From hearing this on iPlayer, my reaction is generally one of qualified rapture. I enjoyed the brisk and lean tone of the OAE, and for the most part, I thought that SSR judged tempi well. My key reservation was his pacing of the slow movements, which approached mannerism in the closing and inflection of phrases more than once, in all 3 symphonies, curiously enough. No worries about that in the outer movements and minuets, though, on the whole.
It was interesting that in conversation with Martin Handley, SSR noted that when Harnoncourt has given this same program, he has two intervals rather than just one. I remember reading somewhere that Harnoncourt had a theory that this trilogy formed a kind of "symphonic mass", where 39 is the only of the three with a slow introduction, for example. Running with that analogy, 40 enters darker emotional territory, while 41 releases the audience into the bright light of day.
(Not that it matters, but on the earlier spat, I don't see what JLW was talking about with respect to HS' comments. I'm with HS.)
What I'd love some enterprising programmer to do in the future is a 3-concert series, where you have Haydn's and Mozart's respective symphonies nos. 39-41, with an appropriate concerto or some other work as the "sandwich meat", perhaps Hummel or Weber. Back in 2006, there were probably too many ensembles who did Mozart's "big 3' in a single concert. It would be nice to break that pattern.
It was interesting that in conversation with Martin Handley, SSR noted that when Harnoncourt has given this same program, he has two intervals rather than just one. I remember reading somewhere that Harnoncourt had a theory that this trilogy formed a kind of "symphonic mass", where 39 is the only of the three with a slow introduction, for example. Running with that analogy, 40 enters darker emotional territory, while 41 releases the audience into the bright light of day.
(Not that it matters, but on the earlier spat, I don't see what JLW was talking about with respect to HS' comments. I'm with HS.)
What I'd love some enterprising programmer to do in the future is a 3-concert series, where you have Haydn's and Mozart's respective symphonies nos. 39-41, with an appropriate concerto or some other work as the "sandwich meat", perhaps Hummel or Weber. Back in 2006, there were probably too many ensembles who did Mozart's "big 3' in a single concert. It would be nice to break that pattern.
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