Hey Loydelee, thanks! I requested the Gardiner cycle from my local library. |
We could start with something familiar;
http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/39716/Karl_Bohm-Brahms_Symphony_No_1-200_Gram_Vinyl_Record |
Sorry, I mean't 'eradicate the problems inherent in those original antiques'.
Tostadosunidos, I believe that most people would agree that expectations are higher whenever hearing a well known masterpiece though of course that's not to say that new compositions don't also demand a high level of performance. Either way, a sense of 'danger' is essential. This comes through in a quality piece despite its age or classification. |
Brownsfan, will you give us a report once it arrives? Spending $60.00 for a Japanese import seems a bit steep, I hope the DG copy will not disappoint. |
Sorry for showing up late. The Paavo Jarvi Beethoven cycle is on 180 gram vinyl from the Impex lable. I bought the cycle on CD while it was being released since Mr. Jarvi was finishing his tenure here in Cincinnati along the same time. I'm surprised that no one made mention of Klemperer or Von Karajan. Admittedly, I'm a bit more fond of the Brahms Symphonies, too bad there are only four. |
It seems to be the trend however that orchestras are getting away from the golden era style of sixty string players with a silky sound, a sound which separated the Vienna from the Chicago, etc... However, Beethoven never saw such large orchestras during his life time.
I adore those days when Furtwangler, Klemperer, Böhm, Mengleberg and Von Karajan set standards with legendary performances but now I'm looking forward towards hearing more historically minded performances. Especially given the fact that instrument makers are making period instruments that incorporate advancements which erratic the problems inherent in those original antiques.
I like the band 'modern times_1800' and I'm hoping that they will expand their repertoire. They are an excellent example of a period ensemble. Some conductors/ ensembles make better decisions about performance practice than do others. I wasn't happy with Harnoncourt's Beethoven cycle and thought the historical trumpets to be disconnected from the modern orchestra. I'm glad to see that the Juilliard school has a historical performance department, this is encouraging.
Any insights about what's to come, Beethoven or otherwise? |
Not to beat any dead horses (maybe it's too late for that) but Sergiu Celibidache was a masterful maestro and his zen like tempos have earned him somewhat of a cult like following. I highly recommend the Brahms, all 4 discs are recorded live with the Münchner Philharmoniker on EMI. I find the sonic quality to be superb and the German Requiem is included on one of the sets. I believe that Sergiu Celibidache and the Munich on EMI will be my next choice for Beethoven.
'You can't do anything other than let it happen. You just let it evolve. You don't do anything yourself. All you do is make sure that nothing disturbs this wonderful creation in any way. You are extremely active and at the same time extremely passive. You don't do anything; you just let it evolve.'
Sergiu Celibidache
For records, the mono Toscanini box set on RCA Shaded Dog is still worth digging up now and again. |
Either of you please, Lowrider and/or Brownsfan; what about the current DG recordings in these German cookie cutter concert halls. The hall in Köln is the same as in Berlin is the same as in Hamburg, etc...it's just Walt Disney. Do you suppose that the aforementioned transition was a necessary evil for DG?
I've also been to the Theatre Champ Elysee and the acoustics in that hall are lovely but recordings and concerts don't often take place in these types of venues anymore. Paris has its beautiful Paris Opera but typically the opera plays in the modern facility at Place Bastille. Regardless, excellent recordings are had from almost anywhere today, would you not agree?
It seems to me like DG artists at some point were the victims of a race to keep up with technological advancements, which at the end of the day either meant maximizing dividends or reporting a loss. After all, it is primarily a business, Karajan or no Karajan. |
Lowrider and Brownsfan, I have a Furtwängler set on the Orfeo D' Or label that I want to recommend for these reasons;
A) The remastering was taken from the original source.
B) They are live performances from the Salzburg Festival 1949-1954 with the Vienna Philharmonic.
C) It contains 8 mono CD's.
D) Includes Beethoven Symphonies 3, 9, 8, the GroÃe Fuge and Symphony 7
This set won the PREIS DER DEUTSCHEN SCHALLPLATTEN KRITIK |
Thanks to both responses. I remember when visiting Berlin, hearing negative comments concerning the venue changes for the Philharmoniker, however this alone should not have influenced DG to the degree that their quality had declined. The Teldec recordings are my favorite from the larger companies as there is a definite aesthetic that speaks of integrity to the finest detail. I'm still fond of the Harnoncourt Mozart recording on Teldec. But as I said earlier, sometimes it comes down to who's on the board of directors.
Thanks |
I have von Karajan on Columbia Microgroove though not Beethoven and DG mono vinyl also. I wonder to what extent he recorded on Columbia. It would be nice to see more attention given to his other, outside of the mainstream repertoire. I've found it hard to track down comprehensive lists of recordings from the 1940's and 1950's. |
Thanks Lowrider, I'll look into that set ASAP. In general I've found that I tire of repeated performances. Not to say that their aren't enough performances on recording but I've been listening more for various interpretations, spontaneity in the concert hall, etc.. Which is why I'm surprised that there is no mention of Otto Klemperer in this regard.
Nathan Milstein, in Christopher Nupen's DVD portrait (one of my best DVD's), mentions Klemperer as being one of the great conductors of the 20th century (Nathan Milstein also states that Firtwangler was the greatest conductor that he had ever worked with).
Sonic quality is important to a degree but given the option of listening to very early Horowitz or later Horowitz, I will opt for the remastered early recordings of the 1920's. However, seeing that I was born in 1962, my familiarity with the raisonne' of early classical recordings is severely limited. But thanks to website forums like this one, I have an opportunity to learn and discover.
Thank You! |
Are these the Japanese remasters found on the Acoustic Sounds website or are they DG remasters? |
Lowrider, complete with a descriptive review of the entire set;
http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=102270 |
I'll just throw this out there;
Immortal Performances RCA Victrola (re-pressings of the red seal deluxe edition) Toscanini and the NBC Symphony Orchestra Brahms: The Four Symphonies and "Haydn" Variations, Tragic Overture, Academic Festival Overture.
Library of Congress Card Number R67-3745
These sound better for some reason than any of the other original pressings of Toscanini Brahms on RCA. |
Can anyone recommend one of the Japanese re-masters or validate its quality based on price comparison? Speaking of von Karajan, I've been cogitating over the Sibelius 2nd and Finlandia but for $80.00?
http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/80474/Herbert_von_Karajan-Sibelius_Symphony_No_2-Hybrid_Stereo_SACD |
Loydelee21, I had that Harnoncourt cycle with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and thought the 9th to be the best of them. Yes, Orfeo, Audite, and more rarely mentioned Andante which was one of my favorites before they stopped production, too bad. I'm now looking at a Kreisler Japanese re-master that plays back at 192 kHz and since my DAC will match that frequency I'm certain to order it come payday.
Do you know if the Japanese re-masdters in general playback at this frequency of 192 kHz? |
Brownsfan, A priority reason that I'm thinking of the Japanese re-masters is to to test my stereo. I don't own a SACD player but that's OK.
Ashkenazy: Strauss Ein AlpenSinfonie on Ondine has been on my list for a while. He is certainly a very capable conductor though pianist comes to my mind first and foremost. |
Learsfool, I'm not sure that I agree with anything that you've said (ha, ha) all the same. Andante put out a nice Brahms set which contains Toscanini 1941, Walter 1936, Stokowski 1936, Mengelberg 1932, Monteux 1945, Sabata 1939, Furtwängler 1945, Weingartner 1938. |
I tend to believe that tempo markings are primarily dependent upon the overall aesthetic of the work. Back in the day of course, conductors had to speed up tempos in order to fit works onto a recording. This was a serious handicap with cylinders and 78's. Brahms is well known for writing in tempos like, 'fast but not too fast and certainly not slow'. What it comes down to I think is that neither Beethoven nor Brahms would expect tempos to be exactly the same between any one performance. Composers throughout time have understood personal interpretations of their scores as being part of the artistic process. I'd even be as bold as to say that there was more freedom given with respect to interpretation during these afore mentioned composers lifetimes than there is today. At the top of my head I am thinking of the Percy Granger Grieg Piano Concerto on 2L (a very interesting approach to using a piano roll). |
Learsfoot, you are right on the mark here and I wouldn't try refuting anything which you've just said. Keep in mind as well while concerning performance practice that Vienna was the mecca for music because composers, conductors, musicians, etc.... were in constant contact with one another and together they invented what is now the Viennese School. The point here is that more performance practice has been handed down by word of mouth than usually realized. Hence study with a great conductor, then use that lens of perspective when pulling briefs off of the library shelves.
With the invention of electronic communications, these sources of information travelled further and faster so that Bartok was able to record Hungarian folk melodies which in a way negates the need for him to notate anything. The practice of improvisation varied greatly in the jazz world and very little of it was written in a formal sense. So you bring up several good points but the one that speaks to me the most (besides Hindemith) is that many conductors from the golden era tended to follow in lock step with one another regarding tempo. I really find this to be unquestionable however as we take a distance from what was going on then, it's clear to acknowledge the overall impact that both recordings and film had on the practices of the time and I wouldn't hesitate to assume that the record companies had as much of an influence on the outcomes as did the artists themselves. I'm not suggesting that conductors were being compromised but if Mahler suggested to Walter to shave off two minutes from a scherzo to achieve a particular quality and it became effective, then consumers of that recording began to set trends. Lastly, composers, conductors and musicians are influenced by popular recordings just as any other fan would be. Would you not say that this point of view would then explain some of the mentioned commonalities and conformities of the past? |
Thanks Learsfool, you have a more expansive knowledge about music history then I do, though I do have a liberal arts education in music. I hear a lot of music in Cincinnati (for it being a small city) and seeing that my grandparents were affiliated with the Cincinnati College of Music, I feel a natural attachment to the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati. I graduated from the College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning, at the University of Cincinnati and as a visual artist, I bridge the various arts disciplines in aesthetic terms. Though we come from different professions, we probably share more similarities than we do differences. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to share and learn. |
Brownsfan, I assume that it is believed by most but certainly not all that the SHM SACD hybrids offer the best remixing and remastering available. That appears to be the competition for these larger labels like DG. Why DG can't step up their game and surpass what the Japanese are doing is puzzling. Anyway, I'm tempted to make the Japanese HvK Beethoven purchase once I have the extra $60.00 to spend. Also the Brahms and Sibelius if I find the Beethoven is worth the cost. |
Learsfool, I've often seen the CSO, especially when Paavo Jarvi was director. I studied a bit of set design at CCM so I gravitate towards the theatre in that way. Also, my late Aunt Marcia Lewis did Broadway shows in NYC from the early 1960's until her final run as Mama Morton in Chicago. She played beside Bebe Neuwirth in that cast. |
Lowrider, Brownsfan, I dare make mention of Josef Krips. Though not in anyway a household name such as von Karajan, a very intelligent and musical conductor. Of course it would be impossible to name everyone but he made some outstanding recordings. WWII was without question the cause for his tumultuous career. Any comments? |
Brownsfan, to refresh your memory, Josef Krips studied with Felix Weingartner in Vienna and became principle conductor of the Vienna Philharmonic before he was exiled out of Austria.
I'm guessing that may have been around 1948 when that Krips Schubert symphony was recorded. Also, the unfinished Mozart Requiem is beautiful, possibly my favorite. His Don Giovanni with the Vienna Philharmonic and Vienna State Opera Orchestra is possibly thought to be his greatest recording achievement. Cesare Siepe is Don Giovanni and a young Lisa Della Casa plays Donna Elvira. |
Learsfool, I apologize but I made an error, I meant to say the Vienna State Opera Chorus. I have the Josef Krips, Don Giovanni on vinyl. It's an 8 sided London mono box set which was given to me. I just wish that I had a better mono cartridge since all of the vinyl that I own is in mono. The other complete Don Giovanni that I have is the Glyndebourne Festival Opera Company with Fritz Busch as conductor on RCA Victor but admittedly its condition is somewhat sketchy so it sits in the misfit bin. I would certainly recommend the Josef Krips recording. I have a Rene Jacobs Le Nozze di Figaro on Harmonia Mundi which is a period performance and I would way recommend that also. |
Learsfool,
the Rene Jacobs operas are excellent and they feature the Concerto Köln in cooperation with WDR 3. There is also a 'Saul' by Georg Friedrich Haedel and it's superb. The Don Giovanni is with the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra and it's also available on Blue Ray or DVD. If my memory doesn't fail me, they were all recorded live for radio broadcast.
http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/albumList.jsp?name_id1=8429&name_role1=1&name_id2=13576&name_role2=3&bcorder=31
Honestly, I couldn't give you a higher recommendation from my collection than the Rene Jacobs recordings.They may not be to everyones taste but the quality of these discs are irrefutable. As for the Krips Don Giovanni, it's of course a classic. I don't own the Decca CD,
http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=213511
I've not heard the Gardiner but his Figaro DVD looks enticing. |
That's a good question Rok2id. Brownsfan would you, or anyone else for that matter, happen to know the idiosyncrasies of the differing media formats concerning 'SHM', SACD, Redbook. etc...? It seems like these catalogue descriptions might confuse people into thinking that they are getting more of something or may be getting something different from what is actually in the CD. |
Thanks Brownsfan, I'm glad you shared. Yes, the Japanese like raising the bar. I even saw a Japanese remaster of a CD just originally released in 2007, Keith Jarrett's 'Inside Out' and it's on ECM. In actuality 1963 was a pretty long time ago and stereo recordings were just gaining popularity even though the first stereo taping was recorded in 1943 ( of the Cincinnati ).
Do you happen to know if these stereo recordings were recorded side by side in mono? If so, it would be interesting to compare the two that way. Nevertheless, you've got yourself audible copies of some of the best von Karajan recordings. I would also like to hear your take on a Japanese remaster, maybe the 'Eroica'? Happy listening! |
Brownsfan, what comes to mind are the Rudy Van Gelder recordings of the late 1950's and early 1960's. I bought a few Analogue Production remasters thinking that I would be front and center at a live event, no way. We've gotten spoiled over the years, especially us classical music fans given the level of recording quality that is out there today. I know exactly what you mean by the sonic comparison to a cartridge upgrade. There is apparently surface noise in the tapes and that the bottom end is washed out. I'm guessing that it may have a somewhat steely sound. These engineers were probably dealing with a lot of reverberation.
Learsfool, I run hot and cold with Mr. Abbado. His Brahms violin concerto with Gil Shaham and the Berlin is one of the best. However, I'd favor Pierre Boulez as a conductor as well as some other not so obvious choices. |
Brownsfan, I didn't realize that these DG remasters were SACD hybrids. Just to recapitulate our earlier discussion; if DG allocates all of this time and money towards remastering the Von Karajan, then wouldn't one expect that they'd rival their Japanese competitors? In other words, after all of this, if I were to compare both side by side and find that the Japanese remasters were superior to the DG, then I would just have to shake my head and wonder. |
Loydelee, have you seen the Furtwangler box set from Audite. Here's the website; http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=220926
I also have the Paavo Jarvi cycle on CD. They were released on vinyl also. |
Loydelee, I like the Paavo Jarvi cycle but I am biased because I saw him for ten seasons with our orchestra in Cincinnati. Nevertheless, his interpretations make sense, for example the opening four note motive of the 5th is taken with enthusiasm versus the sometimes slower approach. Dynamics especially stand out in this cycle as being well thought out in advance. The small size of the Bremen orchestra allows one to hear its quality players more closely. The recordings are very good to excellent. The room sounds open and tends to recede towards the tympani.
OK, so how does this compare with Karajan or Furtwängler? It has been some time since I've heard the Karajan but my instincts tell me that the Jarvi is less idiosyncratic and more focused on driving home the point so to speak. I certainly haven't heard enough Furtwängler recordings but he's such a towering iconic figure that I see him in some way as being a linked to Brahms and Beethoven themselves. The Furtwängler that I own is the d'Orfeo box set of the Berlin at the Salzburg Festival which is wonderful. However, I cannot make a fair comparison between the two at this point.
The only symphony which I found questionable to my liking in the Jarvi cycle would be the 9th. It isn't bad, it's just out of the ordinary. I once owned the Harnoncourt box set when it first came out in the 90's and found it beautiful in some ways but perceived the historical brass being combined with all modern instruments to sound out of place. There were also areas of the Harnoncourt that sounded a little 'run through'. If I were to recommend a modern recording of the Beethoven cycle, it would be the one from Paavo Jarvi.
Lastly, the now defunct Andante label issued some wonderful remasteres of Beethoven. The one that comes to mind is the LSO Salzburg set with Karl Böhm conducting the Beethoven 7th live. |
Brownsfan,
certainly these engineers who are remastering in the SHM format have little time 'for wasting where with fools' as I would guess that there's an abundance of good material for them to choose from. They seemingly aren't dumb enough to release something that won't live up to that $60.00 a disc price tag. I don't know what the Japanese labels are required to pay for the original tapes and for the rights to release the material but I would assume that it isn't cheap and so it's a professional decision to limit what they're willing to work with.
The artistic merit alone is enough reason for someone interested in the art of classical music performance to purchase the entire set. For example, I have William Backhaus remasters from around 1918 including the first full recording of the Grieg piano concerto and I couldn't begin to tell you how much I value those CD's.
The DG 3 and 4 sound like they shine in the face of what was initially a difficult set of conditions. After what you've told me however, I would probably pass on the recent box set only because I have other recording antiquities that I am mildly more interested in but I would certainly treasure a good 3rd and 4th be it either on the DG label or on the Japanese label.
As far as forking over cash on CD's, the reality sometimes creeps in when I'm looking at a slow work month and the bills are piling up. This is where I am now, so internet window shopping has become a regular past time. I am rather curious however why these Japanese label reissues are so limited with respect to which websites will even make them available. |
Rok2id,
I rarely take reviews on Amazon seriously though admittedly some are substantial. I often post on and read from the Gramophone website and as much as I respect that magazine and its staff, I need to put things from Gramophone in there proper context.
Honestly, I've found the help at the Harmonia Mundi store at Opera in Paris to be the most helpful and second to that, the SATURN help in Köln. As for internet selection and reviews, I mostly value ArkivMusic.com.
It has taken me years to know where and how to get information and when or when not to take it too seriously. However of all of the sources that I value the most, I would have to credit my lesson instructors, music theory teachers, music history teachers and/or conservatory professors in general, as they have given me the ability to think for myself. |
Hi Lloydelee,
I find the Penguin Guide to be a bit conservative though it is consistent. Do you remember the Schwann Catalogue for classical recordings? I really liked that catalogue and I was nearly devastated when it stopped publication because I would look through each quarterly issue backwards and forwards before placing an order with the local record store. The advantage that the Pinguin had over the Schwann would be that the Pinguin reviews and rates its CD's. The advantage that the Schwann had over the Pinguin is that it listed everything that was in print, therefore making the Pinguin catalogue seemingly minuscule by comparison.
The point that I'm driving at with this comparison between the Schwann and Pinguin is that if the Pinguin were to comprehensively list and review all of the excellent recorded performances available, then it would end up being the size of six unabridged dictionaries. Consequentially my collection is less mainstream in nature from that of the Pinguin entries and recently I've been relying on the reviews in Gramophone, Fanfare, etc... before making a purchase.
The Pinguin however is consistently dependable if there is a work that you aren't familiar with. Lastly, the Pinguin seems to choose most of its CD's from the corporate labels and less from the boutique labels but admittedly I have not seen its recent edition. |
K330, if you look at the release dates, one is from 1994 and the other is from 2010. Essentially this means that the earlier set is the original release and is currently out of print. The two should however sound the same as it doesn't appear as if any remastering was done to the 2010 release. You may find however that the earlier box set includes a booklet which isn't included in the later reissue. |
Keep in mind that it's more difficult to play an instrument slow and soft than loud and fast. The job of an orchestra is to play as an ensemble and not as a group of soloists. In most respects, I see ensemble playing as being the responsibility of the conductor but one can only do so much with what they have to work with. Classical musicians must have a knowledge of performance practice and a technique which will facilitate the objectives of a conductor and/or composer. This is why some conservatories pay more attention to ensemble playing than coaching along solo careers. The pedagogy of these two disciplines are significantly different from one another.
Contrary to popular belief, musicians in the best orchestras will always make mistakes however they are often covered over or they're faint to the ear. Primarily what makes a good performance is difficult to pin down exactly but I've often found that the experienced and competitive groups will take on a sense of danger whenever they're motivated by artistic inspiration. An inspired Berlin Philharmonic playing Beethoven under the baton of a fiery Furtwängler will certainly result in memorable evening. This is why I prefer live performances or live recordings and why I tend to overlook errors. It also serves an orchestra well to have a loyal and intelligent audience. |
Loydelee. his Stravinsky with the CSO is one of my favorites;
http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=75678
He has an advantage when it comes to the Estonian, Latvian. Lithuanian and Scandinavian composers. He conducts from underneath as is the school in Estonia. |
I wonder if these choices in orchestra size aren't in many ways based upon familiarity. There are so many recordings from various orchestras that it would be hard not to find 50 wonderful examples of Beethoven's Eroica by small orchestras, large orchestras, fat conductors, short concertmasters. To me, a quality performance/recording is worth paying attention to and these external conditions may contribute to the performance but they won't dictate it. In other words, I work at not bringing with me a set of pre-determned conditions. |
Hi Loydelee, I know that I've heard it but I don't own it. Which label is it on, etc..and I'll see if I can pick it up. I know that I liked it when I heard it.
Back when I took music theory I would always choose Beethoven scores to analyze and identify because they covered everything and were structurally perfect. Maybe for that reason it is rather easy for me to remember and sing Beethoven passages which makes it all the more fun. I don't however subscribe to the notion that understanding music is necessary in order to enjoy it but it helps and I fiercely oppose any type of anti-intellectualism with scorn.
Deciding to listen to something different from what one is used to certainly makes sense to me because I believe that change catalyzes artistic growth. After all Beethoven changed the face of Western music forever and it seems natural with any Beethoven interpretation to keep a foot in the past and to realize the scope of his vision. The idea of a smaller Beethoven period orchestra seems like a natural extension of what's previously been done. |
Certainly Merlinus, I can appreciate a large orchestra with the best of them. I've had a variety of experiences with different groups of various sizes in situations that may or may not come off so well. One of the most interesting was a performance of a Mahler work (I can't remember which one) where the motivation was to exemplify how music in the home was contingent upon people meeting with instruments, reading sheet music and playing the music themselves. Anyway, the band consisted of something like a marimba, oboe, trumpet, violin, cello, snare drum and cymbal and piano. I doubt if I'll ever hear Mahler played that way again but it was well thought out and rather interesting. However I tend to make a steady diet out of chamber music while listening to full scale orchestra only here and there. |
Kmccarty, thanks for the recommendationsI I found the live Kleiber d'Orfeo recording and I'm interested in hearing it but since I just ordered a Sandrine Piau CD, it will have to wait a bit. There's also a DG Original Masters remaster of Kleiber and the Vienna playing Beethoven's 5th and 7th. I typically opt for live recordings however and since d'Orfeo takes their recordings from the original source tapes, they tend to reign on my priority list.
Kleiber is an interesting conductor for me since he is primarily associated with Opera. Louis Langree is the same in this sense and will become full time conductor of the Cincinnati now that Paavo Jarvi has moved to the Rheinland. |
Shouldn't HIP be HPP for historical performance practice? Then HIPP could be historical instrumentation performance practice. |
This seems to be in competition with the Gardiner ;
Beethoven: Missa Solemnis / Herreweghe, Collegium Vocale Gent |
Loydelee, I just picked up the Gardiner Beethoven cycle. I haven't even been able to look at the discs yet to see if they're playable but I will give it a try once this cat finds a chair. Yes, surprisingly there wasn't a lot on offer when I checked to see which recommended recordings of the Missa Solemnis were still in print. I like the recording engineers at Harmonia Mundi so that recommendation jumped out at me when I saw it. The Solemnis is a monumental work but it would seem as if the record labels have shied away from it for some reason. I have a nice recording of Mozart's Missa Solemnis but that won't help any. Same text I would assume. |
Sorry, a lot of things going on. Surprisingly, I found a Konica II rangefinder in excellent condition as someone was throwing it out. But anyway, I listened to Gardiner conducting the Beethoven 5th and have to say that either the hall and/or the miking is the culprit for criticisms surrounding this recording. It reminds me of when I saw Wozzeck at Avery Fisher Hall; the tympani heads sounded as if they were made out of paper and the woodwinds over powered the strings. From what I could tell with the Gardiner 5th, the brass was shrill and often overpowering, the oboes and bassoons could hardly be heard at all and the strings fluctuated between being dynamically balanced or washed out and behind the curtain. Staccato in the strings was for the most part unintelligible. What is most odd was the opening 4 note motive and that entire phrase by comparison to when it's repeated further along in the exposition. Why on earth is the introduction of that phrase softer with less emphasis than when it's played again later? I don't have the score on hand but the introduction should make a definite statement. The second movement was played and recorded beautifully. Any comments? |
Loydelee, what I've heard so far isn't sub standard by any stretch, in fact there are some beautiful moments but the things that stand out in my head are those things that I mentioned. I suppose that this is how I'm wired. Yes, of course I need to listen to the rest of the set. I now remember when this Gardiner set came out and I believe the Harnoncourt set came out right after. I ended up buying the Harnoncourt. Some nice things about this Gardiner set is the ensemble size in the sense that much of the instrumentation is revealing when its balanced. The musicians are capable and their tone is what I prefer. There is no falling out by strings, woodwinds etc... and there are no obvious blunders. |
Does anyone know if the Gardiner Beethoven 5 CD Collectors Edition Archive re-release is any different from the original?
These look nice;
http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=733459
Always interested in groups in or around my former short term town of Köln, De.
Chewwwws! |
