Review: Holy Mackerel! Louis Lane's Cleveland Recordings in a Box

Louis Lane was "Associate Conductor" of the Cleveland Orchestra under George Szell from 1958-1970, when these recordings--14 CDs' worth--were made. Need I say more? The repertoire is mostly "Pops" goodies, with some "serious" Mozart, Mendelssohn, Schubert and Beethoven tossed in as well. You'll also find some very interesting and rare bits of Americana. Fans of the Cleveland Orchestra's "Golden Age" will want this as a matter of course, but it's a delightful set for even the casual collector.

[@williamfredscott6904]

Louis Lane was co-conductor of The Atlanta Symphony when I was asked by Robert Shaw to join the conducting staff. Not only Louis a great inspiration, he was mind-boggling in his knowledge of the repertoire and his ability to give concerts that were full of passion and energy. How wonderful to have these discs! Scouring record stores for the LPs was a constant hobby "back in the day."

[@philipkranz5654]

The Louis Lane Box brings back wonderful memories of growing up in Cleveland and attending every Severance Hall concert my schedule allowed. Your description of George Szell is so accurate. He was a perfectionist who got what he demanded of his players. When Louis Lane conducted, I recall the same serious attention to detail as his mentor. I later moved to Atlanta and was privileged to hear Lane conduct many times here. Szell was always nearby. He is buried at Arlington Cemetery a few blocks from my Atlanta home.

[@steveschwartz8944]

I grew up in Cleveland. Lane conducted the kiddie concerts, which as a kiddie I attended. I heard my first live Beethoven Fifth and my first Appalachian Spring Suite led by him. I was roughly 8 at the time. The Beethoven got my blood going. I was less impressed with the Copland. Indeed, I remember thinking to myself - with all the certainty of an 8-year-old - "This isn't REAL music." I periodically revisit that memory to keep me humble. When I got seriously interested in music, I used to borrow records from the Cleveland Public Library, and a lot of those on my library card were by Lane. I liked him. I felt he should have had a bigger career. The last time I saw him live was on a visit to my hometown. He conducted a wonderful all-Milhaud concert at the Cleveland Institute of music. The programming was terrific - all marvelous pieces I hadn't heard before (with Milhaud, this is relatively easy) in enthusiastic, lively performances from the student orchestra.

[@daviddavenport9350]

I played for Louis Lane once at the Cleveland Institute of Music....did the Elgar Falstaff (always loved that piece afterward) paired with the Charles Ives 2nd Symphony(always loved that piece too) on the same concert.....the kind of innovative programming that perfectly complemented his mentor Szell's rather staid Central European fare. It is said that Szell took him on as protege and Assistant conductor because Lane could reduce a full score at the piano by sight!

[@bplonutube]

I just got mine yesterday. What an amazing collection of recordings. Bravo Sony!

[@dalescott831]

Happy to say I was playing in the viola section of the UT Symphony during Lane's brief residency there in the early 90s. The repertoire that stands out in my memory included Beethoven 5, Tchaikovsky 5, Ives 2 and Respighi's Fountains of Rome. Marvelous maestro. Our ensemble improved considerably under him! Not that my mediocre viola playing did much. But later on I was happy to own his Respighi disc with Atlanta, and when I learned of his passing 8 years ago it gave me a chance to look back and appreciate more fully the gift of his excellent musicianship we'd been privileged to experience.

[@HassoBenSoba]

I never would have imagined this set would be released; thanks for featuring it. Louis was one of my heroes during my years in Cleveland, an under-appreciated but brilliant conductor whose knowledge was paired with a wry, understated, and (somewhat) world-weary view of the business. He was ideal for Szell since a.) he was extremely dependable and b.) he lacked the "pizzazz" that would have taken him off on his own conducting career; so he stayed on. His repertoire was astounding; I recall his Mahler 3rd, Berio Sinfonia, Elgar 1st, Honegger, Joan of Arc (all Cleveland 1st performances), and I sang in the chorus under him in the Shostakovich 13th, Villa-Lobos Choros #10...and on and on. MUST-TELL STORY: In April of 1972, Louis conducted a program of Berwald~ Sinfonia Singuliere, Blackwood~ Piano Concerto (w/the composer), and after intermission (Thursday night) Louis was presented with an award for his dedication to contemporary music, after which he literally LEAPT to the podium and conducted (from memory) the most ELECTRIFYING Strauss "Death and Transfiguration" of all time (I'm sure). The audience was "nailed to the wall" by the intensity. What was really emotional about it was the fact that Lane would have never been allowed to do the work, since it was a Szell's specialty. But Szell was gone, and the orchestra was mired in resentment due to the appointment of Maazel against their wishes. It was almost as if the players (who usually treated Louis very disrespectfully in rehearsals) somehow all collectively REACHED BACK and outdid themselves out of their latent (but deep) respect for Louis as the bearer of Szell's legacy. It was unforgettable (and totally forgotten; I urged that it be included in one of the Cleveland Orchestra's in-house CD sets, but was told no.... it was "Szell's repertoire.") But the recording still exists in the archives. LR

[@twinkytinky87]

That’s my uncle and we called him Uncle Gardner!! When he died in 2016, and Cleveland Orchestra held a wonderful celebration performance for him 💜

[@daviddavenport9350]

The Cleveland "Pops" used to come to my little town of Lakeside Ohio in the summertime......they were the Cleveland Orchestra (Principals and all for the most part...I first met Cloyd Duff there in 1959 or so).....and Lane was always the conductor.....

[@robhaynes4410]

Indeed, I really do know Lane only from his Telarc recordings. I remember very much liking his Respighi Fountains/Pines/Birds disc. I should give it a renewed whirl.

[@poturbg8698]

I heard Lane conduct the Cleveland Orchestra children’s concerts for years, all enjoyable. And I also saw him conduct Vaughan Williams Sea Symphony at one series of evening concerts. Just outstanding.

[@healthrisingMECFS-FM-longCOVID]

Yet another conductor I’d never heard of… amazing😊

[@markmortimer8465]

I met & spoke to the late Louis Lane- after a concert he gave in Bloomington Indiana- with one of the University school's of music orchestras in about 1998. I think he conducted a nice performance of Sibelius 2 from memory. He was a humble & charming man- although clearly aging at the time. I couldn't believe that I was shaking the hand of George Szell's assistant.

[@jeffboggs6274]

Having grown up in Atlanta in the 70's, I went to a number of concerts that Lane was with the ASO, and they were always very good. I particularly remember a performance of Mahler's 5th he did which was very exciting. I never knew till years later when I was a buyer for Tower Records that he had done recordings with Cleveland since they were long out of print by the time I started collecting. The only ones I ever saw were the Telarc ones. I had always hoped Sony would have issued some of them on CD during the 'boom days' of the 80's and 90's, but I guess, better late than never! When I was in high school I was a member of an area high school honors orchestra, and he was supposed to work with us, but for whatever reason, it didn't happen. I would have loved to have worked with him.

[@jeremyberman7808]

I'm pleasantly surprised that Sony put this out. I've hoped for decades that the recordings he made with the Cleveland Orchestra would be released on CD. The recordings of the Mendelssohn and Beethoven were my much more than satisfactory introductions to those two pieces. And the performances of the Mozart K. 334 and Schubert First are well worth listening to. I'll definitely be buying this boxed set, much sooner than later before it disappears.

[@johnmarchington3146]

The Rafael Druian/Cleveland Sinfonietta/Louis Lane was my introduction to "The Lark Ascending" and I still love it. I also remember enjoying Lane's "The Creatures of Prometheus" too.

[@DavidJohnson-of3vh]

I saw an ad for that the other day. I was surprised!

[@davidmayhew8083]

Haven't heard that figure of speech in ages! Love it!

[@dannycarrington1601]

I can think of many times I've heard a recording I really liked (on WBJC) and listened to hear who the performers were and heard the name Louis Lane. I'm buying this now, before it sells out (or is available, but at an inflated price).

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Smart move.

[@Mooseman327]

Wow. Sounds great. Thanks for the heads up!

[@daviddavenport9350]

re: the Lane, Cleveland Sinfonietta Lark Ascending......Druian's violin playing is excellent enough....but listen for Robert Marcellus' clarinet playing.....absolute poetry.

[@geraldmartin7703]

My first "Lark". I used to play the L.P. as I studied late night in college.

[@jwinder2]

That is my favorite recording of this; both Druian and the orchestra phrase and pace the whole piece so naturally and beautifully, that I haven't found another that quite matches it.

[@poturbg8698]

The Cleveland Pops was like the Boston Pops: the regular orchestra minus the first chairs.

[@daviddavenport9350]

Actually in the 1950s before the Cleveland Orchestra was a year round contract, the Principals would play the summer gigs! They needed the money! The Orchestra only became year round with the opening of the Blossom Festival in 1967.

[@markmiller3713]

I Just went online and purchased it!

[@bostonviewer5430]

I heard Maestro Lane but once Szell and The Cleveland Orchestra were to perform in Boston's Symphony Hall; a much anticipated concert. Imagine the disappointment of learning as we took our seats that Szell was ill and his replacement was Mr. Lane. I thought at that moment this could be a great concert with a young conductor. It was not to be. What I heard was one of the deadliest performances of, among others pieces, Beethoven's 6th. I hadn't given him much of a thought since and I'm very surprised he is worth a box but... If you say so Dave maybe there are some worthy performances in that box but if he couldn't make a go of a concert that was fully prepared for him by the great maestro I can't imagine it. Yes, the record companies are really digging into the archives.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

What you or anyone remembers from a single live event is, in my view, completely irrelevant (and that goes for my own recollections as well). Everyone has good and bad days, and it's impossible to judge anything from a single concert--even assuming we agree with your taste, and your memory is accurate. Recordings are a different matter because everyone can listen and judge for themselves.

[@bbailey7818]

Thanks for the review. I was amazed when this showed up. I just received my copy but haven't yet dived (dove?) in though the Beethoven Prometheus and Schubert/Mendelssohn 1s are old friends. But could this be a trial balloon by Sony for a complete Fiedler/RCA Boston Pops? Btw, when you google Louis Lane, Google is sure you mean Superman's girlfriend.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

So I'm told.

[@bbailey7818]

Not only did Lane omit those repeats in the marches but he makes a substantial cut in the first part of Piston's Incredible Flutist Suite and a baffling cut in Copland's Buckaroo Holiday (Rodeo). Too bad. Since the original lp was only 40m, who knows why? A shame as the performances sparkle as does the *complete) Candide Overture.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

I just think they are "pops" versions, whatever that means--I'm sure you remember that conductors used to do it all the time for "the masses." I agree, it was weird. As if that 30 seconds made a difference...

[@bbailey7818]

​@DavesClassicalGuide Yes, some abridgments, for sure. I'd have to check to see if Fiedler made the cuts. Though Arthur F gave the world premiere of the Piston Suite.

[@konradergon]

dave, you may be past this but, could you do a best music when you're drunk?

[@ColinWrubleski-eq5sh]

... or buzzed out on stronger, more illicit substances 🙃😂 The last two movements of the Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique are logical candidates...

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

I wouldn't know. I don't drink or use illicit substances and have never been drunk or gotten high.

[@jensguldalrasmussen6446]

​​@@DavesClassicalGuide Wisely so! Maybe the nearest to the state, the two gentlemen are asking for, would be, if you listened to Le Poème de l'extase... at full volume, and over and over and over again... Might do the trick... or drive the cats, your cohabitant and your neighbours to the brink of a nervous break down! 😁