20 August 2011

Solomon plays... Brahms. Piano Concerto 2 / Liszt. Hungarian Fantasia / Bliss. Piano Concerto - HMV 1943/1947/1948

Johannes Brahms:  Piano Concerto no.2 in B flat major, op.83   
I:  Allegro non troppo  ~  II:  Allegro appassionato  ~  III:  Andante  ('cello: Haydn Rogerson: not named on label)  ~  IV:  Allegretto grazioso    
HMV  XLP 30093  1967 LP/matrices: 2XEA 3253 -1 / 3254 -1.  29 April - 1 May 1947 - EMI Studio 1, Abbey Road.  (HMV C.3610-15)  

4 files zip FLAC  Mega Download       Solomon Cutner, piano  ~  The Philharmonia Orchestra  conducted by  Issay Dobrowen

 
Franz Liszt:  Fantasia on Hungarian folk themes     27 April 1948 - EMI Studio 1, Abbey Road.   (HMV C.3761/2)  
Solomon Cutner, piano  ~  The Philharmonia Orchestra  conducted by  Walter Susskind    

Arthur Bliss:  Concerto for Piano & Orchestra     I: Allegro con brio  ~  II: Adagietto  ~  III: Andante maestoso - Molto vivace 

Solomon Cutner, piano  - Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra  conducted by  Sir Adrian Boult   12-13 January 1943 - Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool    (HMV C.3348-52) 

4 files zip FLAC  Mega Download

HMV  BOX 70103  (RLS 701)  Matrices: W 9146 -2 / W 9147 -3    78 Transfers by Anthony Griffith (Brahms by Bill Newman?)   

XLP 30093 sleeve-note / original 1947/1948  EMG reviews + Brahms mvt.3 78 label >>>   (August 2022: Brahms / Bliss slight WAV re-edits / split into movements)






11 comments:

  1. Hi Frank,

    Thanks so much for this impeccable transfer. Solomon was one of the greatest pianists of the past century. This record will accompany me on my walks, and I know I will be listening over and over again in the coming days and weeks.

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  2. Hello Joe.
    Yes - what a wonderful performance (& recording for 1947) this is.
    It was very strange that EMG Monthly Letter never liked it (will add their review).
    Unfortunately I broke my shellac set - but this is a very good LP transfer.
    Am 'intending' to upload more Solomon: but this LP, (also in SLS 5094 box-set) is apparently superior to EMI's CD (&, presumably, the Testament) - so seemed very worthwhile to transfer this ('carefully'!!).

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  3. Yes, I have that SLS box too. And one of my treasured LPs is a 10" EMI import of the LvB PC 2 (Solomon-Clytens-PhO).

    Thanks again for this.

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  4. The Beethoven 2nd is much the rarer of the two 10" Concerti BLP's - and the ASD Beethoven:1 is very very rare!!
    The 'problem' with the SLS box is the 'electronic stereo' Tchaik:1/Brahms:1 - which compare poorly to the ALP's (though my 2nd transfer of Brahms:1 is superior to the earlier pressing).
    Great pianist: his Chopin in the RLS box is excellent + have the Brahms 'Handel' on 78's..but next up is the Bliss PC + Sammons/Harrison in Delius & Leon Goossens in RVW's (rather feeble, IMO) Oboe Concerto - 1952/Susskind.

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  5. I didn't previously know this Brahms 2, so I'm very grateful. There seems to be an idea going around that in the 21st century we are removing lots of old varnish from our portrait of Brahms. Nothing dark brown about Solomon's performance - colourful and elegant to my ears.

    regards Andrew Smith

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  6. Hello Andrew.
    Thanks for your comment.
    This is my oldest Brahms PC2 (length/original 78 cost may be the reason I've no pre-war sets - there's also a Rubinstein/LSO/Coates).
    Robert Layton's remarks (still) seem apposite: this really is 'spontaneous' - with some tremendous orchestral playing.
    The only 78 set of Brahms PC1 I have is Curzon's: for me, his contribution quite ruined the later Decca/Beinum LP (the orchestral playing was superb..) - but Schnabel's earlier 1938 set (WRC LP reissue - LPO/Szell) is pretty compelling (and well recorded - but, reading some comments/reviews suggests CD issues don't match Griffith's transfer).

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  7. Hi Frank
    Didn't have much interest in this, the Liszt maybe a bit, till looking through my Mother's old 78's and 10" LPs, and came across Solomon playing the Beethoven Concerto #2 with the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Andre Cluytens. (Which is the one Joe mentions above I guess, though mine is the original? HMV) HMV 10" LP, so I think from the same series as the one you have here. No idea of the date of the recording I'm afraid.
    I'll try to do a transfer, but my equipment and attention to detail is no where near your standard I'm afraid

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  8. Solomon has 193 entries @ CHARM:.
    http://www.charm.rhul.ac.uk/discography/search/disco_search.html .

    Uploaded the Brahms as may do Schnabel's PC1; also the Liszt is the 'filler' for the Bliss PC. (+ trying to figure-out if Menuhin's Lucerne/Furtwangler: Brahms VC was recorded on tape - as have a new set on 78's)

    There are some 'LP-sides left-over' from the Lambert post, to which I could add Britten: YPGTTO (Pears/Markevitch - Philh) + the Karajan RVW/Britten (obviously that's on CD..).

    Then there's more original Delius/Beecham stuff... Boult LPO: RVW 'Wasps' / 'Job' (unfortunately the 1954 LP sounds best!) - Walton LXT - 'English Concert' ACL - maybe even the Planets on Nixa..??

    But I haven't made any new transfers for nearly 3 weeks..

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  9. Thanks for this and your many other reuploads from the last few days! It's all much appreciated.

    Now i need to get to listen to all these treasures..

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    Replies
    1. There are some new files to upload - possibly including the Solomon: Chopin (the remaining disc from the box-set) - as that - and the Brahms 2 - apparently received 'poor' CD transfers. The performances here are splendid.

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  10. No doubt they are! Very interesting...

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