Engdahl did not make many records. As far as I can tell, her output was limited to four LPs on the M-G-M label, dating from 1955 and 1957.
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| Lenore Engdahl |
The pianist's musical tastes ran to Chopin, Brahms, Schubert and Beethoven, according to an obituary in her hometown newspaper, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. But M-G-M had her attempt different repertoire, including the present LP of compositions by the American Charles Tomlinson Griffes (1884-1920). She also recorded works by Dukas, Franck, Kabalevsky, Milhaud and Villa-Lobos.
The Griffes pieces here are in an impressionist vein, as are most or all of his most widely recognized compositions. These include one of the works heard here, "The White Peacock," which the composer later orchestrated. You can find an introduction to Griffes here. The detailed cover notes also are helpful.
The Griffes pieces here are in an impressionist vein, as are most or all of his most widely recognized compositions. These include one of the works heard here, "The White Peacock," which the composer later orchestrated. You can find an introduction to Griffes here. The detailed cover notes also are helpful.
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| Charles Tomlinson Griffes |
Engdahl's readings are sympathetic. Writing in High Fidelity, the critic Alfred Frankenstein was impressed by the record, calling it "a performance of marvelous sensitivity, penetration and technical resourcefulness."
The recording is excellent, and has now (July 2023) been enhanced by ambient stereo processing.
My transfer is from one of those 1960s M-G-M reissues that repurposed the original back cover as the front. I did find a reproduction of the original cover (at top), which is included in the download.
Thanks so much Buster for this rare recording !
ReplyDeleteGriffes is a very significant and original composer.
Looked to be somehow ahead of his time.
Some of these pieces have been also orchestrated.
Thanks for this. Just recently discovered Ms Engdahl and am very impressed.
ReplyDeleteGary
Buster, thanks so much for this very poetic album! I am much more familiar with this music in its orchestral garb but Engdahl's performances are quite nice. In particular, however, what she calls Scherzo is rather more impressive in Griffes' own orchestration (Schwarz has made a modern recording for Delos, in sumptuous stereo.)
ReplyDeleteI thought you might like to hear the venerable old Mercury Olympian Classics issue by Howard Hanson and the ERO. Engdahl's "Scherzo" is the same as "Bacchanale" by either Hanson or Schwarz. Pity that this old 1954 release sounds so harsh; when I was taking a college music class, the prof. loved this LP and played it for us on the giant Voice of the Theatre speakers in a large music room, and I thought I was going to be bludgeoned to death by it; I've tried to tone down the raw transfer made for me by a certain friend in Chicago.
I might add that I adore Loeffler's "Memories of my Childhood" tone poem though Hanson's straightforward reading lacks the emotion and skittishness of Toscanini's live 1938 broadcast (Hanson is closer to AT's later and somewhat less personalized 1942 b'cast or Barbirolli's 1936 PSNY concert version.)
The zippyshare file will expire in just three or four weeks so I hope you can grab this.
https://www99.zippyshare.com/v/buyPerUG/file.html
(43 MB, mono, zipped mp3s)
A scan of the florid original cover is included, plus a copy of the info of the album by the Discogs website.
8H Haggis
Hello everyone, and thanks so much for the comments!
ReplyDeleteSpecial thanks to 8H Haggis for the Hanson LP. I believe I do have the record itself, but not a transfer, which I know I will enjoy!
I know that most of these performances were reissued on later Mercury issues, which I used to have. The Golden Imports was in fake stereo but had less harshness; however in my opinion the finest transfer was on (mono) MG 50422, which omitted the Loeffler but had the complete MacDowell Indian Suite. The original tapes were remastered by John Eargle, who also apparently may have supplied a rather weak sounding fake stereo version that wasn't as solid. The highs were VASTLY improved and I had the opportunity to complement John in person, at an AES convention. He did not work for Mercury/Philips for a very long time but did have an opportunity of updating the transfers of some of Fine's oldest tapes, using more modern gear with better HF response.
DeleteThe only problem with these late Olympian reissues was their necessity of making each album longer than 60 minutes, thus necessitating a rather low cutting velocity and a bit more surface than optimal; modern digital NR could fix that handily.
IMO, *nobody* has managed to equal the fire and fury of Hanson's fabulous "Indian Suite" performance. Pity that, at present, my only copy is a transfer made first to cassette from a SLIGHTLY noisy Lp; I've digitized it but it cannot compare to the original sound on the best Eargle-processed reissue.
8H Haggis
I am sure my copy is from the first mastering.
DeleteI believe I have that MacDowell LP. I can transfer it for you, if you don't mind waiting.
I have already waited since 1992, when I sold my 13,000 Lp record collection! A little more time would be inconsequential, considering the EXCELLENT quality you customarily achieve with old records!
DeleteSincerely and appreciatively,
Old 8h (as I was also known on RMCR)
Buster:
ReplyDeleteRecalling your interest in old MGM records:
My own second favorite issue (no. 2 to the great Hovhaness St. Vartan which you were so kind as to transfer and post several years ago) is this classic: "Latin American Music for Unusual Instrumental Combinations" cond. by Izler Solomon. It has the delectable and amusing "Ocho por Radio" by Revueltas, plus several other little masterpieces.
https://www41.zippyshare.com/v/ciS0kDqg/file.html
(26 MB, zipped mono mp3s)
Sorry it's not lossless; but believe me, you're missing not a trace of depth or realism; the original was recorded rather poorly with very tight, constricted studio acoustics, and extremely heavy peak limiting, affecting the transients and overtones. Still, the performances are rambunctious in the extreme and the entire proceedings are loads of fun! Cover scan plus Discogs info included.
Oh, yes: file will expire in a month.
8H Haggis
Thanks once again. This is one I don't have, if I recall correctly.
Deletethank you. its lovely the way you memorialize music people like this. -a.v.
ReplyDeleteAlfred - So kind of you to say so!
ReplyDeleteI always wondered Griffes would sound like in the legato-learned hands of a great pianist. And now hearing "The Lake at Evening" and "Notturno" I know. I have always loved Griffes' piano pieces, but Engdahl 's profoundly introspective playing has deepened that love. Thanks so very much for this incredible recital. Griffes has never sounded so good on record in my life. Glad you're excavating all these MGM Records. I see a fan has posted another with some Revueltes pieces on it. This is my lucky day. Thanks to him, also.
ReplyDeleteThanks, David, and regards. I had the LP in my MGM pile for transferring when she passed away.
ReplyDeleteThanks a million for the two excellent (amazing programs !!) LPs as bonus ! Fantastic.
ReplyDeleteA special thanks to Ms Roper for the wonderful MGM album of Latin American music. The Revueltas piece was, as she said it would be, wonderful. If I'm not mistaken, MGM devoted other albums to Revueltas. Are they hidden away in your vault some place? The Homage to Federico Garcia Lorca has a slow movement which I find the musical equivalent of "Guernica": mourning mixed with indignation in a very Ivesian manner.
ReplyDeleteHi David - Actually I have this LP myself, also one other that I can recall, but I am sure it does not contain the Revueltas, sorry!
DeleteLink (ambient stereo, Apple lossless format):
ReplyDeletehttps://mega.nz/file/mU0giABB#h_Ns0AJxomi7m962u9U40INa8f2LCuPTy1NLXHLMwJA