BaL 13.12.14 - Bruckner: Symphony no. 7

[Richard Tarleton]

It did seem to me that BaL today forgot who its audience is.

R3's basic problem these days, ams

[LeMartinPecheur]

It did seem to me that BaL today forgot who its audience is. To pitch in with contrasting Celibidache and Norrington, the history of the Haas edition, cymbals and all was surely to start with the esoterica.. Surely this is the role of a coda. It was too complex for the neophyte and too dreary for the experienced listener, I would suggest.

Well, maybe I was that audience today cos I enjoyed it!

[Retires behind sofa awaiting banishment from these boards]

I concede I'm probably not the target audience for BaL as originally designed, but who on these boards is? Is it not conceivable that this audience has largely disappeared by virtue(?) of customer reviews on Amazon etc? Aren't those who, like many boarders, have shed-loads of recordings(*) and are more interested in an examination of the finer musicological points, as well as the IMHO very interesting comments about too-slow, brass-heavy and thereby sentimentalised recordings, entitled to a programme like this once in a while?

(*) Actually I haven't got shed-loads, just 4 Perhaps I might treat myself to the Haitink?...Hai tink hai might

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

But did you need AMcG's contribution, LMP? Did they help at all?

[LeMartinPecheur]

But did you need AMcG's contribution, LMP? Did they help at all?

I think I could easily have done without it, but it didn't annoy me at the time.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

[Retires behind sofa awaiting banishment from these boards]

[vinteuil]

I much enjoyed what Deathridge had to say; McGregor added nothing and got in the way.

This work, and Deathridge, wd have been so much better served by an "Interpretations on Record" approach.

Good to be reminded how interesting the Eisler chamber version is - I must listen to it again.

[visualnickmos]

I thought John Deathridge did a great BaL (he always does) given the circumstances. I always enjoy his BaL presentations. He has a brilliantly engaging style, and makes everything sound so easy to understand - I'm speaking as a non-muso here! It was a shame that everytime he got into his stride explaining a particular point, for example, he was cut-off by AM - whom I have a huge respect for, and admire as a presenter of CD Review. It's just this chatty format that doesn't sit well.

However, much as I can go along with JD's recommendation - (indeed, who better to make a recommendation?) I was very taken with the Karajan VPO from the extracts played - and I'm not generally a particular fan HvK, but this, his swan-song, I suppose, did sound marvellous. I'm in two minds....

I think AM said it was the BPO that was HvK's last DG recording; if he did say that, surely it was a mistake...

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I think AM said it was the BPO that was HvK's last DG recording; if he did say that, surely it was a mistake...

You are right. It was the VPO. Karajan had fallen out with the Berliners by then.

[Padraig]

Did I hear during this programme, which was on but which I did not hear for various reasons, a piece of sean nós singing? Could it be possible?

[johnb]

Unlike other people, I didn't have any particularly strong feelings about the AMcG/JD duo - mind you, I was doing other things whilst listening.

For me, listening to a Bruckner symphony always seems to fall short of what I had been anticipating so, as you can guess, I'm not the most enthusiastic advocate of his music. However, the one recording that made me stop everything and listen was a Furtwangler. The excerpts I heard seemed totally enthralling and beautiful to my untutored ears.

[visualnickmos]

Did I hear during this programme, which was on but which I did not hear for various reasons, a piece of sean nós singing? Could it be possible?

You did - so did I! That's a relief - I thought some strange internet thing had occurred..... it lasted just a few seconds.

[Karafan]

Can't find CDR on Facebook - anyone have the link, please?

We all need to go on, uncap our poison pens and complain about the awful format!

K

[Richard Tarleton]

I think AM said it was the BPO that was HvK's last DG recording; if he did say that, surely it was a mistake...

Indeed.

M. Vinteuil's remark re Interpretations on Record spot-on.

[DracoM]

Can't find CDR on Facebook - anyone have the link, please?

We all need to go on, uncap our poison pens and complain about the awful format!

K

On the R3 Home Page or CD Review page at the bottom the Facebook symbol. Click and mix poison.

[RayC]

I agree about the format and often shouted at AM to shut up! Very disappointed not to hear anything about more recent recordings - in the first 40 minutes only one from this century was mentioned. I think the experts reviewing for us always ought to cover CDs (and DVDs) that have been recommended (as, eg, BBC Mag CDs of the month).