"That moment" recorded and live

[happyroman]

1976 (or 1977)

Bruckner Symphony #8, Chicago Symphony conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini.

Oh my goodness..

Ken S.

Unless they performed the Bruckner 8 with Guilini in successive years, it was actually late 1975. This was my freshman year at Northwestern and my first CSO concert. My buddy and I decided on a lark to go and see if there were any last minute tickets available on a Friday or Saturday night. I ended up in one of the first few rows, so close I could tell the Concertmaster was wearing blue socks with his tux.

The sound of the brass section was massive. It was the first time I had heard Jake live (other than in lessons) and was completely in awe. A night I'll never forget.

[tubapress]

Live: it's a tie. Both NY Phil experiences.

Ca. 1990. Copland 3. Bernstein was to have conducted Shostakovich 5, but was too ill. NYP assistant conductor Sam Wong stepped in with little notice and instead programmed the Copland. It was a performance for the ages and Warren was beyong human. Every note resonated in my chest in the 3rd Tier.

The other live moment was an open rehearsal of Mahler 3 with Mehta, also ca. 1990. We were sitting in the first tier listening to the scherzo when the doors swung open 10 feet behind us and Phil Smith appeared. His posthorn solo was like having warm molten gold poured gently over you. Unforgettable.


Recorded: Mahler 8/ Solti/ CSO recorded in Vienna in the 80s , I think (they only recorded this work once). The final section of the symphony from the Chorus Mysticus. Just breathtaking playing from the entire orchestra! Bud, horns, bones...unreal. Then the offstage brass enter and you can't help but be overwhelmed. Vintage Jake with a huge and perfectly characteristic sound.

[MartyNeilan]

Live: it's a tie. Both NY Phil experiences.

Ca. 1990. Copland 3. Bernstein was to have conducted Shostakovich 5, but was too ill. NYP assistant conductor Sam Wong stepped in with little notice and instead programmed the Copland. It was a performance for the ages and Warren was beyong human. Every note resonated in my chest in the 3rd Tier.

The other live moment was an open rehearsal of Mahler 3 with Mehta, also ca. 1990. We were sitting in the first tier listening to the scherzo when the doors swung open 10 feet behind us and Phil Smith appeared. His posthorn solo was like having warm molten gold poured gently over you. Unforgettable.

My guess is that he was on Frankenstein for those concerts? To me, that was the epitome of the Deck sound. It was never quite the same (although still better than most mortals) once he started messing around with the 2165 designs.

[ckalaher1]

My favorite live moment is hearing the St. Louis Symphony play Elgar 2 in what I would assume 2002 or 2003. The playing by the low brass in general, and Mike Sanders in particular, was nothing short of astonishing. I have relayed to Mike on several instances that his sound, singing-resonant-soloistic-yet ensemble based that night would be the tuba sound in my head that I most remember.

As far as recordings go, I think most are a mishmash, and are a little too cherry-picked, so I will go with a live one, in which errors, few as they may be, are included. Lohengrin, Act III, Levine and the Met, recorded off of a Texaco radio broadcast. Great energy, with King Heinrich's Call sounding downright organic, with a life of it's own. I'm assuming the tuba player was Chris Hall, and he sounded really terrific. Just one that comes off the top of my head.

[tubapress]

Live: it's a tie. Both NY Phil experiences.

Ca. 1990. Copland 3. Bernstein was to have conducted Shostakovich 5, but was too ill. NYP assistant conductor Sam Wong stepped in with little notice and instead programmed the Copland. It was a performance for the ages and Warren was beyong human. Every note resonated in my chest in the 3rd Tier.

The other live moment was an open rehearsal of Mahler 3 with Mehta, also ca. 1990. We were sitting in the first tier listening to the scherzo when the doors swung open 10 feet behind us and Phil Smith appeared. His posthorn solo was like having warm molten gold poured gently over you. Unforgettable.

My guess is that he was on Frankenstein for those concerts? To me, that was the epitome of the Deck sound. It was never quite the same (although still better than most mortals) once he started messing around with the 2165 designs.

Yes..he was still on the Frankenstein. I agree that there was something very distinctive about the sound he produced on that horn coupled with the unique sound of Harwood. That is the sound I hear in my head wheh I think of Warren and the glory days!

[Brown Mule]

Our city's Symphony had as its guests a group from New Orleans Preservation Hall. Each player came on stage individually soloing and then continued its concert in unison. Had my Binocs and checked out tuba player in detail------not a straight piece of brass on entire Souzy, lacquor was about 15%, and two valve buttons were missing--------played as smooth as William Bell.