BaL 27.09.14 - Holst: The Planets

[DracoM]

Now THAT's how you do BAL!
Revelatory, acutely observed, wittily presented, dismissive without being cruel, but so, so observant. What a treat. Made a listener thinking he knew the work listen to this 'war horse' in an entirely new way. Restoration of an old master.

[Barbirollians]

Paavo Jarvi ! I did not feel the need to add to my versions - just the need to go and listen to the 1945 Boult again .

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

But key structures are used by composers (and heard by an audience - even if they might not be able to identify which keys are being structured, they can hear relationships between them) - so, if a piece ends in a different key from the one(s) that a work has set up, then it makes a huge difference to the overall effect of the piece from that achieved if it does "conform" to what the listener has been led to expect.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Now THAT's how you do BAL!
Revelatory, acutely observed, wittily presented, dismissive without being cruel, but so, so observant. What a treat. Made a listener thinking he knew the work listen to this 'war horse' in an entirely new way. Restoration of an old master.

Hmm. I prefer Anna Picard's approach to DON's preening self-congratulatory "witticisms".

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

Must say I agree with DracoM ferneyhoughgeliebte! What evidence might you cite for 'self-congratulatory' or 'preening'? I found his witticisms rhetorically sharp and droll. His review opened up the work for me in a profound sweeping out of cobwebs and notorieties and showed me a new way of hearing it and respecting the intellectual and technical nature of the work away from populist big tunes and mystic babblings. It was an invaluable lecture. The Montreal sound was magical, despite the recommendation I much preferred Dutoit.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

OK - lets take the point of the "GEbAB" motif at the beginning of Uranus. In what ways are the fact that this is a German motif of the composer's name relevant to the performances under review? Does his "chosen one" make this audible - do those that fell by the wayside do so because they don't make it clear that this is the composer's autograph?

The references to Hardy and the peasants' dance in Jupiter - aside from giving us an insight into DON's cleverness, how does it affect the performance of the piece, and in what way(s) is it represented in Jarvi's recording that isn't in, say, Boult's or Ormandy's?

Or the various layered ostinati: which recordings don't play these? They're there in every recording ever made; what was the point of pointing them out?

Useful in the Discovering Music that DON so obviously wanted to present, but wasting time in the context of a BaL.

[Pabmusic]

…Useful in the Discovering Music that DON so obviously wanted to present, but wasting time in the context of a BaL.

Can I say that I'm 100% with you. It was not entirely clear to me why Jarvi was preferred. I'll have to listen again.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

It was an invaluable lecture. The Montreal sound was magical, despite the recommendation I much preferred Dutoit.

Aktcherly, I think you've summed up my point rather well, here, Calum - interesting lecture, but little relevance to how someone who doesn't have a recording decides on which one to buy.

[Barbirollians]

Amusing but rather self-regarding DON - and his recommendations are often eccentric .

[Lordgeous]

Did Britten ever conduct it? Now THAT would have been interesting.

[Barbirollians]

Did Britten ever conduct it? Now THAT would have been interesting.

No Barbirolli studio recording either though I note there are two recently released live performances

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

No Barbirolli recording either .

Oh, there is - a "Live" account with the RAI orchestra: illustrated early in the programme.

[Barbirollians]

Oh, there is - a "Live" account with the RAI orchestra: illustrated early in the programme.

I missed the first half . There are as I have discovered two not only that one but a West Hill Radio archives one too.

[visualnickmos]

Now THAT's how you do BAL!
Revelatory, acutely observed, wittily presented, dismissive without being cruel, but so, so observant. What a treat. Made a listener thinking he knew the work listen to this 'war horse' in an entirely new way. Restoration of an old master.

Yes another brilliant, illuminating and entertaining BaL from DON. Whenever I hear DON doing a BaL, I could listen for hours! I liked the extracts of "the winner", but I am not sure I would acquire it. I think I need to hear the whole suite, and wait for the price to drop - by a lot. Cash in short supply at the mo.

[visualnickmos]

Hmm. I prefer Anna Picard's approach to DON's preening self-congratulatory "witticisms".

DON was brilliant! I don't hear anything self-congratulatory whatsoever in his approach. Ten out of ten for this BaL.