# Sony to release the complete Dimitri Mitropoulos on CD!



## Coach G (Apr 22, 2020)

Sony to release the complete Dimitri Mitropoulos on CD!

Dimitri Mitropoulos (1896-1960) was a Greek conductor who came to America in the 1930s and made many recordings with the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Like Wilhelm Furtwangler of Arturo Toscanini, Mitropoulos' height of popularity came just before the advent of modern sound technology, so that many of Mitropoulos' finest recordings are marred by distortion and background noises that may make those recordings practically un-listenable to some classical music enthusiasts (although the new Sony Mitropoulos set has advertised that most of those very rough recordings have been "remastered") .

As with Toscanini, Mitropoulos was said to have had a photographic memory that was so incredible that he rehearsed and conducted without a score. As with Furtwangler, Mitropoulos had an approach to music that was very free and organic, at least to my ears. Mitropoulos also had a very eclectic choice of repertoire. Like Bruno Walter, Mitropoulos was a champion of Mahler long before Leonard Bernstein made it fashionable. Mitropoulos also championed the likes of many composers who were his contemporaries such as Schoenberg, Berg, Krenek, Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Sam Barber, and Gunther Schuller. Mitropoulos was also a very fine pianist who recorded a handful of concertos by the likes of Bach, Prokofiev, and Krenek as both pianist and conductor long before Leonard Bernstein did it.

During the early 1980s and into the 1990s, and prior to the rise of the internet and online shopping; a Dimitri Mitropoulos record or CD was somewhat hard to come by in your local music store. Unlike the the recordings of Bruno Walter, George Szell, Leonard Bernstein, Eugene Ormandy, Arturo Toscanini, Charles Munch and others; Mitropoulos' recordings were for some reason not often featured as part of the numerous RCA or Columbia budget lines of reissues.

The Mitropoulos Sony set is now going for about $250 and is somewhat out of my budget so I'm only thinking about buying it at this point unless the price goes down.

What is you opinion of the music of Dimitri Mitropoulos along with favorite or notable recordings?

The Mitropoulos box set:








The Golden Age of Classical music with Dimitri Mitropolous flanked by Herbert Von Karajan and Leonard Bernstein:


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

New Releases...
Was mentioned here also :angel:


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## FrankinUsa (Aug 3, 2021)

Metropolis is a major conductor and this box is most welcome especially if you look at the recordings in this box. I also think it is too expensive and will take a gamble if the price drops a few months after the initial release.


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

I wonder if his wonderful "Petrushka" with NYPO will be included??
Excellent recording, and quite unique - flamboyant, _molto espressivo_ - I remember the deliciously "quacky" 2ble reeds throughout.....really honking away to their heart's content!!


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Well I just ordered it. Lordy, these boxes are taking over! Mitropoulos was one of the greatest of the 20th C, in Europe he was as highly ranked as Toscanini and Furtwangler. Over the years I've picked up many of his records, but to have the complete RCA and Columbia recordings is going to be fantastic. Regrettably, the sound quality in Minneapolis suffered - a lousy venue and a seeming lack of care by the producers. Maybe remastering will improve it; hope so. I'm so glad this is coming out; he was treated so shabbily by the musical establishment and he died way, way too young.


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## jambo (Sep 17, 2020)

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)

https://hdarchivesconcerts.fr/dimit...and-columbia-album-collection-sony-classical/


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## jambo (Sep 17, 2020)

Heck148 said:


> I wonder if his wonderful "Petrushka" with NYPO will be included??
> Excellent recording, and quite unique - flamboyant, _molto espressivo_ - I remember the deliciously "quacky" 2ble reeds throughout.....really honking away to their heart's content!!


Looks like CD 26 will be the 1911 version of Petrushka with the NYPO


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

It's a shame that it doesn't include his superb 1956 Salzburg Don Giovanni, which was previously issued by Sony.


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

Even if it was cheap, there would not be enough music in there to interest me sufficiently. I have the Great conductors volume, the other Mahler 6 (NYPhil), the Oistrakh DSCH VC 1, the Salzburg Don Giovanni, Elektra, maybe another disc or two I forgot and I certainly wouldn't mind to have some of this box but not all these repertoire doublings in historic sound of pieces I don't care for. Certainly not for ~250 EUR.


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## jpfalcon53 (9 mo ago)

jambo said:


> 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
> 
> ...


My copy is missing Disc 68. Contacted Sony and awaiting response....


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## inthemusiczone (Feb 15, 2019)

Seriously tempted by this, but will wait to see if the price comes down. BTW a predictably thorough review by Rob Cowan on music web international: Dimitri Mitropoulos (conductor) The Complete RCA and Columbia Album Collection RCA 19439888252 [RCo] Classical Music Reviews: May 2022 - MusicWeb-International


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