Lovely stuff, Rob. Thanks for replying. Yes, about Mahler. I love 1,4,5, 7, 9 and 10, and the songs and Das lied so very much. 2 and 3 are great works as well, but I've never fallen for what Lou Reed called 'That mystic shit', you know, Resurrection, give me a break ( Yes, I was brought up a Catholic!). I've had a love affair with the 7th for many years now. I love the Inbal and Neumann recordings, especially the latter; you hear woodwind and brass and string things in the third movement that you don't hear elsewhere. I had a fascination for number 6 for a while but these days find it's like being boxed around the ears by a nasty man with telephone books for three grueling movements.
I'll listen to the Verbitsky, thanks for the tip.
With regard to Walter, yes, you're right, it was the Columbia recording and it's awful. I do love his Beethoven and admit I haven't explored much else. But I will...Ditto Horenstein.
I've also always loved Menuhin. He was once the greatest fiddler on earth according to his teacher Enesco, information I received from Andre Hadges, an American fiddler who was the leader of the second Violins of the MSO in the 70's, who was also taught by Enesco. Unfortunately, due to shall we call them family pressures, his technique sort of went east when he went west, if you get my drift. I love him because of his humanity and his respect for music and musicians. I went to a recital in Melbourne in about 1988, not to hear him play, but out of respect for his humanity. And, once again, de Larrocha is also one of my favourites.
Thanks for your response, Dieter. I'll admit I find the 8th Symphony too much of a Mahler good thing. The purely instrumental symphonies are my preferences (although Das Lied is also a favourite). Symphonies 1 & 9 are sublime.
There are multiple Walter recordings of Bruckner's 9th, but if the one you heard was the studio recording with the Columbia SO on Sony, I would partially agree with you (although many revere it). This performance is best heard on Pristine Audio's restoration which reveals unsuspected energy. Even there, however, it doesn't rival, say, Jochum's 1954 DG mono recording (not his later DG stereo performance). I'd suggest trying Walter in Brahms, Mozart, Schubert and Beethoven Syms 1,2,3,4,6 & 7 (stereos).
Again, Pristine Audio's restorations are the best way to hear Horenstein's Vox recordings
(many reviewed favourably on MW-I).
Some years ago, Verbitsky's reading of Brahms 1st Symphony (with the West Australian SO sounding like the VPO) was the easily finest live performance of the work I've heard. It rivalled any recording known to me, including those by the acknowledged masters of Brahms interpretation: Furtwaengler, Klemperer, Walter, etc.
I'd add Menuhin and Alicia de Larrocha (especially on her Spanish HMV recordings) to the list of performers who 'speak' to me.
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