Solti's Legacy

Posted by TGR (A) on May 17, 2017 at 16:34:48

In the Beethoven 9th thread below, one of the posters mentioned that Solti is often bashed these days by critics and collectors, something that I have found to be true as well. Even back in the day when Solti was a huge star, there were naysayers - I think it was Wolfgang Wagner who talked about Solti's conducting as "an orgasm in every bar" (and that was a bad thing, just to be clear).

With everything, you have to listen. I was able to hear Solti live just once, when the Chicago Symphony played Mahler's 5th in War Memorial Opera House in SF (and also Mozart's Jupiter symphony - Mozart/Mahler was all the rage back then) - breathtaking concert, even if Adolph Herseth muffed the opening trumpet fanfare.

Solti made a lot of GREAT recordings - in another thread below a poster asked for opera recommendations, and I was a little surprised to see how frequently I recommended a Solti recording -not just Wagner, but also Verdi and Mozart. I have not heard his complete Beethoven symphony set, but I was impressed by the set of piano concertos he did with Ashkenazy (although it didn't replace my all time fave, the Fleisher/Szell) and he was well known for his Mahler, Bartok, Schumann (I really like his set of symphonies) and so on. A Fanfare reviewer that I have found to be reliable, James Altena, has praised not only his recordings of Verdi, but favors his cycle of Haydn Salomon symphonies.

Anyway, he was a great conductor, and a man who loved music.

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Topic - Solti's Legacy - TGR 16:34:48 05/17/17 (23)

RE: Solti's Legacy - Rnm4 10:12:33 05/21/17 (0)

RE: Solti's Legacy - goldenthal 14:39:37 05/20/17 (0)

RE: Solti's Legacy - Logan 23:32:03 05/18/17 (1)

Elgar - TGR 08:52:02 05/19/17 (0)

RE: Solti's Legacy - docw 11:14:01 05/18/17 (2)

docw - thanks for the link - I wasn't aware of the wiki discography of Solti [nt] - Chris from Lafayette 00:32:15 05/19/17 (1)

RE: docw - thanks for the link - I wasn't aware of the wiki discography of Solti [nt] - docw 12:59:34 05/19/17 (0)

RE: Solti's Legacy - spindoctor 07:27:59 05/18/17 (0)

RE: Solti's Legacy - Logan 21:49:23 05/17/17 (1)

Solti's recordings of R. Strauss - TGR 15:13:43 05/18/17 (0)

RE: Solti's Legacy - Inmate51 21:34:29 05/17/17 (1)

Yup - I liked his book too! [nt] - Chris from Lafayette 23:35:27 05/17/17 (0)

I was a big fan of Solti early-on, but rarely does he let music bloom and breathe - jdaniel@jps.net 19:38:48 05/17/17 (1)

With Solti, who is impossible to avoid on Lp, I always feel as though I'm getting half the story - richardl 13:39:44 05/20/17 (0)

I'm not as sanguine about Solti - but I don't think it was all his fault - Chris from Lafayette 19:26:56 05/17/17 (8)

RE: I'm not as sanguine about Solti - but I don't think it was all his fault - robertkeir 20:42:11 05/17/17 (7)

Yes - I agree about the Mercury Kubelik recordings - Chris from Lafayette 09:04:01 05/18/17 (6)

RE: Yes, Decca Mehta/LAPO - Mel 12:36:22 05/18/17 (1)

Just by chance, I was listening to the Mehta Mahler 3 in my car earlier today - Chris from Lafayette 00:20:32 05/19/17 (0)

Solti/CSO Brahms... - kuma 12:11:14 05/18/17 (1)

My favoite Brahms First. I wish the other 3 were as good as the first. - Opus 33 1/3 17:48:49 05/18/17 (0)

RE: Yes - I agree about the Mercury Kubelik recordings - Inmate51 10:35:21 05/18/17 (1)

I don't disagree with any of that - Chris from Lafayette 00:22:21 05/19/17 (0)

Solti's Legacy

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