Customer Reviews

Holst: The Planets / Elgar: Enigma Variations

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Although this is a non-digital recording from the late 60's, it far out-classes Karajan's newer digital recording for DGG, both musically and sonically. A comparison of the two reveals the newer recording to sound harsh and the brass occasionally sound out of tune. This older recording has all the power one could ask for, along with a warmth sadly lacking in the newer. Plus, it has a fine recording of the Elgar Enigma Variations to boot. A highly recommended addition to any CD library.

Monteux's renowned 1958 stereo recording of Enigma Variations still sounds fresh today. His reading is deceptively simple at first, but this is a kind of performance that leaves vivid impression and warm poetry deep into your heart after repeated listening. Karajan's earlier stereo recording of Planets is equally outstanding. Both recordings have very open and expansive sonority of early stereo era, beautifully remastered without losing warmth of the original.

I get a lot of folks asking which of the several thousand recordings of The Planets I prefer. If they have tin ears and expensive stereos I steer them strait to any expensive recording with slick graphics made within the last 15 years. If they love the piece deeply and want a recording that portrays its extraordinary range of moods flawlessly, this is the one I suggest (second choice would be Steinberg's on DGG). Strangely, the same situation happens with the Enigma, although there are are a few more second choices.

The sound is not digital top-drawer but the "sound" of this orchestra at that time and with this conductor is unapproachable. Believe me, you won't notice the years any more than many women "noticed" that 58-year-old Cary Grant was teamed up with gals half his age in his films.

In 1961 it was unheard of for a non-English conductor to trespass on the sacrd ground of The Planets, but Karajan had been conducting a London orchestra, the Philharmonia, since the late Forties. He even recorded Walton's first Sym. So it's not entirely unreasonable to expect him to venture a performance of this beloved warhorse. Aided by Decca's engineers, who did spectacular work in Vienna throughout the late Fifties and Sixties, Karajan produced a sonic blockbuster, and his interpretation aimed at maximum visceral impact. He also Europeanized the score, so to speak, by eschewing the comfy hominess with which British conductors approached The Planets. The Vienna Phil. plays with luster and power throughout. The sound has dated a little -- the power remains, but the strings are somewhat shrill and the loudest climaxes congested -- but this classic reading has never gone out of the catalog for good reason.

For me, however, the gem on this CD is Monteux's Enigma Variations. What a miracle that a very old French conductor could beat the English at their own game. This is a fresh, alert, constantly imaginative reading, one of Monteux's best accomplishments in his latter years. He was appointed principal conductr of the LSO, so conductor and musicians had a deep rapport. Their affection for him shows in every note.

In all, the fact that Decca has combined two classics on a single mi-price dish comes as a boon to lovers of both works.

Monteux's Enigma Variations is a true classic and among the absolutely most compelling in the catalogue. It starts off pretty briskly - in the theme and first variations this performance almost follows the metronome marks (which the composer himself, for instance, certainly did not) and while it sounds fast, it never sounds rushed. From the fifth variation onwards, however, the tempi are (generally) more in line with what listeners are used to. Overall, however, this is a marvelously characterized performance with lots of charm, wit, flair, energy, beauty and attention to detail, and the London Symphony Orchestra responds magnificently (the ppp at the beginning of "Nimrod" has never been more gorgeously achieved). While the recording is beginning to show its age, the sound is warm and full - in short, this is something of a must have and an excellent companion to such classics as Boult's slightly older recording.

Karajan's recording of the Planets is sure to divide opinion. Personally I found it fascinating, however, even though it hardly displaces some of the classics (Boult in particular). Particularly notable is the sense of atmosphere in this account - and of course the magnificent playing by the Vienna Philharmonic; while they don't always convince one as having completely immersed themselves in the idiom, they provide playing of such power and beauty that it hardly matters. Particularly good are the eiderdown light Mercury and the immensely powerful Saturn, whereas Jupiter perhaps lacks the last ounce of swagger. The sound quality is again pretty excellent.

In short, while there are certainly strong competitors out there for both works on this disc, both are fascinatingly and freshly done here, and while Monteux's Enigma may be the unqualified must-have, the Karajan Planets surely ought to be heard as well. An endlessly fascinating disc.

I have not heard this particular issue of Monteux's "Enigma", but I do have an earlier issue. Simply put: it's definitive--there is no better version on disk. It is brisk, crisp, and exciting, but not hurried or slapdash. Monteux brings all the traits we associate with him to this music: wit, charm, poise, balance. The climax in the "Nimrod" variation is truly the most powerful on records. I could not be without this recording, and I would recommend this performance as the first and, if necessary, only recording of this music (of course, heaven forbid that you could only have one). Sound was great in its era; still is pretty competitive.

I am not familiar with Karajan's Planets.

The hallmark of Karajan is there. Smooth virtuosity. The Wiener Philharmoniker gave a cultured, tasteful and warm performance. The strings sound milky and the brass are not overdone. One can hear a taut war coming closer and closer to the eye at the beginning of Mars. In Jupiter, one can almost find himself/herself in a playground of his/her childhood, that kind of jollity you know, especially when the triangles come into the jolly theme. The speed is one of the nicest you can find in the many versions of the Planets. In the middle of Jupiter, when the strings came in warmly and solemnly, one think of "God save the Queen" immediately without being told or hinted. As for the Wiener Staatsoperchor's women voices, they were a little distant in the recording as in many of Karajan's recordings. Well, we don't need to hear any words here in the planets so the outcome was very nice, the voice became a background which gave a very cosmic feeling.
The recording was spacious and crystal clear. Great buy.
I bought the Japanese version of this recording (Japanese versions do have better sound most of the time, though I couldn't read the liner notes then) and that doesn't come with the Elgar, so I did not hear the Elgar, and so I won't comment on that.
This Planets is definitely better than the DG Karajan Planets, where the strings made terrible squeaks at the opening of Jupiter, although the brass did a little better at highlighting some phrases (although they sometimes are a little out of tune as they were blowing too brightly), but maybe it's due to the recording techniques and mixing.

I personally love this CD. I was first introduced to the Holst Planet Symphony when we played Mars in an orchestra that I am a member of. This recording is absolutely beautiful and does an amazing job with those minor details that make a huge difference, especially with dynamic contrast. Highly recommended!