The conductor was indeed an unworldly sort who was a mismatch with the all-too-worldly New York Philharmonic. But before his ill-fated Phil follies, he was the long-time maestro in Minneapolis, and a beloved figure there.
Mitropoulos' commitment to modern music extended from the more conservative works heard here (and previous uploads such as compositions from Gian Carlo Menotti and Elie Siegmeister), through the second symphony of Roger Sessions (also previously featured here), to Schoenberg's Erwartung (which I will transfer when I locate the record in my collection).
Mitropoulos was famous for his remarkable memory, control and intensity. These traits serve the Rachmaninoff very well. But his febrile approach may be less suited to the Tallis Fantasia, which needs more room to breathe.
Columbia recorded these works in March 1945 in Minneapolis' Northrup Auditorium. The sound is adequate. This transfer is from an early LP issue.
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| Mitropoulos in his Minneapolis days |
7 comments:
Links (Apple lossless):
https://mega.co.nz/#!zIFzxKyK!CKoMAlfQh-jhvT1rNYRm5DOIQe1EL-nb_Yi8A0e7S8U
http://www40.zippyshare.com/v/83779672/file.html
Thank you Buster!
Hi Pablo - You are welcome!
Many thanks Buster. I only know the later Mitropoulos "Tallis" with the NYPO. Like most reserved Brits I secretly appreciate the touch of passion that a Mediterranean climate can bring to RVW, especially in the Tallis Fantasia which seems so passionate at times (then it remembers its manners and hopes nobody noticed the outburst), which is why Mitropoulos, Barbirolli and Silvestri recorded it so successfully.
Andrew - Thanks for your witty note. Actually, Mitropoulos seems a little too controlled himself, at least to me!
Thanks Buster! Interesting, curious to hear his VW!
Here is the LATER recording of the Tallis Fantasia by Mitropoulos, with the NYP, released in 1958 on a very early Masterworks stereo disk, ML-6007; the main work was Verklaerte Nacht by Schoenberg. Impressive that Columbia chose to record this as there EIGHTH stereo classical LP issue, right?!
I am not sure everybody will prefer this version of the Tallis to the earlier one from the 1940s, uploaded by Buster. The stereo version is about 2-1/2 minutes shorter in duration; I haven't played them both with forensic care to determine if there are cuts, or if it's entirely due to tempo differences.
Transfigured Night is also rather fast; I think many other recordings are at least 4-6 minutes longer than this one.
52 MB zipped folder of MP3s, with original cover scan & discographical info; unfortunately, file will be *deleted* in thirty days or on approximately 11/14/18.
https://www66.zippyshare.com/d/FdRYR9So/24679/RVW%20Tallis%20Fantasia%3b%20Schoenberg%20Verklaerte%20Nacht%20-%20DM%2c%20NYP.zip
--or--
https://www66.zippyshare.com/v/FdRYR9So/file.html
8H Haggis
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