09-07-2009 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree Paul S San Diego, California, USA Posts 2,657 Joined on 10-12-2006 Post #: 1 Post ID: 11691 Reply to: 11691 A Very Nice "Eroica"! fiogf49gjkf0d Sudwestfunkorchester, Baden-Baden/Jascha Horenstein; Vox, STPL 510-700 (stereo; recorded in Germany) I think that Beethoven's 3rd Symphony is another case of great music that is so universally appreciated that it becomes ubiquitous, and then we begin to take it for granted.  I would not doubt it if someone told me that every visitor to this site owned at least two versions of this all-conquering warhorse, nor would I doubt that one of us just might be spinning a version of it as this is written. Today I sat down with the idea that I would compare two of my 6 or 7 versions of this work, but I wound up put off by the other version, so I only listened to this one (twice..). So, what's to enjoy here?  Lately I have been reveling in type of orchestral performance I associated first with Furtwangler, where the various sections - and even individual instruments - seem to have their own lives apart from the whole to which they contribute.  Done well enough, this can make for wonderfully rich tone, textures and timing as well as revealing how very interesting the 3rd is as Music, both in a rote, technical sense and also in terms of its aesthetics.  This performance also has nice, well-integrated LF for a change, and this LF actually derives from the bass instruments playing in real time! I like Horenstein (ex-pat Ruskie...) and I compare him to Bruno Walter in some ways.  His sound is probably considered "antique" by today's standards; but what do I care about that?  Horenstein is at his best here, and the orchestra is superb.  I thought it odd at first that while their dynamics were so - well -  dynamic , yet their peaks were all somewhat diminished.  They'd head for a fortissimo with plenty of momentum and plenty of power in reserve, but the crescendo would trail off.  This problem turned out to be the engineers (of course...) riding the limiters. But don't worry; the performance itself is so loaded that it not only survives but it thrives via this otherwise-good recording and transfer. Out of the dozens of versions I have heard of this deluxe chestnut, this version is high up on my short list. Paul S

09-08-2009 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree Romy the Cat Boston, MA Posts 10,156 Joined on 05-28-2004 Post #: 2 Post ID: 11698 Reply to: 11691 Erotica is a "lucky" symphony. fiogf49gjkf0d It is immensely popular and has many great recordings. However, l if your looks for another immensely popular and well–recorded work, let say Mozart 40 symphony, then you will not find among tones of recordings a lot of truly good recordings. With Erotica is different – there are MANY of good recordings. I do not know this particular Horenstein’s recording but a few great Third that come to my mind with no particular order: Koussevitzky 1945 with Boston Toscanini 1939 and 1953 with NBC Scherchen 1958 with Vienna Kabasta 1943 with Munich Weingartner 1936 with Vienna Erich Kleiber 1950s with Vienna and Concertgebouw Furtwangler 1944 with Vienna   My very personal currant favorite is from 1992 where German Brunswick led by Melles and a live broadcast with SF lead by MMT 2 years back. We are lucky that this great peace has so many great versions.   The caT "I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche