Anybody remembers ELP?

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

No need to read further if you don't know the acronym ELP B)

I loved ELP; in fact I was at their very first concert on the Isle of Wight. Naturally I had all albums, and of course I have all CDs. However, there is one I hate

'Pictures at an Exhibition', an ELPization of Mussorgsky's Ravel's arrangement, had a fade-out at the end of the first side of the vinyl album, then continued with a fade-in on the second side. There was of course not much that could have been done differently at the time.

However!

When I bought the CD (many, many years ago) I was shocked to find that they used the original vinyl cut - with the fade-out and fade-in in the middle!

Does anybody know if there is a version available with a new mix, without the fade-out/in in the middle?

[andsome]

Why not get a recording of the piece played properly? :D

[Irene]

No need to read further if you don't know the acronym ELP B)

I loved ELP; in fact I was at their very first concert on the Isle of Wight. Naturally I had all albums, and of course I have all CDs.

For anyone who is maybe too young to remember....

Take a look in here ELP

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

Why not get a recording of the piece played properly? :D

You are right; the boys didn't play it properly - they omitted the pauses between the different movements (pictures), leaving the studio techs no choice but to fade.

Later in their career they often played it as an 'encore' in concerts, often very fast; I once heard the whole thing played in less than 7 minutes. (That would have easily fitted on one album side!)

Anyway, I wonder if the remastered version mentioned in Irene's link is "unfaded"?

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

Just found on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pictures_at_an_exhibition a long list of different versions and arrangements from the original Mussorgsky piano score. ELP is listed, as well as Tomita.

[andsome]

The original piece was for piano duet. Ravel first orchestrated it and later Stokowski orchestrated it. Ravels orchestration remains the most popular, although I do prefer Stokowski's version. I have a recording of Ravels orchestration, and keep on meaning to get the one by Stokowski, I really must order one. It's a very impressive piece in either it's original form or one of the orchestrations. You really should at least try to listen to it as a piano duet, I certainly could never have even made a feeble attempt in my piano playing days.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

I did have the Mussorgsky piano recording on vinyl (as well as Ravel's orchestration), and I still have a Ravel version somewhere on CD. I didn't know that Stokowski created his own version, so I should try to get it. I know that his interpretations (as a conductor) are brilliant, so I can imagine that an arrangement of an existing piece must be exiting!

[ranger]

I remember them, but didn't really listen to a lot if their stuff, the only tune/song I can remember was their single Fanfare for the Common man and the B side Brain salad surgery (if I remember correctly the line went along "Brain salad surgery (if?) it works for you it works for me) don't know why I remember this small snippet

[andsome]

I did have the Mussorgsky piano recording on vinyl (as well as Ravel's orchestration), and I still have a Ravel version somewhere on CD. I didn't know that Stokowski created his own version, so I should try to get it. I know that his interpretations (as a conductor) are brilliant, so I can imagine that an arrangement of an existing piece must be exiting!

Exciting is the right word. I find Stokowski's interpretation to be more dynamic that Ravels. This has whetted my appetite again, and I will be looking on line later for a recording to buy. :D

P.S. I have by the way heard of the people concerned, I did not recognise the initials, not being a fan.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

Last night, while having a drink with friends, I suddenly remembered: yes, when I was rather young, a friend of mine had Stokowski's 'Pictures at an Exhibition'. There is one tableau with some chicken(s) in it, and both Mussorgsky and Ravel distinctly give it a chicken-ish sound. Stokowski however makes them sound like raging bulls! Dinosaurs, even, when he's in the mood...

If you find a good recording with Stokowski's 'Pictures', please let me know. I checked Amazon yesterday, but I didn't see anything interesting. (I did, however, find Mahler's Symphony No. 2 conducted by Stokowski (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mahler-Symphony-No.../dp/B00018D59O/), which I ordered immediately.)

[andsome]

Last night, while having a drink with friends, I suddenly remembered: yes, when I was rather young, a friend of mine had Stokowski's 'Pictures at an Exhibition'. There is one tableau with some chicken(s) in it, and both Mussorgsky and Ravel distinctly give it a chicken-ish sound. Stokowski however makes them sound like raging bulls! Dinosaurs, even, when he's in the mood...

If you find a good recording with Stokowski's 'Pictures', please let me know. I checked Amazon yesterday, but I didn't see anything interesting. (I did, however, find Mahler's Symphony No. 2 conducted by Stokowski (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mahler-Symphony-No.../dp/B00018D59O/), which I ordered immediately.)

The link shows you which one I ordered yesterday. It is by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. It is near to the bottom of the second page. I don't know what the postage will be to Japan, but it is free to UK buyers. They also show a version conducted by Stokowski, but this will be a very old recording, and may not be good quality.

Stokowski version of Pictures at an exhibition.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

Thanks for that! We have a very large HMV store in Shibuya - I may go and have a look there over the weekend.

[andsome]

Thanks for that! We have a very large HMV store in Shibuya - I may go and have a look there over the weekend.

I have revisited the website and changed my oder to a different reording.

Order No: 12637628

1 CD Knussen: Cleveland Orch Mussorgsky/Stokowski: Pictures At An Exhibition: Night On Bald Mountain GBP 9.99

Personally, being a bit of a purist where Mahler is concerned I would have hesitated to buy a Stokowski recording of the Resurrection Symphony. My favourite would have to be by the American amateur musician Gilbert Kaplan. He regularly tours the world conducting this one piece. I was lucky enough to hear him conduct the symphony in Symphony Hall in Birmingham. The combination of the wonderful City of Birmingham Symphony orchestra with several choirs, Kaplan conducting and the world beating acoustics of Symphony Hall made a memorable evening. If you like Mahler's big choral symphonies, I can thoroughly recommend either Simon Rattle or Klaus Tendstedt for the eighth symphony. I attended a performance of the eighth symphony again in Symphony hall conducted by Rattle, there were over 600 performers on the stage that evening. It is essential for this piece to sound right for the small brass band part to be performed off stage, so that it is heard from a distance.

Take your pick for Kaplan

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

I am actually just curious how the Resurrection sounds at the hands of Stokowski. It will certainly be interesting!

I have Klaus Tendstedt's full set of Mahler symphonies, as well as Georg Solti's (my favorite). I have a few others, including Karajan and Bernstein, but I find them a bit boring. I will look for your recommendations at the HMV store tomorrow.

P.S. My best live experience with Mahler symphonies was some two years ago. In the afternoon I saw Symphony No. 8, conducted by Bernini, and in the evening - at the other side of the city - I saw Sinopoli conducting Symphony No. 2!

[andsome]

Karajan can sound a bit stilted, and too precise at times. I know he is world famous, but certainly for me he lacks flair and imagination, and doesn't bring anything to the music. I am a great fan of Colin Davis also, and perhaps one of the most exciting conductors today, certainly of music by Tchaikovsky is Valery Gergiev.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

Went to Shibuya on Sunday afternoon, but stopped at the annual Thai festival at Yoyogi park (around the Olympic stadium). Much bigger than the years before, many artists, bands, and traditional dancers from Thailand; almost every Thai restaurant in town had a food stall open, but more people than I have ever seen together - it was wild! Waiting for a dish a of Pad Thai at any stall takes some 30 minutes, but fortunately the waiting queue for durian was not so long, so I had a nice slice of durian. But when I finally came out I was too tired to go to the HMV store.

So I went again last night, and I found a double CD with five versions of 'Pictures at an Exhibition':

1. the original piano version, played by Ashkenaze
   
2. the Ravel orchestration, cunducted by Sir Georg Solti
   
3. the Stokowsi version, by the New Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Stokowski in 1965
   
4. a version by some Elgar H.
   
5. a version by some Momoko K.
   

[andsome]

Went to Shibuya on Sunday afternoon, but stopped at the annual Thai festival at Yoyogi park (around the Olympic stadium). Much bigger than the years before, many artists, bands, and traditional dancers from Thailand; almost every Thai restaurant in town had a food stall open, but more people than I have ever seen together - it was wild! Waiting for a dish a of Pad Thai at any stall takes some 30 minutes, but fortunately the waiting queue for durian was not so long, so I had a nice slice of durian. But when I finally came out I was too tired to go to the HMV store.

So I went again last night, and I found a double CD with five versions of 'Pictures at an Exhibition':

1. the original piano version, played by Ashkenaze
   
2. the Ravel orchestration, cunducted by Sir Georg Solti
   
3. the Stokowsi version, by the New Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Stokowski in 1965
   
4. a version by some Elgar H.
   
5. a version by some Momoko K.
   

Was it a double CD?

[andsome]

This all that I can find on Elgar H.

Howarth, Elgar

English conductor. He studied with Maxwell Davies in Manchester, when he was a trumpet player. Maxwell Davies wrote his Opus 1 Sonata for Trumpet for him in 1955. He conducted the premières of First Ferry to Hoy in 1985 and Mishkenot in 1988.

There would appear to be several under the name Momoko K.

It's a pity that the Ashkenaze recording did not have another pianist, it is more dynamic played as a piano duet. However, he is brilliant and it should be good.

I am interested in hearing how you compare the orchestrations by Ravel and Stokowski.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

Yes, it's a double CD by DECCA (http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=UCCD-3398).

The 5th arrangement is by Momoko Kamiya, who seems to be a marimba player. Curious what her arrangement sounds like - haven't had the time to listen to any of it yet.

[andsome]

Don't forget to let us know what you think of the two main orchestrations.