Furtwangler recordings of Richard Strauss

[cloughie]

They are different to those recordings in that they seem to show more depth in the music to my ears especially in Don Juan and D and T and Till is genuinely amusing rather than forced.

Oh and have tried Stokowski in these works?

[Beef Oven!]

I don't agree either that conductors can't make things sound better than they are .

[Beef Oven!]

Jokes aside, what one or two members are experiencing with this business of 'conductors making music sound better than it actually is', is called cognitive dissonance.

They have a view that the music is not that good, or they just don't like it and faced with a contrary experience they will create an explanation that allows them to continue with their pre-judgement.

"There's nowt so queer as folk"

[cloughie]

Jokes aside, what one or two members are experiencing with this business of conductors making music sound better than it actually is, is called cognitive dissonance.

They have a view that the music is not that good, or they just don't like it and faced with a contrary experience they will create an explanation that allows them to continue with their pre-judgement.

You mean they hear what they want to hear!

[Conchis]

They are different to those recordings in that they seem to show more depth in the music to my ears especially in Don Juan and D and T and Till is genuinely amusing rather than forced.

I don't agree either that conductors can't make things sound better than they are . The old quote of a critic from the late 1950s about the Rustic Wedding Symphony sums it up ( and no doubt I paraphrase) " Last month after hearing Beecham conduct the RWS I wondered why such a marvellous piece wasn't played more often - after hearing it conducted by X I understood why "

Indeed - and I would argue that Karajan's recordings of Cav and Pag elevate those 'populist' works to a higher level than they naturally occupy, putting them up there with Boheme and Butterfly (Puccini was a great operatic composer, whatever people say).

On a personal note, I've never been convinced of the greatness of Cosi Fan Tutte but in Klemperer's (not much-lauded) version, I am.

[vinteuil]

On a personal note, I've never been convinced of the greatness of Cosi Fan Tutte ...

... o dear.

O dear, o dear, o dear.

Ah well...

:sigh emoticon:



.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

... o dear.

O dear, o dear, o dear.

Ah well...

:sigh emoticon:



.

I would suggest the music exceeds the story by a factor not too from infinity.

[Beef Oven!]

I would argue that Karajan's recordings of Cav and Pag elevate those 'populist' works to a higher level than they naturally occupy, putting them up there with Boheme and Butterfly (Puccini was a great operatic composer, whatever people say).

Think about this again. Your current thinking is muddled.

[teamsaint]

Post Blackadder, I always think of this as a “ Captain Rum” type opinion.

But it is just as well we don’t all think the same

[richardfinegold]

Jokes aside, what one or two members are experiencing with this business of 'conductors making music sound better than it actually is', is called cognitive dissonance.

They have a view that the music is not that good, or they just don't like it and faced with a contrary experience they will create an explanation that allows them to continue with their pre-judgement.

"There's nowt so queer as folk"

Well put. I wonder if people who detested Mahler were saying “Bernstein makes his music sound better than it really is” 60 years ago

[Beef Oven!]

Well put. I wonder if people who detested Mahler were saying “Bernstein makes his music sound better than it really is” 60 years ago

Excellent observation

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

WF's recording of the first performance of Strauss's Four Last Songs is a valuable document, even though the recorded sound is poor. Who wouldn't want a recording of the world premiere of a symphony by Beethoven or Brahms?


With Strauss, we also have the composer's own interpretations of several tone poems.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

WF's recording of the first performance of Strauss's Four Last Songs is a valuable document, even though the recorded sound is poor. Who wouldn't want a recording of the world premiere of a symphony by Beethoven or Brahms?

- the youTube sound in post #2 is even worse: if anyone can tolerate that, the commercial CD releases shouldn't be a problem.

[cloughie]

Well put. I wonder if people who detested Mahler were saying “Bernstein makes his music sound better than it really is” 60 years ago

You mean they hadn’t heard Bruno Walter, but then had many people then heard much Mahler. Don’t be deluded by how popular Mahler is today. Sixty years ago Mahler was going to be the phenomenon he is today. How much Mahler was in the catalogue in 1958? So talk some sense! ...and how much of Bernstein’s?
And what has this got to do with Furtwangler’s Richard Strauss.? And how much Mahler is associated with Furtwangler?

[Barbirollians]

You mean they hadn’t heard Bruno Walter, but then had many people then heard much Mahler. Don,t be delded by how popular Mahler is today. Sixty years ago Mahler was going to be the phenomenon he is today. How much Mahler was in the catalogue in 1958? Somtalk some sense! ...and how much of Bernstein’s?
And what has this got to do with Furtwangler’s Richard Strauss.? And how much Mahler is associated with Furtwangler?

Very little I think .

The analogy I would choose is with a great chef who can do dazzling things with humdrum ingredients .