Clifford Curzon, Vol. 2

On this CD:

1. Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor, Op. 15
Composed by Johannes Brahms
Performed by National Symphony Orchestra with Clifford Curzon
Conducted by Enrique Jorda

2. Nights in the Gardens of Spain, for piano & orchestra, G. 49
Composed by Manuel de Falla
Performed by National Symphony Orchestra with Clifford Curzon
Conducted by Enrique Jorda

Customer Reviews:

More Brilliant Recordings Rescued From The Vaults.......2004-01-23

Well the Universal Music Group made good on its promise to release Volume 2 of pianist Clifford Curzon's rare Decca Recordings (from 1941-1972) as part of its second batch of limited edition boxed sets in the "Original Masters" series. While I am delighted that Volume 2 has been made available, unfortunately it is a bit of let down after Volume 1. My reasons are many, but mostly have to do with the fact that the majority of performances are of solo and chamber works, and that the set only contains four concerto recordings, all in mono, compared with seven on Volume 1. Curzon recorded Mozart's 23rd and 24th Concertos with Josef Krips in 1953, but then re-recorded them in stereo with Istvan Kertesz (available on a Decca Legends title) largely because he was unhappy with this initial result. After all the years of reading why these recordings were never released, I can now hear it for myself. Also, while the Brahms PC No. 1 (with van Beinum from 1953) and the Grieg (Fistoulari, 1951) are better in terms of their performances, Curzon's stereo remakes with Szell and Fjeldstad respectively just sound so much better than these mono accounts (see my review of the latter, which by the way is quickly going out-of-print). The solo works -- Schubert's Four Impromptus, D899 (1941) and Piano Sonata, D960 (1970), and Brahms' Piano Sonata No. 3 and two Intermezzos (both 1962) -- are impressive but I already have multiple renditions of these works by other celebrated pianists, and I personally don't collect solo music the way I do orchestral works. The same goes for the two 1962 Dvorak and Franck Piano Qunitet performances that comprise the whole of Disc Four. In all, it is an excellent set for collectors, but most of us would have been happy to buy one 8CD set (like the DG "Original Masters" Fricsay and Markevitch sets -- see my reviews) instead of these two little ones.

Clifford Curzon: Decca Recordings, 1937-1971, Vol. 3

Average customer rating:

Curzon and Solti: Tchaikovsky's nightmare
More Classic Curzon

Clifford Curzon: Decca Recordings, 1937-1971, Vol. 3

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Lullabies & Berceuse | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
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Decca Recordings 1941-1972, Vol 2
Decca Recordings, 1949-1964, Vol. 1
Clfford Curzon: Decca Recordings 1944-1970, Vol. 4
George Szell: Decca & Philips Recordings 1951-1969
CARL SCHURICHT Decca Recordings 1949-1956

ASIN: B0009A41Y2
Release Date: 2005-08-09

Customer Reviews:

Curzon and Solti: Tchaikovsky's nightmare.......2007-06-26

Heavyhanded Solti and the VPO and Curzon who's tempi unsettled Solti, unorganic, affected, ridiculous are the words that come to mind! This is almost as bad as Toradze and Gergiev! Do not waste your money: Solti and Tchaikovsky do not go hand in hand and Curzon has nothing to say with this piece.
On LP the recorded sound is not bad although the piano has some very strange tone in low midrange register.
I'll take the perhaps too lively Katchen/Gamba anytime over this stale, pompous effort!

More Classic Curzon.......2006-02-14

After enjoying (and reviewing) the previous two installments of pianist Clifford Curzon's Decca Recordings in the "Original Masters" series, I was delighted to pick up Volume 3 over the holidays. The performances on this six disc set span nearly thirty-five years, from a 1937 orchestrated account of Schubert's "Wanderer" Fantasy with Sir Henry Wood and the Queen's Hall Orchestra, to a final disc of all Schubert, the majority of which was made in 1971. In between are many brilliant concerto recordings, and though some have been previously available on CD, all have been out-of-print for some time. The true gems are paired on disc four -- the 1959 stereo Grieg with Fjeldstad and the London SO (my personal favorite -- I had the old "Classic Sound" series CD), and the 1957 mono Brahms No. 2 with Knappertsbusch and Vienna. Coming in a close second is disc three's coupling of the Tchaikovsky 1st, with Solti leading Vienna in stereo from 1958, and the Rachmaninov 2nd, with Boult and the LPO in mono from 1955. The remaining two Concerto performances -- Mozart's 23rd and Brahms' 1st -- are regrettably from the 1940s and suffer from both mediocre sound and comparatively uninspired conducting (Neel and Jorda respectively). Rounding out this set are 1952 performances of the two Mozart Piano Quartets with members of the Amadeus Quartet, and an entire disc (no. 5) of stereo Liszt solo piano works. In all, this is a great collection, and here's to hoping there is enough material in the vaults to produce a Volume 4!

Average customer rating:

Excellent introduction to Clifford Curzon's art
Brilliant Recordings Rescued From The Vaults

Decca Recordings, 1949-1964, Vol. 1

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
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Decca Recordings 1941-1972, Vol 2
Clifford Curzon: Decca Recordings, 1937-1971, Vol. 3
Clfford Curzon: Decca Recordings 1944-1970, Vol. 4
Clara Haskil: Philips Recordings, 1951-1960
CARL SCHURICHT Decca Recordings 1949-1956

ASIN: B00008CLMI
Release Date: 2003-05-13

Customer Reviews:

Excellent introduction to Clifford Curzon's art.......2003-06-15

This box of 4 CDs groups some of the familiar and less familiar recordings (1949-1964) of the acclaimed English pianist Clifford Curzon (1907-1982).
Curzon was considered as one of the greatest interpreters of Mozart and Schubert of his time and this box proves, if anything, this tag has stood the test of time.
Disc #2 has his well-known recordings of Schubert's 4 Impromptus D. 935 (from 1952) and the Sonata in D major D. 850 (from 1964). The Sonata especially is a marvel of profundity and sensitivity, and should figure in any serious Schubert collection.
The revelation of this box is however disc #4 with never before released recordings of Mozart's Piano concerto #23 and #27, dating from 1964 with the Wiener Philharmoniker under George Szell. (Curzon, the perfectionist never wanted these recordings to be released, yet since his death his family have finally given the green light.) Both concerti are outstanding readings.
Disc #1 is arguably the least attractive of the set with early recordings of Beethoven's "Emperor" concerto (with the London Philharmonic under Szell, from 1949) and of Tchaikovsky's 1st (with the New Symphony Orchestra, under Szell, from 1950). The "Emperor" is fine enough, but the somewhat poor sound quality is a letdown (and Curzon re-recorded the work on several occasions), while in the Tchaikovsky he doesn't really nail it to my mind and the rapport with Szell isn't always there.
Disc #3 on the other hand assembles Curzon's familiar recordings of Franck's "Symphonic Variations", Litolff's "Scherzo" (with the London Philharmonic under Boult, from 1955/58), De Falla's "Noches" (with the New Symphony Orchestra under Jorda, from 1951) and Alan Rawsthorne's Piano Concerto #2 (with the London Symphony Orchestra under Sargent, 1951). All have been released before under various guises yet have acquired classic status and especially the intense reading of the De Falla is not to be missed.

The artwork of this new Decca "Original Masters" series (which always seems to come in "limited editions") is agreeable, but the recording dates given are not always accurate. This issue will probably disappoint collectors of Clifford Curzon's recordings, as there is just one disc with novelties, but for those music lovers who still need to discover the art of the great London pianist, this box is just the right thing.

Brilliant Recordings Rescued From The Vaults.......2003-06-08

Now that Decca and Deutsche Grammophon, among others, are all part of Universal, we have seen some interesting things happen, and not all of them bad. What I'm referring to in this case is the new "Original Masters" Limited Edition Box Set series. Finally, the classical music world has taken a page out of the jazz reissue handbook -- put out a quality product featuring rare recordings but make its availability limited, and people will snatch it up. In the "Original Masters" series, first DG and now Decca have each reissued five box sets, of 4 to 7 CDs each, in distinguished, space-saving slim paper boxes, though the style of packaging is different. The DG sets feature 50s style graphics design on their covers, while the Decca ones have a distinctive rainbow/spectrum pattern on the spines and banners, and a black-and-white photo of the artist in question on the face of the box.

This particular set features rare Decca recordings of the great pianist Clifford Curzon from 1949-64. The set is subtitled "Volume 1" which I presume (and hope) means there will be another box set forthcoming! As the track information is non-existent above, I will try to be of assistance. The first disc contains Beethoven's "Emporer" Concerto with George Szell and the London Philharmonic (LPO) from 1949, and Tchaikovsky's 1st Concerto also with Szell, but with the New Symphony Orchestra (NSO), from 1950. Disc two is all Schubert Piano Works -- the Four Impromptus, D935 (1952) and Piano Sonata in D Major, D850 (1964). Disc three offers less standard fare with Franck's Symphonic Variations and Litolff's Scherzo (both with Sir Adrian Boult and LPO from 1958, though see below about the date), Falla's Nights in the Gardens of Spain (Enrique Jorda/NSO, 1951), and Rawsthorne's PC No. 2 (Sargent/LSO, 1952). CD Four returns to the standard repertoire with Mozart's Piano Concertos Nos. 23 & 27 with Szell and the Vienna Philharmonic from 1964.

The album information indicates that this is the first ever release of the Schubert Sonata, Franck, Litolff, and Mozart PC 27. I was a bit confused by this in terms of the Franck and Litolff pieces because I already have Curzon and Boult performing them on a Decca Legends CD that features Curzon playing the Brahms PC No. 1 with Szell. After re-reading the liner notes to the Decca Legends disc, I discovered that Curzon, Boult and the LPO recorded the Franck and Litolff pieces twice, in 1955 and in 1958, and that Curzon approved the '55 Franck and the '58 Litolff for release. That answers my question as to the Franck, but both this set and the Decca Legends disc indicate the Litolff is from 1958, so there must be a typo somewhere. I tried to compare both versions, but to my ears they were indistinguishable (boy, I thought jazz alternate takes were tough!). Regardless, this is a terrific set, and I guess the consolidation of the music industry isn't so bad after all, as long they don't forget about Volume 2!

Benjamin Britten performs Benjamin Britten

Average customer rating:

An Incredibly Important and Rewarding Recording

Benjamin Britten performs Benjamin Britten

Manufacturer: Pearl
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Benjamin Britten: A Time There Was / Tony Palmer
Peter Lieberson: Neruda Songs

ASIN: B000000WPW
Release Date: 1995-09-19

Tracks:

Seven Sonnets Of Michelangelo: I. Sonnet XVI
Seven Sonnets Of Michelangelo: II. Sonnet XXXI
Seven Sonnets Of Michelangelo: III. Sonnet XXX
Seven Sonnets Of Michelangelo: IV. Sonnet LV
Seven Sonnets Of Michelangelo: V. Sonnet XXXVIII
Seven Sonnets Of Michelangelo: VI. Sonnet XXXII
Seven Sonnets Of Michelangelo: VII. Sonnet XXIV
Pemungkah (Overture To Shadow-Play)
Rebong (Love Music From Shadow-Play)
Gambangan (Intermezzo)
Lagu Delem (Music From Shadow-Play)
Tabu Telu (Ceremonial Music)
The Ash Grove
The Sally Gardens (Yeats)
Little Sir William
Oliver Cromwell
Introduction And Rondo Alla Burlesca 17. Op. 23 No.1
Mazurka Elegiaca 18, Op. 23 No 2
Serenade For Tenor, Horn And Strings, Op. 31: I. Prologue
Serenade For Tenor, Horn And Strings, Op. 31: II. Pastoral
Serenade For Tenor, Horn And Strings, Op. 31: III. Nocturne
Serenade For Tenor, Horn And Strings, Op. 31: IV. Elegy
Serenade For Tenor, Horn And Strings, Op. 31: V. Dirge
Serenade For Tenor, Horn And Strings, Op. 31: VI. Hymn
Serenade For Tenor, Horn And Strings, Op. 31: VII. Sonnet
Serenade For Tenor, Horn And Strings, Op. 31: VII. Epilogue

Customer Reviews:

An Incredibly Important and Rewarding Recording.......2006-03-09

The re-mastering of the works on this historically significant recording is so fine that they sound as clear and responsive as the best of today's engineering on recordings. And that is a feat! These recordings by Benjamin Britten were made form 1942 to 1944 when Britten was just coming into recognition as a major force in composing, conducting and performing as a pianist. And in some cases here are first recordings of come of his works as well as sole recordings of others. This CD is a collector's treat.

The CD opens with 'Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo' with Britten at the piano accompanying the very young and stunningly perfect tenor Peter Pears, this work bring the first of many Britten wrote specifically for Pears. Pears voice is so fresh and musical that he is able to give these sonnets their full beauty. Following this is a work by Colin McFee and Britten, 'Music of Bali', in which they transcribe Balinese ceremonial music to a work for duopianists. It is atmospheric and stunning.

Britten and Pears then collaborate on British Folk Songs 'The Ash Grove', 'The Sally Gardens', 'Little Sir William', and 'Oliver Cromwell' with Pears enunciating the words so clearly that surely this was one of the reasons Britten's superior reputation for writing for the English language was born.

Britten then joins with fellow pianist Clifford Curzon in the piano duet Opus 23, 'Introduction and Rondo Alla Burlesca and Mazurka Elegiaca', a brilliant tour de force for the keyboard that is at once accessible and yet offers hints at some of the sonorities Britten would incorporate in later works.

The CD is rounded out with the very first recording of Britten's 'Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings' with Britten conducting the Boyd Neel String Orchestra, Pears of course singing, and the famous Dennis Brain as the horn soloist. Not only is it important historically, it remains one of the most successful performances of this now extremely popular work. Both Pears (sounding more fresh and yet profound than ever) and Brain are sensitive to the music and the poetry and the results are a luminous experience for any listener.

This is a true Collectors Recording and is Highly Recommended on every level. Grady Harp, March 06