Customer Reviews

Conducts Shostakovich / Kodaly

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Reiner's interpretations of Shostakovich are incredible. The other works by Kablevsky, Gilnka, Weiner, Bartok and Kodaly are also excellent works that are, unfortunately, rarely recorded and played. This CD is an incredible find. I have the original 78 RPM recording and to have it on CD is a blessing. If you like this kind of music, jump on this CD.

There are several undeniable arguments that make of this treasured album a real must for you.

Fritz Reiner was a true champion in the orchestral direction. His obsessive frenzy for the accurate precision, his controversial personality, his profound concerns by improving the orchestral rank of almost forgotten orchestras as The Pittsburgh Symphonic, his tenacity and fierceness were unvaluable contributions in USA.

In what the performance of the Sixth Symphony, you nay consider this version is unique; conception merciless, brutal, biter and expressive without a bit of theatrality or false postures.

He made a true scalpel disection with this work.

The dark and somber passages if the First Movement were made with the major fullfillment level. I have tried with other versions in the market but it's impossible to find another one as this one.

The third movement with its kinetic and gay rhthym, find to Reiner in the height of his directorial powers. In the final code with the percusion, he gets a ritard effect as any other else.

The rest of the CD is fine, but the jewel of the crown i insist is this performance of the Sixth.

Go for this Cd just before this historical and unequal recording is out of the market.

So what. I think 60% of my collection is mono -- recordings from the acoustic era up to the advent of stereo in the mid-50s. Toscanini, Furtwaengler, Schnabel, Casal's great set of Bach Suites -- the list is long, the music and heritage rich, and the hiss is minimal!

I have this Sixth coupled with the Mitropoulos recording of the Shostakovich Fifth, on a French Columbia import. Both recordings and performances are excellent, as far as I am concerned.

Another excellent Sixth is the one Reiner made with the NY Phil in a broadcast from the 40s, coupled with exerpts from "Boris Godunov" and the Copland Clarinet Concerto with Benny Goodman. I can vouch for the quality of that recording as well.

I require excellent sound to tear my mind away from the stressfull real-world and benefit from the healing effects of music. I was stunned to find this CD was MONO. The background HISS is disturbing enough to make relaxing to impossible.

Musically I am illiterate so I cannot comment on he "emotional" and musical details. To survive 60years this must be a worshipped recording among those-in-the-know.

Amazon should have the year of the recording in 40pt red font with the word MONO besides it. I hope to be able to return this CD.