Tchaikovsky's 1812

bbaley · 01-11-2008, 04:49 PM

hi all...
I am looking for the ultimate quality recording of Tchaikovsky's 1812....
(specific CD please)

anyone know of one they consider the best ?

Thanks
Brian

bbaley · 01-11-2008, 04:58 PM

apparently Telarc will (someday?) have a 6-channel discrete surround sound and 2-channel stereo SACD version of their original Digital recording...but don't know when ?

so in the mean time, I am looking for other suggestions ;-)

Paul.S · 01-13-2008, 03:27 AM

Brian, are you not happy with Telarc's 1979 Kunzel/Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra recording, re-released on 50k master SACD (and not to be confused with the Kunzel/Cincinnati Pops Orchestra "new" 1812, released in 2001 on both SACD and DVD-A [Telarc's only DVD-A release])?

Chris Cheese · 02-10-2008, 12:27 PM

I haven't been here in a month or so, so I apologize for bumping an older thread, but I wanted to weigh in on the best version of the 1812 Overture. If you're looking for the definitive version, it is Antal Dorati's recording with the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra and the University of Minnesota Brass Band. This is the "classic" recording with the church bells and the French canons at the end. I can't recommend it enough, especially in the new edition that Decca put out last year. I'll post the cover just to make it easier for you.

Paul.S · 02-10-2008, 02:16 PM

Just sold my CD of the Telarc 1979 perf with an eye on buying the SACD of same.

Chris, what is that Deems Taylor commentary? Is just a few minutes at the end of the performance or . . .?

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JohnRice · 02-10-2008, 07:24 PM

I have several recordings, including the 1979 Telarc, and I don't think there is what I would call a "Definitive" edition. One version I am particularly fond of has a male chorus during the intro.

Jeff_CusBlues · 02-11-2008, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Cheese

I haven't been here in a month or so, so I apologize for bumping an older thread, but I wanted to weigh in on the best version of the 1812 Overture. If you're looking for the definitive version, it is Antal Dorati's recording with the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra and the University of Minnesota Brass Band. This is the "classic" recording with the church bells and the French canons at the end. I can't recommend it enough, especially in the new edition that Decca put out last year. I'll post the cover just to make it easier for you.

Which do you think sounds better? The 1995 disk or the 2007 remaster?

Aaron Silverman · 02-11-2008, 04:37 PM

That's my favorite too. I didn't realize there was a reissue though!

The Deems Taylor commentary, which runs 9.5 minutes, is pretty cool, actually (been a while since I listened to it). Plus there are 13 pages of liner notes (at least in the '95 edition)!

Brian Perry · 02-13-2008, 10:57 PM

The Telarc disc is one of the most famous classical recordings ever, and is still a fun disc to demo speakers with (just not my speakers, though, as you can blow out your woofers). The cannons go down to 6Hz!

I'd love to hear an SACD version.

andrew markworthy · 02-14-2008, 07:07 AM

Quote:

This is the "classic" recording with the church bells and the French canons at the end.

I didn't know there were any French priests on the recording, but the French cannon sounded pretty good.

Sorry to sound pedantic, but what do you mean by the 'ultimate' recording? Both the Telarc and Dorati recordings are good sonically, but musically IMHO they are far from the best. For my money, the best musical interpretation is by Andre Previn conducting the London Symphony Orchestra (I think on the HMV label, released in the 1970s). But sonically, it isn't the most impressive.

Chris Lockwood · 02-16-2008, 10:55 AM

Shouldn't they all sound about the same, not considering things like cannons?

andrew markworthy · 02-16-2008, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Shouldn't they all sound about the same, not considering things like cannons?

I'm assuming you're relatively new to classical music with this answer. On the face of it, I agree that classical music should be the same no matter who plays it, because you know the instruments needed, and the composer has set out the notes and how they should be played. So how can differences arise?

There are two key factors. First, the quality of the players in the orchestra. With relatively easy pieces, this is not such a big issue, but get to the harder pieces for orchestra and the difference really shows. A good case in point is Glinka's Ruslan and Ludmilla Overture. In the hands of an average orchestra this can sound good, but nothing more than a lightweight program filler. But in a great orchestra's hands, the piece is transformed into an exciting swaggering display of bravado (for anyone interested, there is a superb version by the Russian National Orchestra cond. Pletnev).

The second factor is the conductor - he (or she) is responsible not only for keeping time but for interpreting the music. Although the notes are there in the score, the exact tempo down to the beats per minute is rarely stated, so there is room for manouvre, and the relative balance of the different instruments in the orchestra can