# Seiji Ozawa - yea or nay?



## adriesba (Dec 30, 2019)

OK, let's do this again! :lol:

I'm not very familiar with Ozawa's conducting.

All I know is that he conducted this

View attachment 135630


which might be my least favorite recording of _Carmina Burana_ and this

View attachment 135632


which might be my absolute favorite recording of _Le Sacre du Printemps_.

So, I know something he did that I find awful and something that I love.

Please enlighten me. 

Is Ozawa a conductor you typically take seriously or not.

I doubt this will be as controversial as the Karajan thread I started, but we shall see. :lol:


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## annaw (May 4, 2019)

With most conductors I feel that I tend to not generalise them or say that I like this or I can't stand that one. Most conductors have good and not so good recordings (or just recordings I enjoy and the ones I don't). Of course there are some who are closer to my heart and whose mistakes I'm more likely to overlook - biased, of course, but I think this is quite humanly. When it comes to Ozawa, then I must admit that I haven't really given him too much attention though I've enjoyed for example his recording of Rach's Piano Concerti Nos. 1 and 2 with Zimerman and Liszt's Piano Concerti Nos. 1 and 2 with Zimerman. If I recall correctly then his recording of Schoenberg's _Gurrelieder_ is also highly regarded but sadly I haven't been able to listen to it myself yet.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

I would not regard his name on the recording as a clear recommendation, but also not as a turn off.


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## david johnson (Jun 25, 2007)

Ozawa is a fine conductor!


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

Ozawa’s early recordings, such as Rite that showed, and some from his first few years in Boston, tend to be better than what followed. He was at the helm in Boston for 30 years and most felt that was 20 to long. The Orchestra went into a decline then.
He would jet into town and hour before the Concert and tell the players let’s play it safe and not screw up, not exactly a phrase to inspire. At the end it was revealed that the BSO had been receiving a large subsidy from a Japanese Conglomerate to keep Ozawa there as a matter of national pride and he left soon after the revelation.


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

I have a good number of his recordings in the big Boston SO box, a number of them are very good imo and most of them indicate a steady pair of hands at the helm - but I wouldn't necessarily turn to him for special insight or a groundbreaking interpretation.
After reading Triplets comments above, when time permits, I will look to see if the dates of the recordings indicate a slide in inspiration as time passed


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## larold (Jul 20, 2017)

I would concur with the above post as the generalist view of Ozawa in Boston. Perhaps no one could have maintained the standard Charles Munch constructed but it was clear Ozawa did not. He had some successes, however. one being this recording:]


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

The Liszt - Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 with Krystian Zimerman and the Schoenberg: Gurrelieder are my favorites.


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## NLAdriaan (Feb 6, 2019)

Ozawa has not made very remarkable recordings in the main symphonic repertoire, as far as I am concerned. Some more exotic recordings like Honegger's Jeanne d'Arc and Takemitsu's music are worthwile, but there is little competition. Actually quite a disappointment after so many years with what used to be (and now perhaps is again) a very good US Symphonic orchestra like the BSO. 

Ozawa reportedly was one of many (Maazel for one) who hoped to succeed Karajan at the BPO. It's worth a thread to discuss who else.

And he certainly is one of the conductors who was chief too long at one place (also worth a thread).

I happen to have his Mahler 8, as it was one of the first available CD's, which is not special for musical reasons. I also have some Takemitsu pieces (Requiem for strings, November steps, Quatrain, A flock descends into the Pentagonal garden), which are worthwile, but without comparison.


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## Fabulin (Jun 10, 2019)

On the choppy, sloppy side. Definitely not a great conductor.

Edit: praising his Tchaikovsky? Really? Have you never heard good Tchaikovsky before, or what? Try Monteux, Ansermet, Muti, Petrenko, and then come back to his, and you will know.

His Beethoven is also lackluster.


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## Coach G (Apr 22, 2020)

Ozawa is very good in the 19th century Russian repertoire (Tchaikovsky & Rimsky), also the 20th Century/Early Modern fare. He should be credited with bringing life to composers such as Sessions, Lutoslawski, Poulenc, and Takemitsu. I have a recording on LP of a stunning _Little Sisters of the Grassland_ that is credited as a collaborative work by three Chinese composers that Ozawa recorded as a commemorative for when the Boston Symphony made it's debut in the PRC. Across the remainder of the repertoire, Ozawa is fairly solid but not outstanding compared to some others. There are exceptions, such as a very fine un-HIP recording of Vivaldi's _Four Seasons_ that Ozawa made with the BSO and in-house violinist, Joseph Silverstein; from a conductor not known for his Baroque offerings.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Ozawa is human and like every other conductor he's had his highs and lows. A lot of his early recordings were sensational and still hold up well. There are some things that are just top-drawer: Swan Lake, the Mahler symphonies for example. Then there are things that I would have thought he would do well, but didn't: the Prokofiev symphonies. And one of the most memorable concerts I've ever been to was him conducting the BSO.


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

Was a mixed blessing in Boston. Was technically accomplished in his ability to hold large forces and complex music together, but interpretively inconsistent. Some of his "big" works (Mahler 8, Gurrelieder) seemed to me to lack a sense of where the climax was. Was sexy enough on the podium to keep the house filled. Hired good people as his assistant conductors (Spano, Cortese), but seemed to get a little put off when his principal guest conductors (successively Colin Davis, Haitinck, Previn) would start getting better reviews. Also, in hiring principals, was never quite sure what sound he was aiming for.


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## Simplicissimus (Feb 3, 2020)

I especially like Ozawa's recordings with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra from the period when he was music director of the Ravinia Festival (1964-1968, plus parts of the 1963 and 1969 seasons). Other than that, I like his presentation of Takemitsu's music, but I don't know anyone else's work with it.

The six-CD set of RCA recordings of Ozawa with the CSO contains the excellent _Sacre du Printemps_ plus some other notable performances, as well as good but not really called-for performances of over-exposed warhorses (Pictures at an Exhibition, Beethoven's 5th, Tchaikovsky's 5th, Britten's Young Person's Guide, Schubert's "Unfinished"). The good ones IMO are Bartók's 1st and 3rd Piano Concertos with Peter Serkin, Schoenberg's Piano Concerto and Five Piano Pieces, also with Peter Serkin, and his Fantasy for Violin with Piano Accompaniment. Serkin is on piano here, and the violinist is Arnold Steinhardt, the incredible first violin of the Guarneri Quartet.

I believe that Ozawa's work with the CSO was during a time in his career when he was searching for his musical identity as distinct from Karajan and Bernstein (his mentors). He was engaged and trying hard. After his golden years in his late 20s and early 30s, I get the feeling he got sort of comfortable and slacked off. Another factor I think is important is that during his young period he received a lot of critical and popular acclaim and support, which tapered off and then then later, at Boston, dropped off precipitously. I imagine that the confidence he gained from the early love and support energized his artistic expression, whereas the falling-out-of-love period probably had an inhibitory effect. I don't dislike his work at Boston, but I don't hear in it the confident music-making of his earlier years.

During Ozawa's tenure in Chicago, I was very young but not too young to be aware of some of what was going on, and after he left, he lived on as a legend for several years. It's well known that the Chicago music community was in love with Ozawa, led by critic Claudia Cassidy, who at the same time as heaping praise on Ozawa was harshly critical of the new regular conductor of the CSO, Jean Martinon. After Ozawa's brilliant start at Ravinia in July 1963, Fritz Reiner's erstwhile number two, Walter Hendl, resigned from his role at the festival. People said this was because he was dispirited by the public's adulation of Ozawa and indifference toward him (Hendl). There's a back-story or interpretation here that I personally remember. It's that after a bitter war less than 20 years before in which Japan and Japanese were hated and demonized, people were relieved and exhilarated to have a new start with Japan through Ozawa, an apparent musical genius who bridged the cultures artistically as well as culturally, driving around Chicago in his Ford Mustang with a gorgeous and charming wife. Maybe there was a lot of pride and chauvinism going on as Chicagoans smugly observed the Japanese couple's happy immersion in the amenities of the community. Maybe there was a lot of virtue-signaling going on. In any case, it was cathartic for people of my parents' generation, who had lost loved ones in the Pacific Theater. So long ago.


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

Ozawa was something of a "wunderkind" in the 60s....he got lots of guest conducting jobs with the best orchestras, and indeed, some of his Chicago recordings are topnotch...
As he got out on his own, with his own appointments, things began to get bumpy...his tenures in Toronto and SanFrancisco were not big successes at all... his SFSO years were marred by a developing inability to fill vacant orchestra positions...this problem certainly carried over to Boston...the BSO was in really bad shape after the Leinsdorf years...things had fallen apart badly during Munch's tenure, but Leinsdorf was not the man to set it straight...
The BSO did improve gradually with Ozawa, but again, personnel issues, the inability to decisively fill principal positions became a real problem that diminished morale...he probably overstayed his welcome in Boston...I don't think he ever matched his successes of the 60s.


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

I agree with most of this, but I am really not qualified to say, since I own very few of his recordings. He never stood out to me.


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## Fabulin (Jun 10, 2019)

An important aspect of the Boston Symphony Orchestra is that it doubles as the Boston Pops Orchestra. In the late 1970s the director was the very elderly Arthur Fiedler, who was disliked (especially in his later years) by the orchestra, because he forced it to play cringy pop arrangements that the musicians felt diminished their skills and wasted their time, and who himself lost a lot of his skill over time; not to mention that reportedly he was a bit disrespectful, giving less and less "f"s as the time passed.

The morale in the orchestra was so low, that when John Williams was appointed as a successor to Fiedler in 1980, he was nearly forced to resign after just a brief period because of the orchestra's resentment towards the Pops role and its unruly behaviour. This was luckily solved by an open conversation with mediation, the high quality of Williams' arrangements and repertoire choices (and conducting), and the new possibility for the principals to opt out of the Pops concerts.

What does it have to do with Ozawa? I don't really know, but Ozawa and Williams are friends, and the most scandalous events concerning Ozawa took place starting about 1996, some time after Williams left the position of the pops conductor in 1993. It is possible that any bad tendencies that Ozawa displayed earlier got amplified once Williams wasn't there to vet his decisions.


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## MatthewWeflen (Jan 24, 2019)

I don't own a ton of Ozawa, but I enjoy his Prokofiev symphony cycle with the BPO. His Symphony 1 starts crazy slow compared to other renditions, but I prefer it, which really says something, since I rarely prefer slower tempos.


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

Fabulin said:


> What does it have to do with Ozawa? I don't really know, but Ozawa and Williams are friends, and the most scandalous events concerning Ozawa took place starting about 1996, some time after Williams left the position of the pops conductor in 1993. It is possible that any bad tendencies that Ozawa displayed earlier got amplified once Williams wasn't there to vet his decisions.


Ozawa's problems with the principal appointments didn't really involve the Pops...at least not directly to my knowledge...big problems developed with the principal trumpet, principal oboe and prinicipal flute...I know some of the musicians involved personally....with the trumpet - he wasn't too pleased with the musician, but, then *granted him tenure, then tried to fire him!!* With flute and oboe, he just couldn't make up his fr----king mind - kept people on the string for years....it's terrible - people want to know if they are in or out....the sections want to know who they're working with.....within each section, the section players need to know who is the principal...it got very messy...


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## gartho (May 12, 2020)

*Three fine Ozawa performances*

Generally, Ozawa is not my go-to guy for blockbusters. But two recordings of Ozawa/BSO that I absolutely love are Respighi _Ancient Airs & Dances_ (DGG 419-868-2. 1979), and Mendelssohn _A Midsummer Night's Dream_ (DGG 439-897-2. 1994). He gives these pieces a sense of life and detail others miss. I never get tired of these recordings. And, my first sentence in this post notwithstanding, during the time of COVID, the BSO is making available some historical performances on youtube "for a limited time". As of this morning, Ozawa's 2002 BSO performance of Mahler's 9th is still freely available at 



. It was his final concert as BSO Music Director, and I think it is excellent.


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

His *Respighi: Roman Trilogy* CD (DGG) is my all-time favorite!
*Mahler 2* with Saito Kinen Orchestra (Sony) is amazing - fast and furious. I am also a fan of the spacious Bernstein M2 but Ozawa approach is so exciting I would be hard pressed to pick the one I enjoy the most. Guess it depends on the day and the mood.
Definitely have to expand my Ozawa collection.


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## pianozach (May 21, 2018)

He's fun to _watch_. Very entertaining.


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## Gray Bean (May 13, 2020)

Yea says I. I’ve always enjoyed his recordings. Never heard him live.


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## Gray Bean (May 13, 2020)

Seems to be enjoying an Indian Summer with some good live recordings on Decca. Beethoven in particular.


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## rspader (May 14, 2014)

The first CD that I ever purchased (1984):









Still gets a spin from time to time.


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## Kiki (Aug 15, 2018)

rspader said:


> The first CD that I ever purchased (1984):
> 
> View attachment 135840
> 
> ...


I like Ozawa's Beethoven 5. It's smooth, big-band Beethoven for sure, but it's clean and has got good momentum.

His more recent Beethoven 9 with the Mito Chamber Orchestra is also very good, with great articulation and quite some pounding from the timpani.


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## vincula (Jun 23, 2020)

This is one of his albums which I play regularly:

















Regards,

Vincula


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## UniversalTuringMachine (Jul 4, 2020)

vincula said:


> This is one of his albums which I play regularly:
> 
> View attachment 140372
> 
> ...


This is exceptionally fine, I play that regularly too.

Management issues aside, Ozawa is a fine conductor but he didn't achieve full greatness (compared to Haitink of his generation). He is still the greatest Asian conductor on the world stage along with Mehta.

His Carmina Burana is really special.


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## adriesba (Dec 30, 2019)

UniversalTuringMachine said:


> This is exceptionally fine, I play that regularly too.
> 
> Management issues aside, Ozawa is a fine conductor but he didn't achieve full greatness (compared to Haitink of his generation). He is still the greatest Asian conductor on the world stage along with Mehta.
> 
> *His Carmina Burana is really special.*


Which one? ......


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## UniversalTuringMachine (Jul 4, 2020)

adriesba said:


> Which one? ......


BSO one, not the BPO one.


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## Ich muss Caligari werden (Jul 15, 2020)

I own a baker's dozen or more recordings of his, my impression of him is that of a reliable, workmanlike conductor with few stumbles and fewer feats of strength. But it's worth noting that he rates #15 in _Classic FM's 18 Greatest Conductors of All Time_! https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/latest/great-conductors/seiji-ozawa/


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

The Takemitsu disc features some great pieces. I also bought that Telarc Beethoven back in '84. There wasn't a lot to choose from in those days.


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## vincula (Jun 23, 2020)

UniversalTuringMachine said:


> BSO one, not the BPO one.


This one?









Haven't listened to it. Will do.

My favourite is Herbert Kegel's:

Regards,

Vincula


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## annaw (May 4, 2019)

Ich muss Caligari werden said:


> I own a baker's dozen or more recordings of his, my impression of him is that of a reliable, workmanlike conductor with few stumbles and fewer feats of strength. But it's worth noting that he rates #15 in _Classic FM's 18 Greatest Conductors of All Time_! https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/latest/great-conductors/seiji-ozawa/


What a funny ranking... Furtwängler isn't even in there and Dudamel is ranked higher than Klemperer, Toscanini and Berlioz. I have no idea how they evaluated Berlioz's conducting.


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## UniversalTuringMachine (Jul 4, 2020)

vincula said:


> With Gruberova. Very good! :angel:
> 
> View attachment 140376
> 
> ...


Ozawa seems to have an affinity with Carmina Burana, you can feel that his interpretation is inspired.


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## adriesba (Dec 30, 2019)

UniversalTuringMachine said:


> BSO one, not the BPO one.


That's kind of funny. The BSO one might be my least favorite _Carmina Burana _I've listened to. The only thing I really like about it is Sherrill Milnes. Different tastes, lol. :lol:


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

Ich muss Caligari werden said:


> I own a baker's dozen or more recordings of his, my impression of him is that of a reliable, workmanlike conductor with few stumbles and fewer feats of strength. But it's worth noting that he rates #15 in _Classic FM's 18 Greatest Conductors of All Time_! https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/latest/great-conductors/seiji-ozawa/


Politically correct nonsense.


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## annaw (May 4, 2019)

Itullian said:


> *Politically correct* nonsense.


That could explain quite a few things about that ranking...


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## UniversalTuringMachine (Jul 4, 2020)

annaw said:


> What a funny ranking... Furtwängler isn't even in there and Dudamel is above Klemperer, Toscanini and Berlioz (!). I have no idea how they evaluated Berlioz's conducting.


Classic FM is not to be taken too seriously. Of course, Lorin Maazel is the great conductor of all time, how can I not see it.

Ozawa did leave a few very memorable recordings. Honegger's Jeanne d'Arc au bucher and Gurrelieder are also exceptionally great.


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## JAS (Mar 6, 2013)

I think the first Ozawa recording I bought was a complete Swan Lake. I have not played in for some time, as I have others and my recollection is that it is a bit tight-laced.


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## adriesba (Dec 30, 2019)

annaw said:


> What a funny ranking... Furtwängler isn't even in there and Dudamel is ranked higher than Klemperer, Toscanini and Berlioz. I have no idea how they evaluated Berlioz's conducting.


I feel like I've seen that list before. It's Classic FM though. Wouldn't give their list much weight. Yeah, sorry... :lol:


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## annaw (May 4, 2019)

UniversalTuringMachine said:


> Classic FM is not to be taken too seriously. Of course, Lorin Maazel is the great conductor of all time, how can I not see it.
> 
> Ozawa did leave a few very memorable recordings. Honegger's Jeanne d'Arc au bucher and Gurrelieder are also exceptionally great.


I have a feeling that Classic FM (both their website and radio station) are mainly trying to appeal to wider general public. That also explains their choice of music and the political correctness of lists like that one.


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## vincula (Jun 23, 2020)

JAS said:


> I think the first Ozawa recording I bought was a complete Swan Lake. I have not played in for some time, as I have others and my recollection is that it is a bit tight-laced.


Imho Previn's _Swan Lake_ difficult to surpass. I must admit I have serious difficulties keepin' my butt still while music's playing :lol:

Regards,

Vincula


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Everybody already knew Lorin Maazel is the greatest! Forget about Boulez, Kubelik, or Walter.


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## UniversalTuringMachine (Jul 4, 2020)

annaw said:


> I have a feeling that Classic FM (both their website and radio station) are mainly trying to appeal to wider general public. That also explains their choice of music and the political correctness of lists like that one.


That probably explains the somewhat ridiculous ranking. Maybe I am biased, maybe Nadia Boulanger is better than Toscanini, but all I can find is Monteverdi and Faure.


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## aioriacont (Jul 23, 2018)

He should buy some glasses, it is not healthy to force the eyes that way.
Otherwise, I love his Carmina Burana and St Matthew Passion.


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## UniversalTuringMachine (Jul 4, 2020)

BBC's ranking is more reasonable, and we know exactly what the ranking means.


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## adriesba (Dec 30, 2019)

starthrower said:


> Everybody already knew Lorin Maazel is the greatest! Forget about Boulez, Kubelik, or Walter.


Wait... they put Maazel first???? Let me check that list again. That's so random.


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## UniversalTuringMachine (Jul 4, 2020)

adriesba said:


> Wait... they put Maazel first???? Let me check that list again. That's so random.


Maazel was once the busiest conductor of all time, guest conducting all over the place (and made a fortune out of them). He could be greatest in that sense.

That must be it. Gergiev also guest conducted all the over place and he is top 5.

It's also pretty amusing that (one reason why) Gudamel is ranked so high because "he's even conducted penguins on Sesame Street."


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

If someone told me Lorin Maazel was the greatest conductor of all time, I would probably slap him in the face then and there.


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## adriesba (Dec 30, 2019)

Yup, they put Maazel at #1. Some of those conductors I don't think I've even heard of. 

But there's no Solti. If Solti's not on the list, the list is wrong.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I've always liked Maazel's Symphonie Fantastique with Cleveland.


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## adriesba (Dec 30, 2019)

I for real just got an Ebay email telling me of a discount on a Maazel CD as I was typing my last post! :lol:


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I'm not as fussy about conductors as many here who border on acute neurosis pouring over every note an inflection. As long as the tempos and phrasing aren't too strange and the performance has some kick to it I don't really analyse too much. I'm just a listener.


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## UniversalTuringMachine (Jul 4, 2020)

starthrower said:


> I'm not as fussy about conductors as many here who border on acute neurosis pouring over every note an inflection. As long as the tempos and phrasing aren't too strange and the performance has some kick to it I don't really analyse too much. I'm just a listener.


To be great I think the conductor needs to have a recognizable sound or a style, maybe not for everything but at least for certain repertoire. Otherwise, there is no point in asking OP's question. Ozawa is a talented world-class conductor with serious musicianship, there is no bad recording.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I think the recognizable sound thing is not so prominent today. I bought my wife the Ozawa Philips box because she doesn't know many conductors and his was a famous name she knew. It includes a complete Mahler cycle which sounds good to me. And there is some other good stuff by Takemitsu, Bartok, Strauss, Stravinsky and others.


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

starthrower said:


> I think the recognizable sound thing is not so prominent today. I bought my wife the Ozawa Philips box because she doesn't know many conductors and his was a famous name she knew. It includes a complete Mahler cycle which sounds good to me. And there is some other good stuff by Takemitsu, Bartok, Strauss, Stravinsky and others.


I'm sure she'll love it.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Itullian said:


> I'm sure she'll love it.


She does! Besides, I already had so much good stuff by Bernstein, Boulez and other great conductors. And she likes Seiji's big mop of black hair! Well, it used to be black.


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## UniversalTuringMachine (Jul 4, 2020)

starthrower said:


> I think the recognizable sound thing is not so prominent today. I bought my wife the Ozawa Philips box because she doesn't know many conductors and his was a famous name she knew. It includes a complete Mahler cycle which sounds good to me. And there is some other good stuff by Takemitsu, Bartok, Strauss, Stravinsky and others.


Yes, the conductor/orchestra sounds are more homogenized. On the other hand, box sets are a great way to "recognize" the sound and style of an artist.


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## Oldhoosierdude (May 29, 2016)

starthrower said:


> I'm not as fussy about conductors as many here who border on acute neurosis pouring over every note an inflection. As long as the tempos and phrasing aren't too strange and the performance has some kick to it I don't really analyse too much. I'm just a listener.


Conductor worship is a bit overdone.


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## aioriacont (Jul 23, 2018)

Explain fascination with Ozawa


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Oldhoosierdude said:


> Conductor worship is a bit overdone.


It's been very effective for the promotion and sales of classical music over the decades.


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## JAS (Mar 6, 2013)

starthrower said:


> It's been very effective for the promotion and sales of classical music over the decades.


And profitable lately for conductor based big box releases.


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

Ozawa's passionate delivery fits the music very well without feeling rushed, forced or "overdone".


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## ribonucleic (Aug 20, 2014)

I can’t recall a single review of any piece that mentioned him as a leading interpreter.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

ribonucleic said:


> I can't recall a single review of any piece that mentioned him as a leading interpreter.


It would most likely be Takemitsu, but I don't rely on the critics too much.


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## adriesba (Dec 30, 2019)

ribonucleic said:


> I can't recall a single review of any piece that mentioned him as a leading interpreter.


Not even of _Le Sacre du Printemps_?


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## ribonucleic (Aug 20, 2014)

adriesba said:


> Not even of _Le Sacre du Printemps_?


The Third Ear Guide (2002), my reference of choice, notes "lustrous playing" and "sufficient force" while not including him among the 11 recommended recordings.


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## adriesba (Dec 30, 2019)

ribonucleic said:


> The Third Ear Guide (2002), my reference of choice, notes "lustrous playing" and "sufficient force" while not including him among the 11 recommended recordings.


I just don't see how it could not be a reference recording.


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

ribonucleic said:


> I can't recall a single review of any piece that mentioned him as a leading interpreter.


Ozawa's CSO recordings are very good - Janacek "Sinfonietta" is outstanding, so is Polovtsian Dances...both (EMI)..RCA Britten "Kiddie Guide" is sbdolutely first rate!! Good [email protected] Exhib too.....


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

Yay!!xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

ribonucleic said:


> The Third Ear Guide (2002), my reference of choice,


Using my own ears as reference of choice:

Mahler 8
Planets
Ravel orchestral music
Gurrelieder


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## Simplicissimus (Feb 3, 2020)

Listening through my recently acquired 50-CD box set of Ozawa’s recordings on Deutsche Grammophon, I’m finding that I really like him with Respighi, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, and Ravel. A consistent description I would give of his interpretations of these composers is “passionate.” His Bartok, Berlioz, and Falla I also find good. I’m less keen on his work with the standard Romantic repertoire, though I don’t find it at all bad. Obviously, he’s the conductor to turn to for Takemitsu. Apparently Ozawa really loved Tchaikovsky, but adding passion on passion doesn’t work very well for me. I like relative coolness with Tchaikovsky, e.g. Slatkin, Monteux, Reiner, Dorati.


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

This performance comes from the same series of concerts that the available Sony recording (only with different soprano).
Ozawa is the total opposite of Bernstein here (80 minutes vs 93 minutes), but I do love both accounts!


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