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Thomas, Michael Tilson - Complete Columbia CBS and RCA Recordings

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Format: CD
Rel. Date: 12/13/2024
UPC: 198028199322

Complete Columbia CBS and RCA Recordings
Artist: Thomas, Michael Tilson
Format: CD
New: Available $299.98
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DISC: 1

1. Set Contents
2. * Disc 1:
3. McLaughlin: Apocalypse Mahavishnu Orchestra with the London Symphony Orchestra
4. * Disc 2:
5. Stanley Silverman: Elephant Steps: A Fearful Radio Show
6. * Disc 3:
7. Orff: Carmina Burana the Cleveland Orchestra
8. * Disc 4:
9. Beethoven: König Stephan, Op. 117 London Symphony Orchestra
10. Beethoven: Elegischer Gesang, Op. 118 London Symphony Orchestra
11. Beethoven: Opferlied, Op. 121B London Symphony Orchestra
12. Beethoven: Bundeslied, Op. 122 "In Allen Guten Stunden" London Symphony Orchestra
13. Beethoven: Meeresstille Und Glückliche Fahrt, Op. 112 London Symphony Orchestra
14. * Disc 5:
15. Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue Columbia Jazz Band
16. Gershwin: An American in Paris New York Philharmonic
17. * Disc 6:
18. Dvorák: The American Flag, Op. 102 Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra
19. Dvorák: Suite in a Major, Op. 98A, B. 190 "American" Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra
20. * Disc 7:
21. Gershwin, Arr. Don Rose: Oh, Kay!: Overture Buffalo Philharmonic
22. Gershwin, Arr. Don Rose: Funny Face: Overture Buffalo Philharmonic
23. Gershwin, Arr. Don Rose: Girl Crazy: Overture Buffalo Philharmonic
24. Gershwin, Arr. Don Rose: Strike Up the Band: Overture Buffalo Philharmonic
25. Gershwin, Arr. Don Rose: Of Thee I Sing: Overture Buffalo Philharmonic
26. Gershwin, Arr. Don Rose: Let 'Em Eat Cake: Overture Buffalo Philharmonic
27. * Disc 8:
28. Ruggles: Toys
29. Ruggles: VOX Clamans in Deserto (For Chamber Orchestra and Mezzo Soprano) Speculum Musicae
30. Ruggles: Men Buffalo Philharmonic
31. Ruggles: Angels (Original Trumpet Version) Brass Ensemble
32. Ruggles: Men and Mountains Buffalo Philharmonic
33. Ruggles: Angels (Trumpet/Trombone Version) Buffalo Philharmonic
34. Ruggles: Sun-Treader
35. * Disc 9:
36. Ruggles: Portals (For String Orchestra) Buffalo Philharmonic
37. Ruggles: Evocations (Original Piano Version) John Kirkpatrick, Piano
38. Ruggles: Evocations Buffalo Philharmonic
39. Ruggles: Organum Buffalo Philharmonic
40. Ruggles: Exaltation (For Brass, Chorus and Organ)
41. * Disc 10:
42. Tchaikovsky: Suite No. 3 in G Major, Op. 55 Los Angeles Philharmonic
43. * Disc 11:
44. Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68 "Pastoral" English Chamber Orchestra
45. * Disc 12:
46. Respighi: Feste Romane Los Angeles Philharmonic
47. Respighi: Fountains of Rome Los Angeles Philharmonic
48. * Disc 13:
49. Tchaikovsky: Manfred Symphony in B minor, Op. 58 London Symphony Orchestra
50. * Disc 14:
51. Tchaikovsky: Suite No. 2 in C Major for Orchestra, Op. 53 the Philharmonia Orchestra
52. Tchaikovsky: Orchestral Suite No. 4, Op. 61, "Mozartiana" the Philharmonia Orchestra
53. * Disc 15:
54. Stravinsky: Petroushka (Revised 1947 Version) the Philharmonia Orchestra
55. Stravinsky: Scherzo A la Russe the Philharmonia Orchestra
56. Stravinsky: Petrouchka (1947 Version) Boston Symphony Orchestra, Seiji Ozawa Michael Tilson Thomas, Piano
57. * Disc 16:
58. Gershwin: Medley: Porgy and Bess Los Angeles Philharmonic
59. Gershwin, Arr. Paich, MTT: But Not for Me / Love Is Here to Stay / Embraceable You / Someone to Watch Over Me Los Angeles Philha
60. Gershwin: Sweet and Low-Down (From "Tip-Toes") Los Angeles Philharmonic
61. Gershwin: Fascinating Rhythm (From "Lady, Be Good")
62. Gershwin: Do It Again (From "The French Doll") Los Angeles Philharmonic
63. Gershwin: My Man's Gone Now (From "Porgy and Bess") Los Angeles Philharmonic
64. Gershwin: The Man I Love (From "Strike Up the Band") Los Angeles Philharmonic
65. Gershwin: Nice Work If You Can Get It / They Can't Take That Away from Me / 's Wonderful / Swanee / Strike Up the Band Los Angel
66. Gershwin: Encore: I've Got a Crush on You - a Foggy Day
67. * Disc 17:
68. Beethoven: Symphony No. 4 in B-Flat Major, Op. 60 English Chamber Orchestra
69. Beethoven: Ah! Perfido, Op. 65 English Chamber Orchestra Eva Marton, Soprano
70. * Disc 18:
71. Ives: Symphony No. 2 Concertgebouw Orchestra
72. * Disc 19:
73. Prokofiev: Suite from Lieutenant Kijé, Op. 60 Los Angeles Philharmonic
74. Prokofiev: Suite from "The Love for Three Oranges", Op. 33A Los Angeles Philharmonic
75. Prokofiev: Overture in B-Flat Major, Op. 42 "American Overture" Los Angeles Philharmonic
76. * Disc 20:
77. Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67 English Chamber Orchestra
78. Beethoven: Egmont Overture, Op. 84 English Chamber Orchestra
79. * Disc 21:
80. Debussy: La Mer, L. 109 the Philharmonia Orchestra
81. Debussy: Nocturnes, L. 91 the Philharmonia Orchestra
82. * Disc 22:
83. Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 the Philharmonia Orchestra Cho-Liang Lin, Violin
84. Saint-Saens: Violin Concerto No. 3 in B minor, Op. 61 the Philharmonia Orchestra Cho-Liang Lin, Violin
85. * Disc 23:
86. Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 in a Major, Op. 92 English Chamber Orchestra
87. * Disc 24:
88. Ives: Symphony No. 3, "The Camp Meeting" Concertgebouw Orchestra
89. Ives: Orchestral Set No. 2 Concertgebouw Orchestra
90. * Disc 25:
91. Bernstein: West Side Story (Excerpts) Los Angeles Philharmonic Peter Hofmann, Tenor
92. Bernstein: On the Town (Excerpts) Los Angeles Philharmonic Peter Hofmann, Tenor
93. Bernstein: Mass (Excerpts) Los Angeles Philharmonic Peter Hofmann, Tenor
94. * Disc 26:
95. Gershwin, Arr. Grofé: Rhapsody in Blue Los Angeles Philharmonic
96. Gershwin: 3 Preludes for Piano Michael Tilson Thomas, Piano
97. Gershwin: Short Story Michael Tilson Thomas, Piano
98. Gershwin: Melody No. 40 "Violin Piece" Michael Tilson Thomas, Piano
99. Gershwin: Second Rhapsody Los Angeles Philharmonic
100. Gershwin: Melody No. 79 "For Lily Pons" Michael Tilson Thomas, Piano
101. Gershwin: Melody No. 17 "Sleepless Night" Michael Tilson Thomas, Piano
102. Gershwin: Promenade: Walking the Dog Los Angeles Philharmonic
103. * Disc 27:
104. Beethoven: Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36 English Chamber Orchestra
105. Beethoven: Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21 English Chamber Orchestra
106. * Disc 28:
107. Brahms, Orch. Schoenberg: Piano Quartet in G minor, Op. 25 Symphonieorchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks
108. Bach, Orch. Schoenberg: Chorale Prelude "Schmücke Dich, O Liebe Seele", BWV 654 Symphonieorchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks
109. Bach, Orch. Schoenberg: Chorale Prelude "Komm, Gott Schöpfer, Heiliger Geist", BWV 631 Symphonieorchester Des Bayerischen Rundf
110. * Disc 29:
111. Beethoven: Symphony No. 8 in F Major, Op. 93 English Chamber Orchestra
112. * Disc 30:
113. Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 English Chamber Orchestra
114. * Disc 31:
115. Copland: Old American Songs Utah Symphony Orchestra Don Becker, Baritone
116. Copland: Canticle of Freedom Utah Symphony Orchestra
117. Copland: Four Motets Utah Symphony Orchestra
118. * Disc 32:
119. Gershwin, Arr. See LC: Of Thee I Sing Studio Cast of of Thee I Sing (1987)
120. * Disc 33:
121. George Gershwin: Let 'Em Eat Cake Studio Cast of Let 'Em Eat Cake (1987
122. * Disc 34:
123. Ives: A Symphony - New England Holidays Chicago Symphony Orchestra
124. Ives: The Unanswered Question (Revised Version) Chicago Symphony Orchestra
125. Ives: Central Park in the Dark Chicago Symphony Orchestra
126. Ives: The Unanswered Question (Original Version) Chicago Symphony Orchestra
127. * Disc 35:
128. Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 55 "Eroica" Orchestra of St. Luke's
129. Beethoven: Twelve Contredanses for Orchestra, Woo 14 Orchestra of St. Luke's
130. * Disc 36:
131. Mahler: Symphony No. 3 in D minor London Symphony Orchestra Janet Baker, Mezzo-Soprano
132. * Disc 37:
133. Mahler: Rückert Lieder
134. * Disc 38:
135. Weill: Die Sieben Todsünden London Symphony Orchestra
136. Weill: Kleine Dreigroschenmusik London Symphony Orchestra
137. * Disc 39:
138. Ravel: Ma Mere L'oye London Sy

More Info:

SONY CLASSICAL'S MONUMENTAL MTT MEGAB0X

  • 80 CD-set with hard cover bound booklet

The Complete CBS, RCA and Sony Classical Recordings

He was Leonard Bernstein's most famous protégé, and it's convenient to draw parallels between two prodigiously gifted pianists, composers and charismatic explicators who became the leading American conductor of their respective generations. Like his mentor from the East Coast, Michael Tilson Thomas, born and bred on the West Coast, has been an eloquent champion of Mahler, Gershwin, Ives and Copland; he is also equally at home in the standard European repertoire, Broadway musicals and jazz; and he is a passionate, eloquent teacher - in the 1970s he took over Bernstein's Young People's Concerts. MTT - as he is affectionately known almost everywhere by now - has become one of the world's best-loved musical figures and most successful recording artists, with a dozen Grammys to his credit. Sony's 80-CD box set now, for the first time, collects the entire discography he amassed for RCA, CBS and Sony Classical between 1973 and 2005.

Born into an artistic family in Los Angeles in 1944 - his paternal grandparents Boris and Bessie Thomashefsky were founding members of the Yiddish Theatre in America - by the age of 19 he was already conducting premières of works by Boulez, Copland, Stockhausen and Stravinsky. He assisted Boulez at the Ojai Festival in California, in 1969 was appointed assistant conductor of the Boston Symphony under William Steinberg, was music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic from 1971 to 1979 and principal guest conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic from 1981 to 1985. He founded and directed the Miami-based New World Symphony, which gave its first concert in 1988, and that year, he became principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra. In 1995, he assumed the career-defining post of music director of the San Francisco Symphony, turning an already top-class ensemble into America's most boldly adventurous orchestra. "If Leonard Bernstein was 20th-century American music's greatest missionary," wrote Gramophone, "then Michael Tilson Thomas is its 21st-century acolyte."

Right from the start, MTT's recordings for CBS showed off his dedication to the music of his homeland. 1974 brought Stanley Silverman's "multi-media pop-opera extravaganza" Elephant Steps: A Fearful Radio Show - New York Times: "[It] earned rave reviews, and so did its actor-conductor. Michael Tilson Thomas found himself a hero in East Coast contemporary music circles" - and John McLaughlin's Apocalypse with the Mahavishnu and London Symphony Orchestras, whose producer George Martin, of Beatles fame, regarded it as "one of the best records I have ever made". Along with recordings of Orff's Carmina burana ("A terrifically exciting performance . aided by playing of characteristic brilliance and transparency from the Cleveland Orchestra" - ClassicsToday; Grammy winner for "Best Choral Performance" and nominee for "Album of the Year"); and, with the LSO and Ambrosian Singers, seldom performed late choral music by Beethoven ("On all counts very well worth adding to your collection" - Gramophone), the 1970s also saw his pioneering recordings of the complete works of Carl Ruggles, with the Buffalo Philharmonic ("For collectors of 20th-century American music . a landmark from the moment that CBS Masterworks released it in 1980" - New York Times).

Talking about George Gershwin in an interview, MTT disclosed that he "has occupied a vitally important place in my life. From my childhood, his music, interpretations, wise-cracks and wise-words were transmitted to me by my father.a piano student of Gershwin and by my uncle Harry who played and wrote music with him in his early years." In 1976, Thomas stood the musical world on its head by recording Rhapsody in Blue with the composer as soloist (via a 1924 piano roll) matched to his conducting of the Columbia Jazz Band: "Nobody who is concerned with Gershwin's music will be able to do without this record" (Gramophone). Dating from the same time is an album of Broadway overtures: "Thomas and the Buffalo Philharmonic have put together a group of stunning performances that are almost perfectly recorded and fill a real gap in the catalogue" (Gramophone).

In the 1980s with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, there was a live concert of Gershwin songs with Sarah Vaughan ("Sparkle and joyous spontaneity" - MusicWeb International) and an album of works with piano with MTT conducting from the keyboard; and in New York, he recorded two Gershwin musicals, Of Thee I Sing and Let `em Eat Cake: "Michael Tilson Thomas drives both scores along with total conviction . Aiding and abetting him is a splendid chorus . and three leads who are steeped in the performing tradition of the musical theatre" (Gramophone). And in 1997 a Gramophone reviewer proclaimed: "Michael Tilson Thomas and George Gershwin go together like bread and cheese . In the mini-avalanche of Gershwin centenary recordings this [San Francisco Symphony] set stands out . [with] an exquisitely poised understanding of the jazz influences on the opera [Porgy and Bess] . Tilson Thomas himself attacks the Second Rhapsody with glittering, humorous style . A piece as familiar as An American in Paris sounds freshly exciting."

Similarly with Charles Ives: "If anyone has a hot-line to the cortex of Ives's imagination, it's Michael Tilson Thomas" (Gramophone Classical Music Guide). In the 1980s and 90s, he made acclaimed CBS recordings of Ives's symphonies with the Chicago Symphony and Concertgebouw orchestras. With the San Francisco Symphony for RCA in 1999, he created "Charles Ives: An American Journey", which the BBC's reviewer called "a totally satisfying overview of Ives's genius on one 65-minute CD. Songs, symphonies, psalms and tone poems . imaginatively sequenced as an organic whole."

And Aaron Copland: MTT was still in his teens when he met him and began performing and premiering his music. He has said: "I have a very clear idea of him and his personality and his musical desires." Of the numerous, diverse Copland recordings in this set, the most recent, and perhaps most indispensable, are two RCA albums with the San Francisco Symphony. "Copland the Modernist", released in 1996, includes the Piano Concerto (with Garrick Ohlsson), Orchestral Variations, Short Symphony and Symphonic Ode: "A young man's America, alternately monolithic and toughly contrapuntal . The performance knows just how good it is. Deep-set, blockbusting recording. A winner" (Gramophone). "Copland the Populist" (2000) features the composer's "Big Three": Appalachian Spring, Billy the Kid and Rodeo "in performances of tremendous power and panache . Boasting some handsomely opulent, exhilaratingly expansive sonics, this is one corker of a release" (Gramophone).

Just a few further samplings of the countless riches in this set. Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique, recorded with the San Francisco Symphony "easily withstands comparison to any of the great versions of the past . and it sounds better than any of them" (ClassicsToday). Debussy's complete incidental music for Le Martyre de Saint-Sébastien with the London Symphony Orchestra for Sony in 1997 "is as near an ideal performance as could be imagined" (Penguin Guide). Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto with Joshua Bell and the Berlin Philharmonic for Sony in 2005: "No matter how many other recordings you possess or may have heard [this one] is a must" (ClassicsToday). Mahler's Symphony No. 7 with the London Symphony Orchestra for RCA in 1997 is "among the very finest to have come along in years" (ClassicsToday). Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet (excerpts) with the San Francisco Symphony for RCA in 1995 is "stunningly good . For many listeners this hugely enjoyable disc will be the one Romeo & Juliet to have and hold" (ClassicsToday). Stravinsky's Firebird, Rite of Spring and Perséphon

        
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