Klarinet Archive - Posting 000612.txt from 2001/09

From: HatNYC62@-----.com
Subj: [kl] Cleveland Recordings
Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2001 11:08:10 -0400

Greetings,

This is a post I made on a classical recordings newsgroup. I thought I would
post it here for those that are interested in this kind of thing. Otherwise,
you can skip it.

Just an additional note. Many of these George Szell recordings will soon
disappear from print and will be hard to find. If you have an interest in
them, you may want to order sooner rather than later. For instance, on the
Cleveland Orchestra website, you can now order George Szell's final recorded
performance from Tokyo 1970. The concert contains a live Sibelius 2 that will
blow you away.

I would like to mention another important Szell live recording which is
generally available. It is not on the same label as the copy I own, which was
Ermitage. The sound on the cd I have is absolutely superb mono from 1957.
Compared to say, the CSO Reiner live material from a similar time, the
recordings appear to have been made on more reliable equipment and have help
up better in storage.

The cd is a live concert from Switzerland, from the CO's first international
tour. The whole concert is not represented, but included are La Mer, Schumann
2 and the Berlioz march encore.

I say this is an important document because it is no secret that this first
Eurotour by the CO was incredibly important to George Szell personally.
Arguably, it was what he had been pushing the orchestra towards since he took
it over 10 years earlier.

Although these works are duplicated in Szell's commercial discography, there
is an electricity in the performances, particularly the Schumann, that is
breathtaking. The perfection and virtuosity of the ensemble are unique.

I have always liked Szell's way with La Mer, and this recording certainly
shows a level of orchestral execution of this very difficult score that was
practically unheard of at the time, and is still rare today.

Of particular note throughout the concert is the oboe playing of Marc
Lifschey. It is of indescribable beauty and perfection.

For $6.99, very worthwhile.

Since this is probably released without the permission of the Cleveland
Orchestra, perhaps they could simply copy it and sell it themselves?

It also points out something I have written and complained about several
times here and I will do it again. The Cleveland Orchestra has in its
posession the entire season of Thursday night concerts which preceded this
tour. And they are in Superb 3 track stereo! Some were released on the Szell
centennial set.

I again publicly urge the Cleveland Orchestra to make a deal with their local
musician's union and Sony Classical to release at least some of these
remastered in the new SACD format. These are some of the best sounding early
stereo tapes I have ever heard. There are performances of historical
importance, such as my teacher, Robert Marcellus, playing the Copland
clarinet concerto with Szell conducting.

I believe that if those of you here who are skeptical of Szell's conducting
were to hear more of this live material and listen to it without mentally
referring to the old Columbia material, it will give you a new perspective on
this great conductor.

David Hattner, NYC
www.northbranchrecords.com

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