Toe-curling interviews at tonight's 'concert'

[Frances_iom]

I realise that the Rattle LSO get together needed considerable padding out but once one member states how great + emotional is is to be back then surely this would suffice - these lockdown semi concerts tho getting some money to players could surely be timed such that what is usually the longer work that follows can actually be announced in advance.

[Keraulophone]

As to the final item in the ‘concert’ itself, Rach S2, I felt that Rattle didn’t come close to its Russian spirit. Generic dynamic bulges and swooning rallentandos did not convince this listener, despite some alert playing from the LSO. The clarinet melody introducing (iii) disappeared emotionally and audibly. When listening to an audio-only Rattle performance, I just cannot rid my mind of his grimaces and jerks of the stick.

[Nick Armstrong]

As to the final item in the ‘concert’ itself, Rach S2, I felt that Rattle didn’t come close to its Russian spirit. Generic dynamic bulges and swooning rallentandos did not convince this listener, despite some alert playing from the LSO. The clarinet melody introducing (iii) disappeared emotionally and audibly. When listening to an audio-only Rattle performance, I just cannot rid my mind of his grimaces and jerks of the stick.

Oh dear, yes I echo / agree with everything you say in that post

[Ein Heldenleben]

As to the final item in the ‘concert’ itself, Rach S2, I felt that Rattle didn’t come close to its Russian spirit. Generic dynamic bulges and swooning rallentandos did not convince this listener, despite some alert playing from the LSO. The clarinet melody introducing (iii) disappeared emotionally and audibly. When listening to an audio-only Rattle performance, I just cannot rid my mind of his grimaces and jerks of the stick.

Yes I think I mentioned on another thread this new recording . Some of the phrasing sounded odd to me - swooning is a good description. I also wondered about some of the overly audible inner parts and some over fussy violin articulation. You could hear just too much of the mechanics of the piece for me...

[Katzelmacher]

As to the final item in the ‘concert’ itself, Rach S2, I felt that Rattle didn’t come close to its Russian spirit. Generic dynamic bulges and swooning rallentandos did not convince this listener, despite some alert playing from the LSO. The clarinet melody introducing (iii) disappeared emotionally and audibly. When listening to an audio-only Rattle performance, I just cannot rid my mind of his grimaces and jerks of the stick.

In the last fifteen years or so, Rattle has conducted - or has felt himself obliged to conduct - a lot of music that he’s not in sympathy with. I somehow can’t see him as an enthusiastic advocate of, say, Carmen or Carmina Burana although he has dutifully recorded both, doubtless to satisfy record company politics. If his Rachmaninov lacks authentic Russian spirt, it may be because Rattle a) isn’t Russian and b)lacks basic empathy with the work.

[Old Grumpy]

I somehow can’t see him as an enthusiastic advocIate of, say, Carmen or Carmina Burana although he has dutifully recorded both, doubtless to satisfy record company politics.

Interesting concept - I would have thought fill record company coffers might be more the case, but I am not in "the biz", so what do I know!

OG