Review: Maurice Abravanel--A Discographic Tribute
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- Опубліковано 27 вер 2024
- In his 30+ years spent in Utah, conductor Maurice Abravanel amassed a discography that was second to none for its completeness and, more importantly, for its adventurousness. Many of his recordings remain unique, and many have never been surpassed. Here are seven titles that represent his art at its most distinctive.
As a music-loving ninth grader in Missoula, Montana, I was astonished when the Utah SO played a midday concert for us rowdy teenagers in the Sentinel HS gymnasium. And yes... Abravanel himself conducted. That was real commitment. What a guy! I recall that they played a few dances from The Nutcracker. Incidentally, Abravanel and his band recorded the Rustic Wedding Symphony - absolutely one of the best ever. It holds up really well, including sonically.
Indeed it does!
I have a conductor friend who was his student and had nothing but highest praise for him as a teacher, conductor and a human being.
I “grew up” with Abravanel recordings in the ‘60s and ‘70s and still have some LPs. Thanks for this wonderful tribute. I know what I will be listening to this weekend.
Thanks for listening!
My first recording of Berlioz' Requiem was the Vanguard LP conducted by Abravanel. I upgraded to CD as soon as I found it in the record store (remember them?). It's still a prized possession in my collection. I always liked Abravanel, and I'm glad you confirmed my high opinion of him.
Abravanel was a musical treasure...thanks for sharing
Thank you for making these!
Both my dad and grandpa (double bass and principal clarinet, respectively) were in the Utah Symphony and are on almost all of Abravanel's recordings.
Very cool!
Your enthusiasm always make me smile.
Thanks for this tribute to Abravanel, a new name to me. Many of these recordings of unjustly neglected works are available on Spotify, and I can’t wait to dive in, particularly Milhaud and Honeggsr, since I’m a huge fan of both Frenchmen. The complete cycles Abravanel did of core symphonic repertoire are available as well, and I suspect I’ll listen eventually even if the Utah Symphony wasn’t a top-flight band.
I heard him on tour in his last season with the Utah Symphony. Solid clean musicianship. He got great results out of the orchestra. I would love to hear conducting like that on a regular basis. The inner movements of his Mahler 3 are unsurpassed. Lots of other great recordings.
Very touching...Abravanel indeed left us a Legacy, one which helped inspire me a great deal when I started exploring music in the late 60's. I owned MANY of the LPS you mention, and still have some of them. Yes..AMERIQUES is a knock-out! His early Mahlers-- no.s 7 & 8..were a great addition to the very scanty selection available during those years, and his Vaughan Williams "Dona Nobis" (the entrance of the organ pedal and "Nation Shall not lift up a Sword against Nation" in the finale still gives me chills; it's SO gorgeous) coupled with "Flos Campi" was excellent.
I wonder if there's a Biography of Abravanel's life? It would be a fascinating read. He played Percussion in the world premiere (1921) of Honegger's "king David" .. the Chamber version presented in a big, barn-like theater in rural Switzerland, and was also the conductor of Billy Rose's "Seven Lively Arts" review on Broadway in 1944, which included Stravinsky's delightful "Scenes de Ballet" as the "high-brow" item of that extravaganza. It was Abravanel who was involved in a couple of very funny telegram exchanges with Stravinsky about the slicing-and-dicing of the ballet during the show's tryout run.
Greatly appreciated overview of Abravanel, a truly eclectic champion of the Unsung composer. I heard him on tour with Utah at the Kennedy Center in spring of '75; the program?....Copland Appalachian Spring Ballet, Vaughan Williams' 8th Symphony (with what looked like 3 giant mounted Glockenspiel plates laid flat used for the 3 tuned gongs in the finale), AND the Prokofiev 7th Symphony; what an night THAT was!! LR
There is a biography of Maurice Abravanel and I have it.
Abravanel was a major part of my early music collecting in the 1960s -- so many Vanguard recordings that cost half of the Columbia and RCA stuff, and every bit as good or better.
Writing from Utah. I've been to a number of concerts at Abravanel Hall, but I'm not too familiar with Abravanel's recorded legacy, something I hope to remedy soon. Tonight I'll be listening to the one Abravanel disc in my collection: 20th century works by American composers, including such household names as Siegmeister, Nelhybel, Robertson, and Ruggles (along with relative unknowns Bernstein and Copland).
Thank you for this David. I have too many soloist and conductor holes in my collection (i.e. Celibidache, Mata, Munchinger, Knappertsbusch, etc.) that I wouldn't even know where to begin with. And so this type of review, ones that focus on conductors and performers rather than staple repertoire, is most treasurable for me. Moreso, I like that you represented Abravanel in repertoire that I am largely unfamiliar with, alongside some warhorses. I particularly look forward to finding the Milhaud choral symphony; it sounds like it is right up my alley for off-the-beaten-path symphonic choral music. Thanks!
I have been waiting for Abravanel's EMI recording of Milhaud's Protee to finally be reissued. Thankfully though, it is here on the Tube.
His King David is still my go-to for that work.
I love Abravanel. As much as I would have loved to have heard him do Mahler, or Brahms or (especially) Tchaikovsky with a better orchestra, he was able to record so much being with Utah that would have gone untouched if he had a more "famous" band. Him being in Utah was the best thing that could have happened.
Great conductor Indeed. Actually only the other night I was comparing recordings of Prokofiev's Third Symphony, and came across Abravanel's on Primephonic - It's a really gripping, exciting performance, and he gets committed playing from the Utah players. No the ensemble.ism't always as technically secure as the Philadelphia.for Muti, or the Concertgebouw for Chailly, but boy do pull out all the stops for Abravanel and give a real performance. The 1960's recording sounds surprisingly good too. Great stuff
Thank you for this Abravanel video. I’ve always felt he should have gotten a contract with a much better orchestra. Though the orchestra’s shortcomings are obvious in the Mahler cycle, they still acquit themselves pretty well, and the real asset of that cycle is the acoustic space in which it was recorded....and Vanguard supplied excellent Sonics. The same goes for the Saint-Saens Organ symphony, one of relatively few recordings where the orchestra and the organ are recorded in the same acoustic space....and at the same time!!! Though it’s not the most gripping interpretation, I think it still warrants attention.
I hope that one of these days, a label like Brilliant Classics publishes a big Abravanel boxset, containing all the VAnguard and Vox recordings. It has to be done.
It would be fun!
Vanguard had a 4 lp box set of the Ives symphonies by him that I bought as soon as I saw it after having heard the 3-page Sonata and the Concord Sonata on the radio. I don't recall if it ever came out on CD or not, but that box it still holds a little place in my heart. From his choices in repertoire, he always seemed to me like a conductor that really had his heart in the right place.
Wow, an unexpected but very welcomed tribute!
Growing up in Montana in the 60's, the Utah Symphony was my first exposure to great recorded music. They had a series called "Phase 4 Stereo"..that was phenomenal!
Actually, Phase 4 Stereo records were issued by London in the US (Decca elsewhere). They didn't include any Utah Symphony recordings. Vanguard was the label for most of the Utah Symphony records.
Grew up on his Leroy Anderson album and the Gottschalk and Morton Gould album on Vanguard on open reel. I feel they are both definitive performances of these works.
Thanks! I’ve wondered about him since I’ve heard about his Mahler 4 and his Sibelius cycle, and I’m recently exploring the music of Les Six...perfect timing. 😀
I enjoyed your review of a distinguished relative of mine I’m sorry to say I never met.
…also Ned Rorem’s 3rd Symphony!!!
I do not understand why Louis Moreau Gottschalk does not get more attention. Abravenel's Gottschalk album, including Night in the Tropics and Grand Tarantella for Piano and Orchestra (and also including Morton Gould's Latin American Symphonette -- unfortunately named; he should have called it a symphony) was a very early favorite of mine. Those recordings, made in the late 50's I think, are still THE standard for those pieces. You can find them today on CD along with the superb performances of Gottschalk's piano music by Eugene List.
Yes, I agree on this. My dad bought this album on open reel from Barclay-Crocker and it was regarded, and still to this day, as the finest sounding issue of this album ever made. Superior to all the other issues. I still have it and I'm glad it's still in pristine condition.
He also recorded what was for many years the best recorded performance of Beethoven's Incidental Music for Egmont. Natania Davrath sang the vocal selections. The Szell (with Vienna Philharmonic and Lorengar) recording eventually took top spot in the Egmont rankings (for me at least). But the Abravanel is still pretty good.
Yes, it is.
There's an Omega CD in my own "overflow" zone of Elly Ameling and Rudolf Jansen doing a Schubert love-song "Liederabend" (let's not go there) in concert at the old Tanglewood Theater Concert Hall on July 2, 1987, and featuring an on-stage dedication to newlyweds "Maestro and Madame Abravanel." He was 84. Spotify: open.spotify.com/track/5UbSbit0NVGnf0rvtmLdUn?si=hgpuLY9ATuSRzLkwpNW7tg
His pre-Utah days ("de Abravanel") are documented in 4 Met Opera broadcasts from the 1936-37 season available on various CD labels: Manon, Tales of Hoffmann, Samson and Delilah, and Lohengrin. He also conducted Lakme, Tannhauser, and Romeo & Juliet during his two seasons at the MET (1936-1937, 1937-1938), but I don't believe recordings of those exist. Arguably, these are more interesting for the singers (Flagstad, Pinza, Maison, Tibbett, Sayao, Branzell, Hofmann, Bonelli) than the conducting, but they do offer a glimpse of the maestro in the opera pit, albeit with limited sonic allure.
He did another VW disc with the Tallis Fantasia, Five Variants etc, and others and they are all beautifully played. Yes, as you say, the Utah SO were not the best, but aside from that many of Abravanel's records with them were pretty good.
I mentioned that in the video. The major work on that other disc was Flos Campi.
@@DavesClassicalGuide apologies David yes you did, just had another listen. Must have gotten carried away - was switching between UA-cam and Spotify trying to see what was still available!
You are so right about that Abravanel recording of Vaughan Williams's 6th Symphony and Dona Nobis Pacem (a unique coupling of two of my favourite VW works). Abravanel, in my view, is one of the few conductors to get the Epilogue of Symphony No.6 right - he does not rush it as many conductors do and it is one of the slowest, yet most insightful, on record (along with Boult's LPO Decca account). I think that it is VW's greatest symphony and Abravanel does it full justice. I enjoy your videos which I find very informative as well as entertaining. Keep up the good work!
Thank you. I will try!
Wonderful and informative. Thank you again. I was 'weaned' on the Gramophone Magazine and remember reviews of Abravanel discs. Quite simply, he was not taken seriously. Why? I suspect it had to do with snobbishness. Utah? Where is that? All very sad!
'' The'60's were the height of academic serialist misery'' Too true, Dave.
I never understood why Abravanel was not lauded like many of his contemporaries. I still enjoy listening to his pioneering box set of Mahler symphonies. On a tight budget this box was accessible to a student and has lasted the test of time. I'm going to source the Satie.
I observe that Beethoven's "Consecration of the House" is not often performed or recorded. In 40 years of enjoying great music, I have never heard it live, not do I have a hard copy....yet.
My collection contains almost no Abravanel. However, I absolutely adore his (with his orchestra's) take on Gottschalk's "Grande Tarantelle for Piano and Orchestra", with Reid Nibley at the piano. It always puts a smile on my face, and easily betters other interpretations I've heard. Speaking of Gottschalk, it seems to me he doesn't get near the recognition he deserves. Have you considered doing an overview of Gottschalk recordings?
Yes, but he's not really that great or important--enjoyable for sure, but he's not high on my list of priorities.
Thank you David ! What a great tribute to a great man and musician !
My pleasure!
Of the CDs you mentioned, only the Vaughan Williams is available, unfortunately. The Sibelius, Mahler, and Tchaikovsky sets are available, but they are nothing special. The disappearance of much of the Vanguard catalog (except for mp3 downloads) is a shame!
@@MattRichardsonX I wonder if there is someone at Amazon wondering why some discs that have been sitting around for years are suddenly being swept up.
I noticed the same thing. Of course, you're referring to available-as-new discs; I would guess that some of them would have used copies available. I get the feeling that Vanguard Classics (which became a different label from regular "Vanguard" many years ago) may we’ll be in some sort of ownership limbo.
I have, and cherish, his Satie disk and the Varese (in a collection called "Remembering Edgard Varese"). Are you familiar with his Vanguard recording of Ives' 2nd Symphony? I learned the work from this recording, and it always struck me as having a rustic charm that most other recordings didn't have (although Bernstein's came close and had other positive attributes). And he got the final chord exactly right, in my opinion, as an out of tune but exuberant stinger rather than a agonized shriek. At any rate, thanks for your tribute to an excellent and underrated conductor.
Sure, I know that Ives. That shorter final chord is actually what Ives wrote, and it startled me when I first heard it, but I like the performance for exactly the reasons you state.
If you scrounge around on Discogs.com it looks like just about everything Abravanel recorded is available on either LP or CD, typically at very reasonable prices.
David, can I request a review of the Herreweghe "Harmonia Mundi Years" box?
Hi David. In the 70s I bought a wonderful EMI Utah/Abravanel recording of two Milhaud rarities: les Songes and Protée. I've since misplaced it (!@#%&*!!!!) and been waiting 30+ years for it to turn up again. Probably too late now, but are you aware if that record ever made it to CD?
I don't think so...I no longer have it either. Damn.
What I remember most about Abravanel from back in the 1970s were how often you found his recordings in library LP collections. I'm guessing that Vanguard charged less per album to libraries than did the bigger-name labels, but often you'd find, for example, most of a library's Mahler symphony collection being Abravanel/Utah versions. I could think of worse ways to first encounter those pieces.
BTW, you say the Varese disc is available for download. Where? I can’t seem to find it anywhere.
I got it on ITunes.
As someone previously noted, this is a great surprise to hear. A great sequel to this would be a similar “discographic tribute” to the Louisville Orchestra mostly under Robert Whitney, but others as well.
That's a tougher one. My problem is that, much as I admire the repertoire, the Utah Symphony was the Vienna Philharmonic compared to Louisville, and Whitney was not the greatest conductor either despite his admirably enterprising spirit. I would consider possibly a very limited selection of titles--but I'd have to think about it for a while.