François-Xavier Roth's Heroic Eroica

[LMcD]

I was wondering why you needed an earwig whacking racket!

TLAHs of the world unite!
(Later this p.m. I'll send you a PM about the racket - it's more innocent than it sounds, honest - after I've checked on what PM BJ has been up to since I checked this a.m. on my PC - which is in the EW aka the PO).
TTFN!

[kernelbogey]

But it is helpful when people say things in full rather than leave me guessing as looking things up often gives alternatives or in some case leaving me no wiser.

Just saying!

Not a Line of Duty fan, then, Cloughers?

[cloughie]

Not a Line of Duty fan, then, Cloughers?

Strangely no!

[Roslynmuse]

Appropriate (to a point) this thread should be here on the 200th anniversary of Napoleon's death.

[jayne lee wilson]

Appropriate (to a point) this thread should be here on the 200th anniversary of Napoleon's death.

"There he lies
Ensanguinated tyrant

O bloody bloody tyrant

See

How the sin within

Doth incarnadine
His skin
From the shin to the chin"

(Anthony Burgess, Napoleon Symphony
Sung to the tune of.....)

[Bryn]

I have now got round to listening to this over reasonable speakers. I don't find the problem with the 'spread chords' others do. I would even be loath the describe them thus, compared to spread chords on a piano. The attack certainly had a staccato feel to me. The 'spreading' is hardly of the legato variety. No problem whatever with the tempo of the funeral march. That said, I very much doubt this recording will become my 'go-to'.

[bluestateprommer]

While I haven't got round (yet) to hearing F-XR's recent 'Eroica', here's a recent NYT article on him:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/01/arts/music/francois-xavier-roth-les-siecles.html

[Barbirollians]

While I haven't got round (yet) to hearing F-XR's recent 'Eroica', here's a recent NYT article on him:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/01/a...s-siecles.html

Generally positive but not a rave review in Gramophone this month.

[richardfinegold]

His Fifth was lambasted in Fanfare a few months back, with Jordi Savall’s new cycle being praised to the skies by the same critic. I do hope that Savall manages to finish his cycle. A Sixth from him is a very tempting proposition

[BBMmk2]

I think it be a great idea, Jayne Lee Wilson. If you would regularly post about music. I think your the best on here. Probably, in the style of our Summer BaL?

[jayne lee wilson]

His Fifth was lambasted in Fanfare a few months back, with Jordi Savall’s new cycle being praised to the skies by the same critic. I do hope that Savall manages to finish his cycle. A Sixth from him is a very tempting proposition

Well, reading is one thing, listening is another, and (at my usual high resolutions (CD/SACD/24 bit) and high volumes in a large room) Roth's Beethoven 5th is absolutely thrilling to listen to; spikier, sharper, brighter and more individualistic than Savall (individual in ways too numerous to delineate here; makes you sit up and listen and think). This reflected in the sound-balance, with emphasised energy and attack at HF. Savall is steadier, classically-detached, slightly cooler. Initially darker and weightier, with very pronounced timpani, yet a certain just-the-notes feel; Roth the more quickened, engaged at each turn of phrase and structure; simply more dramatic; inspired by the fateful vision.

Both draw a fine balance between the lyrical and the driven. Both have very beautiful string sections and use them with coloristic and phrasal subtlety. Neither lack any power through climaxes at whatever relative dynamic level (both exhibit careful dynamic gradation).

Roth’s 5th has many of the same qualities as his Eroica, including those supposedly-controversial semi-spread chords and sudden accents; I guess I could say, if you don't like that, don’t try this, but….. why not challenge your own responses once again?
All I have against the Roth subjectively is his lack of the scherzo/trio repeat; yes its eternally controversial, but since he plays the finale repeat (most do these days) the structure feels unbalanced: for me, without the scherzo/trio repeat the triumph arrives too soon; one may even feel that it goes on too long in such a context.
(Without either repeat, the work simply seems too short, top-heavy in favour of (i) and (ii)).
Savall includes all such repeats, a major point in his favour with me; but these are two excellent Beethoven 5ths, very well recorded, from conductors and orchestras who know each other intimately well, allowing that flexibilty, instinctiveness and freshness of response so important in familiar, much-recorded classics. It should be obvious by now though, that I find Roth more compelling, as with his 3rd.

I cannot access the Fanfare review, but is it ever useful to “lambaste” a given recording (let alone the splendid Roth 5th)? Doesn’t this usually place reviewer-prejudices too far ahead of performer individuality? For me, the best thing a critic can do is immerse herself in the subjectivity of the specific performance, find the best of it, and write about that, at least attempting to retain a degree of civility in her own dislikes.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Excellent performance of the Eroica by F-X R and the Royal Concertgebouw on afternoon concert at the moment complete with slightly spread opening chords (I think as I had sound turned down until I realised what a good perf this was / is ) . The strings of the RCO are on top form...the attack tremendous!

[Alison]

I’d like to stick Jayne in the same room as this guy! https://youtu.be/w7PnqoNvNIs

[Barbirollians]

I’d like to stick Jayne in the same room as this guy! https://youtu.be/w7PnqoNvNIs

Hurwitz truly is atrocious .

[Pianoman]

Depends how you look at it. He’s provocative for sure, but good fun, and in many cases near the mark….