James Levine

[akiralx]

I've recently got into Levine's recordings after only being vaguely aware of him - and have found that nigh on every CD I hear is top notch. 

For years I enjoyed his BPO Saint-Saens Organ Symphony on DG, but have got the Celebration in Music DG set, which has great versions of the Prokofiev 5th (CSO) and Sibelius 4th with the BPO - I recall the original CD of 4 and 5 got poor reviews, but this sounds v good to me, my favourite Sibelius syphony.  His Rite of Spring is excellent too. 

The VPO Brahms set is hard to find but I tracked down a CD of the Third and it is outstanding.  Apparently his earlier set was good but not too decent sonically, on LP at least - I believe the Japanese CDs sound fine.

I've got one or two of his LSO and Philadelphia Mahler recordings which are enjoyable - and the reissued Dvorak 7th and 9th with the CSO is superb, especially the 7th.  The remastering seems to have worked very well.

[sperlsco]

I like a good number of his recordings.  Unfortunately, most of his RCA recordings suffer from poor sonics (IMO), although some of the Japanese remasters that I have offer sonic improvement.  Both of his Brahms cycles are among my favorites.  The VPO/DG one is available from Arkiv as one of their commercial CD-R sets.  I also have a copy of the Japanese remastering of the CSO/RCA cycle.  I do not have the remaster of the Dvorak 9 that you mention (nor any version of the 7th).  The version that I own is absolutely unlistenable due to a SCREECHY high end.  It DOES sound like a performance I would enjoy if I had one with better sonics. 

I find most of his RCA Mahler cycle to be quite enjoyable, despite the variable sonics.  His M4, M6, M7, and M9 are among my favorites.  I would easily add his M3 to the list of not for the 40 minute finale (or perhaps it's closer to 27'?  ).  The M5 is a favorite of many, but it didn't do much for me the couple of times I've listened to it.  I can't rememeber if I own the M1.  I also like his Berlin/DG DLvdE, despite its slow tempos.  I even like the singing of Norman and Jerusalem (I recognize that they are not favorites of others).  On the downside, I find his M10 to be the worst of all Cooke versions (awful finale), and his Munich M9 is uninspiring. 

Other recordings of his that I enjoy: 
Beethoven Piano Concertos w/ Brendel/CSO

I can't say that his Saint-Saens Organ Symphony does much for me (I prefer slightly over-the-top finales); same for his Sibelius 2. 

[barry guerrero]

I tend to be somewhat cynical about Levine. I think that his best years are behind him, but I also feel that he did an outstanding job with the N.Y. Met. Opera over the last several decades. But at this point, I feel that he and Boston pretty much deserve each other. I do like the Celtics and Red Sox though (not so much the Patriots). I just got tired and fed up with hearing what an improvement Levine is supposed to be over Ozawa. That gets old quick.

Barry

[john haueisen]

I have an unusual reason for my love of Levine's M3 with the CSO and Marilyn Horne: the cover art.
The cover art features an illustration by the noted children's book artist, Maurice Sendak.
It shows animals as musicians, at night, gathering around Mahler's composing hut, with an angel outside the window, passing in a bouquet of roses to Gustav Mahler.
I had an old LP of this, which I had framed and mounted.  It's a romantic vision of Mahler that I will always cherish.

John H

[John Kim]

I'd love to have the Levine/BPO Prokofiev 5th and Sibelius 4th (I believe they also recorded Sibelius 2nd). Where can I get them?

As for Levine's Mahler, his M5-M7, and M9 are top notch versions. I also like his M3 and M1 but slightly less. Like I said many times, I love Levine's DLVDE with BPO and Jerusalem, Norman very much.

I've heard live concerts of M2nd and M8th by Levine and they too were first rate. For me what distinguishes his Mahler are a keen sense of rhythms and emphasis on making clear lines in the string. On top of this, he has a fine skill of putting all the details into a cohesive whole.

I just wish Levine had a second chance to rerecord all the Mahler symphonies with BPO or MET in improved sound, perhaps with DG.

John,

[barry guerrero]

I just wish Levine had a second chance to rerecord all the Mahler symphonies with BPO or MET in improved sound, perhaps with DG.

I'm afraid that I don't agree with that. At this point, it simply isn't necessary. Levine now conducts Mahler much, much slower than he used to. We just don't need any more tired sounding, slow renditions regardless of the amount of detail that may or may not get unveiled in the process. But regardless of what I think, the economics of the times are not going to grant you your wish; unless, of course, a lot of corporate subsidy money were to suddenly show up. Not likely.

Barry

[akiralx]

I'd love to have the Levine/BPO Prokofiev 5th and Sibelius 4th (I believe they also recorded Sibelius 2nd). Where can I get them?

John,

http://www.amazon.com/A-Celebration-in-Music/dp/B0000942ML/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1215161534&sr=8-3

This is a good set, one CD per orchestra (CSO, VPO, BPO, Met) - pity they didn't use the Brahms 3 instead of Brahms 1.  The Bartok and Mozart are not top choices but the remainder here is very fine.  And unlike most of these compilations, they were chosen by JL himself.

[John Kim]

Thanks.

I happen to own the Transfigured Night by Levine/BPO and have enjoyed it enormously.

$31.00 for the 4 discs is a good value.

John,

[barry guerrero]

As much as I'm not crazy over Levine's orchestral recordings for DG, they really did an outstanding job in choosing material for this particular box set. I saw him do Brahms 1 at Carnegie Hall with the VPO, and it was outstanding. He's always very good with the so-called "Second Viennese School" music: Schoenberg, Berg, and Webern. The Prokofiev 5th with Chicago is very good - far better than "The Planets" he recorded with them. By all means, pick this up.

Barry

[John Kim]

OK, OK, ordered just now   

John,

[Leo K]

I have to say, Levine's Mozart recordings of #38 and 39 (with the VPO) are my favorite Mozart symphonie recordings.  Sadly, I no longer have this album, and can't find it anywhere 

--Todd

[Polarius T]

He is a strange man: such an unlimited potential so casually drawn upon. Many of the things he's recorded are really terrible (an example for me but not others is Das Lied), unlistenable I'd say, but a few are simply really outstanding. Prime examples of the latter:





Listening especially to the Missa always makes me think of what might have been. I think he fell victim to the NYC cultural climate. But he always seemed to be on a completely different plane when performing live in concerts.

PT

[barry guerrero]

I've always wondered about that particular Missa Solemnis. Interesting.

[John Kim]

Like I said repeatedly, I don't find Levine's DLVDE unlistenable. I actually love it 

Except for his BPO recording of Wagner, Strauss, Schoenberg, Berg violin concerto, and Saint-Saens Third, I have not listened to many of Levine's recordings outside the GM territory.

But I once heard a live M3rd by Levine and BSO (2001) that was rapturous, beautiful, and heavenly. Those Boston strings engulfing out their last ounce of sumptuous and glowing sound in the Finale (which lasted nearly 30 min.) alone was worth sitting through the performance.

Now that I ordered the 4 discs set I will have a chance to sample Levine's talent in more general repertoire.

John,

[John Kim]

I find most of his RCA Mahler cycle to be quite enjoyable, despite the variable sonics.  His M4, M6, M7, and M9 are among my favorites.  I would easily add his M3 to the list of not for the 40 minute finale (or perhaps it's closer to 27'?  ).  The M5 is a favorite of many, but it didn't do much for me the couple of times I've listened to it.  I can't rememeber if I own the M1.  I also like his Berlin/DG DLvdE, despite its slow tempos.  I even like the singing of Norman and Jerusalem (I recognize that they are not favorites of others).  On the downside, I find his M10 to be the worst of all Cooke versions (awful finale), and his Munich M9 is uninspiring. 

Levine's M5th is a great one, IMO. It is impeccably played and the sound is far better than his M9th with the same orchestra. As always, Levine adopts lively, dynamic rhythms throughout and keeps things in a cohesive whole. It has many Mahlerian feels to it too; the angry II. and deeply felt Adagio followed by high spirited Finale. I think it is also DH's top choice.

John,