I guess my favorite would be the Telarc version. Mostly because I'm used to it as I've had it for many years on vinyl. Dynamics or very good for vinyl. But while Previn is not generally my favorite conductor, because he sometimes goes too slow, he's pretty good with it here.
I also like the Reference Recordings disc with Micheal Stern because it's a 24 bit HDCD which really makes a difference. HDCD is an encoding process mostly developed by Keith Johnson whom I've been a fan of for years.
I also like the Reference Recordings disc with Micheal Stern because it's a 24 bit HDCD which really makes a difference. HDCD is an encoding process mostly developed by Keith Johnson whom I've been a fan of for years.
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I find myself pulling the Mehta/LA on London out of the stack more often than any other version. It is an excellent recording
Great question. 'Just spent an hour sampling different versions on youtube. Of course the fidelity is variable to say the least but it's fascinating to hear the different takes on the score.
I stuck mainly to Mars as it's the first to come up in a full edition. Some turned it into a sweeping dance in a 40's romantic movie. Steinberg totally got the percussion only to let the orchestra skip over the tops of the waves in the rest of it..
A fun search also led to an interview with Rattle about von Karajan , and on and on.
My opinion is no single recording gets every one of the planets in a way I'd call right up there. You have to have something of the mood in you or you can't give a convincing rendition of it as a conductor and no one gets them all. For Mars, most are not warlike or militant enough I guess. (Their postures/gestures while conducting.say alot about that.) The huge youth orchestra at the 2016 Proms sure gave it some gusto though.
Mehta, Rattle, Boult, Dutoit , Haitink's is slow but crisp . . . . . . .
I stuck mainly to Mars as it's the first to come up in a full edition. Some turned it into a sweeping dance in a 40's romantic movie. Steinberg totally got the percussion only to let the orchestra skip over the tops of the waves in the rest of it..
A fun search also led to an interview with Rattle about von Karajan , and on and on.
My opinion is no single recording gets every one of the planets in a way I'd call right up there. You have to have something of the mood in you or you can't give a convincing rendition of it as a conductor and no one gets them all. For Mars, most are not warlike or militant enough I guess. (Their postures/gestures while conducting.say alot about that.) The huge youth orchestra at the 2016 Proms sure gave it some gusto though.
Mehta, Rattle, Boult, Dutoit , Haitink's is slow but crisp . . . . . . .
Forgot to put in Rattle's interview re: the planets. Interesting comment about Jupiter and an England that never was - Exactly what it sounds like.
I find Isao Tomita's synthesiser interpretation very interesting! 😉
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Holst's relatives claimed that Tomita had manhandled their father's great composition and the record company withdrew some 30,000 records from the stores.
But not before I had bought the LP!
Holst's relatives claimed that Tomita had manhandled their father's great composition and the record company withdrew some 30,000 records from the stores.
But not before I had bought the LP!
I still remember his first recording of The Planets with the Philharmonia. My first experience with Holst and the very young Simon Rattle. A great performance.
The version I've lived with for a long time and haven't felt the need to supplement with another recording is Charles Dutoit with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra (Decca), which got the Gramophone engineering and production award in 1987 and is still probably the best all-round version.
Yes, it could be. Its a fun piece to listen to, not challenging, it showpieces the different sections of the orchestra, has wide dynamics from quiet to loud and high to low sounds.
Hope I'm not told off for bumping an oldish thread.
I have 2 recordings:
Nimbus - NI 5117 Philhaharmonia, William Boughton 1988
LSO Live – LSO0029 LSO, Sir Colin Davis 2003
The single point microphone of the Nimbus gives a feeling of space that is missing from the LSO, but the overall sound is a trifle harsh in the loud sections - it's 25 years older.
Interpretations and timing of Mars were similar.
Neptune was significantly faster by LSO which made it much less mystical.
Only learned recently that Mars starts in 5/4 time which adds to the feeling of chaos. Some conductors could not cope when it was first published.
Overall, the Philharmonia on Nimbus.
I have 2 recordings:
Nimbus - NI 5117 Philhaharmonia, William Boughton 1988
LSO Live – LSO0029 LSO, Sir Colin Davis 2003
The single point microphone of the Nimbus gives a feeling of space that is missing from the LSO, but the overall sound is a trifle harsh in the loud sections - it's 25 years older.
Interpretations and timing of Mars were similar.
Neptune was significantly faster by LSO which made it much less mystical.
Only learned recently that Mars starts in 5/4 time which adds to the feeling of chaos. Some conductors could not cope when it was first published.
Overall, the Philharmonia on Nimbus.
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I play CD made on DECCA label is " The Planets "
Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker conducted by Herbert von Karajan.
Original remastered recording from September 1961.
Edit 🙂 more about diffferent versions in this video:
Repertoire: The BEST Holst--The Planets - YouTube
Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Philharmoniker conducted by Herbert von Karajan.
Original remastered recording from September 1961.
Edit 🙂 more about diffferent versions in this video:
Repertoire: The BEST Holst--The Planets - YouTube
Is this interpretatation but sound record is better quality, directly from the original disc and with class A triode CD player
Holst: The Planets, Op. 32 - 1. Mars, the Bringer of War - YouTube
What your perception, feelings about this version ?
Holst: The Planets, Op. 32 - 2. Venus, the Bringer of Peace - YouTube
Telarc are not well distributed in France but I can buy Living Stereo RCA Victor label and DECCA etc.
Holst: The Planets, Op. 32 - 1. Mars, the Bringer of War - YouTube
What your perception, feelings about this version ?
Holst: The Planets, Op. 32 - 2. Venus, the Bringer of Peace - YouTube
Telarc are not well distributed in France but I can buy Living Stereo RCA Victor label and DECCA etc.
Maybe because it was John Williams's main source of inspiration for one of the most iconic pop theme from movie history 'Star Wars'. 😉
Star Wars Main Theme (Full) - YouTube