[Aghartha]

I saw this overture live a few weeks ago. It was my first concert and the first piece of the night, it blew me away. Since then I've been looking for a good quality recording of it. I have Solti with CSO playing it and now I have just heard Karajan with BPO. After the live performance the Solti version just doesn't sound powerful enough to me, it doesn't kick enough in the loud parts. The Karajan version is better but still seems a bit lacking to me.

I've tried to search the forum but I haven't found many recording recommendations for this particular piece. So, is there a powerful and well recorded version I should hear?

 

[Chi_townPhilly]

I don't know if you and I would be looking for the same thing(s) out of this work, if the first adjective that comes to your mind when seeking out a rendition of this is "powerful," but my "go-to" version of this piece is Stokowski-Philadelphia Orchestra.

 

[Vaneyes]

Abbado with Boston Symphony Orchestra is my favorite. Honorable mentions--Philharmonia/Muti, and OSM/Dutoit.

 

[joen_cph]

Except from a bunch of historical recordings (Mengelberg, Scherchen, Rodzinski, Celibidache 1948),

I´ve also got Y.Temirkanov/Kirov Orchestra, G.Simon/LSO, Ovchinnikov/USSR SO and Dorati/Washington Nat SO,
among which I´d recommend Ovchinnikov, unusually electrifying, but with the peculiar, authentic Russian brass sound. It is often coupled with an equally exceptional "Francesca da Rimini". The string playing reminds of Mravinsky´s recordings of the late Tchaikovsky symphonies, if you know them.

Dorati is not quite as exciting in this work, the same applies to the rather slow Geoffrey Simon on Chandos.
Stokowski sounds tempting, I don´t have that, don´t know about the sound quality though.

 

[13hm13]

One of my first classical recording purchases was Sheffield Labs direct-to-disc 1978 LA Phil. recording of R&J:

Just recently, I acquired DG's 1996 release:

And just yesterday, I was delighted to learn the local public library has the rare CD release of Mehta/LA Phil (recorded in early 70s):

I reserved a copy of Mehta and will compare the three when that CD is avail for pick up.

 

[jdec]

This one has been my favorite so far:

 

[mbhaub]

Charles Munch and Boston on RCA. Fabulous.
Gergeiv and the Kirov on Philips.
Ormandy and Philadelphia on RCA.

 

[13hm13]

One of my first classical recording purchases was Sheffield Labs direct-to-disc 1978 LA Phil. recording of R&J:

Oops -- I goofed!!! That's Prokofiev, not Tchaik. Yes, the Prok. is one of my first classical purchases, but I don't know what was my first Tchaik. R&J.
In any case, I'm after the "best" Tchaik. R&J.

 

[13hm13]

And just yesterday, I was delighted to learn the local public library has the rare CD release of Mehta/LA Phil (recorded in early 70s):

I reserved a copy of Mehta and will compare the three when that CD is avail for pick up.

I have now listened to Mehta/LAPhil/1972 recording and conclude that it's my favorite.
Pacing, speed, dynamics, overall "tightness" and (almost) the recording.
I say almost because it's not "perfect". The very dynamic parts (with bass drum, tympani or cymbal crash) sound crushed. As if the microphone and electronics are overloaded. Better engineering, improvements in recording know-how, and -- perhaps most important -- digital recording, have solved these problems.

 

[Heck148]

interesting - Solti/CSO is one of my two favorites, mainly because of the kickass orchestra playing and tremendous "wallop" and energy that is delivered. it's not underplayed in 5he least.. Toscsnini/NBC is my other favorite...another high energy, driving ahead version...

 

[Brahmsianhorn]

Don’t forget Karajan’s scintillating 1946 version with the VPO, available on EMI