Klemperer recordings.

[oscar]

I am interested to know the views of this list about the better recordings of Otto Klemperer, both Mahler and other composers.

best regards,

Oscar.

[Don]

There are two Klemperer recordings I can not live without:

Mahler 2nd Philharmonia Orchestra with Elizabeth Schwarzkopf  EMI 67255
Beethoven Fidelio w/Ludwig, Vickers, Barry and Frick Philharmonia EMI 67361-2 from 1962.

I am not sure if these are the most current iterations, but are the ones in my collection.

Both are monumental and powerful.

[stillivor]

An intriguing Bruckner 4 that starts pretty quickly, and a fascinating Tchaikovsky 4 (from memory), where he demonstrates the musical quality.

   Ivor

[barry guerrero]

I would say that pretty much everything Klemperer recorded for EMI is worth hearing at least once, with the possible exception of his bizarrely slow Mahler 7. His Bruckner 8 has cuts in the finale, which doesn't bother me worth in the least. I truly like his complete rewrite of the ending to Mendelssohn's "Scotch" symphony (#3) . Klemp. cuts out the hoakie sounding chorale altogether, and ends the work with a quiet chord in minor. To me, it's a huge improvement. Seriously.

Klemperer was a great conductor who should be taken more seriously by the historical buffs. His Bruckner 5 and 6 are essential listening.

[david johnson]

klemperer m2's all the way!
i also enjoy the beethoven box he has on emi.

dj

[John Kim]

I don't have whole lot of Klemperer recordings but I know the following are pretty darn good:

B5th
B6th
M2nd
DLVDE
M9th (with VPO, live)
Brahms Requiem
a couple of Mozart symphonies
a couple of Beethoven symphonies

John,

[akiralx]

His excellent late Haydn symphonies have just been reissued on EMI.

[barry guerrero]

It's all good! Just avoid the very excessively slow M7 - unless in you're in the mood for such a thing, of course - as well his Bruckner 8, assuming that you don't want to hear any cuts in the finale (doesn't bother me, I have to say).

About the finale of B8, regardless of which edition one is using, I would drop the final sounding of that weird brass chorale for the Wagner tubas, just before the coda. It just doesn't belong there.

Barry

[Dave H]

The Haydn set is wonderful, save for the very late recordings, when he was practically dead but still (theoretically) conducting. Also worth hearing--and recordings you might not expect:

Schubert 8 and 9
Dvorak New World Symphony
Berlioz Symphony fantastique
Tchaikovsky Fifth (one of the truly great ones)
Brahms Symphonies (one of the great cycles, esp for Nos. 1 and 3)
Beethoven Syms 3, 5, 6 and 9
Flying Dutchman
Magic Flute
Wagner Overtures and Preludes (on EMI)
Schumann Symphonies (except the Rhenish, which was the famous recording session where woke up a snooze and asked "How did it go")
Bruckner 6 (which Barry mentioned--the best one?), and 7 (also already mentioned)

Dave H

[klingsor]

To me, the great Klemperers are:

Mahler: 2 and 9 (a devastating first movement, imho, the single greatest thing K ever put on record), Das Lied (the next greatest thing K ever did). I pretty much agree that Klemperer's studio recordings are all worth hearing at least once. And that does include the Mahler 7--you simply have to hear it to believe it was ever made....some of the oddest tempo choices I have ever heard.
Dvorak: New World Sym --very powerful
Berlioz: Sym Fantastique --amazing clarity and drama--plus a Gluck "Iphigenie en Aulide" overture that will blow your mind
Bruckner: 4-9, they are all good, especially a beauiful 7, and I welcome edits in the finale of 8
Brahms: I like all 4 Syms by him, plus overtures, etc, Violin Concerto, German Requiem (a GREAT recording)
Mozart: the late symphonies (I have not heard the Haydns), Magic Flute, Overtures with Masonic Funeral
Beethoven: Fidelio, Symphonies, Overtures (a stunning collection CD of those), Violin Concerto
Romantic Overtures: Weber (3), Humperdinck, and Klemp's own "Merry Waltz" --solid performances
Mendelssohn: Sym 3 & 4, Midsummer Night's Dream --not the infamous "brontosaurian romp" it's made out to be 
Schubert; Sym 5 & 8
Schumann: Syms 1-4, Manfred Overture
Wagner: Flying Dutchman, orch music collections--all great. (If only he had recorded Parsifal...)

Baroque composer recording are worth hearing, but none really satisfies me, and performance practice has surpassed them

[Listener X]

You'll never hear Brahms 3 the same way after you hear Klemp's, the standard-setter for this piece.

[perotin]

DLVDE 2011 96kHz/24bit EMI studio remaster
https://www.hdtracks.com/index.php?file=catalogdetail&valbum_code=HD5099970466553

[consul]

Klemperer was obviously one of the great conductors of the 20th century. I do, however, feel that the age of recording came just a little late for him. Clearly some of his recordings were marred by physical limitations. Just watch the videos on youtube of his conducting: he seems at the end of his strength. I absolutely mean no disrespect to the legend that he rightfully is.

Favorite recordings: Mahler: 2 & 4.

[wagnerlover]

Some of my favorite recordings are conducted by Klemperer:  Fidelio, Das Lied von der Erde, Kleine Dreigroschenmusik.

db

[wagnerlover]

Here's a link to a review of a new Klemperer compliation.  I have it and have been enjoying it a lot so far.

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2013/June13/Wagner_Klemperer_2484682.htm


http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2013/June13/Wagner_Klemperer_2484682.htm

db