Music Lane

It's all about the music, dude! Sit down, relax and listen to some tunes.

Return to Music Lane

Message Sort: Post Order or Asylum Reverse Threaded

Levine's reference Brahms.

76.120.165.53
Posted on September 16, 2014 at 09:10:55
Sigmund
Audiophile

Posts: 1365
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Joined: February 15, 2002
Contributor
  Since: November 21, 2007
 His RCA cycle is great stuff. He has a great touch with the orchestra, the Chicago, and he makes the symphonies sing which you'd expect, given his opera background.

Four discs in the set which includes the first piano concerto with Manny Ax in some exquisite playing, a great Deutsches Requiem and eight short, well sung lieder.

Sellers on Amazon have the set new for $7.20 US.

Other cycles I can recommend - Wand/ NDR SO/ BMG and Haitink/ Concertgebouw/ Decca which has both piano concertos w. Arrau, the Violin Concerto with Szeryng and a handful of orchestral pieces.

 

Hide full thread outline!
    ...
I agree about the symphonies..., posted on September 16, 2014 at 09:47:36
C.B.
 I just wish the recording quality was a little better.

-

 

The SQ is indeed not the best, posted on September 16, 2014 at 10:13:37
Chris from Lafayette
Audiophile

Posts: 26465
Location: SF Bay Area
Joined: February 17, 2004
Contributor
  Since: February 6, 2012
 Do you know this disc? Much better SQ, but of course the orchestral playing is not as glamorous. It's always something!

 

It is always something, isn't it?, posted on September 16, 2014 at 15:40:56
Sigmund
Audiophile

Posts: 1365
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Joined: February 15, 2002
Contributor
  Since: November 21, 2007
 I think the sound is fine, personally. It's close to back of hall so there's a good blend at a somewhat sacrifice for all of the detail.

I hadn't heard of this disc so, thanks for pulling my coat to it.

 

Yes - a lot of it is just personal likes and dislikes: SQ, interpretation - you name it! [nt], posted on September 16, 2014 at 15:51:00
Chris from Lafayette
Audiophile

Posts: 26465
Location: SF Bay Area
Joined: February 17, 2004
Contributor
  Since: February 6, 2012

 

RE: Levine's reference Brahms., posted on September 16, 2014 at 16:13:16
Todd Krieger
Audiophile

Posts: 37333
Location: SW United States
Joined: November 2, 2000
 Levine's Brahms One was top drawer w the Solti-era CSO..... Link to final movement.

James Levine was a George Szell protege, his prominence surfaced about the time national classical broadcasts were yanked from mainstream consumption in the late 1960s.... Had the broadcasts continued, I believe Levine would have been ranked up there with Stokowski, Toscanini, Reiner, Bernstein, and Szell as one of America's foremost conductors.

 

Thanks for the info, Todd., posted on September 16, 2014 at 19:37:42
Sigmund
Audiophile

Posts: 1365
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Joined: February 15, 2002
Contributor
  Since: November 21, 2007
 And for putting him into context. / :~>

 

RE: Levine's reference Brahms., posted on September 16, 2014 at 21:43:21
learsfool
Audiophile

Posts: 1001
Joined: August 4, 2008
 Uh, first of all, Levine IS ranked among the foremost American conductors!! In fact, I cannot think of another living American anywhere near his stature (and no, I personally don't include Tilson Thomas in that class, though I will grant some would). Second, with the exception of Bernstein, none of the other conductors you listed are American, though they did spend much of their careers here. Third, even if you count all those others, yes, Levine certainly deserves to be ranked among them, for what he has accomplished at the Met alone (and in most orchestral players opinions, this is by miles his finest work, though he has made some good symphonic recordings as well - I agree those Brahms recordings are better than Solti's with the CSO). Fourth, I think he was actually a Karajan student, if I am remembering correctly, though he may have worked some with Szell as well. Certainly his musical approach is much more similar to Karajan than Szell.

 

Thanks for the Info......., posted on September 16, 2014 at 23:43:56
Todd Krieger
Audiophile

Posts: 37333
Location: SW United States
Joined: November 2, 2000
 (Echo?)

It's always helpful when the picture is clarified.

 

Do you trust Wikipedia?, posted on September 17, 2014 at 00:48:19
Chris from Lafayette
Audiophile

Posts: 26465
Location: SF Bay Area
Joined: February 17, 2004
Contributor
  Since: February 6, 2012
 It mentions Szell for sure - no mention of Karajan. In fact, I had never heard of a Karajan connection before your post. I've got to believe that the Szell connection was much stronger. (Nevertheless, I'd be interested to know, in connection with the last sentence in your post, in what respects you would consider Levine more like Karajan than like Szell.)

 

So who is an American?, posted on September 17, 2014 at 09:02:02
TGR
Audiophile

Posts: 3002
Location: No. California
Joined: March 22, 2004
 Your definition would seem to be "born in the USA". Some of the gentlemen mentioned most likely were naturalized Americans. So what counts?
Of course, Otto Klemperer was a naturalized American....doubt if many would consider him an American conductor since he spent so little time here.

 

RE: Do you trust Wikipedia?, posted on September 17, 2014 at 15:17:14
Old SteveA
Audiophile

Posts: 648
Joined: March 27, 2011
 We could probably replace Wikipedia with Ripley's & no one would notice
any drop in accuracy.

 

RE:Here's a Link, posted on September 17, 2014 at 17:17:02
amioutaline?

 

Why would you say that? [nt], posted on September 17, 2014 at 18:09:45
Chris from Lafayette
Audiophile

Posts: 26465
Location: SF Bay Area
Joined: February 17, 2004
Contributor
  Since: February 6, 2012

 

RE: Why would you say that? [nt], posted on September 17, 2014 at 19:08:33
Old SteveA
Audiophile

Posts: 648
Joined: March 27, 2011
 For myself "Wiki" just seems to cover most of the what I already know about whatever,
I've attempted to use it for.

Plain old fashioned "google searches" are much more useful to me .

(Granted my interests are pretty limited & specific ; so I suppose I should'nt be critical about something I rarely use)

 

RE: Levine's reference Brahms., posted on September 17, 2014 at 20:01:38
Berrell88
Audiophile

Posts: 123
Location: Southeast
Joined: September 23, 2004
Contributor
  Since: March 12, 2014
 Couldn't agree more. The Levine/Brahms set is masterful and a huge bargain. The symphonies were recorded in excellent analog sound prior to the onset of the cd era-- excellent transfers. In addition, Hagegard and Battle are in their prime.

I'm a devoted Szell collector and I've never heard his Brahms set which is highly regarded. I do like Klemperer's and Walter's recordings. If you like Brahms on steroids (not to my taste), listen to Dorati on Mercury.

Michael Charry's biography of Szell does mention the mentoring of Levine. He spent at least 6 years in Cleveland.

 

RE: So who is an American?, posted on September 17, 2014 at 21:51:00
learsfool
Audiophile

Posts: 1001
Joined: August 4, 2008
 Yes, TGR, I meant born in the US. In the musical world, this is definitely what would be meant by referring to someone as an American conductor. There have been very few world class ones from the US.

Interestingly, many of the young up and comers are from South America. They are training them VERY well down there, and some of my conductor friends are convinced that in a couple of more decades, almost all of the big names will be South American.

 

RE: Do you trust Wikipedia?, posted on September 17, 2014 at 21:57:47
learsfool
Audiophile

Posts: 1001
Joined: August 4, 2008
 Hi Chris - it has been remarked many times by many people that Levine's lyrical style is very similar to Karajan's. Both conductors always tend to bring out the lyricism most in whatever they are conducting. Both do this quite a bit more than any of the others mentioned in the original post, including Szell. I should make clear that I am speaking of what they emphasize musically in their interpretations; I am not speaking of their conducting or rehearsal techniques, or their personalities. This is getting off topic, though, so I'll stop there.

 

OK - I've not picked up on this - Thanks! [nt], posted on September 17, 2014 at 22:17:37
Chris from Lafayette
Audiophile

Posts: 26465
Location: SF Bay Area
Joined: February 17, 2004
Contributor
  Since: February 6, 2012

 

OK - I think you must know more than I do - Thanks! [nt] ;-), posted on September 17, 2014 at 22:19:02
Chris from Lafayette
Audiophile

Posts: 26465
Location: SF Bay Area
Joined: February 17, 2004
Contributor
  Since: February 6, 2012

 

RE: OK - I think you must know more than I do - Thanks! [nt] ;-), posted on September 18, 2014 at 05:51:33
Old SteveA
Audiophile

Posts: 648
Joined: March 27, 2011
 Only if we're talking about "obscure" personal interest subject matter

Someone once called me a "F"&$k,.ng" Know it All" I thanked them but being who I think I
am corrected them by saying "not all, just most " (actually it did'nt go that way as I'm usually
a bit disappointed when some mistakes my inability to not add something more (when not called for) to a conversation as a display of .., ??; I can be pretty articulate when it comes to saying things that may not even be relevant, ... Heh,he,he)

 

RE: "I meant born in the US.", posted on September 18, 2014 at 10:59:19
Ivan303
Audiophile

Posts: 48887
Location: Cadiere d'azur FRANCE - Santa Fe, NM
Joined: February 26, 2001

OK, we'll run with that!





First they came for the dumb-asses
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a dumb-ass

 

My intro to his symphonies. That said...., posted on September 27, 2014 at 08:10:08
jdaniel@jps.net
 I've heard a lot of Brahms since, (not all of course) but I still find myself bowled-over by Furtwangler's Brahms 1st and 4th--by a long shot. I could go on and on, but just give them a try one of these days. And I'm not a Furt fanboy but damn they're incredible performances.

My favorite 3rd is Wands NDR from the early 80's. The most perfectly paced and poetic 2nd mov't I've heard.

 

Page processed in 0.040 seconds.

[ Top Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2024, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]
[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]