RE: Budapest Music Center label and Disbelief

Posted by Chris from Lafayette (A) on July 9, 2012 at 14:39:23

In Reply to: Budapest Music Center label and Disbelief posted by Mike Porper on July 9, 2012 at 13:00:55:

Mike - Check it out for yourself: you can get this recording at Berkshire Record Outlet for only $5.99. It won't break the bank! ;-)

I don't agree with everything Kocsis does in his orchestrations - for instance, his use of xylophone touches in "Fantouches" seems to me very un-Debussy-like. But OTOH, Ravel's orchestration of Moussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition" is very un-Moussorgsky-like - and yet very successful. Kocsis' orchestrations certainly show an excellent knowledge of the orchestra, and they are far from such "mustache on the Mona Lisa" monstrosities as Schoenberg's orchestration of Brahms's G-minor Piano Quartet, or Shostakovitch's re-orchestration of the Schumann Cello Concerto. Overall, I like Kocsis' orchestrations a lot - and I've just ordered the Hungaroton CD of his other Debussy-song orchestrations. (This disc also includes Kocsis' orchestrations of the two movements of "Le tombeau de Couperin" that Ravel didn't orchestrate himself. So Kocsis' putting himself up against one of the greatest orchestrators in the in the history of music shows some cojones at the very least!) ;-)

As for your other main point, I certainly agree about Ashkenzay (Barenboim too for that matter) - although he was already well on his way towards mediocrity by the time he took up conducting IMHO. Sad, because his early recordings (the ones on Testament) are so good. On the concert I saw at UC Davis, Kocsis was both soloist and conductor in the Liszt E-flat Concerto, and it seemed to me that there was no deterioration in his skills as a pianist.

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:

Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - Wonderful CD's you may have forgotten about in your own collection? - Chris from Lafayette 12:58:14 07/07/12 (28)

Askenazy's Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances - Chuck Y 11:09:50 07/15/12 (3)

Does that Imogen Holst recording - jult52 13:16:28 07/23/12 (1)

RE: Does that Imogen Holst recording - Chuck Y 15:17:26 07/23/12 (0)

RE: Askenazy's Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances - Kal Rubinson 13:08:09 07/15/12 (0)

I can't remember... nt - SambaMaster 09:19:12 07/14/12 (4)

Hey - you guys are stealing each other's gags! [nt] ;-) - Chris from Lafayette 13:13:33 07/14/12 (3)

Yeah, and both parties in Congress equally are responsible for gridlock. - tinear 18:48:53 07/14/12 (2)

OK, OK - He stole your routine! Geez, tin! [nt] ;-) - Chris from Lafayette 23:40:26 07/14/12 (1)

I'm a consistent guy! nt - tinear 17:30:04 07/22/12 (0)

Let's see.... there's ..... I mean.... Damn, I forget. nt - tinear 19:03:10 07/13/12 (0)

Kocsis - Amphissa 15:31:08 07/11/12 (1)

Thanks - I was hoping you'd comment - Chris from Lafayette 17:57:12 07/11/12 (0)

Budapest Music Center label and Disbelief - Mike Porper 13:00:55 07/09/12 (11)

Ashkenazy? - Amphissa 15:44:36 07/11/12 (3)

RE: Ashkenazy? - Chris from Lafayette 18:31:50 07/11/12 (2)

RE: Ashkenazy? - Amphissa 19:06:20 07/12/12 (1)

I was very, very much turned off Ashkenazy - jult52 13:20:33 07/23/12 (0)

Ashkenazy - pbarach 15:14:28 07/09/12 (3)

I've played in SF Sym with him, he is a great musician in every respect. His - oldmkvi 10:43:43 07/11/12 (0)

I agree re Ashkenazy as a conductor - Chuck Y 09:48:51 07/10/12 (0)

Yes, It's a mental block - Mike Porper 07:35:36 07/10/12 (0)

RE: Budapest Music Center label and Disbelief - Chris from Lafayette 14:39:23 07/09/12 (2)

Thanks for the Berkshire Tip and that Schoenberg/Brahms - Mike Porper 07:44:06 07/10/12 (0)

I have the Kocsis Hungaroton and it's good - srl1 16:41:02 07/09/12 (0)

I didn't really forget them........ - Chuck Y 17:35:31 07/07/12 (1)

The "Babe" category - Chris from Lafayette 17:49:46 07/07/12 (0)

RE: Wonderful CD's you may have forgotten about in your own collection? - MichaelV8 16:46:05 07/07/12 (1)

Perfect example - I'd forgotten about the CRD label myself! [nt] - Chris from Lafayette 17:31:49 07/07/12 (0)

Follow Ups

RE: Budapest Music Center label and Disbelief - Chris from Lafayette 14:39:23 07/09/12 (2)

Thanks for the Berkshire Tip and that Schoenberg/Brahms - Mike Porper 07:44:06 07/10/12 (0)

I have the Kocsis Hungaroton and it's good - srl1 16:41:02 07/09/12 (0)

RE: Budapest Music Center label and Disbelief

Post a Message!