For me it has to be Stowkowski doing Vaughan Williams Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis.....Although I Would also love to hear A Simon Rattle Version of Beethoven 5 and 9

what would your favourites be???

regards

bb

I heard Rattle's first ever conducting of Beethoven 9 (well, actually it was his second, as he did it two nights running). We had CBSO subscription tickets in the mid-1980s, and heard some mind-blowing performances.

Simon Rattle and Mahler 5 is my choice. Then again, him with any Mahler or Beethoven symphony is fairly mind boggling.

And nothing was more memorable than Beethoven's 9th with the CBSO chorus with both Berlin and Vienna phil. He is a musical magician.

I have the Vienna Phil/Rattle Beethoven Symphonies and Piano Concerti (with Brendel). I bought them on reputation but was taken aback by how much it just works - Rattle seems to have done a sublime job of fusing the influences of period performance (tempi, articulation styles etc.) with the depth of emotion Beethoven needs.

Did you know that Rattle hates to conduct Beethoven??
It is because the music requires so much from him that he feesl unworthy to do it justice.......... Rattle feels unworthy!!!!!

How can I possibly be satisfied with my paultry offerings!!!!

We can but try!!

My favourite conductor that I've seen live is Sian Edwards, conducting the MK City Orchestra playing Shostakovich's 5th Symphony. She's a Russian specialist and it blew me away. Miles better than the LSO live recording I have anyway.

Simon Rattle conducting just about anything but particularly Mahler. My favourite Mahler/Rattle CDs are the Second and Eighth Symphonies (both with the CBSO) and the Fifth (with the Berlin Philharmonic). I heard him conduct the Tenth at Symphony Hall a few years ago and it was an absolutely mind blowing performance.