BaL 23.04.11 - Rossini: Stabat Mater

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

His treatment of the HIPP-informed version was nothing short of scandalous, similarly the Naxos version - let us make up our own minds, with your guidance, dear Richard, rather than having to take your word for it.

A fair point, a51, but the force and intolerance of the HIPP brigade has cause much polarisation. Some reviewers dismiss anything that isn't jangly, vibratoless and doesn't sound like someone pressing the "play" button when using computer software.

[gurnemanz]

Minority Report Alert!!

His treatment of the HIPP-informed version was nothing short of scandalous, similarly the Naxos version - let us make up our own minds, with your guidance, dear Richard, rather than having to take your word for it.

Rant over!

I agree, even if "scandalous" may be somewhat overstating it for the declaring hors de combat of the Creed recording. It is, however, rather strange to dismiss it out of hand. It is, after all the warmly recommended version in the current Gramophone Guide. I also have it as part of the HM Sacred Music box along with the Muti on the Twofer with the Cleobury Petite Messe. The Pappano sounds tempting but I don't think I can justify three recording of this work.

[Nick Armstrong]

Minority Report Alert!!

It was indeed good to hear Richard Osborne again but I fear that for me he has become almost a parody of himself. Oh that schoolmasterly learning, worn like chain mail and delivered with a clunking fist. "As the King says in Hamlet ...'' If we trimmed out the excess fat I doubt there was more than a 30 minute programme there.

His treatment of the HIPP-informed version was nothing short of scandalous, similarly the Naxos version - let us make up our own minds, with your guidance, dear Richard, rather than having to take your word for it.

Rant over!

Ams you enunciate a large part of how I felt - but another part also enjoys a bit of old school sometimes, and that was fun. The big problem was that the piece in question is so very far from anything I would dream of buying - I was once taken to a performance, I had to leave, it was annoying me so much - that I didn't really care what he was saying. That sort of operatic religiosity leaves me worse than cold, it makes me want to break things....

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

That sort of operatic religiosity leaves me worse than cold, it makes me want to break things....

Do you fell the same way about Verdi's Requiem?

[amateur51]

it makes me want to break things....

That phrase, next to your footer "The isle is full of noises..."[/QUOTE] led my sad little mind to alight on 'wind'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6dm9rN6oTs

[MickyD]

I agree, even if "scandalous" may be somewhat overstating it for the declaring hors de combat of the Creed recording. It is, however, rather strange to dismiss it out of hand. It is, after all the warmly recommended version in the current Gramophone Guide. I also have it as part of the HM Sacred Music box along with the Muti on the Twofer with the Cleobury Petite Messe. The Pappano sounds tempting but I don't think I can justify three recording of this work.

Dismiss it out of hand he most certainly did, within seconds! But did I hear him say that he had discarded it largely because of the soloists, whom he didn't think came up to scratch? I will have to play the disc again to hear for myself, but it's interesting to learn that the Creed disc was considered good enough to get top marks in the Gramophone guide - it surely merits more consideration than what it received this morning.

[Nick Armstrong]

That phrase, next to your footer "The isle is full of noises..."led my sad little mind to alight on 'wind'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6dm9rN6oTs

Candygram for Mongo:

PS Alps - more or less the same about Verdi's Requiem... The Dies Irae is terrific but sadly so over-exposed in recent years.

[amateur51]

Dismiss it out of hand he most certainly did, within seconds! But did I hear him say that he had discarded it largely because of the soloists, whom he didn't think came up to scratch?

That was his sole unsubstantiated criterion, MickyD

[Curalach]

Anyone interested in the Pappano recording might like to know that the "River People" have it at £6.22 post free. Remarkable value!

[Don Petter]

Thinking about it, I don't really treat BaL as the name would suggest. I have more recordings than I can ever hope to hear, and I am quite happy with the one I have for this work (Fricsay). I think of it as an interesting discourse on musical performances, which ineviably reflects the preferences and prejudices of the presenter. I won't be going out to buy the Pappano and wouldn't have minded if my favourite had been the Creed. After all, by definition, the programme must be subjective.

This is not meant to devalue the negative thoughts expressed above, but do others feel that finding a 'winner' is not necessarily that important?

[Curalach]

do others feel that finding a 'winner' is not necessarily that important?

I always treat it as one person's opinion and don't get upset if my favoured recording doesn't make it, or even gets ignored. I quite like the fact that the format is more flexible than it used to be but I understand that for some this is anathema.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

To relate to another thread, perhaps "first past the post" is not so important. We may all wish to cast our alternative votes.

[formbyman]

The Pappano recording is now on Amazon at £5.47 post free, have just ordered it.

[amateur51]

Thinking about it, I don't really treat BaL as the name would suggest. I have more recordings than I can ever hope to hear, and I am quite happy with the one I have for this work (Fricsay). I think of it as an interesting discourse on musical performances, which ineviably reflects the preferences and prejudices of the presenter. I won't be going out to buy the Pappano and wouldn't have minded if my favourite had been the Creed. After all, by definition, the programme must be subjective.

This is not meant to devalue the negative thoughts expressed above, but do others feel that finding a 'winner' is not necessarily that important?

Beautifully expressed, Don. I'm going to buy the Fricsay

[Don Petter]

I'm going to buy the Fricsay

am,

I do hope you'll like it! (I'm always wary about forcing my taste onto others. If you don't, you'd better PM me with the invoice. )