The final instalment of arguably the greatest recording project ever.
Do you know that John Culshaw, the Decca producer, is said to have sounded out Carlos Kleiber to conduct that ‘Ring’ cycle? If true, that would have made the recording even more remarkable than it is. (But there is no mention of it in Culshaw’s ‘Ring Resounding’ book, so the story may not be true.)
Culshaw does mention Carlos Kleiber in his Autobiography “Putting the Record Straight” published in 1981 after his own death.
There is one paragraph split over two pages and it doesn’t discuss the Ring specifically, but basically neither Kleiber not Culshaw’s boss at Decca, Rosengarten, were interested in signing Kleiber for Decca.
His father Erich was a Decca recording artist and was not, apparently, an easy man to get along with.
It’s fascinating to read what Decca thought about Carlos Kleiber.
But the records that CK did make (mostly for DGG, but the two New Years Day concerts are on Sony and there’s a quirky EMI LP of the Dvorak Piano Concerto with Sviatoslav Richter) are utterly riveting, and are amongst my very favourite of all my LPs.
( don’t get Graham started about Karl Kleiber )
Yep.please.
Funnily enough, when CK was conducting anonymously (his father Erich did not want his son to follow him as a conductor), he used the pseudonym Carl Keller!
Yebbut Karl was his real name innit?
Karl Ludwig Kleiber, I believe.
Karl became Carlos, as he grew up in Argentina, where his father was living and working to escape the Nazis who were in power in Germany at the time.
Did anybody watch the NYO Prom on the TV last night? I only caught the 2nd half, Copland’s 3rd Symphony. The last movement in which Copland (re)used his Fanfare for the Common Man must have been earsplittingly loud in the RAH. Great stuff.
But the best bit was the encore with a wholly joyous rendition of Benny Goodman’s Sing, Sing, Sing including two stand out solos. Just wonderful.
I do enjoy the NYO Proms - no cynicism, world weariness or going through the motions. Just excitement and enthusiasm not to mention a high degree of musicianship.
Sounds great, I’ll have to catch it on iPlayer later.
The Wigmore does archival streaming during its summer closure, free with a request for donations. I’ve just spotted this week’s streams include an Angela Hewitt concert from last year, a few movements from the Well Tempered, a couple of Mozart sonatas and some French works, Ravel, Chabrier and a Debussy encore.
Also a 2019 performance by Elisabeth Leonskaja et al of both Schubert Piano Trios.
I caught the repeat broadcast of Symphony 3 and thought: I wonder if that’s Copland, sounds very like him. Then thought it must be the 3rd symphony, of which I have a recording, but haven’t listened to it in years. I must get it out and set aside some time to enjoy it properly.
BTW I entirely agree with your comments about the NYO. It helps me to believe the future of classical music performance is in good hands.
Roger
Cheers
EJ
Unlikely true given both Kleiber’s and Culshaw’s accounts of their initial meeting, and that Carlos didn’t feel ready to start recording anything until 1973. The bigger tragedy is that, had he not passed away, we might have seen a studio Ring by Furtwängler!
Cheers
EJ
Vadym Kholodenko’s Scriabin gets better with age - he is a master of highlighting an idea and then playing it out beautifully. Not the only way to play this music but very rewarding. Also, the pianism remains stunning in its subtle layering and infinite depth.
Cheers
EJ
The great shame is that he started a studio ‘Ring’, but his sudden death robbed us of what might have been. I have, and treasure, an old EMI 5LP set of Furtwængler’s studio recording of ‘Die Walküre’. I don’t think that it is currently available to buy.
In today’s newspaper and, no doubt, all over social media:
Hope it’s still legible after being ‘forumised’.
He’s long had a reputation for being as unpleasant to musicians as he is extraordinary at getting great performances from them.
Richard Morrison has written a very balanced article in the Times - I can post it if anyone’s interested.
Mark
EJ
He may have to devote more time to his organic farm in future. His pigs probably don’t notice his rudeness!
