Opus Kura Archive
Willem Mengelberg conducts New York Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra = Works of MOZART, MEYERBEER, BEETHOVEN – Opus Kura
Opus Kura extends its formidable Mengelberg legacy with the conductor’s 1929-1930 RCA recordings. Willem Mengelberg conducts New York Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra = MOZART: Die Zauberfloete Overture; MEYERBEER: Coronation March from Le Prophete; BEETHOVEN: Egmont Overture, Op. 84a; Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 “Eroica” – New York Phiharmonic Sym. Orch./ Willem Mengelberg – Opus Kura OPK 2115, 69:44 [Distr. by Albany] ****: Willem Mengelberg (1871-1951) took time away from his hand-picked Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam to lead a series of concerts in New York, 1921-1930. The RCA Victor label was quick to contract Mengelberg and the orchestra – then about to merge with the Walter Damrosch Symphony Society – in order to commit to records a portion of the conductor’s powerful repertory, enhanced by his penchant – even mania – for precision of ensemble. Even given the typical, “period” style of performance, with its fondness for homogenous portamento, what emerges from the shellacs remains an impressive testimony to the thoroughness of Mengelberg’s preparation. The recordings offered here by Opus Kura derive exclusively from sessions held 1929-1930. My former mentor at SUNY, Stefan-Bauer Mengelberg (1927-1996), praised the Overture to The Magic Flute for its ardent energy and uniformity of […]
MENDELSSOHN: Ov. & Incidental Music to A Midsummer Night’s Dream; SCHUBERT: Sym. No. 8 – Soloists/Vienna Sym./ Clemens Krauss – Opus Kura
Viennese conductor Clemens Krauss finds seamless restorations in these rare moments in his impressive repertory. MENDELSSOHN: A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Overture, Op. 21; Incidental Music, Op. 61; SCHUBERT: Symphony No. 8 in b minor, D. 759 “Unfinished” – Dagmar Herman, mezzo-sop,/ Ilona Steingruber, sop./ Vienna Sym. Orch./ Chorus of the Vienna State Orch./ Bamberg Sym. Orch. (Schubert)/ Clemens Krauss – Opus Kura OPK 7076, 66:09 [Distr. by Albany] ****: Opus Kura restores music the Viennese conductor Clemens Krauss (1893-1954) led for two relatively minor labels, Vox and Amadeo, including his only recorded documentation (from Vox, 1950) in Mendelssohn. Noted for his natural and elastic style in the music of Strauss – and that includes the waltz-king family and Richard Strauss – Krauss had an impressively large Austro-Hungarian repertory that embraced Haydn, Mozart, Brahms, Beethoven, Weinberger, Stravinsky, and Wagner, including a 1953 Ring cycle at Bayreuth. The Mendelssohn Overture and Incidental Music to Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream enjoys the requisite lightness of hand. Both annotator Tully Potter and I appreciate hearing the natural F horn from Vienna in the famous glowing Nocturne. In this linear, stylistic performance, as in the Schubert symphony, Krauss allows much of the music to “play […]
Ginette Nuveu (Studio Recordings) = R. STRAUSS, CHOPIN, GLUCK, SUK, TARTINI Etc. – Opus Kura
The French genius of the violin died too early, but her collected studio recordings testify to an immortal talent.
Myra Hess: The Pre-War Trio Recordings = SCHUBERT: Piano Trio No. 1 in B-flat Major; BRAHMS: Piano Trio No. 2 – Myra Hess, piano/ Jelly d’Aranyi, violin/ Felix Salmond, cello (Schubert)/ Gaspar Cassado, cello (Brahms) – Pristine Audio
Myra Hess: The Pre-War Trio Recordings = SCHUBERT: Piano Trio No. 1 in B-flat Major, D. 898; BRAHMS: Piano Trio No. 2 in C Major, Op. 87 – Myra Hess, piano/ Jelly d’Aranyi, violin/ Felix Salmond, cello (Schubert)/ Gaspar Cassado, cello (Brahms) – Pristine Audio PACM 083, 61:26 [various formats avail. from www.pristineclassical.com] ****: The art of Dame Myra Hess (1890-1965) has moments of resurgence, especially as Opus Kura (OPK 2098) and Pristine Audio have revitalized her 28-30 September 1927 Schubert Trio No. 1 with Jelly d’Aranyi (1893-1966) and Felix Salmond (1888-1952). Hungarian violinist Jelly d’Aranyi inspired composers Bartok, Holst, Vaughan Williams, and Ravel to compose for and work with her, although her tone projects that same thin wiry quality we know from Joseph Szigeti. Despite the excellently quiet restorations by Mark Obert-Thorn, we feel that the microphone placement, favoring d’Aranyi, often subdues the keyboard’s contribution, which proves considerable. The Schubert opening Allegro moderato, however, enjoys a decided propulsion, its motto rhythm (almost a Beethoven impulse) underlying much of the development. The Andante un poco mosso occupies pride of place in this work, incorporating duets alternately for violin and piano and violin and cello. The elegant lyricism of the playing […]
Anatole Fistoulari conducts French Music of POULENC, DEBUSSY, and FAURE – Fabienne Jacquinot, piano/ London Sym. Orch./ Royal Philharmonic Orch. (Aubade, Fantasie)/ Anatole Fistoulari – Opus Kura
The Russian-born conductor of brilliant ballet scores and opera turns his attention to Gallic masterpieces by Debussy and Poulenc, tastefully executed.
Sir John Barbirolli conducts Gold and Silver = Opus Kura
Splendid fare in the lighter vein from Sir John Barbirolli and his well-honed Halle Orchestra, in vintage HMV and Pye inscriptions.
Dinu Lipatti: Last Recital at Besancon = BACH: Partita No. 1 in B-flat Major; MOZART: Piano Sonata No. 8 in A Minor; SCHUBERT: Impromptu No 3 in G-flat Major, No. 3; Impromptu No. 2 in E-flat Major; CHOPIN: 13 Waltzes – Opus Kura
Opus Kura restores the famed Lipatti last recital in the original context which made it a legend.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
