Largo Ma Non Tanto
III. Allegro

Tracks:

Rhapsody No. 2 (Lassu [Moderato] - Friss [Allegro Moderato])
I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Andante Tranquillo
III. Allegro Molto
I. Andante
I. Allegretto (Scherzando)
II. Allegro
II. Adagio

Tracks:

Romance No. 1 In G Major
I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo (Cadenza: Kreisler)
II. Larghetto
III. Rondo (Allegro) (Cadenza: Kreisler)
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Adagio
III. Finale (Allegro Energico)

Tracks:

Romance No. 2 In F Major, Op. 50
I. Allegro Non Troppo (Cadenza: Kreisler)
II. Adagio
III. Allegro Giocoso, Ma Non Troppo Vivace - Poco Piu Presto
I. Allegro Molto Appassionato
II. Andante
III. Allegretto Non Troppo - Allegro Molto Vivace

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Andante
III. Allegro Molto
I. Andante Tranquillo
II. Presto Capriccioso Alla Napolitana & Trio (Canzonetta)
III. Vivace

Tracks:

I. Allegro Moderato (Cadenza: Menuhin)
II. Adagio Molto
III. Finale (Presto) (Cadenza: Menuhin)
I. Allegro
II. Andante Cantabile
III. Rondo (Andante Grazioso - Allegro Ma Non Troppo)
I. Allegro Maestoso
II. Andante
III. Presto

Tracks:

I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Scherzando (Allegro Molto)
III. Intermezzo (Allegretto Non Troppo)
IV. Andante
V. Rondo (Allegro)
I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Andantino Quasi Allegretto
III. Molto Moderato E Maestoso - Allegro Non Troppo
Introduction & Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 28
Havanaise, Op. 83

Tracks:

I. Allegro Maestoso (Cadenza: Emile Sauret)
II. Adagio Espressivo
III. Rondo (Allegro Spiritoso)
I. Andante - Moderato - Cadenza
II. Adagio Religioso
III. Scherzo (Vivace) & Trio
IV. Finale (Allegro)
I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Cadenza
III. Adagio
IV. Allegro Con Fuoco

Tracks:

Serenade Melancolique
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Adagio Di Molto
III. Allegro Ma Non Tanto
I. Praeludium (Largo)
I. Allegro Cavalleresco
II. Intermezzo (Poco Adagio)
II. Rondo (Allegretto Scherzando)

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Largo
III. Allegro
I. Allegro Non Molto
II. Adagio
III. Presto
I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Allegro
I. Allegro Non Molto
II. Largo
III. Allegro
I. Vivace - Allegro - Adagio - Vivace - Allegro - Largo Andante
II. Allegro
III. Grave - Andante Largo - Allegro
Fantasia Concertante On A Theme Of Corelli

Customer Reviews:

Mostly Magnificent Menuhin, with a Few Reservations.......2004-01-06

The recent trend toward classical box sets focusing on the performer instead of the composer (see my reviews of the various DG/Decca "Original Masters" sets) continues with EMI's new "Yehudi Menuhin - The Violinist." Sure EMI's past sets have showcased individual performances by Samson Francois, Eugen Jochum and Rudolf Kempe to name a few, but it was always under the heading of a given composer's works, and in the cases mentioned above, to Chopin's piano pieces, Bruckner's Symphonies and Strauss' Orchestral Works respectively. Therefore, this Menuhin collection is the first of EMI's "Budget Box Sets" to showcase a performer playing the works of a variety of composers.

As Menuhin was an EMI recording artist for an incredible 68 years (1931-99), his performances for the label number in the hundreds. With so much music from which to choose, this 10-disc set aims "to highlight some of those alternative versions, including recordings that have not been easily available since the days of LP and others that have never previously appeared on CD." Therefore, the obvious mainstream, easily attainable recordings are omitted here -- for example, the Beethoven/Mendelssohn VCs with Furtwangler, the Elgar VC with the composer conducting, and the Bruch/Mendelssohn VCs with Susskind and Kurtz.

However, a lot of this material has been on disc before on titles which the serious collector most likely already owns. Most of the Bach is currently available as part of the Bach "Budget Box Series" title. The Bruch, Mendelssohn, Brahms and Vivaldi VCs were all available in the now out-of-print 2CD EMI Seraphim series. The Elgar and the Walton are still available in the "British Composers" series. And perhaps most annoyingly, the previously unpublished Beethoven VC and Tchaikovsky "Serenade melancolique" (available as a single disc), and the Beethoven Romance No. 2 (available on an EMI Encore title) were both reissued just a few months back.

But let's focus on the positive, which are the other rare performances, the most significant being the never before reissued 1954 performance of Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 4 with John Pritchard and the Philharmonia. Other elusive recordings include Viuextemps and Paganini VCs with Fistoulari, Lalo and Saint-Saens works with Goossens, and excellent Berg and Bartok accounts with Boulez. Though I'm delighted at their inclusion, of lesser importance is a 1965 Bartok VC No. 2 with Dorati -- his mono EMI with Furtwangler and an earlier account with Dorati on Mercury Living Presence are far superior. Also, neither the Sibelius (Boult, 1955) nor Nielsen (Woldike, 1952) Concertos are truly Menuhin's cups of tea.

My last complaint has to do with the packaging. I know I'm being rather trite but it seems that EMI has taken the "slim" out of slim, paper-sleeved box sets with their latest batch of releases. Both this title and the new box of Liszt Orchestral Works by Masur are noticeably thicker than previous EMI sets featuring a similar number of discs. A minor point, but us serious classical collectors need every centimeter of space on our increasingly crowded CD shelves, not to mention the amount of wasted packaging.

Overall though, despite the fact that "Yehudi Menuhin - The Violinist" is not as essential a reissue as its counterparts in the "Original Masters" series, it is a delightful set that most collectors will thoroughly enjoy.

Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra; etc. [Hybrid SACD]

Average customer rating:

tedious...
A Peerless Recording
dschlvr
There and then, here and now
The Gold Standard for these Bartók works.

Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra; etc. [Hybrid SACD]
Bela Bartok , and Fritz Reiner
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Respighi: Pines of Rome; Fountains of Rome; Debussy: La mer [Hybrid SACD]

ASIN: B0002TKFQS
Release Date: 2004-09-14

Tracks:

Introduzione: Andante Non Troppo; Allegro Vivace
Giuoco Delle Coppie: Allegretto Scherzando
Elegia: Andante Non Troppo
Intermezzo Interrotto: Allegretto
Finale: Pesante; Presto
Andante Tranquillo
Allegro
Adagio
Allegro Molto
An Evening In The Village
Bear Dance
Melody
Slightly Tipsy
Swineherd's Dance

Customer Reviews:

tedious..........2006-11-10

I just could not comprehend why many music lovers love Bartok--
his music might be intellectual, but to me it's boring!

A Peerless Recording.......2006-04-30

I loved the previous issue of this recording, but this one is even clearer, which is some praise, since the previous issue was a brilliant pressing of a brilliant recording. I never tire of Reiner's performance.

There is no other recording of these pieces that approaches this one - absolutely none (not even Leinsdorf's version). Not only is this Reiner disc the best Bartok recording ever made, but it is one of the best classical recordings ever made... truly a desert island disc.

Only a cretin wouldn't buy this record. ;)

dschlvr.......2005-07-31

What a great step up from the previous release.
There some details that have come out in this recording that I really enjoy.
In many ways, a truly revalatory recording.
A lover of Bartok should not be without it.

There and then, here and now.......2005-06-18

Many years ago I knew someone who had often heard Fritz Reiner conduct the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in concerts (a pleasure I am sorry to say I never experienced). Reiner's conducting style, he said, was at the opposite extreme from the histrionics of (for instance) Leonard Bernstein. On the podium, Reiner exhibited no baton waving, choreographic body language, or ecstatic or pained facial expressions. In fact, said my acquaintance, if you were seated directly behind Reiner you might not see him move at all for long stretches! Such was his rapport with the orchestra that no show-biz gestures were necessary, not to mention foreign to his temperament.

The performances he led of the two major works on this disc suggest what he was able to achieve when he conducted music that suited him. (His recordings of Richard Strauss are in the same category.) Reiner surely had an affinity with Bartok (partly, perhaps, because Reiner too was originally Hungarian).

There are recordings that make you think, "What a superb orchestra!" There are others that elicit accolades for the interpretation or the sound quality. And then there are a very few -- the best -- that make you forget about things like those while you're listening, and if you have any thought it's simply, "What great music this is."

Reiner's Bartok falls into that rarefied category, and I can think of no higher praise.

The Concerto is probably the most popular and most frequently performed 20th century piece of orchestral music. Like anything that is played and recorded often, it can seem to be too much of a good thing. To Reiner and his Chicagoans of the 1950s, it was relatively new music, and the fact that it had not yet become standard repertory may have been one reason they were able to project it so vividly: there was no routine to fall into.

It would be absurd to say that listening to this recording was like hearing the Concerto and the Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta for the first time. Nevertheless, I was more conscious than ever of the strangeness mixed with the beauty, the exoticism coupled with the power.

Technically, the recording is not one marvel but two. First was the original recording team from RCA, who must have been geniuses. Not only did they record these performances in two channels (the Concerto) and three channels (the Music for Strings etc.) before there was any commercially established way of reproducing multiple channels in playback, but they also must have used what was then state-of-the-art mikes and tape recorders.

The second marvel is the SACD remastering, which was clearly done by sound engineers who knew their business and who used only the original channels, not adding synthetic rear channels. The result is that 50 years drop away, and you are there and then. Or, thanks to the realization of Bartok's scores that you are hearing, in some wondrous dreamscape beyond place and time.

What great music this is.

The Gold Standard for these Bartók works........2004-12-30

I suppose I could well have waited a few more days, until the turn of the New Year, to be able to say "Now, 50 years later, Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra as it must have sounded to the engineers in the studio." After all, this "classic of all classics" does date from 1955. (The other two works on the album have recording dates from 1958, and I sure don't plan to wait *that* long for a silver anniversary!) Actually, I have been listening to this hybrid SACD release for at least a few weeks now, but it was only this past weekend that I had my first opportunity to listen directly to the SACD layer; previous hearings were of the "redbook" CD layer only.

So, I'm jumping the gun as regards the 50 year celebration, but for good reason. The newly-mastered DSD sound from the analog master tapes, as heard in the SACD layer, are enough of an improvement over the redbook CD sound to justify my impatience. And the redbook CD layer is already excellent as it is!

At this late date, there is little left to be said about how significant these performances are. By now, anyone interested in these Bartók works probably already knows that Fritz Reiner had two things in his favor in these performances that make them as authoritative as they are: His close personal friendship with the composer, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in one of its most glorious periods, almost without equal (thanks of course to Reiner). Not always apparent (particularly in some of the many earlier releases of this work in less than excellent sound in years past) was the contribution of the RCA engineers in those very early days of stereo. But it all comes together, in sound better than ever thought possible, thanks to DSD (Direct Stream Digital) processing of the original analog master tapes and SACD technology for converting the sound back to analog, giving us the nearest thing to "perfect analog"; the closest possible replica of the original tapes.

The Concerto for Orchestra is, by far, Bartók's best-known and most popular work, immediately accessible in a way that many of his other mature works are not. (His very earliest works, such as "Kossuth" and the "Orchestral Suite No. 1," written largely in the style of Richard Strauss before he began his studies of Hungarian and Rumanian folk music, are also immediately accessible, if hardly of the quality of his mature works.) Reiner, being as close to Bartók as he was, knew this work "inside and out" and committed a performance for the ages in this session. He of course was also aware of the reason why Bartók chose to parodize the "invasion" theme from Shostakovich's 7th Symphony in the fourth movement of the Concerto, and plays this loopy parody, complete with its growling trombone raspberries, for all it is worth. But the work is of course much more than this oft-mentioned parody, and Reiner's interpretation is as good as any, and now - with DSD/SACD technology - fully competitive to versions recorded decades later.

If the Concerto for Orchestra is Bartók's most popular and accessible work, then Music for Strings, Percussion and Celeste ("MfSPC") is probably his greatest masterpiece in respect to incorporating his studies and usage of Magyar folk music into "serious" works. Here, Reiner and his Chicagoans are, if anything, even better than in the Concerto. Their execution of the work has a hair-raising "snap" that many other performances fail to achieve, and the sound - three years newer (1958) than the session at which the Concerto had been recorded - is even better.

The final work on the album is his Hungarian Sketches, again exhibiting the results of his musicological studies as incorporated into a unique personal style. It - like the MfSPC - was recorded in 1958 sessions, but, like that work, sounds as if it had been recorded just yesterday. For those coming upon this work for the first time, don't expect to hear ersatz "ethnic" music in the vein of Liszt and, say, Enescu. Not that assimilating the five movements is in any way difficult, but it is really only in the final movement ("Swineherd's Dance") where the music approximates what we generally tend to think of as "Hungarian folk music." But clearly tinged with the unique piquancy that was Bartók.

This is an album that always had been famous for its performances. Now, fifty years after the fact, thanks to DSD/SACD technology, it can also be appreciated for having the sound quality that had been there all the time on the original master tapes, but never quite realized with this level of perfection in its earlier reincarnations.

An essential album if ever there were one!

Bob Zeidler

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