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Wojtek wrote:

Following some "must have" isn't moronic just naive but not a bad way for starters (or just plain guys with interest in classical music but without ambition i.e ability and discipline, to become refined classical buff-snob) There are ages of beautiful music and countless performances .Some are extraordinary some just mechanical. Thank You for Mravinsky selection.It feels like a good novel when you realize there are many many chapters ahead of you. I'll start with 1946-62 period .

I did not say that it was moronic I said that there is no such a thing as "must have", and a peruse of anything "must have" was always an alien concept to me.

Mravinsky has his own “sound” and own prostration style and his orchestra has own sound. You might like it or not, it is up to you. Some of the things that Mravinsky did were stunning, others I do not exactly appreciate, so is anything different then any other conductor? It depends what you are looking in interpretations… but this would be hardly coming from a "must have" list and will be largely depending from who you are.

Still, I would note that despite of some marvelous recordings Mravinsky did he seldom “owns” any music. Under “owning music” I imply the ability for a conductor to demonstrate a recording that virtually close up the given musical pieces for any further interpretation or at least your desire to look for something else. As the examples (for me) I would name the Argerich with Abbado who “own” the Tchaikovsky Concert, Furtwangler in1942 who “owns” the Beethoven’s Ninths, Gould who “owns” a lot of Bach’s music, Sofronitsky who “owns” Scrabin or Horowitz  who “own” Schumann. So, Mravinsky “owns” very little. Some of his Tchaikovsky was good, some of his Shostakovich was fine (10, 6 and probably 5), his Bruckner 8, Sibelius 7, his Prokofiev, Honegger and Strauss. Still very few of the Mravinsky’s recorded performances “closed the field” sort of speak. 

Among the very few that from my point of view Mravinsky “owes” would be the Shostakovich 6, primary because not a lot of people play it. The Shostakovich 8 in London is unconditionally owned by Mravinsky. The Tchaikovsky Serenade for Strings is at near “owning” status. The Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker suites from 1946 - unquestionably “owned” by Mravinsky. The Tchaikovsky’s last 3 symphonies, at lest some of the movements, “owned” by Mravinsky… It will be pretty much it from my side….

Still, if one like the Mravinsky “X-ray” style of presentation then many-many of Mravinsky’s recordings will be treasured.

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