Dimitri Mitropoulos – The Complete RCA and Columbia Album Collection (Sony Classical)

On n’osait plus l’espérer, mais SONY Classical vient d’annoncer la parution en avril 2022 d’un important coffret regroupant tous les enregistrements réalisés par Dimitri Mitropoulos pour Columbia et RCA.

Pour certains enregistrements, notamment des concertos avec Isaac Stern et Zino Francescatti, le coffret comporte également à titre de complément des enregistrements dirigés par d’autres chefs. 

Le coffret propose les extraits de Boris Godounov enregistrés pour le « Book of the Month Club », mais on n’y trouve cependant pas les autres enregistrements réalisés pour d’autres éditeurs, à savoir notamment:

-Bach-Casella Chaconne & Malipiero Symphonie n°7 « Delle Canzoni » RAI Orch. Torino (Cetra Soria)

-Prokofiev Ouverture sur des Thèmes Hébreux Op.34 & Quintette en sol majeur Op.39 Howard Swanson Night Music  D. Mitropoulos, cond. « The New York Ensemble of the Philharmonic Scholarship Winners » (US Decca).

-Puccini Madama Butterfly (abrégé) Dorothy Kirsten, Mildred Miller, Daniele Barioni – Metropolitan Opera Orchestra (Book of the Month Club)

-Puccini Tosca (intégrale) avec Dorothy Kirsten, Daniele Barioni, Frank Guarrera, Salvatore Baccaloni  – Metropolitan Opera Orchestra (Book of the Month Club)

-Schoenberg Serenade Op.24 Warren Galjour, Baryton, Louis Krasner, Ralph Mersh, Seymour Barab, Clark Brody, Eric Simon, Sal Piccardi, John Smith (Concert Hall). Il serait souhaitable que l’éditeur trouve un moyen d’inclure cet enregistrement, car il a été approuvé par le compositeur

-Tchaïkovsky Eugène Onegine (extraits en anglais) Frank Guarrara, Richard Tucker, Lucine Amara, Rosalind Elias, Giorgio Tozzi  – Metropolitan Opera Orchestra (Book of the Month Club).

-Wagner Walküre (extraits) avec Ramon Vinay, Marianne Schech, Norman Scott, Hermann Uhde et Blanche Thebom  –  Metropolitan Opera Orchestra (Book of the Month Club).

On se réjouira tout particulièrement de voir enfin republier tous ses enregistrements avec le Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, que Columbia a très peu réédités. La plupart n’ont été rendus accessibles que grâce aux efforts conjoints du petit éditeur Nickson et de l’orchestre, mais ces CD publiés dans les années 90 sont maintenant pratiquement  introuvables.

Ce que Mitropoulos a enregistré pour le disque  (une seule symphonie de Beethoven, de Mahler ou de Prokofiev, aucune symphonie ni aucun concerto de Brahms, pratiquement pas d’opéras etc..), est très loin de représenter son vaste répertoire  et on ne peut que souhaiter qu’un effort de même ampleur soit consenti pour regrouper ses enregistrements publics, dont beaucoup ont certes été publiés, mais ces éditions ne sont pas récentes en tendent à devenir de plus en plus difficiles à trouver.

_____________

It was no longer hoped, but SONY Classical has just announced an important Boxset to be published in April 2022. It will be comprised of all the recordings made by Dimitri Mitropoulos for Columbia and RCA.

For some  recordings, e.g. concertos with Isaac Stern and Zino Francescatti, performances with other conductors are offered as a complement.

The Boxset gives the excerpts of Boris Godounov that were recorded for the « Book of the Month Club ». Unfortunately, no other recording made for other firms are to be found, especially:

–Bach-Casella Chaconne  & Malipiero Symphony n°7 « Delle Canzoni » RAI Orch. Torino (Cetra Soria)

-Prokofiev Overture on Hebrew Themes  Op.34 & Quintet in G major Op.39  – Howard Swanson Night Music   D. Mitropoulos, cond. « The New York Ensemble of the Philharmonic Scholarship Winners » (US Decca).

-Puccini Madama Butterfly (slightly abridged) Dorothy Kirsten, Mildred Miller, Daniele Barioni – Metropolitan Opera Orchestra (Book of the Month Club)

-Puccini Tosca (complete) with Dorothy Kirsten, Daniele Barioni, Frank Guarrera, Salvatore Baccaloni  – Metropolitan Opera Orchestra (Book of the Month Club)

-Schoenberg Serenade Op.24 Warren Galjour, Baryton, Louis Krasner, Ralph Mersh, Seymour Barab, Clark Brody, Eric Simon, Sal Piccardi, John Smith (Concert Hall). Let’s hope the editor will find a way to include it, since it was approved by the composer.

-Tchaïkovsky Eugene Onegin (excerpts in English) Frank Guarrara, Richard Tucker, Lucine Amara, Rosalind Elias, Giorgio Tozzi – Metropolitan Opera Orchestra (Book of the Month Club).

-Wagner Walküre  (excerpts) with Ramon Vinay, Marianne Schech, Norman Scott, Hermann Uhde and Blanche Thebom –  Metropolitan Opera Orchestra (Book of the Month Club).

it is a major event to see back in the catalog all his recordings with the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, which Columbia only sparcely reissued, . Most of them had been made available thanks to the joint efforts of the small firm Nickson and of the orchestra, but this dates back to the 90’s and these CDS are now almost impossible to find.

Mitropoulos commercial recordings (only one symphony by Beethoven, Mahler or Prokofiev, no symphony and no concerto by Brahms, almost no opera etc..) are very far from representing his very large repertoire, and let’s hope that an effort of the same scope will be made to publish together his public recordings. Many of them have already been published, but these editions are not recent and have become  more and more difficult to find.

_____________

Le contenu du coffret (69 CD) est le suivant/ The content of the Boxset is as follows:

CD1- Liszt, Arr. Busoni:Rhapsodie Espagnole, S.254 – Borodin: Symphony No 2 in B Minor, Op. 5 Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra

CD2- Mozart: Thamos, König in Ägypten, K.345/336a: Entr’acte No. 1 – Entr’acte No. 2 –  Grieg: 2 Elegiac Melodies, Op. 34 – Bach, J.S., Arr. L. Weiner: Toccata, Adagio & Fugue in C Major, BWV 564 – Lully, Arr. Mottl: Ballet du temple de la paix, LWV 69 – Dvořák: Slavonic Dances, Op. 46 n°1 & 3 – Chabrier: Joyeuse marche – Meyerbeer: Le prophète, Act III: Coronation March Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra

CD3-Bach, J.S., Arr. Mitropoulos: Fantasia and Fugue in G Minor, BWV 542 « Great »
Bach, J.S., Arr. H. Bösenroth: Choral Prelude for Organ BWV 680 « Wir glauben all’ an einen Gott »  – Glazunov: Overture on Three Greek Themes, Op. 3, No. 1    Ravel, Arr. Chardon: Piece en Forme de Habanera Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra

Glazunov, Arr. Rogal-Lewitzsky: Chopiniana – Suite for Orchestra based on Piano Pieces by Frederic Chopin, Op. 46 – Robin Hood Dell Orchestra

CD4 -Mozart: Concerto No. 10 in E-Flat Major for Two Pianos and Orchestra, K. 365 – Vitya Vronsky & Victor Babin Robin Hood Dell Orchestra
Piano Concerto No. 7 in F Major for Three Pianos and Orchestra, K.242 « Lodron Concerto » Rosina Lhevinne, Vitya Vronsky & Victor Babin Little Orchestra Society (Thomas Scherman)

CD5 – Milhaud: Le boeuf sur le toît, Op. 58 – Ravel: Le tombeau de Couperin, M. 68a – Couperin, Arr. Milhaud: Overture and Allegro from « La Sultane Suite » Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra
Rabaud: La procession nocturne, Op. 6 – New York Philharmonic

CD6 – Chausson: Symphony in B-Flat Major, Op. 20 – Walton: Portsmouth Point Overture Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra

CD7 – Puccini: Manon Lescaut, Act III: Intermezzo – Mascagni: Cavalleria rusticana, Act II: Intermezzo Wolf-Ferrari: I gioielli della Madonna (The jewels of the Madonna). Act II: Intermezzo; Act III: Intermezzo – Menotti: Sebastian (Ballet Suite) Robin Hood Dell Orchestra
Massenet: Scènes Alsaciennes Suite No. 7 Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra

CD8 – Rachmaninoff: The Isle of the Dead, Op. 29 – Vaughan-Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra

CD9- Mahler: Symphony No. 1 in D Major « Titan » – Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra

CD10 – Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 17 « Little Russian » – Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra

CD11 – Khachaturian: Piano Concerto in D-Flat Major, Op. 38 – Rubinstein: Piano Concerto No. 4, Op. 70 Oscar Levant – New York Philharmonic

CD12 – Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-Flat Major, Op. 23 (Remastered 1999) Artur Rubinstein – Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra

CD13 – Poulenc: Concerto in D Minor for Two Pianos and Orchestra Arthur Whittemore & Jack Lowe RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra

Brahms: Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 56b for Two Pianos – (Arthur Whittemore & Jack Lowe)

CD14 – Sessions: Symphony No. 2 – Gould: Philharmonic Waltzes  New York Philharmonic
Lalo: Le roi d’Ys: Overture – Siegmeister: Ozark set  Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra

CD15 – Schumann: Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 97 « Rhenish »
Weinberger: Schwanda the Bagpiper – Gould: Ministrel Show Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra

CD16 – Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 27 Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra

CD17 – Franck: Symphony in D Minor, FWV 48 Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra

CD18 – Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 36 Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra

CD19 – Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68 « Pastorale » Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra

CD20 – Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 56, « Scotch » – Capriccio brillant in B Minor, Op. 22 Joanna Graudan, piano – Octet in E-Flat Major, Op. 20: III. Scherzo. Allegro leggierissimo Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra

CD21 – Dukas: L’Apprenti sorcier in F Minor – Rimsky-Korsakov: The Golden Cockerel (Suite) Prokofiev: Symphony No. 1 in D Major, Op. 25 « Classical » – Glière: Red Poppy Ballet Suite: Russian Sailor’s Dance Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra

CD22 – Schumann: Symphony No. 2 in C Major, Op. 61
Rimsky-Korsakov: The Golden Cockerel (Suite); Bridal Procession Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra

CD23 – Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 11 Edward Kilenyi – Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra

CD24 – Brahms: Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 56a « St. Anthony’s Choral »
Weber: Jubel-Ouvertüre, Op. 59 – Beethoven: Coriolan Overture, Op. 62 Leonore Overture No. 3 in C Major, Op. 72a  Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra

CD25 – Bloch: Schelomo – Hebraic Rhapsody for Cello & Orchestra
Saint-Saëns: Cello Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 33 Leonard Rose New York Philharmonic

CD26 – Stravinsky: Petrushka (1911 Version)- New York Philharmonic

CD27/28 – Berg: Wozzeck, Op. 7 Mack Harrell, Eileen Farrell, Joseph Mordino, Ralph Herbert, David Loyd New York Philharmonic

CD29 -Debussy: La Mer New York Philharmonic
Debussy: Images pour orchestre, L. 122, No. 2 – Philadelphia Orchestra (Ormandy)

CD30 – Schoenberg: Erwartung, Op. 17 Dorothy Dow New York Philharmonic
Krenek: Symphonic Elegy for String Orchestra (In Memoriam of Anton Webern)
Schoenberg: Verklärte Nacht, Op. 4 Strings of the New York Philharmonic

CD31 – Bruch: Concerto No. 1 in G Minor for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 26 – Saint-Saëns Concerto No. 3 in B Minor for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 61 Zino Francescatti New York Philharmonic
Beethoven: Romance for Violin and Orchestra in G Major, Op. 40 & in F Major, Op. 50 Zino Francescatti Columbia Symphony Orchestra (Jean Morel)

CD32 – Gould: Fall River Legend Ballet Suite – Couperin, Arr. Milhaud: Overture and Allegro from « La Sultane Suite » – Travis: Symphonic Allegro New York Philharmonic
Gottschalk: Cakewalk Ballet Suite Philadelphia Orchestra (Ormandy)

CD33 – Berlioz: Roméo et Juliette, Op. 17, H 79 (Orchestral) – New York Philharmonic

CD34 – Prokofiev: Concerto No. 2 in G Minor for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 63 Zino Francescatti New York Philharmonic
Bach, J.S.: Violin Concerto No. 2 in E Major, BWV 1042 Zino Francescatti Cleveland Orchestra (Szell)
Prokofiev: Concerto No. 3 for Piano and Orchestra in C Major, Op. 26 Dimitri Mitropoulos piano & cond. Robin Hood Dell Orchestra

CD35 – Scriabin: Symphony No. 4, Op. 54 « Le Poème de l’extase » Promethée, le poème du feu, Op. 60 New York Philharmonic

CD36 – Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 in D Minor, Op. 47 New York Philharmonic

CD37 – Ippolitov-Ivanov: Caucasian Sketches, Suite No. 1, Op. 10 – Borodin, Arr. Rimsky-Korsakov: Prince Igor, Act II: Polovtsian Dances – In the Steppes of Central Asia New York Philharmonic

CD38 – Schoenberg: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 36 Louis Krasner New York Philharmonic
Berg: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra « To the Memory of an Angel » Louis Krasner Cleveland Orchestra (Rodzinski)

CD39 – Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 56, « Scotch » Symphony No. 5 in D Major, Op. 107 « Reformation » Die Hebriden, Op. 26 -Ruy Blas, Op. 95: Overture New York Philharmonic

CD40 – Mennin: Symphony No. 3 New York Philharmonic
Riegger: Symphony No. 3 in G Major, Op. 42 Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (Hanson)

CD41 – Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10 in E-Minor, Op. 93 New York Philharmonic

CD42 – Berlioz: Les nuits d’été, Op. 7 – Eleanor Steber Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Berlioz: La captive, H 60 – Le jeune Pâtre breton, H 65 – Zaïde (Boléro), Op.19 No. 1 –Eleanor Steber Columbia Symphony Orchestra (Jean Morel)

CD43 – Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in E Minor, Op. 64
Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto, Op. 35 Zino Francescatti New York Philharmonic

CD44 – Borodin: Symphony No. 2 in B Minor, Op. 5
Tchaikovsky: Orchestral Suite No. 1, in D Minor, Op. 43 (3rd movement « Intermezzo » omitted) New York Philharmonic

CD45 – Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 in E Minor, Op. 64 New York Philharmonic

CD46 – Shostakovich: Violin Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 99 David Oïstrakh New York Philharmonic

CD47 – Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 73 « Emperor » Robert Casadesus New York Philharmonic
Bach, J.S.: Concerto for 3 Pianos in D Minor, BWV 1063  Robert, Gaby & Jean Casadesus New York Philharmonic

CD48 – Prokofiev: Lieutenant Kijé Suite, Op. 60 (Symphonic suite for Orchestra)
Kodály: Háry János Suite New York Philharmonic

CD 49 – Saint-Saëns: Danse macabre, Op. 40 – Le rouet d’Omphale, Op. 31 – Phaëton, Poème symphonique, op. 39 – La jeunesse d’Hercule – Poème symphonique New York Philharmonic

CD50 – Vaughan-Williams: Symphony No. 4 in F Minor New York Philharmonic  – Fantasia On A Theme by Thomas Tallis – Strings of the New York Philharmonic

CD51 – Schuller: Symphony for Brass and Percussion, Op. 16 Brass Ensemble Of The Jazz And Classical Music Society

J.J. Johnson: Poem For Brass – John Lewis: Three Little Feelings – Jimmy Giuffre: Pharaoh (cond: Gunther Schuller)

CD52 – Kirchner: Piano Concerto No. 1 Leon Kirchner New York Philharmonic
W. Schuman: Credendum – Article of Faith Philadelphia Orchestra (Ormandy)

CD53 – Falla: Noches en los Jardines de España Robert Casadesus El sombrero de tres picos, Suite No.2 New York Philharmonic

CD54 – Dukas: L’Apprenti sorcier – Weinberger: Schwanda the Bagpiper – Strauss, R.: Salome, Op. 54: Dance of the 7 Veils – Liszt: Les préludes, S.97 New York Philharmonic

CD55 – Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 74 « Pathétique » New York Philharmonic

CD56: Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 1 in D Major, Op. 19 Isaac Stern New York Philharmonic
Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 63 Isaac Stern New York Philharmonic (Bernstein)

CD57/58 – Barber: Vanessa, Op. 32 Eleanor Steber, Nicolaï Gedda, Rosalind Elias, Regina Resnik, Giorgio Tozzi Metropolitan Opera Orchestra & Chorus

CD59 – Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet Ballet, Op. 64 (Excerpts) New York Philharmonic

CD60/61 – Mussorgsky: Boris Godunov (In English – Abridged) Giorgio Tozzi, Charles Kullman, Norman Scott, Albert da Costa, Nell Rankin Metropolitan Opera Orchestra & Chorus

CD62 – Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14 New York Philharmonic

CD63 – Tchaikovsky: Slavonic March, Op. 31 – Capriccio Italien, Op. 45
Mussorgsky: Night On Bald Mountain Skalkottas: Four Greek Dances New York Philharmonic

CD64 – Verdi: Un Ballo in Maschera (Abridged) Zinka Milanov, Marian Anderson, Roberta Peters, Jan Peerce, Leonard Warren Metropolitan Opera Orchestra

CD65 – Lalo: Symphonie Espagnole Zino Francescatti New York Philharmonic
Walton: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra Zino Francescatti- The Philadelphia Orchestra (Ormandy)

CD66 – Hindemith: Sonata for Oboe and Piano Harold Gomberg, Dimitri Mitropoulos
Löffler: 2 Rhapsodies for Oboe, Viola and Piano (Remastered) – Harold Gomberg, Milton Katims, Dimitri Mitropoulos

CD67 – Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37 Jean Casadesus New York Philharmonic
Mozart: 9 Variations on a Minuet by Jean Pierre Duport, K. 573 (Casadesus)

CD68/69 Verdi Un Ballo in Maschera Zinka Milanov, Marian Anderson, Roberta Peters, Jan Peerce, Robert Merrill Metropolitan Opera Orchestra & Chorus (complete)