Frequently Bought Together
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Product details
|
Reviews
Product Description
The audio recording of the Dvorák 9 from this Kempe DVD has been released on BBC Legends, and was a Penguin Guide Rosette Winner. In this performance of Strauss, we witness Kempes mastery in securing issues of structure, atmosphere and emotional intensity (David Patmore), along with his unfailing musicality. According to the Times critic, Joan Chissell, Kempes performance of Heldenleben won him a heros ovation, and rightly Conducting without a score, Mr. Kempe gave detailed guidance to every player, yet at the same time retained the ability to stand back and view the work in perspective. The performance of Dvorák 9 a year later was described by Chissell as glowing enough to make you fall in love with its familiar strains all over again.
Review
fascinating mid 70's footage of Kempe at the Proms,caught in vintage colour.Famous for his Ein Heldenleben,he is even more illuminating in Dvorak's New World Symphony. Performance ***** Picture & Sound **** --BBC Music Magazine,July'11
A valuable document of past glories,both television and musical. --Gramophone Awards issue,11
This New World is one that emerges as a real eye-opener and a very different work from the one that we re usually presented with. It justifiably receives a huge ovation from the audience. --MusicWeb Inernational, 2 June 2011
A valuable document of past glories,both television and musical. --Gramophone Awards issue,11
This New World is one that emerges as a real eye-opener and a very different work from the one that we re usually presented with. It justifiably receives a huge ovation from the audience. --MusicWeb Inernational, 2 June 2011
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organise and find favourite items. |
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Finally after 37 years, these magnificent performances have been released. I attended both concerts and have had to live in hope for decades that they would finally see the light of day.
Kempe was,without doubt,one of the greatest postwar conductors although he never had a publicity machine behind him to advance his career. Although he specialized in Opera for the greater part of his conducting life,he was Beecham's choice to take over as chief conductor of the RPO in 1961.From then on his orchestral career particularly in London in the 60's and the first half of the 70's was a great success.He was appointed chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra in 1975 and had hardly begun with them before tragically dying the next year at the early age of 66.He was also chief conductor of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra at the time of his death.
These two performances(both from promenade concerts)with "his" two orchestras are nothing short of magnificent.
Amongst his many attributes Kempe was THE Strauss specialist.The 1974 Heldenleben with the RPO is one of the finest performances he ever gave.The electric atmosphere gives an extra impetus to the music and the orchestra does sterling service for the occasion.
A year later, with his new orchestra, Kempe led a performance of the Dvorak that has developed legendary status.It is simply one of the finest performaces of this symphony ever given.
It has taken decades for these two performances to be finally released, however they are highly reccomended.
Kempe was,without doubt,one of the greatest postwar conductors although he never had a publicity machine behind him to advance his career. Although he specialized in Opera for the greater part of his conducting life,he was Beecham's choice to take over as chief conductor of the RPO in 1961.From then on his orchestral career particularly in London in the 60's and the first half of the 70's was a great success.He was appointed chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra in 1975 and had hardly begun with them before tragically dying the next year at the early age of 66.He was also chief conductor of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra at the time of his death.
These two performances(both from promenade concerts)with "his" two orchestras are nothing short of magnificent.
Amongst his many attributes Kempe was THE Strauss specialist.The 1974 Heldenleben with the RPO is one of the finest performances he ever gave.The electric atmosphere gives an extra impetus to the music and the orchestra does sterling service for the occasion.
A year later, with his new orchestra, Kempe led a performance of the Dvorak that has developed legendary status.It is simply one of the finest performaces of this symphony ever given.
It has taken decades for these two performances to be finally released, however they are highly reccomended.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
1 review
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
outstanding performances, ok sound
13 Mar 2011
Amazon Verified Purchase
I have always been a fan of Rudolf Kempe. His interpretations of the the German repertoire were non-pareil in terms of clarity and nuance. This is the first video of him I've seen, and it's a doozy.
Ein Heldenleben (A Hero's Life) is a great piece, but hard to bring off unless it's by a very sensitive and non- bombastic conductor. Kempe fits the bill perfectly.
Dvorak's "New World Symphony" is treated to more than the usual run-through. Little touches of insight and dynamic nuance abound, and the enthusiastic Proms audience obviously loves the whole thing. Kempe doesn't turn the Adagio into a dirge, unlike some other conductors, and the movement flows beautifully.
As for the sound, I'm still wondering why this is not at least in stereo. The BBC was surely broadcasting in stereo in the mid-seventies? Mono it is, so I had to play with my various virtual surround options to give it some body. The sound itself is a little lacking in depth, and a bit screechy, but it is much better than the Solti/Elgar release on this label (ICA) from the same period. As a comparison, Bernstein's concert performances from that period were much better recorded. So it's 4 stars because of the recording, not the performance. Video is very good, and shows what a sensitive and genteel conductor Kempe was.
I was able to pick this up for under $12 from Classical Music Superstore on the one day they had it at this price, but it's well worth the regular $20 or so.
I hope we are offered more from Kempe with any of the British orchestras he worked with.
Ein Heldenleben (A Hero's Life) is a great piece, but hard to bring off unless it's by a very sensitive and non- bombastic conductor. Kempe fits the bill perfectly.
Dvorak's "New World Symphony" is treated to more than the usual run-through. Little touches of insight and dynamic nuance abound, and the enthusiastic Proms audience obviously loves the whole thing. Kempe doesn't turn the Adagio into a dirge, unlike some other conductors, and the movement flows beautifully.
As for the sound, I'm still wondering why this is not at least in stereo. The BBC was surely broadcasting in stereo in the mid-seventies? Mono it is, so I had to play with my various virtual surround options to give it some body. The sound itself is a little lacking in depth, and a bit screechy, but it is much better than the Solti/Elgar release on this label (ICA) from the same period. As a comparison, Bernstein's concert performances from that period were much better recorded. So it's 4 stars because of the recording, not the performance. Video is very good, and shows what a sensitive and genteel conductor Kempe was.
I was able to pick this up for under $12 from Classical Music Superstore on the one day they had it at this price, but it's well worth the regular $20 or so.
I hope we are offered more from Kempe with any of the British orchestras he worked with.
Was this review helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
