Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Derek · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 12:47 pm Post subject:

Can anyone suggest some really prime CSO recordings to buy? I absolutely love their fullness and passion with virtually every piece they have performed. One of my favorite of their performances is Respighi's "Pines of Rome," if that helps give you an idea of the time period I am familiar with.

[ This Message was edited by: Derek on 2004-02-21 15:48 ]

blaznov · Regular Member Joined: 14 Feb 2004 Posts: 34

there are a couple of great bartok concerto for orchestra recordings out there- one with reiner, and another with solti. there is one of the cso playing the verdi requiem in the 70's when phil smith was on 4th tpt. that's a great recording. of course, there are the mahler recordings, pictures at an exhibition, and holst the planets is great too. there is definitely a plethora of great cso out there. the best part about that is that herseth is on just about all of it.

Vin DiBona · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 2:47 pm Post subject:

Here is something that might aid you. Go to the CSO website and go into the Symphony Store. I was in there last week and they had every CSO recording available and at a reasonable price.
Here is a few Reiner recommendations.
Stravinsky; Song of the Nightingale and The Fairy's Kiss.
Prokofiev: Lt. Kije and Alexander Nevsky
Rimsky- Korsakov; Schererzade

Here is a better idea. Buy any Reiner/CSO you can get your hands on. He made many recordings with them and you can be assured of some of the greatest perfomances ever put to record and almost always fabulous sonics. Virtually all are one budget "Living Stereo" remasters in all their sonic glory and occasionally, the warts too. By the way, March 8 of this year is the 50th anniversary of perhaps the most famous recording of all time: the Reiner/CSO "Also Sprach Zarathustra".
RCA was doing some experimental stereo recordings with the CSO and the Boston Symphony and how fortunate we all are that these recordings were not only done, but are of colossal magnitude. Remember, the technology for stereo records did not exist yet and only a handful of people has stereo tape recorders to play these recordings on.
To this day, many audiophiles believe the sound of the strings was never better recorded than on this recording. Ein Heldenleben was done a week or so later.
Have fun looking. The CSO has made many great recordings under many conductors.

Vin DiBona · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 2:51 pm Post subject:

Please pardon the poor grammar in the above post. How awful. And I proof read it, too.

nyc_lurker · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 3:35 pm Post subject:

This version of Beethoven's 9th is a Solti/CSO classic:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00000I933/qid=1077410016/sr=1-6/ref=sr_1_6/103-3208366-9723813?v=glance&s=classical

captain canuck · Regular Member Joined: 23 Oct 2003 Posts: 83

this site is a goldmine,

http://www.arkivmusic.com,
this will lead you to so many recordings!

romey1 · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Jun 2003 Posts: 797

Reiner, Abbado, Giulini, Solti.

romey

[ This Message was edited by: romey1 on 2004-02-23 01:55 ]

david johnson · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 11:53 pm Post subject:

for me, the rca recordings have a lovely overall sound..most of them were with reiner as conductor.
some earlier mercury recordings w/kubelik are great...try 'ma vlast'.
they also made some angel (emi) records w/giulini that the engineers recorded very well....try bruckner #9 and stravinsky's firebird suite.
the dg & london recordings are fine, too. i just prefer the mics to be a little further back. you can't go wrong w/any of them.

dj

[ This Message was edited by: david johnson on 2004-02-22 02:59 ]

tpetplyr · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 4:37 am Post subject:

Solti/CSO Complete Mahler Symphonies Box Set

Stuart
_________________
"So long, and thanks for all the fish!" -- Dolphins

johntpt · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 6:52 am Post subject:

I'd second the old Kubelik recordings, especially Ma Vlast.

Some of my favorites were with Martinon in the 60s. Check out the Nielsen 4th Symphony, the Hindemith Noblissima Visione, and the Frank Martin Concerto for 7 Winds & Tympani, all on RCA.

Another great one is Petrouchka with James Jevine on RCA.

JU

CanTrpt · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 10:41 pm Post subject:

Let's not forget some great recordings CSO has done with Bernstein: Shostakovich 1 & 7 and Previn: Shostakovich 5.
Some of my favourtie recordings are with Ozawa: Janacek Sinfionetta, Stravinsky Fireworks, Lutoslowski Concerto for Orchestra and an amazing (in my opinion.. their best) recording of Bartok Concerto for orchestra...check out the 'big as a house' 2nd trpt solo by Mr. Cichowicz...thats the Chicago sound.