Stravinsky, Sacre du Printemps, Part 1 - Antal Dorati (1/2)

[MuseDuCafe]

Dorati was remarkable. His recordings of Haydn, for one, show the range of this remarkably intelligent and dyamic conductor. This Le Sacre recording is fantastic! Thank you.

[al1936ful]

Somebody should post Dorati's Tchaikovsky ballet recordings here.

[starbond6]

I bought this LP at goodwill today for 10cents. I had no idea who he was before that. Now I will never forget him! His conducting is amazing

[smudgepots]

Dorati's Minneapolis/mercury Pines of Rome is unbelievable in every way. The discipline of the orchestra even in ecstatic excitement is remarkable. Abandon, enthusiasm and yet pinpoint accuracy. This is what distinguished his performances, even the Minneapolis Rite which has never been surpassed. Szell and Reiner, both Hungarian trained musicians, also had this gift. They understand that excitement and tonal splendour is created by perfect ensemble, not in spite of it.

[epquick]

I agree that Doprati is totally underrated. I saw him conduct many times during his tenure with the Detroit Symphony. Two highlights were works mentioned here, Le Sacre" and "Carmina Burana". The attention to rhythm and detail in both are amazing. The Dorati/DSO recording of Le Sacre is still available and is my favorite along with Clevelan and Boulez. Bartok, too, was unforgettable under his direction!

[pkrnger]

I grew up I'm San Francisco listening to Mercury recordings of Antal Dorati and the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra. I especially enjoyed his recordings of the complete Tschaikowski ballets. Part of the excitement that is produced by his interpretations is the way in which he brings out the sounds of his percussion section, especially the timpani.

[BambosNeophytou]

I have to agree. It sees strange to me why he is so underrated. I have only recently (last 3-4 years) noticed and been listening to Dorati recordings, but they never fail to impress me. And his interpretations are so consistently interesting and enlightening across such a broad range of repertoire. Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms,Bartok, Stravinsky. My current favourite is his Brahms 2nd symphony with Minneapolis SO. This Rite is phenomenal, by the way! Thank u so much for posting

[himitsunosallychan]

Dorati in my silly little opinion was among the greatest conductors that ever lived. In the part of the world where I come from, he is virtually either unknown or forgotten. Everybody knows Ormandy and Solti. What a shame. They were nowhere in Dorati's class!

[markomelesmiha]

TOTALLY AGREE! I'd just mention Dorati's interpretation of Carmina Burana, the best one and the only good one...

[himitsunosallychan]

Dorati's Carmina Burana! I loved his recording with (if I remember correctly) the London Philharmonic. I think he had a rare kind of "rhythmic sense" (and the ability to realize it with the orchestra) matched only by a few masters. His Bartok is absolutely supreme.

[billyguns2]

@himitsunosallychan I agree with you; Dorati was for many years a ballet conductor, so he understood that all music is based on dance movements, whereas Ormandy and Solti did not. Beecham understood this as well.

[HotVoodooWitch]

@billyguns2 I'm not much of a Solti fan but I think slagging off on Ormandy is unfair. As for "all" music's being based on dance, I don't think so. No question that THIS is a ballet (albeit not exactly mainstream) and Dorati certainly brought that to the table in his interpretations (this isn't his only recording of ROS). And of course, all of the Mercury Living Presence recordings are what I call "audio Technicolor," courtesy of the revered Wilma Cozart Fine.