Review: The Sometimes Bland, Sometimes Masterly Sawallisch Decca Recordings

There's only one recording by Sawallisch that I really want but likely it will never happen: in his last season with Philadelphia they did Schmidt's 2nd symphony. It seems like that music was in his blood and it was a magnificent performance in Carnegie Hall.

I wish Decca would give us a Hermann Prey box. He was such a fine singer, with virtually no mannerisms. Also, whenever he played an operatic character, he lit up somehow and his (and our) enthusiasm was kindled.

Sawallisch is in the tradition of Böhm and Solti: amazing opera conductors who managed to have great casts, and more irregular in the orchestral repertoire. He did his best work in Munich, but that stuff is mostly live and in Orfeo. One amazing recording: Rossini's Petite messe solennelle conducted (the original version) from the piano, with Fassbaender and Fischer-Dieskau.

To my ears, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra is not bad at all (Sawallisch took it over from Karajan, Klemperer Fricsay, Böhm and Giulini made fine recordings with them), even quite characteristic as far as the woodwind playing is concerned ... but you're right, nothing can beat the Dresden Staatskapelle and the Concertgebouw. Incidentally, I find it interesting when you consider that Sawallisch's Phillips recordings from the late 1950s and 1960s were made at the same time as Karajan's DGG career began ... Just compare the smooth, shimmering - some would say "transcendental" - legato sound with which Karajan caused a sensation at the time with the much less spectacular, more natural, transparent and lively way in which Sawallisch has his orchestras play… Harnoncourt - member of the Vienna Symphony in those days, I guess you can hear his cello playing in those recordings - would have made easily his choice ;)

One of Sawallisch's sharpest recordings was the EMI Ring cycle - disappeared without trace, and hasn't been available for years and years..why? (wearily....)

Sawallisch was indeed a superb opera conductor, as I have been lucky to witness on many occasions while I was a student in Munich during late 1970s and early 1980s. Treasured memories...

Dave-Was Sawallisch a good music director at Philadelphia Orchestra?

Looks like the Varady/D F-D Bluebeard is another example of a husband and wife team taking this on, if not to the same level as Ludwig/Berry!

Whenever I see the name Sawallisch, the word "bland" always comes to mind. Oh, he had his moments...occasionally...but really they were very few and far between. Mostly he was just 'meh'.

My favorite performance of Mozart's Jupiter symphony is by Sawallisch and the Czech Philharmonic on Supraphon/Eurodisc. Really good playing.

The booklet is not hagiography, which I find refreshing.

Request that you review the new Vogt box 😎

This would be a very attractive box if Decca had done what Sony did for Bernstein and made a separate box of vocal, choral, and opera discs. But as it is, there are too many white elephants.

A conductor Schwarzkopf adored, and helpful to get your perspectove dave.