need your help here,

Does anyone which version of HOLST's THE PLANETS is the best on aspects such as:
audio quality
running time.

also... could you provide me with label info, or direct URL links to online shops as amazon.com / cdnow.com??

tnx.... for your help

I have a very good recording by Sir Neville Marriner and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam. It also includes 2 marches from Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance. Like I said, it's very good, and the sound quality is quite good as well, plus the disc is cheap.

I do think though that Planets can still get a good bit better, and I'll be interested to check out JJH's and Timmer's recommendations (Charles Dutoit, who's he?)

Which Karajan recording are you talking about, Timmer? I know there's one on his digital series (the one with the golden Deutsche Grammophon logo). I've always been interested in hearing this one, just because I generally like Karajan's recordings and, admittedly, because the cover art on this disc is very seducive.

NP: The Cell (Howard Shore)

The times break down to this:

Mars (7:11)
Venus (8:46)
Mercury (3:55)
Jupiter (7:49)
Saturn (9:04)
Uranus (5:52)
Neptune (7:51)

The perfromance sounds pretty good to me but like I said this is the only version I've listened to.

fine orchestra.

I hear their version is also commanding, but I haven't heard it.

(1) Charles Dutoit, Symphonie du Montreal

THE finest recording, sound, performance, tempo, PERIOD. This version has yet to be matched.

(2) Holst conducts Holst w/ The London Symphony Orchestra

Worth having for the simple reason that you have the composer interpreting his own work. A VERY old recording, but still listenable. Holst's tempos are INSANELY fast! A real gem of a collectors item!

Will research all these recommendations.

The problem here is that they are mostly all re-recordings.... (i.e. McNeely, Talgorn).... some conductors are not true to the timing of Holst's original work and if I am to go with an original (i.e. "Holst conducts Holst") I might end up with a less digital recording and more hiss, etc.... and other anomalies associated with "old original recordings"

However.... counting the recommendations, everyone seems to rely on Dutoits' interpretation so I will try that and second L. Bernsteins interpretation....

Really a lot of versions... :-)

Again, thanks and if you have anymore insights I'd be happy to hear from you.

I wonder why there are actual recordings by the Vienna State Opera Orchestra. Although they have the occassional performance of Verdi's Requiem or some ballett at the opera, they're primarily an opera orchestra. The Vienna Philharmonic consist entirely of members of the State Opera Orchestra (at least that's what I've heard - only members of the State Opera Orchestra can join the the Philharmonic), so why don't they use them?

quote:

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Originally posted by JJH:
"Mars" clocking in at 7:17?
isn't a bit slow?

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Sir Adrian Boult, New Philharmonia Orchestra, Ambrosian Singers. This was the July 1966 recording by Boult, who was apparently the master of recording and performing Holst's epic work. It was finally released on CD - EMI Classics, CDM 7243 5 66934 2 5.

Marian, you are right on the part of classical music, however I was referring more to the clarity of the recording on digital media.

*adding yet another item to my research-list*

I could have sworn Mars was about 6 minutes. oh well. that's what I get for not having my CDs.

quote:

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Originally posted by Marian Schedenig:
Okay, maybe I'm just too stupid but I still don't get what you mean by "re-recording". Or were you talking about the fact that Holst's own recording is NOT digital, and the digital recordings are NOT Holst's?

NP: The Music of Star Wars (arranged for organ)

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Chris Harben
Atlantic Beach, FL

anyhoo, I played the 1st trumpet part. I sat arounf for a long time IIRC, and then when I did come in, it was playing the famous march rhythms over and over and over and over and over....it was an inportant part though. The other 10 trumpet players has like 3 on Cornet parts. Me and the other guy were basically playing octaves.

very hard piece to play from an endurance standpoint, and a nightmare if you've never had to count 5/4 time before.

OKAY, the Dutoit version it is! (for now)
let's see how it racks up!!!
Thanks guys and galls.... ;-))

quote:

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Originally posted by Lou Goldberg:
I have a couple of versions of this, but not the Dutoit that seems to get major votes.

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So, which one would you recommend?

TimT: The version on Laserlight is an insider tip off; it is on a cheap label without the big stars, but the performance has gotten quite a bit of praise in many places, even on rec.music.classical.

Anyway, here's what I wrote:

Sounds like I have to get the Karajan as well, after all, even though the beginning of Jupiter sounds annoyingly fast-paced to me.

As for the Dutoit, it IS excellent. And you can hear the organ. I mean, how many of you knew that there IS an organ in Planets? I heard the work in the Vienna Konzerthaus earlier this year, with Dennis Russell Davies conducting the RSO Vienna (it was okayish but not great), and I couldn't hear the organ there.

SFT

quote:

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Originally posted by Marian Schedenig:
As for the Dutoit, it IS excellent. And you can hear the organ. I mean, how many of you knew that there IS an organ in Planets?

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On the version I had (the Mardjani one) there was an organ-type thing, but it sounded synthesized. On the Davis/Toronto version I got today, the organ is loud and clear.