Gustav Holst:
01. - 07. The Planets. Suite, op.32 [47'44]
Bournemouth Municipal Choir, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra conducted by George Hurst
From Menuetto Classics 848033074090 [recorded 1974; digital download released in 2018]
[digital download; flacs, cover scan, no booklet]
Recording venue: The Guildhall, SouthamptonRecording engineer: Brian Couzens; Producer: Brian Culverhouse
I have long enjoyed this performance of The Planets, finding it one of the best available but restricted by only being available in a relatively poor sounding LP from Contour Records. I was therefore surprised, and delighted, to find it hidden in a large and curious mishmash of disparate recordings released as a digital download by Menuetto Classics, part of the Countdown Media Group responsible for the fine Everest high-resolution issues. Unfortunately, the only standout in the collection is this recording of The Planets.
This issue reveals the original high-quality sound recording, rather spoiled in the Contour LP release, with an engineer who went on to found Chandos Records and a well-known EMI producer. And the performance, apart from a few blips in the orchestra, is as fine as most other contenders. Here, Mars is as menacing as you could hope, the big tune in Jupiter isn't milked and Uranus has all the rhythms beautifully pointed.
As there is no documentation provided with the download, I have included scans of the original LP sleeve.
01. - 07. The Planets. Suite, op.32 [51'08]
Royal Philharmonic Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Frank Shipway
From Denon 4192412 [recorded sometime before 2009; released in January 2009]
[digital download; flacs, cover scan, no booklet.]
Recording venue, engineer and producer unknown.
Here is another recording of The Planets which I have never come across before and whose provenance is shrouded in mystery. This was also found hidden in a online download site and the only firm information is that the download became available in 2009. I suspect that the actual recording date was much earlier although I can find no trace of an earlier release. It's another incongruous compilation with this Denon release also included Berlioz'Symphonie fantastique with the Frankfurt Radio orchestra conducted by Cesare Cantieri (who he?).
Given that Denon also have another recording of the work with the Royal Philharmonic in their catalogue, issued around the same time and superbly conducted by James Judd, this one seems a trifle unnecessary. Frank Shipway was a very fine, if controversial, British conductor who made excellent recordings of the Mahler Fifth Symphony and Shostakovich Tenth with the Royal Philharmonic and recordings of Richard Strauss, Walton and Hindemith in San Paolo for BIS. Here he seems a bit off form - rather relaxed and not a great deal of impact.