Volume 17 Issue 5 - February 2012

ecording, by anyone, of Beethoven’sSymphony No.9 is the Karajan/ViennaPhilharmonic performance recorded inthe Musikverein under very difficult,near impossible conditions in 1947. Theresourceful, now legendary producer, WalterLegge, was the driving force who actuallydid make it happen. The astute Leggeengaged Elizabeth Schwarzkopf, ElizabethHongen, Julius Patzak and Hans Hotter. Itwas by this recording that the world firstheeded the young (not of the old school)Herbert von Karajan. This outstandingperformance is a celebration, a triumphantand positive statement of what Beethoven isall about. (EMI CD 0724347687822).EMI has been assembling their recordingsof particular musicians, instrumentalists,ensembles and conductors and issuingperformer-dedicated packages at superbudgetprices. Sir John Barbirolli – The GreatEMI Recordings (EMI 5099945776724)is a ten-CD set containing 36 of his bestperformances, conducting seven differentorchestras, dating from 1957 to 1969.Collectors will be especially thrilledwith these selections as Barbirolli was asuperlative musician and one of the greatconductors of the century. Many of theseare not only his best but, arguably, thebest available versions of many repertoirestaples. The 1957 recordings are all with theHalle Orchestra: the Elgar Cello Concertowith André Navarra; Ravel’s Ma Mèrel’Oye Suite; Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No.4;Vaughan Williams “London” symphony;Bax’s Garden of Fand; and Butterworth’sA Shropshire Lad. Some of the laterrecordings included here are La Mer, LaValse, Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings,Mahler’s Symphony No.5 and Elgar’sSymphony No.1 and Enigma Variations.Janet Baker is the soloist in Les Nuits d’étéby Berlioz, Mahler’s Rückert-Lieder andElgar’s Sea Pictures. Brahms, Sibelius andPuccini are also represented. The sound isremarkably fresh.Sir Charles Mackerras (1925–2010) wasan Australian musician who left for Englandin 1947 to become a conductor after a jauntas principal oboist in the Sydney SymphonyOrchestra. He played oboe and cor anglaisin the Sadler’s Wells orchestra and later,on a scholarship from the British Council,he studied conducting with Václav Talichin Prague. He was enamored with, andbecame an authority on, Czech repertoire,in addition to being a respected interpreterof music from every period. EMI’s boxCharles Mackerras – Master of OrchestralTexture (5099909818927) has a delightfulcollection of Mackerras specialties includingMozart’s Symphony No.40 in G Minor,Dvorak’s Seventh, Janáček’s Sinfonietta,Mahler’s Fifth, Delius’ Paris – The Songof a Great City, Elgar’s Enigma Variationsand some shorter showpieces includingtwo Mackerras arrangements of Sir ArthurSullivan: the Cello Concerto and the balletPineapple Poll. By the way, there is alsoa budget set of acclaimed performancesof the nine Beethoven symphonies withMackerras conducting the Royal LiverpoolPhilharmonic from EMI (CFP 72435757515 CDs).FEELING LUCKY?THREE WAYS TO WINCDs, tickets and othermusical prizes courtesy ofThe WholeNote1. Join our mailing list byregistering atwww.thewholenote.com2. Like us on Facebook3. Follow us on Twitterthewholenote.comEmployment OpportunityActing Director of Sales & MarketingThe WholeNote, The Toronto Concert-Goer’s Guide and Ontario’s leading publicationfor classical and jazz music, seeks a self-starter who is able to work with and lead asmall, dynamic team in a fluid, casual but deadline-driven, open office environment.Your knowledge of musical organizations, both professional and amateur, and musicrelated enterprise in the GTA and surrounding area, is your gateway to expandingour advertising and promotional work. The successful candidate will have aminimum of three years’ experience in commission-based sales.Satisfactory completion of an initial six-month contract will lead to the offer of afull-time, permanent position as The WholeNote’s new Director of Sales & Marketing.Remuneration during the contract period and beyond will be based on salary pluscommission.A detailed version of this posting should be viewed on our website. Please visitwww.thewholenote.com and select the “About Us” tab.Covering letter and résumé exclusively by email to: hiring@thewholenote.com— please no telephone calls.APPLICATION DEADLINE: before midnight, February 15, 201268 thewholenote.comFebruary 1 – March 7, 2012