Live concerts are the best!! there's nothing like it, and even the best recording cannot duplicate the audio-visual thrill of live performance...
I've heard so many wonderful concerts - the greatest live concert I've ever heard was the Solti/CSO performing Mahler 5 in Carnegis Hall - 3/70...this concert has attained a rather "legendary" status [well-deserved]...It was really incredible, the conducting, the amazing virtuosity of the orchestra, great playing throughout...I had heard most of the world's greatest orchestras by then, and this was simply on a different level....the end of the symphony was unbelievable - loudest acoustical sound I've ever heard, and Trumpet I [A. Herseth] was the single loudest human being I've ever heard [He also totally aced all the tricky soft stuff]!! orchestra was going totally nuts volume-wise, with the trumpet just soaring, blazing over the top - no strained, forced sound, just clean, full tone, incredibly loud and pure....just soared over the orchestra...
The audience went crazy - instant SO - wild applause, whistles, yells, hoots, hollering, like at a football game or a rock concert...it went on non-stop for 35 minutes at least...finally Solti came out for the XXXteenth time, and dragged the concertmaster off - <<We've got a plane to catch!!>>
Many years later, maybe c. '89 - same forces, Solti/CSO - performed Shostakovich #8 in Boston Symphony Hall...that was really amazing, too...shattering experience - even better than their great live recording for London/Decca.
I heard Solti/CSO several times in early 70s @ Carnegie Hall - all unforgettable - great concerts - Ein Heldenleben, Bruckner Sym #7, Brahms #1, Tchaik Sym #5...
So many more great, honorable mentions, these sort of ottomh:
Ormandy/Phila - at Eastman Theater, Rochester - Schuman NE Triptych, Brahms Sym #2...wow!! what a show...wonderful Schuman - thrilling Brahms...
Salonen/CSO, Rite of Spring, Petrushka, Mahler Sym #9 - just a couple of years ago
Stokowski/American Sym - c 1964 - Lincoln Center [I think] - Also Sprach Zarathustra, Ives Sym #4, a Rorem piece...this was right around the time Stoki recorded the Ives. I was still in High School - was totally blown away!!
Ormandy/Phila - at Saratoga Perf Arts Ctr - Beethoven Sym #7, Sibelius #2
Levine/BSO - Rite of Spring, Schoenberg 5 Pieces for Orch
Nelsons/BSO - Shostakovich Syms 4,7, Mahler 6....very excellent performances.....
I probably missed a few....
I've heard so many wonderful concerts - the greatest live concert I've ever heard was the Solti/CSO performing Mahler 5 in Carnegis Hall - 3/70...this concert has attained a rather "legendary" status [well-deserved]...It was really incredible, the conducting, the amazing virtuosity of the orchestra, great playing throughout...I had heard most of the world's greatest orchestras by then, and this was simply on a different level....the end of the symphony was unbelievable - loudest acoustical sound I've ever heard, and Trumpet I [A. Herseth] was the single loudest human being I've ever heard [He also totally aced all the tricky soft stuff]!! orchestra was going totally nuts volume-wise, with the trumpet just soaring, blazing over the top - no strained, forced sound, just clean, full tone, incredibly loud and pure....just soared over the orchestra...
The audience went crazy - instant SO - wild applause, whistles, yells, hoots, hollering, like at a football game or a rock concert...it went on non-stop for 35 minutes at least...finally Solti came out for the XXXteenth time, and dragged the concertmaster off - <<We've got a plane to catch!!>>
Many years later, maybe c. '89 - same forces, Solti/CSO - performed Shostakovich #8 in Boston Symphony Hall...that was really amazing, too...shattering experience - even better than their great live recording for London/Decca.
I heard Solti/CSO several times in early 70s @ Carnegie Hall - all unforgettable - great concerts - Ein Heldenleben, Bruckner Sym #7, Brahms #1, Tchaik Sym #5...
So many more great, honorable mentions, these sort of ottomh:
Ormandy/Phila - at Eastman Theater, Rochester - Schuman NE Triptych, Brahms Sym #2...wow!! what a show...wonderful Schuman - thrilling Brahms...
Salonen/CSO, Rite of Spring, Petrushka, Mahler Sym #9 - just a couple of years ago
Stokowski/American Sym - c 1964 - Lincoln Center [I think] - Also Sprach Zarathustra, Ives Sym #4, a Rorem piece...this was right around the time Stoki recorded the Ives. I was still in High School - was totally blown away!!
Ormandy/Phila - at Saratoga Perf Arts Ctr - Beethoven Sym #7, Sibelius #2
Levine/BSO - Rite of Spring, Schoenberg 5 Pieces for Orch
Nelsons/BSO - Shostakovich Syms 4,7, Mahler 6....very excellent performances.....
I probably missed a few....
