[78-L] Bernstein's Rhapsody

[David Weiner]

I dunno - I find Levant to be sloppy and surfacey in his performances. I
also am not crazy about Jesus Maria Sanroma with the Boston Pops - I think
his RCA is the first complete recording? Rushed and messy. The most
satisfactory recordings, for me, are more recent - by Earl Wild, Jeffrey
Siegel and Werner Haas.  Kay Swift rated the Haas recording highly, as
being most similar to George's playing style.

Dave Weiner

On 7/6/13 2:51 PM, "Ryan Wolfe" <nextset4 at yahoo.com> wrote:

>Couldn't agree more over Bernstein's.    Ad it's often touted as a must
>have version in the books.
>
>That old ca. 1946 Ormandy / Levant set is extremely common on shellac or
>vinyl and one of the best.    It's got the elements in the right
>proportions.
>
>
>________________________________
> From: Jeff Sultanof <jeffsultanof at gmail.com>
>To: 78-L Mail List <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
>Sent: Saturday, July 6, 2013 10:46 AM
>Subject: Re: [78-L] Bernstein's Rhapsody
> 
>
>Lennie always touted himself as a bit of a jazz expert. This recording
>should have disappeared years ago. Agreed it is horrible.
>
>I've always like the performances of Oscar Levant myself.
>
>
>On Sat, Jul 6, 2013 at 1:43 PM, Malcolm Rockwell <malcolm at 78data.com>
>wrote:
>
>> Thank you, I fully agree. There are so many clams in the piano
>> performance you coulda made a nice stew (try at 3:18, 3:38, 7:44 and
>> 8:04, for instance). I consider Lennie's version the aural equivalent of
>> "Hamlet" for over emoting.
>> If you want to listen, here it is:
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BceRaRpUnLg
>> Mal
>>
>> *******
>>
>> On 7/6/2013 7:24 AM, David Lennick wrote:
>> > One of the worst performances, for my money, and it's Lenny himself.
>> Bernstein
>> > showed a surprising misunderstanding of things jazzy. Previn's
>> performances are
>> > even more self-indulgent.
>> >
>> > Iturbi started the precedent of conducting the Wrapsidney while
>>mangling
>> the
>> > piano part in 1937.
>> >
>> > dl
>> >
>> > On 7/6/2013 1:19 PM, Malcolm Rockwell wrote:
>> >> Somewhat off topic as this is a 33rpm performance, but who was the
>> >> pianist on Lennie Bernstein's 1960 rendition of the "Rhapsody In
>>Blue"
>> >> on Columbia (rec. Brooklyn, NY on 06/23/59)? "An American In Paris"
>>is
>> >> on the other side. Was it actually LB himself? And if so how does one
>> >> conduct a full orchestra while simultaneously playing the piano
>>parts?
>> >> The piece is complicated enough, already.
>> >> Although many consider this to be the ne plus ultra of the Rhapsody,
>> I
>> >> still prefer Levant's 78rpm interpretation.
>> >> Mal
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