# Leonard Slatkin for the win



## kmisho

When I get a wild hair for a symphonic work and I don't have a copy and I need a guaranteed decent copy right now, the very first thing I do, always, is see if Leonard Slatkin and the St Louis Symphony did a version. If they did, I get it. If it's Slatkin with some other orchestra, I get it. Only when a work comes up unslatkinerzized do I bother to look for other versions.


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## starthrower

I'm no expert, but I'm a Slatkin fan. I heard him speaking on the radio the other night giving praise to American composers including Roy Harris, William Schuman, Piston, etc. 

The most recent recording I picked up of his is the Barber concertos.


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## kmisho

I have become a huge fan almost by accident. That's why I started this thread. He has ended up as my default always-pretty-good-at-least conductor. He's with the Detroit Symphony now and released a new version of Rachmaninov's 2nd Symphony with them on Naxos, with which label he's been winning tons of awards.

I'm sure I've mentioned it several times on this site alone, but I still consider his 1985 recording of Prokofiev's 5th to be one of the best recordings of any symphony by any composer.


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## Guest

kmisho said:


> He's with the Detroit Symphony now


Unfortunately, the DSO has been on strike since the start of the concert season and it looks like they will declare bankruptcy and disband. Many musicians have already left for other positions. It's a sad state of affairs, since they were easily one of the best orchestras in the country (and possibly the world). I was fortunate enough to see Slatkin conduct them a few times, including Brahms' 2nd and 4th Symphonies, the Britten 4 Sea Interludes, and the Berg Violin Concerto. All of them were as good as it gets. I remember sitting in the nosebleeds, and sinking peacefully into my chair when the Britten started. It sounded like I had headphones on, the sounds was just that clear. I miss the DSO...


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## kmisho

Jeff N said:


> Unfortunately, the DSO has been on strike since the start of the concert season and it looks like they will declare bankruptcy and disband. Many musicians have already left for other positions. It's a sad state of affairs, since they were easily one of the best orchestras in the country (and possibly the world). I was fortunate enough to see Slatkin conduct them a few times, including Brahms' 2nd and 4th Symphonies, the Britten 4 Sea Interludes, and the Berg Violin Concerto. All of them were as good as it gets. I remember sitting in the nosebleeds, and sinking peacefully into my chair when the Britten started. It sounded like I had headphones on, the sounds was just that clear. I miss the DSO...


I'd heard some grumblings but I didn't know it was that bad. I just pulled up the New York Times article dated mid February. Bad news indeed.


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## Sid James

A friend of mine has a number of Telarc discs with Slatkin conducting & I've heard a number of them (the one below just last weekend). I agree that in terms of interpretation he's pretty good, and the sound is excellent as well.


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## TxllxT

I don't want to offend anyone, but my first reaction on the name 'Slatkin' is exact the opposite. I've followed reviews of classical music for more than thirty years (Gramophone, Luister (Dutch)) and mostly he got thumbs down.


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## starthrower

TxllxT said:


> I don't want to offend anyone, but my first reaction on the name 'Slatkin' is exact the opposite. I've followed reviews of classical music for more than thirty years (Gramophone, Luister (Dutch)) and mostly he got thumbs down.


It's all subjective, so I don't bother with reviews with the exception of Jim Svejda, because he has a sense of humor.


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## kmisho

TxllxT said:


> I don't want to offend anyone, but my first reaction on the name 'Slatkin' is exact the opposite. I've followed reviews of classical music for more than thirty years (Gramophone, Luister (Dutch)) and mostly he got thumbs down.


Why would you base your own reaction on what critics say?


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## TxllxT

kmisho said:


> Why would you base your own reaction on what critics say?


I borrowed a number of CDs from the local library (Amsterdam, Middelburg) and  had to agree with the critics. The same reserved reaction I have got on the name 'Barenboim' & 'Zubin Mehta'. I do not follow the critics blindly.


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## Delicious Manager

I have to say that I am often underwhelmed by Slatkin. While he has done sterling service for British music in the USA, I usually find his performances (and especially recordings) too understated, too 'controlled', as if he's scared of allowing the orchestra (and the music) a full head of steam. I nearly always find myself feeling musically undernourished after listening to a Slatkin performance, I'm sad to say.

Not for me, I'm afraid.


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## kmisho

TxllxT said:


> I borrowed a number of CDs from the local library (Amsterdam, Middelburg) and  had to agree with the critics. The same reserved reaction I have got on the name 'Barenboim' & 'Zubin Mehta'. I do not follow the critics blindly.


Not everything is good. But I have found of it is good and with high quality sound that I can almost always bank on not being disgusted. Slatkin is always good in a pinch. It was not something I decided but realized after it already happened. Slatkin is my go-to conductor when I need to fill a hole in my collection fast. Still, some of his work is fantastic. The guy has an impressive list of awards. You don't get that by sucking all the time.


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## kmisho

Delicious Manager said:


> I have to say that I am often underwhelmed by Slatkin. While he has done sterling service for British music in the USA, I usually find his performances (and especially recordings) too understated, too 'controlled', as if he's scared of allowing the orchestra (and the music) a full head of steam. I nearly always find myself feeling musically undernourished after listening to a Slatkin performance, I'm sad to say.
> 
> Not for me, I'm afraid.


Here we run into a matter of taste. I find too many orchestral performances dramatically forced. So it always feels refreshing when a conductor starts first with precision and clarity. I also complain about the way many conductors don't let the music speak for itself. Slatkin doesn't get in the way of the music. So what you see as a detraction I actually value.


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## kmisho

kmisho said:


> I'd heard some grumblings but I didn't know it was that bad. I just pulled up the New York Times article dated mid February. Bad news indeed.


By the way, I hear the Detroit Symphony situation might be coming to any end

Tentative Deal Could End Detroit Symphony Strike


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## Chi_townPhilly

Within the world of Classical Music, the career arc of Leonard Slatkin is one of the damnedest things I've seen. Over a quarter of a century ago, he was at the helm of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, having succeeded Susskind (no mean director, either) and taking the ensemble to new heights of esteem. Releases of discs on Telarc were (as far as I remember) viewed favorably. A famous _Time_ magazine "Rate-the-Orchestras" article placed St. Louis in 2nd place behind Solti's Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and ahead of New York, Boston, and Philadelphia. It seemed as though Slatkin would eventually slide into the role of "hot signing" for an American Big-5 orchestra, someday-- or perhaps even a powerhouse continental European ensemble.

What happened??

Well, Slatkin & St. Louis went their separate ways, with Slatkin going over to Washington, DC's Orchestra... a move which (I've argued previously) resolved to the detriment of both parties. A stint with the BBC Orchestra was a match made somewhere other than in heaven. Last season, a scheduled _Traviata_ at the MET blew up in a volleyball rally of recriminations. Finally, Slatkin took the top post at Detroit- and that situation began with a massive prolonged labor-dispute.

That said- I have a (small) handful of Slatkin/St. Louis recordings- and also enjoy them, for the most part. The thing is- who knew 25 years ago that they would still represent his summit achievement, after all this time?


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## kmisho

Chi_townPhilly said:


> Within the world of Classical Music, the career arc of Leonard Slatkin is one of the damnedest things I've seen. Over a quarter of a century ago, he was at the helm of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, having succeeded Susskind (no mean director, either) and taking the ensemble to new heights of esteem. Releases of discs on Telarc were (as far as I remember) viewed favorably. A famous _Time_ magazine "Rate-the-Orchestras" article placed St. Louis in 2nd place behind Solti's Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and ahead of New York, Boston, and Philadelphia. It seemed as though Slatkin would eventually slide into the role of "hot signing" for an American Big-5 orchestra, someday-- or perhaps even a powerhouse continental European ensemble.
> 
> What happened??
> 
> Well, Slatkin & St. Louis went their separate ways, with Slatkin going over to Washington, DC's Orchestra... a move which (I've argued previously) resolved to the detriment of both parties. A stint with the BBC Orchestra was a match made somewhere other than in heaven. Last season, a scheduled _Traviata_ at the MET blew up in a volleyball rally of recriminations. Finally, Slatkin took the top post at Detroit- and that situation began with a massive prolonged labor-dispute.
> 
> That said- I have a (small) handful of Slatkin/St. Louis recordings- and also enjoy them, for the most part. The thing is- who knew 25 years ago that they would still represent his summit achievement, after all this time?


An interesting and, as far as I know, accurate post. Others have commented on his weird inability to do with the DC orchestra what he did in St Louis. I don't know enough details to guess why this was.

I think it's pretty clear that the Detroit situation was hardly one of his design. The surrounding economic picture is not good for the luxury of orchestral music in the US in general.

Besides all this, his career with Naxos has been hot, winning a number of awards for recordings of Corigliano and rare American works.


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