BaL 31.01.15 - Beethoven: Symphony no. 3 in E flat "Eroica"

[verismissimo]

Zinman / Tonhalle... Obviously.

Since posting the above, I've listened to Fried (1924), Karajan (1944), Blomstedt (1979) and Zinman (1998).

Strong preference for the last.

I heard Masur with his Gewandhausers in the RAH around 1977 (not a Prom) and was bowled over. Bought the set and found it dreary! Still have it, but never audition any more.

[Gordon]

Thanks for the clarification. I had been advised that the Calrec system had been used by Nimbus, but this was not indeed the case:

http://www.wyastone.co.uk/dvd-audio-essay

This will confirm that is so, taken from a book about Nimbus published in 1995 as ISBN 0 233 98888 2.



note the footnote at the bottom of page 88. Calrec were a manufacturing company that made equipment [eg UHJ codecs for Nimbus] for surround including microphones based on "Ambisonics". The microphone array used was called "soundfield" as a generic term.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soundfield_microphone

Dr Jonathan Halliday was Nimbus' technical expert and one of their directors. He modified the "soundfield" array to one that Nimbus used. Jonathan was prodigiously bright [Oxford 1st in physics and PhD Cambridge in radio astronomy] but rather taciturn and did not suffer fools gladly.

We were colleagues in the same laboratories in the late 70s working on surround sound [and digital coding] for broadcasting and this background helped his move to Nimbus in 1981. He redesigned and improved much of the Nimbus recording chain including their CD optical mastering machines whose design was sold world wide.

He died in 2011 aged 60 having suffered from Alzheimer's.

[vinteuil]

... this looks interesting - I see it is discussed early on in tomorrow's CD Review :

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00RC3TOQY

It is on Alpensinf's heroic list at #1 above...

[neiltingley]

I have all the Klemperer recordings I think! The Royal Danish on Testament has an incredible Leonore 3 and Brahms 4th as couplings. The intensity that Klemperer could whip up with a not so top-flight orchestra is incredible.

[pastoralguy]

Has anyone mentioned Carlos Paita's revording with the SNO from the mid 1970's? I don't think it's available but I always liked it. It was on the Lodyia label and is available to download. (Unless you care to pay £95 on Amazon for the cd! )

[Black Swan]

I have Klemperwe on EMI with the Philharmonia. It has done me well for years and is the only recording I have of the Eroica. So I may be in the market for an upgrade but hearing it now on the program I am not sure I need another.

[verismissimo]

Norrington coming? That'll be greeted with joy on the boards.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Ermmm ... wasn't the Bruggen recorded in 1987?

[pastoralguy]

As my wife would say, Don't miss and hit the wall, Sir Nicholas. I think we can rule Thieleman out then.

[MLF]

I was reluctant to invest in yet another version of the Eroica in the run up to this week's BaL ( I have the Abbado, Kubelik, Zinman, and Mackerras cycles already). However, I have plumped for the Chailly/ Gewandhausorchester Leipzig version - I was struck by Chailly's faithfulness to the composer's prescribed tempo markings without tripping up.

[Bryn]

Norrington coming? That'll be greeted with joy on the boards.

I fell asleep during the turgid Furtwängler extract, so missed the Norrington. Which of his recordings was considered?

[visualnickmos]

[QUOTE=Bryn;465206]I fell asleep during the turgid Furtwängler extract, so missed the Norrington. Which of his recordings was considered?[/QUOTE]

Wasn't it, just.....

I thought the HvK extracts sounded like chunks of a soundtrack from some treacle-laden romantic Hollywood B movie! (I hate treacle)

Norrington's extract sounded pretty good IMO. LCP

Chailly - it made me want to hear more......

[vinteuil]

I fell asleep during the turgid Furtwängler extract, so missed the Norrington. Which of his recordings was considered?

... the London Classical Players. Good to be reminded of it.

No mention of Krivine, I think?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I fell asleep during the turgid Furtwängler extract,...

Furtwangler was above needing caffeine.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I thought the final choice was a good one.