BRUNO WALTER The Early Years

 

Celebrated as an outstanding conductor in an era of great conducting, Walter favored the Austro-German repertory all wellrepresented in this collection. While he championed the works of Mahler and actively sought new music for much of his life his fame lay in his exquisite recordings of Mozart, Beethoven and Haydn.

 

This collection includes 8CDs of his finest recordings and a new 60 minute audio documentary recounting the great conductor and aspects of his life.

 

Treating his players as colleagues, he drew a sensuous tone from the orchestra, employing rubato with consummate skill, juxtaposing fierce drama and warm lyricism. He sought to penetrate ‘to the core’ of a composition and, detesting ‘routine’ performances, continually endeavored to present a piece ‘as if it were receiving its world première’.

 

CD 1

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 1756-1791

[1]-[3] Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K466 27.01

Bruno Walter, piano

[4]-[6] Symphony No. 38 in D, K504 “Prague” 22.11

[7]-[10]Serenade No. 13 in G, K525 “Eine kleine Nachtmusik” 14.51

Wiener Philharmoniker

TOTAL DURATION 64.57

 

CD 2

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 1756-1791

[1] Overture “Le nozze di Figaro”, K492 4.00

British Symphony Orchestra

[2]-[5] Symphony No. 38 in D, K504 “Prague” 25.10

B.B.C. Symphony Orchestra

Recorded: 22.V.1934, No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road, London

[6] Overture “La Clemenza di Tito”, K621 4.15

[7] Overture “Le finta giardiniera”, K196 2.10

[8]-[11]Symphony No. 41 in C, K551 “Jupiter” 23.30

Wiener Philharmoniker

TOTAL DURATION 63.51

 

CD 3

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 1756-1791

[1]-[14]Requiem in D minor, K626 56.26

Elisabeth Schumann, soprano

Kerstin Thorborg, contralto

Anton Dermota, tenor

Alexander Kipnis, bass

Wiener Staatsopernchor

[15]-[17]3 Deutsche Tänze, K605 5.31

Wiener Philharmoniker

TOTAL DURATION 63.12

 

CD 4

Ludwig van Beethoven 1770-1827

[1]-[5] Symphony No. 6 in F, Op. 68 “Pastoral” 38.36

Wiener Philharmoniker

Joseph Haydn 1732-1809

[6]-[9] Symphony No. 92 in G, Hob.I.92 “Oxford” 22.37

Johann Strauss 1825-1899

[10] Die Fledermaus: Overture 7.31

Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire de Paris

TOTAL DURATION 68.44

 

CD 5

Franz Schubert 1797-1828

[1]-[2] Symphony No. 8 in B minor, D759 “Unfinished” 22.31

Richard Wagner 1813-1883

[ 3] Siegfried Idyll 16.46

Wiener Philharmoniker

[ 4] Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg – Act 1: Prelude 9.03

British Symphony Orchestra

Gustav Mahler 1860-1911

[5]-[9] Kindertotenlieder (Rückert) 23.11

Kathleen Ferrier, contralto

Wiener Philharmoniker

TOTAL DURATION (approx) 71.40

 

CD 6

Richard Wagner 1813-1883

Die Walküre

[1]-[13] Act I 62.12

[14]-[17] Act2, Scene 3 16.57

Lotte Lehmann, Sieglinde

Lauritz Melchior, Siegmund

Emanuel List, Hunding

Ella Flesch, Brünnhilde

Alfred Jerger, Wotan

Wiener Philharmoniker

TOTAL DURATION (approx) 79.26

 

CD 7

Gustav Mahler 1860-1911

[1]-[6] Das Lied von der Erde (from “Die chinesiche Flöte”) (Bethge) 57.29

Kerstin Thorborg, contralto

Charles Kullmann, tenor

Rückert-Lieder

[7] Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen 5.51

Kerstin Thorborg, contralto

Symphony No. 5 in C# minor

[8] IV. Adagietto 8.06

Wiener Philharmoniker

TOTAL DURATION (approx) 71.58

 

CD 8

Gustav Mahler 1860-1911

[1]-[4]Symphony No. 9 in D major

Wiener Philharmoniker

TOTAL DURATION 69.42

 

CD 9

BRUNO WALTER – THE MASTERY BEHIND THE MAGIC

(60 minute audio documentary)

 

EMI ICON 9cds 6790262