Constantin Silvestri
Thu, Jan 20 2011, 8:30AM
I've been enjoying getting to know recordings by this superb Romanian conductor, in particular his versions of Elgar's In the South and the VW Wasps overture and Tallis Fantasia (both on cheap EMI doubles). In their verve, dash and clarity these recordings vaguely put me in mind of Carlos Kleiber, which I know will count as very high praise for some!
I've explored a few of the BBC Legends issues, and these are interesting, but the sound is (as often from this source) a bit variable.
So I was wondering if there are any really worthwhile Silvestri studio recordings which I could get relatively easily and cheaply? I know there are a couple of Liszt tone poems conducted by CS which are fillers for the Beecham Faust Symphony on EMI, for instance. What are these like? Is there anything else?
Fri, Jan 21 2011, 12:21AM
#2
RE: Constantin Silvestri
Since writing the above I checked Amazon US & UK and came up with one copy for $397.02!!! Both Amazon and eBay had other CDs conducted by Silvestri at more affordable prices. For a review of the Disky set look at classicstoday.com and check the "Conductor digest" at the bottom of the home page. You'll find other Silvestri recordings reviewed there too.
Fri, Jan 21 2011, 9:34PM
#3
RE: Constantin Silvestri
Thank you for your research, Bliss. I was aware of the Disky issue (cherishable), and of it being no longer really available. EMI clearly needs to issue a cheap Silvestri box.
Sat, Jan 22 2011, 1:10AM
#4
RE: Constantin Silvestri
Go to arkivmusic.com. They have reissued, under license, a 2 CD, EMI Classics 68229, of works conducted by Silvestri. It is currently on sale for $34.99. You will find it by clicking on "conductors" and then working your way through to Silvestri. It is #28 on their list of Silvestri conducted CDs. There you will find all the works on the 2 CDs.
Sat, Jan 22 2011, 10:10AM
#5
RE: Constantin Silvestri
A renewed thank you. I hadn't thought of Arkiv Music. They're excellent, aren't they?
Sat, Jan 22 2011, 5:00PM
#6
RE: Constantin Silvestri
Here is a rarity, Silvestri conducts Michael Haydn's 27th symphony (1953).
It comes from a Supraphon LP and was a filler of Helene Boschi's 22nd Mozart concerto.
As the lp pressing is from before 1959, I could upload it on Soundcloud:
http://soundcloud.com/otterhouse/michael-haydn-symphony-nr-27-constantin...
Enjoy!
Rolf
Sun, Jan 23 2011, 8:41PM
#7
RE: Constantin Silvestri
Thank you very much, Rolf. A beautifully proportioned, supple performance, barely revealing its age. I really enjoyed it.
(I smiled too at the little detail on your website that Haydn died before 1940, making him out of copyright!)
Mon, Jan 24 2011, 8:58PM
#8
RE: Constantin Silvestri
In an interview for the magazine "International Classical Record Collector" in September 1995 Brian Culverhouse the producer of the record of English music relates that the Tallis Fantasia was recorded in Winchester Cathedral along with the Wasps overture. The recording of "In the South "was made in The Winter Gardens at Bournemouth. At about that time Silvestri conducted the piece at a concert in the Winter Gardens in a programme that included Glazounov's Violin Concerto and Enesco's Roumanian Rhapsody No 2. I attended that concert and like all of Silvestri's concerts the performances kept orchestra and audience on the edge of their seats. His early death left a big hole in music-making in Bournemouth. He certainly left his mark there.
Mon, Jan 24 2011, 9:57PM
#9
RE: Constantin Silvestri
Thanks for that thoughtful recollection, Paul. What a good memory to have! I think you must be right, given the tendency of the Bournemouth Symphony to flourish so well since his time there: maybe he put them on the map for the modern recorded age? I hear a lot of edge-of-seat playing in the Elgar and VW recordings. It communicates itself vividly across the years.
Mon, Jan 24 2011, 9:57PM
#10
RE: Constantin Silvestri
Thanks for that thoughtful recollection, Paul. What a good memory to have! I think you must be right, given the tendency of the Bournemouth Symphony to flourish so well since his time there: maybe he put them on the map for the modern recorded age? I hear a lot of edge-of-seat playing in the Elgar and VW recordings. It communicates itself vividly across the years.
Tue, Jan 25 2011, 9:41PM
#11
RE: Constantin Silvestri
I am glad that you found that interesting.
My first experience of Silvestri was at an "industrial Concert" given by the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Albert Hall in the late fifties. The programme was nothing if not diverse,Schubert,Bach(Brandenburg Concerto No 3) Haydn(Symphony No 99) Khachaturian(Gayeneh) and the Mussorgsky-Ravel Pictures at an Exhibition. He made a record of Dvorak's 8th Symphony with the LPO around that time.
He had a fair-sized discography with HMV and Columbia before he went to Bournemouth. I have LPs of him conducting the Paris Conservatoire (Debussy,Ravel,Dukas and Saint-Saens) and the Vienna Philharmonic (Prokofiev Enesco and Liszt). Besides the two Liszt pieces mentioned he made records of the last three Tchaikovsky symphonies ( the 5th got good reviews but the other two were not so enthusiastically received) with the Philharmonia. He also recorded Stravinsky with them(Le Chant du Rossignol) and accompanied Menuhin in the Beethoven Violin Concerto with the same orchestra.
He accompanied Leonid Kogan in the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with the Paris Conservatoire Orchestra. His recording of the Beethoven Concerto with the same soloist and orchestra was particularly valued and a mint copy could have sold for £800! I got £50 for a copy that had been in my mother's collection which meant that it got a fair old battering!
Returning to Bournemouth,since I was abroad for most of his tenure I only had the opportunity to attend three concerts which he conducted, Messaien and Mendelssohn(Symphony No 2 -Hymn of Praise), another mixed bag of Brahms, Mendelssohn (Scottish Symphony) ,Prokofiev Piano Concerto No 3 (soloist Agustin Anievas) and Khachaturian, and a Beethoven night with Ingrid Haebler playing the 4th Piano Concerto. Ms Haebler was at the height of her fame at that point having just recorded all of the Mozart concertos with the London Symphony Orchestra for Philips.
The Culverhouse interview was interesting in that he said that Silvestri had no inhibitions or pre-conceptions about conducting British music. He just looked at the score and felt "this is the way it should be done" He had rehearsed "The Dream of Gerontius" with the Orchestra but was too ill to conduct the performance and it was taken over at his request by Charles Groves. Silvestri died shortly after. A sad end to an illustrious career
Tue, Jan 25 2011, 10:27PM
#12
RE: Constantin Silvestri
That recording of Dvorak 8 is a goodie! (although I probably marginally prefer Kertesz!
P
Tue, Jan 25 2011, 11:57PM
#13
RE: Constantin Silvestri
Apparantly, he was a composer too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8dTXBSvk50
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hamqZ-yRBQ
Rolf
Thu, Jan 27 2011, 11:52AM
#14
RE: Constantin Silvestri
I just recently remastered an archive Bournemouth S.O. concert broadcast of Bruckner 5 from Brighton. Brilliant.
Sat, Jun 30 2012, 11:29AM
#15
RE: Constantin Silvestri
Certainly very enjoyable, but by Franz Josef Haydn not Michael - see Gramophone review at:
It is also available to listen to (for those in EU) on the British Library website, together with other interesting Haydn symphony recorded performances from the 1950s and before:
http://sounds.bl.uk/Classical-music/Haydn
.
In 2001 Disky Communications (based in The Netherlands) issued a 10 CD box containing more than 11.5 hours of licensed EMI recordings of Silvestri conducting the VPO, LPO, Philharmonia, Bournemouth Symphony, and Paris Conservatoire Orchestra. It contains the VW recordings you mention, but not the Elgar. I have no idea if this 10 CD box is still available, but you might look on eBay or Amazon. It was very reasonably priced.
Bliss