Re: New Exciting Conductors

Op 2024-07-09 om 17:29 schreef Roland van Gaalen:

 Back in the 1990s I had mixed feelings about Chailly.
 I culled his Bruckner 4 with the Concertgebouw Orchestra, one of the first CDs I ever bought, and agreed with some others that his Mahler was well executed and refined, but too polished, too smooth, too bright, as it were: 'Mahler in an Armani suit behind the wheel of a Ferrari', as Tony Duggan put it.
 But I still have his recording of Symphony No. 7 and like it.
 I also have and like his 'Jazz Album' and 'Film Album', both with music by Shostakovich and performed by the Concertgewouw Orchestra.
 Recent acquisition: 13 CD box with Chailly's live 'Radio Recordings'
(Q Disk MCCM 97033), released in 2004.
 And I ordered his 'Dance Album' (again Shostakovich, by the Philadelphia Orchestra).
-- Roland van Gaalen
The Netherlands

Recently I've "discovered" some of his "Discoveries" albums (like "Verdi discoveries", "Cherubini discoveries", "Rossini discoveries"). These are quite remarkable fine albums. Also 2 other albums with overtures and preludes etc. by Verdi, and works by Bartok, Puccini and Rota. Splendid.
His Shostakovich albums are equally fine. I heard/read that the RCO did not want to make a recording of the "Dance album" without having more experience with that music - Chailly was too hurried to make that recording according to the orchestra. So Chailly (angry) recorded it with the Philidelphia Orchestra. FWIW.
I like his Beethoven and Brahms cycles with the Gewandhausorchester as well (his 2nd Brahms cycle), but the Brahms Serenades not so; these are too hurried indeed.
His Mahler is as put by Duggan. But for me no reason to cull it.