When I get (or get to) my set, I will probably and unimaginatively start at Disc 1 and work my way through, but for old-time's sake I might look first for his recordings of An American in Paris and the Classical Symphony, the first record I listened to obsessively (Gershwin on one side, Prokofiev on the other) -- it was only much later I realized that those two pieces were kind of unusual repertory for him.
Daniel's got it: I hadn't even known he made recordings with the orchestra of La Scala, and they're chronologically earliest. So maybe La Scala, Philly, NYPO, NBCSO.
You could start with Horowitz playing Pictures at an Exhibition, just to get it out of the way. (What the hell is that doing in the Toscanini set, anyway?) For me it was the Beethoven Septet on a peaceful and sunny afternoon. If it had been a stormy night I would have gone for the last act of Rigoletto.
The Vaughn Williams collection, definitely.
ReplyDeleteSo, are you getting the 107-disc (!!!) set of the complete Furtwängler recordings too? :-)
ReplyDeletehttp://tinyurl.com/727trnv
The question is about the Toscanini set. And hmmmm re Furt.
ReplyDeleteI would go either chronological (date of recording) or regional, starting with the Italians and then moving outward.
ReplyDeleteWhen I get (or get to) my set, I will probably and unimaginatively start at Disc 1 and work my way through, but for old-time's sake I might look first for his recordings of An American in Paris and the Classical Symphony, the first record I listened to obsessively (Gershwin on one side, Prokofiev on the other) -- it was only much later I realized that those two pieces were kind of unusual repertory for him.
ReplyDeleteDaniel's got it: I hadn't even known he made recordings with the orchestra of La Scala, and they're chronologically earliest. So maybe La Scala, Philly, NYPO, NBCSO.
ReplyDeleteThe question is about the Toscanini set
ReplyDeleteYour sarcasm meter must not have been working last night.
I admit to being....surprised...that you suggested I start with RVW!
ReplyDeleteYou could start with Horowitz playing Pictures at an Exhibition, just to get it out of the way. (What the hell is that doing in the Toscanini set, anyway?) For me it was the Beethoven Septet on a peaceful and sunny afternoon. If it had been a stormy night I would have gone for the last act of Rigoletto.
ReplyDeleteGotterdammerung on the way to jujitsu class, and it'll be Pines and Fountains on the way home.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I would've gone straight to the Respighi and skipped the Wagner, but otherwise, I'm on board.
ReplyDeleteBTW: saintrussell is right to ask, what is a Horowitz rendition of Pictures doing on this box set anyways?
"Gotterdammerung on the way to jujitsu class."
ReplyDeleteDamn. Great title for a piece.
I have no idea why Horowitz's Pictures performance is in this set - maybe RCA was channeling EMI! I'm not a big fan of the piece, so I might skip it.
ReplyDeleteThe Wagner and Respighi were pretty damn great, and Daniel, feel free to steal the title!
Try the Harold in Italy, Lisa, with Primrose.
ReplyDelete