Ray Barnsbury 8 Posted November 6, 2002 Share Posted November 6, 2002 I'm planning on asking for a CD of The Planets for Christmas, and being totally unfamiliar to the world of classical music, I wondered if there is a version out there that anyone would recommend more than any others. I found this one at Amazon, and it looks good, as it also has Star Wars and Also Sprach Zarathustra. Any thoughts?Thanks!Ray Barnsbury Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ren 75 Posted November 6, 2002 Share Posted November 6, 2002 that sounds good. i have one with bernstein doing the conducting i think.i'm asking for dishes for christmas since i just broke two when my pickled beets fell on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHerrera83 0 Posted November 6, 2002 Share Posted November 6, 2002 I believe this disc contains Zubin Mehta's 1971 recording of The Planets, which is one of the best performances of the suite. I used to own a cassette of The Planets and I'm pretty sure it was this same recording, which always blew me away. I foolishly gave it away when I got the John Williams/Boston Pops recording, and although I like that one too, I have to admit Mehta's was better.I'd definitely go for it; Zarathustra and CE3K/SW are definite bonuses, considering the price.Otherwise, you might choose Eugene Ormandy's 1975 recording, which is also great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvanED 1 Posted November 6, 2002 Share Posted November 6, 2002 I have four recordings of the planets and have listened to a couple more, though this is not one of them. Generally there are two that are commonly stated as best: Dutiot conducting the Montreal Symphony, as in this recording (this is what I have), and Gardiner conducting the London Philharmonia (this). I favor the latter of the two, though not by enough that I am going to go out any buy another recording. However, the very nice price and other pieces very well may be the deciding factor, especially given the report of the LA Philharmonic and Metha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morlock 11 Posted November 6, 2002 Share Posted November 6, 2002 I also have Mehta's recording, and I agree it's great. I think Mehta has some of the best classical recordings available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beowulf 4 Posted November 6, 2002 Share Posted November 6, 2002 I personally own the "James Levine conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra" version of The Planets - on Deutshe Grammaphone. I've heard many different versions of The Planets (Bernstein, Karajan, Mehta, etc) and I have to say that this is simply the best recording that i've heard to date. The CSO brass section is arguably the best in the whole world, and they are just magnificent in this recording. Also, the tempi and dynamics are perfect, and combine that with the crispness and clear sound of the recording, you can't lose. The thing that pushed me over the edge in favoring this recording however, is the brass play-manship, style, and sheer volume. You can't find any better.What can I say? I'm a brass junkie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker 5 Posted November 6, 2002 Share Posted November 6, 2002 Ray, I have that exact CD and it's very good. You will not be dissapointed.Of course if you want the Strauss piece, nothing beats Fritz Reiner and the Chicago Symphonies 1954 recording, which is still readily available on CD.Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 6, 2002 Share Posted November 6, 2002 Hey guys, Here's the Cornell University Wind Sumphony version of Mars, Venus, Uranus, and Jupiter in mp3 format! I've posted them on here periodically, and here they are again:www.ecurbh.com/~saxman/cu_wind_symphony_mars.mp3 www.ecurbh.com/~saxman/cu_wind_symphony_venus.mp3 www.ecurbh.com/~saxman/cu_wind_symphony_jupiter.mp3 www.ecurbh.com/~saxman/cu_wind_symphony_uranus.mp3It's not orchestral version, it's wind ensemble version, but in general these are my favorite recordings of them. Enjoy!! Steve-O Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 6, 2002 Share Posted November 6, 2002 Blah, it didn't hyperlink all the links :-P I'm trying again....Hey guys, Here's the Cornell University Wind Sumphony version of Mars, Venus, Uranus, and Jupiter in mp3 format! I've posted them on here periodically, and here they are again:www.ecurbh.com/~saxman/cu_wind_symphony_mars.mp3www.ecurbh.com/~saxman/cu_wind_symphony_venus.mp3www.ecurbh.com/~saxman/cu_wind_symphony_jupiter.mp3www.ecurbh.com/~saxman/cu_wind_symphony_uranus.mp3It's not orchestral version, it's wind ensemble version, but in general these are my favorite recordings of them. Enjoy!! Steve-O Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saxman717 22 Posted November 6, 2002 Share Posted November 6, 2002 Op, and just in case you're wondering, that Guest above is me, having forgotten to login :-P :roll: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickenstein 0 Posted November 6, 2002 Share Posted November 6, 2002 I have the Charles Dutoit version of it with the Montreal Symphony and it's fantastic. I believe this is also Marian's favorite version as well. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00...1138838-9708865 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesk 0 Posted November 6, 2002 Share Posted November 6, 2002 I'm not very fond of Mehta. Maybe it was my luck, but he spoiled several works, like playing Tchaikoksky's Romeo and Julia Overture too fast and bombastic, same with Beethoven's Ninth. After I heard other versions, I just could listen to Mehta's anymore. I do like from him the concert he did with the Israel orchestra and four famous violinists of Vivaldi's Four Seasons.As for Bernstein, I avoid him since I bought Mahler's 8th Symphony (DG). The guy spoils the recording by kicking the wooden podium in all the strong parts of the work. I hate when the conductor's ego disrespect the composer. I do like his Mahler's 5th (either he didn't kick the podium or it was make of rubber )There is an old Stokowski version, which is the first version I heard. Leopold does some changes in rythm and even instrumentation at the end of Mars. Interesting, but same comment as Berstein's.I currently settled with Karajan's, which is one of the very few ones in which you can actually hear there is an organ ascending arpeggio by the end of Neptune. I failed to notice it in other versions. I corroborated its existence in the written score.However, Mehta's offer is very attractive. For a person who wants to enter the world of classical music, coming from film music, I can find no better approach than the Planets and Zarathustra. Actually, that was exactly my introduction to classical, from Star Wars, to Holst, to Zarathustra (R.Strauss), then Stravinsky....an the rest of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 6, 2002 Share Posted November 6, 2002 The two disc set that you listed is an excellent buy! The Mehta version is as good as any (there is very little that Mehta has conducted that I would take exception to).I like the Bernstein and Levine versions that were mentioned, but I really like the Andre Previn version with the Royal Philharmonic. It is a Telarc recording and boasts some spectacular sonics in addition to solid conducting by a master and The Royal Phil at the top of their game.Just food for thought. :? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 6, 2002 Share Posted November 6, 2002 The Bernstein Mahler 8th is a live concert recording, which was never intended for commercial release. DG used it to plug the only gap in Bernstein's second traversal of the complete Mahler symphonies, since Lenny died before an authorized performance could be committed to disc. It is doubtful, had he lived, that the footstomping would have remained. It is no secret that Bernstein was something of an acrobat on the podium. Be that as it may, and despite your rather obvious prejudice against him, Bernstein remains, more than a decade after his death, unparallelled as a Mahler interpreter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 8,193 Posted November 7, 2002 Share Posted November 7, 2002 I have the Charles Dutoit version of it with the Montreal Symphony and it's fantastic. I believe this is also Marian's favorite version as well.Mine (of those that I've heard so far, obviously) and that of most people I've seen post in threads like these. It's also Gramophone's recording of choice. And the only version I've heard so far where you hear the organ in Mars - I've heard the work live twice, and I wouldn't even know there is an organ without the Dutoit recording.Marian - who'd like to hear Hermann's recording. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisAfonso 186 Posted November 7, 2002 Share Posted November 7, 2002 In my recording the organ is heard well in Mars, too.It's published by EMI Classics, the Toronto Symphony under the baton of Andrew Davis.It's only the second version of the Planets I've heard (the other one being an old scratchy LP, I believe with Karajan), and I must say I have nothing to complain about the CD other than the slightly slower tempo in one of the themes in "Jupiter" (the one beginning like this: g d e | f e d | g d e | A H c | ....).-chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker 5 Posted November 7, 2002 Share Posted November 7, 2002 The organ is noticable in Ormandy's recording as well.Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Barnsbury 8 Posted November 7, 2002 Author Share Posted November 7, 2002 Thanks so much for all the replies! I think I'll ask for the one I listed, as it has several pieces and includes JW, and was recommended by several of you. Ray Barnsbury Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Mark 3,631 Posted November 7, 2002 Share Posted November 7, 2002 @#!% !!K.M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Mark 3,631 Posted November 7, 2002 Share Posted November 7, 2002 I have the Charles Dutoit version of it with the Montreal Symphony and it's fantastic. I believe this is also Marian's favorite version as well. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000AFQQ/qid=1036605709/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/002-1138838-9708865The recording won a few internationnal prises.It's the version I have and happy with,i heard others.I also have the Metha one on some classical 2 c..d album with Star wars and Ce3K suites,but I only can say that the Metha one is terrible to the point of not even sounding like the the more decent recordings.never heard the Williams recorded one.Crusher was supposed to cdr it for me but I guess I won't be getting this anytime soon. The MSO also has great recordings of Ravel's Bolero and Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique.K.M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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