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11-07-2009

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Romy the Cat

Boston, MA
Posts 10,052
Joined on 05-28-2004

Post #:	51
Post ID:	12170
Reply to:	4929

The Lorin Maazel disaster.

The BSO played Beethoven Ninth yesterday. I was not home, listening the live broadcast in my car and was thanking God that I scheduled to record it home. As the resale I because an owner of the most remarkable and the most valuable recording of Beethoven Ninth but a major orchestra. If BSO pays my $5.000 I will probably give up my rights for the recording, otherwise I will remind as an evidence of the most shameful event in BSO history. I was actually laughing out loud right during the broadcast and it was like in the bad parody. Even the always great Tanglewood choruses sounded like it come from the meanest Victor Borge’s joke. To insult the injuries I have tickers for today Saturday performance…

"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche

11-07-2009

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Paul S
San Diego, California, USA
Posts 2,577
Joined on 10-12-2006

Post #:	52
Post ID:	12174
Reply to:	12170

Black or White

We talked about all the great performances and recordings of the 3rd. Well, the 9th does seem to go pretty much the other way.

Could there be such a thing as a "mediocre" 9th? Either it's great, or it sucks.

As a point of interest, does anyone know of a great recorded performance of the 9th by BSO from back in its Glory Days?

Paul S

11-08-2009

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Romy the Cat

Boston, MA
Posts 10,052
Joined on 05-28-2004

Post #:	53
Post ID:	12192
Reply to:	12174

No Beethoven from BSO

Paul S wrote:
As a point of interest, does anyone know of a great recorded performance of the 9th by BSO from back in its Glory Days?

From my point of view there were no known to me worthy Beethoven Ninth from BSO committed to recording media. BSO was not truly the Beethoven orchestra even during the Glory Days....

"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche

11-09-2009

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clarkjohnsen
Boston, MA, US
Posts 298
Joined on 06-02-2004

Post #:	54
Post ID:	12211
Reply to:	12174

One answer for the BSO

Paul S wrote:
Could there be such a thing as a "mediocre" 9th? Either it's great, or it sucks.

I've heard many plain performances.

As a point of interest, does anyone know of a great recorded performance of the 9th by BSO from back in its Glory Days?

Actually, the Munch ain't bad! Soloists are not shoddy: Giorgio Tozzi, David Poleri, Maureen Forrester, Leontyne Price. The 1958 sound (on vinyl) is exemplary, although a couple later issues exceeded the original shady dogs. Haven't heard a CD.

clark

07-24-2010

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Romy the Cat

Boston, MA
Posts 10,052
Joined on 05-28-2004

Post #:	55
Post ID:	14094
Reply to:	4929

The Abduction From the Seraglio by BSO

Last night BSO performed a concert version of Mozart “Abduction From the Seraglio”. I do not know this opera too much and had no idea what to expect. The BSO was lead by Johannes Debus – a musical director of Canadian Opera Company.

It turn out to be a very very pleasant experience. I am not sure if I like flow of the “Abduction…” - the text comments are interesting but destroy some opera dramaturgy. Still for a concert version it was OK I guess, it sounded more like oratorio. The BSO was surprisingly at it’s high. It all together it turned out to be a very-very good concert.

"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche

10-01-2010

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Romy the Cat

Boston, MA
Posts 10,052
Joined on 05-28-2004

Post #:	56
Post ID:	14614
Reply to:	4929

James Levine’s return stunt.

The next week you need to be dead to skip Boston’s Symphony Hall.

This week James Levine returns from his long medical sabbatical with all-Wagner program. Levine looks like fine nowadays and this week he conducted Metropolitan. BSO is perfectly able to suck with Levine but with his it is so bad…

The next week James Levine perform the “return stunt” – during the midday he will conduct 'Das Rheingold' at Metropolitan – 3 hours very complex opera with no intermission and by 8PM we will be leading BSO witch Mahler Resurrection. This is as bold as ambition as it can get, God bless him with the strength to undertake all of it.

Meanwhile, this Saturday it wills me the day of opening of my horns and the day of BSO opening. I am not willing to commit adultery to my horns – I will be listening BSO over WCRB. If James Levine does not cancel I will raise a glass of nice Georgian wine to his honor….

So, far Levine is on….

http://interceder.net/list/James-Levine

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

08-07-2011

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Romy the Cat

Boston, MA
Posts 10,052
Joined on 05-28-2004

Post #:	57
Post ID:	16800
Reply to:	4929

BSO is back…

I do not post a lot in musical section of my sire as I interact about my mural at different places. Still here is some update about what is going on in Boston. As we all know James Levine is out and BSO is ownerless. Since the opening the Tanglewood season they played surprisingly well I have no idea who prepared them but it was relay good. Ten the last two weeks Christoph Eschenbach came with all Brahms program and it was a nightmare. Then Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos added the injuries with Rachmaninoff and Yuja Wang. The BSO sounded so broken up that it was almost like high-school band. The last nigh however BSO were back.

The BSO assistant conductor Sean Newhouse took his turn at podium and BSO somehow came together. It was Sarah Chang with Mendelssohn violin and the mighty Rachmaninoff’s Second Symphony.

The Rachmaninoff’s Second Symphony at open air of Tanglewood – that might be interesting I though while BSO was opening up with Jalbert’s “Music of air and fire” and suddenly demonstrated unexpectedly-good play. So, it was. The BSO flew over the Rachmaninoff’s Second Symphony with very nice touch. They of cause are not the BSO from 40s and then played the work with much unnecessary romanism that in my view not good for the work but whatever version they played they played well.

Here is a fragment in 88/24, 140Meg, be your own judge. Discard some multipathing FM noise I have in my reception – I am working on it.

http://www.mediafire.com/?4p67i58wgqyxxqj

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

08-07-2011

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clarkjohnsen
Boston, MA, US
Posts 298
Joined on 06-02-2004

Post #:	58
Post ID:	16801
Reply to:	16800

Rach too

Elsewhere I read that Romy has put the Golovanov Rach 2 onto his server. I recommend that everyone download it... now!

The BSO's performance last night was thoroughly enjoyable, but not exactly a keeper.

What he omitted was how fine the Paganini Rhapsody was on Friday, especially considering who the conductor was.

clark

08-07-2011

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Romy the Cat

Boston, MA
Posts 10,052
Joined on 05-28-2004

Post #:	59
Post ID:	16804
Reply to:	16801

You got to be kidding!

clarkjohnsen wrote:

What he omitted was how fine the Paganini Rhapsody was on Friday, especially considering who the conductor was.

http://classical-scene.com/2011/08/07/lilt-and-wit-tanglewood/comment-page-1/#comment-7224

"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche

10-30-2011

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Romy the Cat

Boston, MA
Posts 10,052
Joined on 05-28-2004

Post #:	60
Post ID:	17259
Reply to:	4929

What a play list nigh from BSO!!!

Last night Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos took BSO on the Ein Heldenleben trip as it was never before:

http://classical-scene.com/2011/10/29/fiddlers-two-at-the-bso

It was unbelievably wonderful play, probably the best Ein Heldenleben I ever heard. In ten minutes after the concert was over the Nor'easter storm cut out power in my neighborhood and reportedly in the home of two million of east cost residences. My stand-by generator kicked. I do not drive my playback from stand-by generator, the PP2000 can’t lock it PLL to it, so and today I am waling walking around my house and am thinking about nothing else than how to play this Ein Heldenleben file again. I am painfully want to hear it again!!!!

Rgs, 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

11-17-2011

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Romy the Cat

Boston, MA
Posts 10,052
Joined on 05-28-2004

Post #:	61
Post ID:	17386
Reply to:	4929

Boston at its best.

Listening today Scharwenka Piano Concerto No1 by Earl Wild and BSO under Erich Leinsdorf. I am not so wild about the concerto, there is a reasons why all 4 Scharwenka’s concertos are on second and their tears of piano concertos repertoire. However, how great BSO use to play back in 1969!!! It is available on Elan label and comes with much more interesting Paderewski’s Piano Concerto with London under Arthur Fiedler. Piano played by the same Earl Wild, identically wonderful. The BSO was recorded in our Symphony Hall and you won’t have this sound and this play today… Unfortunately…

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

03-30-2012

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Romy the Cat

Boston, MA
Posts 10,052
Joined on 05-28-2004

Post #:	62
Post ID:	18026
Reply to:	4929

Very unexpected treat by Leonidas Kavakos

It was unexpected treat last night from BSO with Beethoven 4:

http://classical-scene.com/2012/03/28/kavakos-nails-the-details/

who cold believe that it might be such an interesting piece….

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

06-24-2012

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steverino
Posts 353
Joined on 05-23-2009

Post #:	63
Post ID:	18320
Reply to:	18026

Kavakos and tchaikovsky

I heard Kavakos play the Tchaikovsky Concerto a couple of years ago. Outstanding technique and muusicality. The concertmaster was just back in her chair obviously impressed by his technical command. As for conducting, well, Ashkenazy made the transition fairly successfully. I suppose it gets tiresome to play the same dozen works over and over, When is the last new Violin Concerto that became a repertoire item?

09-30-2013

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Romy the Cat

Boston, MA
Posts 10,052
Joined on 05-28-2004

Post #:	64
Post ID:	20109
Reply to:	4929

My latest BMI post...

...deletd.

The Mahler Second last Saturday was a wonderful concert to demonstrate how irrelevant BSO is becoming in lives of people who are interesting in actual musical results instead of paranoiac desire of feeding a parochial cesspool of smalltalk about musical life. From this perspective BSO is not much different from BMI, which also has very little relatively or quality.

The Resurrection that BSO showed on Saturday was probably the most boring I even attended. With some minor exception of BSO’s strings in second movement the whole concert was like waking up after a wavy hangover where musicians did not know why they do what they do and music had no idea why it sounds. The BMI people talk a lot about the pose after the first movement that Mahler introduced to “calm down nerves” but I after the first movement told to Wify that I just realized that it has to be incredibly boring job to play full time in an orchestra like BSO, not much different in my view then to be BMI writer or reader.

For sure we have very good musicians at BSO and no one question their desire or interest to demonstrate exciting music. However, I am realist and for quite a few years, very much like the last Saturday, the trip to Concert Hall was an unfortunate waste time and money. Not much different from BMI. The last truly stimulating article I have read at BMI was two years back about a Rockport chamber concert. The rest writing at BMI no different than BSO – a bunch of generally good people with good intention are trying to push out themselves irrelevant verbal expressions about events that might amuse only people who spent 10 years in sensory deprivation chambers…

Not only the insultingly-mediocre BSO play and boring Dohnányis’ interpretation were something that received at BMI a clean bill of health from a Professor of Music but another I am sure some kind of Professor Stephen Owades extends appreciation to the quality of live sound that WCRB had on Saturday. I think that Professor Owades instead of buying a hearing aid need to embrace another title like sonic generalissimo or something like this…
.
I understand that cross-kissing in a bat any status-quo individual is the only prerogative that left for players of reviewers who not able to play well together or to write well. And I understand that my childish yell about residual integrity is just childish. Well, this is one of the reasons why I do not read BMI anymore and why I do not waste my time nowadays to monitor what BSO is doing. Still, it is fan once a while to visit BMI and to confirm that the sarcophagus of self-serving hallucination that BMI decouples itself from reality becoming thicker and now feature a full bas-relief of local mocking credentials.

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

09-30-2013

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Paul S
San Diego, California, USA
Posts 2,577
Joined on 10-12-2006

Post #:	65
Post ID:	20113
Reply to:	20109

The "Critical" Industry and Easy Audiences

Perhaps if the "critics" did a better job these days, the artists would rise to the occasion. Good examples of poor "critical analysis" may be heard daily on innumerable NPR stations across the country, with "well-educated" "music critics" inventing and extoling the "merits" of trite popular music compositions and performances. Likewise, audiences seem perfectly happy to be and be seen at tepid or even downright poor performances, and the ovations and plaudits pour forth for good and poor performances, alike.

As for otherwise-capable musicians, who is going to break ranks, and what difference would it make? Looking back to the great ones, I admit that I put a lot on the conductor.

No question in my mind, better critics and a worthwhile, ongoing critical dialog raise the bar in the art world. However, is there a place or an audience anymore for someone who does not want, first and foremost, to maintain a spot in the group hug that is today's critical dialog? Not to mention that, more and more, the audience is invited - and they seem inclined - to join in the group hug.

Paul S

09-30-2013

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clarkjohnsen
Boston, MA, US
Posts 298
Joined on 06-02-2004

Post #:	66
Post ID:	20117
Reply to:	20109

Frankly, Romy...

...I'd have deleted it too. The essay was way more about you than the music, and the sideswipes at BMI were entirely gratuitous.

Their review of the M2 was however the most frivolous piece of writing about serious music I've read since, oh, 1958.

The performance came across on the radio much better than it did evidently in the hall. It did evince a good deal of restraint and, for lack of a better word, tastefulness, but the mezzo was terrific (vibrato aside, but what can you do?) and the percussion battery at the very end was quite the best I've ever heard. I'll listen again.

c

09-30-2013

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Romy the Cat

Boston, MA
Posts 10,052
Joined on 05-28-2004

Post #:	67
Post ID:	20118
Reply to:	20117

It was written to be deleted.

Come on, Clark, I know what I am doing and The BNI’s Lee is predictable like winter snow. The sideswipes at BMI were very much not gratuitous. The frivolous writing about serious music is BMI credo and it is very much not an accident that I associated the insolent BSO play with the unwarranted drooling of BMI writers.

Yes, I also recognise that on radio the M2 was much better then in was in Symphony Hall I did reported this phenomena before: something that that do with processing made tonal and timing problem more forgiving. What however their processing was not able to fix was completely pointless play during the first movements. There are no other words then “pointless” to describe how BSO played. I so disgusted that with exception of one forthcoming Bruckner concert this season I am not planning to go there. let them play to entertain the BMI reviews writing professors….

"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche

10-01-2013

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steverino
Posts 353
Joined on 05-23-2009

Post #:	68
Post ID:	20121
Reply to:	20117

Fashion du jour

"Their review of the M2 was however the most frivolous piece of writing about serious music I've read since, oh, 1958.
The performance came across on the radio much better than it did evidently in the hall. It did evince a good deal of restraint and, for lack of a better word, tastefulness, but the mezzo was terrific (vibrato aside, but what can you do?) and the percussion battery at the very end was quite the best I've ever heard. I'll listen again."

The comments about this perf (leaving aside the reviewer's blather) sound identical to my perceptions of Mahler 2nd I heard from Chailly and the Concertgebouw about 10 years ago. This is what Dohnanyi, Chailly, Salonen, Dutoit, Rattle, Young etc etc produce. You either like it or not. It is music to enjoy after a lawn croquet game. Many people apparently enjoy tidy restrained performances of the 19th century orchestral works whether Mahler and Bruckner or Schubert's 2nd. As with CJ the only area where I find some verve is left is in the formerly benighted percussion section.

However, there is another more serious underlying issue. Audiences in the past were listening to a large slice of contemporary works. Now the orchestra and soloists are playing the same works over and over. Technically it's usually quite good but mostly sounds like highly processed food tastes. So the emphasis at least with soloists is more eye candy than ear candy.

10-01-2013

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Romy the Cat

Boston, MA
Posts 10,052
Joined on 05-28-2004

Post #:	69
Post ID:	20122
Reply to:	20121

BSO/Mahler concert.

Well, it is not about the way how a given “reviewer” like or does not like the music but the general level of informity of the BMI people who put them in position to express an expert option, not to mention the level of brainless pomposity they express while they do it. The guy from BMI wrote that the conductor sat down on a stool and waited for five full minutes while latecomers took to their seats. Well, the story how Mahler factored in the very long rest after first most is the most famous anecdote among all movements’ breaks but the BMI writer was not informed about not know about it. Does he have to? Let see: “David Patterson, Professor of Music and former chairman of the Performing Arts Department at UMass Boston, was recipient of a Fulbright Scholar Award and the Chancellor’s Distinction in Teaching Award. He studied with Nadia Boulanger and Olivier Messiaen in Paris and holds a PhD from Harvard University.“

I very much do not knock the David Patterson personally – it is fine do not know those relatively unimportant things but I brought it up as an illustration about the whole BMI level. Both MBI and Seen and Heard International gave high remark to this BSO/Mahler concert and I find it preposterous.

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

10-01-2013

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steverino
Posts 353
Joined on 05-23-2009

Post #:	70
Post ID:	20123
Reply to:	20122

The audience

I was referring to the audiences and music buyers who acquire the above artists recordings, not the reviewer's opinions. I assume the audience didn't walk out or fail to applaud.

10-01-2013

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clarkjohnsen
Boston, MA, US
Posts 298
Joined on 06-02-2004

Post #:	71
Post ID:	20124
Reply to:	20121

What steverino says, yeah!

Partly too, if not largely, this blandness results from the recording process and its expectations wherein performers strive for perfection at the cost of expressiveness. Even orchestras that have not recorded for ages fall prey to it. A band like the London Symphony Orchestra, which virtually lives in the recording studio, can barely produce spontaneity.

Look at Michael Tilson Thomas. His SFSO live recordings are models (?) of restraint and good taste. Feh! But when he did the Mahler Second at Tanglewood several seasons ago, it was EXCITING and unusual.

c

02-23-2014

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Romy the Cat

Boston, MA
Posts 10,052
Joined on 05-28-2004

Post #:	72
Post ID:	20634
Reply to:	4929

Boston Symphony Orchestra and Manfred Honeck

The local, mostly whoreish publications, are drooling over themselves about the Beethoven’s Third symphony BSO played this week. I sat on Saturday and listed it (and recorded of cause). God, listening the concert I realized that it was epiphany why I so much do not like BSO. It was incredibly boring play – so common for BSO. Manfred Honeck did ornament the Erotica, trying to convert it almost into Mahler. The writing simpletons got supper existed with those new colors, and new animation. However, music is so much more than just melodic and tonal accentuation, particularly the tonal accentuation made by relatively poor BSO players. Anyhow, the Honeck’s Erotica is not the keeper.

"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche

02-23-2014

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clarkjohnsen
Boston, MA, US
Posts 298
Joined on 06-02-2004

Post #:	73
Post ID:	20635
Reply to:	20634

Must differ, somewhat

The first movement went terrifically well -- Rhythmically alert, quickly paced and beautifully shaped. It reminded me of the Weingartner recording, and of the Thomas/Pittsburgh I once heard on the radio while sitting in the car. Difference is, the last three movements became more as Romy says, although "Mahler" would be a stretch.

Page 3 of 3 (73 items)

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	Target	Threads for related reading	Most recent post in related threads	Forum	Replies	Views	Started
»	New	The wonderful Alisa Weilerstein!!!..	Alisa (cont'd)...	Musical Discussions Forum	2	32607	05-03-2008
»	New	The great Corus performances!..	The Tanglewood Chorus next week with Orff....	Musical Discussions Forum	1	21328	10-12-2008