Hi John --
As I recall, Reiner's added timpani were most often single strokes that
gave added lower solidity to chords. It is one of the things that makes the
sound of his CSO recordings so distinctive. But it frequently isn't obvious
because it's part of the chord. If I'm remembering correctly (it's been a
while) Reiner's CSO recording of Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture is a good
example. Also -- perhaps! -- Moussorgsky/Ravel Pictures at an Exhibition.
Yes, the Thunder and Lightning Polka! As we used to say, "Fritz Reiner
and his *Big* *Bass* *Drum!"*
Don Tait
In a message dated 5/6/2014 12:28:41 A.M. Central Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
Good comment about Reiner and percussion, Don. Reminds me of his
fantastic
recording of Johann Strauss, Jr.'s Thunder and Lightning Polka, which is a
subwoofer demo *par excellence*, especially on the SACD. I didn't realize
he also added tympani parts where not written. Can you think of any
examples?
Best,
John Haley
On Mon, May 5, 2014 at 8:47 PM, Steve Smolian <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> I love that Prokofiev piano recording. It's enthusiatically played by
a
> true believer in the piece. It just about leaps out of the speakers.
> Great record.
>
> Steve Smolian.
>
> -----Original Message----- From: Donald Tait
> Sent: Monday, May 05, 2014 8:07 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Dora Labbette, Soprano with string quartette: The
> Flowers of the Forests, 1925?
>
> Reiner also studied percussion as a student in Budapest. Including
> timpani, which might help explain the added prominence of and occasional
> added timpani parts in his CSO recordings (it's harder to tell with his
> Pittsburgh and other recordings). I remember talking to Sam Denov, who
was
> then a retired member of the Chicago Symphony's percussion section. He
said
> "Reiner was DEATH on percussion." Meaning that he not only heard
> everything, which was a given, but that he knew exactly what he wanted
and
> wouldn't settle until he got it. Sam was speaking from his personal CSO
> experience....
>
> Also, Reiner made piano rolls in 1925 et seq. Four-hand versions in
which
> he was credited as being one of the two pianists and others in which he
was
> credited as the "conductor." Philip Hart wrote about it on page 44 of his
> biography of Reiner.
>
> Don Tait
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: John Haley <[log in to unmask]>
> To: ARSCLIST <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Mon, May 5, 2014 8:50 am
> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Dora Labbette, Soprano with string quartette: The
> Flowers of the Forests, 1925?
>
>
> I just looked up Fiedler in Wiki, and while born in Boston, his parents
> moved to Europe (Vienna and Berlin) and he studied violin with Willy
Hess
> at the Berlin Hochschule. I didn't see mention of the Johann Strauss
III's
> orchestra, but that is possible. I might be wrong about his playing the
> viola. Monteux was a violist, and both Reiner and Mitropoulos were
> pianists. We have a recording of Mitropoulos performing and conducting a
> Prokofiev concerto.
>
> Best,
> John Haley
>
>
> On Mon, May 5, 2014 at 9:23 AM, Roger Kulp <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
>
> Szell,Walter,Solti,and Bernstein all made very famous recordings as
>> pianists.I have seen it reported that Fiedler played in Johann Strauss
>> III's orchestra as a student.Is there any truth to this?
>>
>> Roger
>>
>> > Date: Sun, 4 May 2014 12:45:19 -0400
>> > From: [log in to unmask]
>> > Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Dora Labbette, Soprano with string quartette:
>> The Flowers of the Forests, 1925?
>> > To: [log in to unmask]
>> >
>> > I believe Fiedler (whose name means "fiddler") was also a violist.
But
>> the
>> > violists are in good company with composers. Beethoven, Rossini and
>> Mozart
>> > all played the viola, I believe, altho both Beethoven and Mozart had
>> > performing careers as pianists. Most of the famous violinists of the
>> 19th
>> > Century, and before, were also composers.
>> >
>> > Best, John
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > On Sun, May 4, 2014 at 11:41 AM, Dave Burnham <[log in to unmask]>
>> wrote:
>> >
>> > > You're right. And an inordinate number were cellists, the ones you
>> mention
>> > > along with Kindler, Bourdon, Casals and Rostropovich. I think
>> Hindemith did
>> > > some conducting as well which would fill out the picture by
including
>> > > a
>> > > violist.
>> > >
>> > > db
>> > >
>> > > Sent from my iPhone
>> > >
>> > > > On May 4, 2014, at 10:48 AM, John Haley <[log in to unmask]>
>> wrote:
>> > > >
>> > > > Most of the great conductors were/are in fact string players, not
>> > > pianists.
>> > > > Szell, Walter, Solti and Bernstein were pianists, and Stokowski
was
>> an
>> > > > organist (his first job in the US was as organist for St. Bart's
>> Church
>> > > in
>> > > > Manhattan). Most of the rest were string players. Munch was a
>> > > > concertmaster under Furtwaengler. Toscanini and Barbirolli were
>> > > cellists.
>> > > > Koussevitzsky was a bass fiddle virtuoso. Ormandy was the most
>> famous
>> > > > violin student of Hubay, Szigeti's teacher.
>> > > >
>> > > > Best,
>> > > > John Haley
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > > On Sun, May 4, 2014 at 4:42 AM, Nick Morgan <
>> > > > [log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> > > >
>> > > >> I suppose most conductors trained before orchestral recording > >
>> >> became
>> > > >> widespread must have been able to - does anyone know of any that
>> > > couldn't?
>> > > >>
>> > > >> Nick
>> > > >> -----Original Message-----
>> > > >> From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
>> > > >> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Dave Burnham
>> > > >> Sent: 04 May 2014 04:11
>> > > >> To: [log in to unmask]
>> > > >> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Dora Labette, Soprano with string
>> quartette: The
>> > > >> Flowers of the Forests, 1925?
>> > > >>
>> > > >> I recently came across a record by Dora Labette with Beecham at
the
>> > > piano;
>> > > >> never realized he could play the piano.
>> > > >>
>> > > >> db
>> > > >>
>> > >
>>
>>
>>
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