A compelling last album from an undervalued maestro
mainThere were many reasons I chose a Walton-Hindemith release as my album of the week on sinfinimusic.com. The two composers were closely interwoven for quarter of a century. Their music speaks truth to each other. It is lyrical, reflective and connective.
It takes a master interpreter to identify and develop the dialogue.
Frank Shipway, who was killed in an English road accident this summer, was that kind of thoughtful, cliché-free, clear-sighted interpreter. His final testament on record is an absolute must-hear.
Please, give his recording of the Alpensinfonie with the same Sao Paolo Orchestra a good hearing (despite what people like David Hurwitz say!)
I agree! Just listened to his Alpensinfonie last week–believing it to be Shipway’s swan song–and thought it was terrific. I enjoy reading Hurwitz’s reviews, but I think he was decidedly off the mark on this one.
I have knowned about and attended Mr.Shipway’s concerts since he started showing up in Scandinavia around 1981; the man was rather special to say the least! His appearence and manner was an odd mixture of a Karajan-like podium behaviour with a twist or two of Beecham! I think he was obscessed about Karajan on the exterior, the black polo-necked sweater and the beige-coloured pullover thrown on the shoulders. Even the coiffure was as taken from one of Siegfried Lauterwasser’s mythical record-covers with Karajan! But still, I do remind myself of one thing concerning Shipway: whereas Karajan had the succulent sound of the Berliners at his disposition, Frank Shipway could almost recreate the same sound with orchestras that normally were solar systems away from the Berliners!
Thank you all for those wonderful comments, how very true you are. Only the unenlightened would fail to notice how special Frank was, he always delivered and I am not saying that because I am his younger brother, but because it is a fact.