# Solti 20 years on



## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

note it's 20 years since George Solri died. I remember him by his statement: "If you like hard work you are my friend; if you don't you are my sworn enemy!"


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

I tend to remember him by his music making, but one comment he made when auditioning a brass player sticks out. Solti, unimpressed by the player, said "Zis man does not have za BALLS to play for za Cheecawgo Zymphonee !"


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## Jerry (Oct 17, 2016)

The "screaming skull", his nickname among orchestral players, at least here in the UK.
But a great recorded Brahms symphony cycle, underrated in my opinion.
And a very fine Bruckner 6 and Mahler 2.
A fine conductor on occasion, but a bit of a b*stard.


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

Jerry said:


> The "screaming skull", his nickname among orchestral players, at least here in the UK.
> But a great recorded Brahms symphony cycle, underrated in my opinion.
> And a very fine Bruckner 6 and Mahler 2.
> A fine conductor on occasion, but a bit of a b*stard.


Solti produced so many great performances and recordings, impossible to list them all...he's probably the greatest conductor I heard live...includes Bernstein, Stokowski, Karajan, Abbado, numerous other famous conductors...
He could be a real SOB, but most great conductors were....he is certainly not unique in that regard, and not as extreme as some other very notable podium greats - Reiner, Toscanini, Szell, Mravinsky, Rodzinski [!!]


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## Brahmsian Colors (Sep 16, 2016)

On very few occasions, I would find him superficial and lacking in refinement. But when he was *on* he was very convincing. His Four Brahms Symphonies with Chicago, his Mahler Fourth with the Concertgebouw and his Beethoven 3,5 and 7 with the Vienna Philharmonic are among my favorite recordings of his.


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

I've been a Solti fan for decades . I've never found his performances to be "superficial " in any way , whether you agree with his interpretation of this or that work . He left so many wonderful recordings, and far fewer duds than most great conductors . 
Solti was at home in a wide variety of repertoire , ranging from the 18th century to what was then new music , and one of the greatest ever for Wagner, Bruckner, Mahler, Richard Strauss,Liszt and Bartok in particular . 
With some conductors , you get the feeling they're trying to say in their interpretations ,"look how brilliant I am in this music , how individual I am " . Stoowski in particular . With others, such as Toscanini , you seem to get the message "Look how scrupulously faithful I am being to the composer's intentions, and look at my pious refusal to be flashy and self-indulgent with the music ". 
With Solti , there is no interpretive self-consciousness . You get the feeling the conductor is saying "Look what marvelous music this is ! ".


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

His autobiography - Solti on Solti - is worth a read. I particularly like (and was surprised by) Solti's frankness and modesty. He had some spectacular rows with Jon Vickers, who refuse to work for him, but all he says is that Vickers was a singer who he could not get on with and it was a pity because he was a fine artist.


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## Botschaft (Aug 4, 2017)

I never new the great Solti was my sworn enemy.


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

One of my favourite, possibly apocryphal, stories about Solti in his early days in London, is the one where a minute or so after he has been berating the orchestra for some sloppy ensemble work, one of the orchestra in an audible whisper mutters something along the lines of "Get stuffed you Hungarian clown" to which Solti, not catching the accent replied " It's too late to apologise now."


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## jimsumner (Jul 7, 2013)

A big, big Solti box set coming soon.

https://www.amazon.com/Sir-Georg-So...183109&sr=1-1&keywords=solti+chicago+complete


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

jimsumner said:


> A big, big Solti box set coming soon.
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Sir-Georg-So...183109&sr=1-1&keywords=solti+chicago+complete


I saw that one, just the Chicago recordings.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

DavidA said:


> His autobiography - Solti on Solti - is worth a read. I particularly like (and was surprised by) Solti's frankness and modesty. He had some spectacular rows with Jon Vickers, who refuse to work for him, but all he says is that Vickers was a singer who he could not get on with and it was a pity because he was a fine artist.


Thanks DavidA, found one for €25,00 shipped.


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

DavidA said:


> His autobiography - Solti on Solti - is worth a read. I particularly like (and was surprised by) Solti's frankness and modesty. He had some spectacular rows with Jon Vickers, who refuse to work for him, but all he says is that Vickers was a singer who he could not get on with and it was a pity because he was a fine artist.


Solti's autobiography "Memoirs" is a fine read. There are some great anecdotes and insights...and I agree - his modesty, and willingness to accept blame for screw-ups or mishaps is indeed refreshing....a far cry from a pathetic litany of whining and blame-placing - like Leinsdorf's "Cadenza" - in which he constantly points fingers at everyone else for his own failures and shortcomings. Someone was always out to get him, or to undermine his efforts:
<< The ______ [fill in the blank -_ management, Board of Directors, recording companies, musicians, union, media, etc, etc_] was always out to get him, to frustrate his goals>>

I heard Solti/CSO present so many fabulous concerts - a cosmic Carnegie Hall Mahler 5 [3/70], Bruckner 7, Ein Heldenleben, Shostakovich 8 @ Boston Symphony Hall which was amazing....He had wonderful "presence" - when he came onto stage, the atmosphere literally crackled with excitement and anticipation.

Solti's battles with the VPO are legendary - Solti loved the "hard" attack, featured by American orchestras - everyone comes in precisely on the downbeat - which gives a definite, precise attack on the note. European orchestras did not favor this approach, they used the "soft" attack [not all precisely at the same time was their preference - certainly the VPO and BPO]...Solti finally asked in frustration of the VPO player representatives - <<could we at least get HALF the orchestra to come in together??!!>>


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

Barbebleu said:


> "Get stuffed you Hungarian clown" to which Solti, not catching the accent replied " It's too late to apologise now."


That story may be actually attributed to Bernstein, whose switch-hitting, bisexual preferences were quite well-known...he had a major blow-up with an orchestra musician, who told him to "shove it up his a**!!" - LB: "No, No, it's too late to apologize now!!"


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## poconoron (Oct 26, 2011)

"_Mozart makes you believe in God because it cannot be by chance that such a phenomenon arrives into this world and leaves such an unbounded number of unparalleled masterpieces."_

Georg Solti


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## Botschaft (Aug 4, 2017)

Improbus said:


> I never new the great Solti was my sworn enemy.


Or rather that _I_ am his, something I wouldn't agree with.


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## Gordontrek (Jun 22, 2012)

Solti is one of my favorite conductors of all time. His work with the Chicago Symphony was outstanding, and it's hard to find a disappointing recording from them. In particular he handled large-scale orchestral works, like Strauss tone poems, magnificently. 
Lately I've listened to his Debussy. I believe that his La Mer with the CSO is the best I've ever heard.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

> Solti's autobiography "Memoirs" is a fine read.


Thank you Heck 148 just ordered this one, bargain price.


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## WildThing (Feb 21, 2017)

I rate many of his opera recordings quite highly, and I know that he has a reputation for Wagner but I've always had an affinity for his Mozart. His Marriage of Figaro and Magic Flute recordings are fabulous.


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## Guest (Sep 13, 2017)

JPC 189,99

It is a pity that I have so much already,including many operas


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## Guest (Sep 13, 2017)

I also purchased a copy for €15,00 shipped

Looks very good.

Thanks to DavidA


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

WildThing said:


> I rate many of his opera recordings quite highly, and I know that he has a reputation for Wagner but I've always had an affinity for his Mozart. His Marriage of Figaro and Magic Flute recordings are fabulous.


Solti was an outstanding conductor of Haydn and Mozart...both live and on recording...He approach was very muscular, strong - yet remarkably clear...reminiscent of Reiner, or perhaps, Szell...


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