BaL 28.03.15 - Elgar: Symphony no. 2 in E flat

[Dave2002]

I wonder if there was a rule that only the violinists were allowed to shave?

Only a few of the other players seem to have broken it. Splendid collection of moustaches!

[verismissimo]

I have been asked by one or two people if they may join the Portamento Restoration Society. Sorry to disappoint, but speaking as founding president and hon secretary, I fear the answer is no. The allocation for general membership is already full and there's a lengthy waiting list. NB: Membership is currently restricted to one.

[Bryn]

I have been asked by one or two people if they may join the Portamento Restoration Society. Sorry to disappoint, but speaking as founding president and hon secretary, I fear the answer is no. The allocation for general membership is already full and there's a lengthy waiting list. NB: Membership is currently restricted to one.

Are you sure you would want to join a club with Maestro Norrington in it? His Mahler performances carefully observe the variously marked portamenti in Mahler's scores.

[vinteuil]

I have been asked by one or two people if they may join the Portamento Restoration Society. Sorry to disappoint, but speaking as founding president and hon secretary, I fear the answer is no. The allocation for general membership is already full and there's a lengthy waiting list. NB: Membership is currently restricted to one.

... well this is a shame. I am a keen proponent of the Restoration of the Portamento* - where it is appropriate; and of Removal of the Portamento - where it is purely an easy sentimental splurge. Equally I am a keen proponent of the Restoration of Vibrato - in the occasional specific places where it adds additional colour; and of the Removal of Vibrato - where it is a continuous smearing of all notes, concealing the intricacies and starkness of a composer's intentions and acting as a cover-up to conceal the sins of inadequate string players and to provide cheap schmaltz.


* also, of course, a keen proponent of the Restoration of the Portamento at Euston Station

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

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[HighlandDougie]

none of the Barenboim section-by-section feel.

Err, not sure exactly what is meant by "section-by-section" feel. Do you mean that it comes across as episodic? While Danny Boy does take certain liberties with the, err, "ebb and flow", of the music, I don't find that he ever loses sight of the overall architecture of the work. It might be a slightly meandering path rather than a straight road to get there but he knows where he's going.

[verismissimo]

Are you sure you would want to join a club with Maestro Norrington in it? His Mahler performances carefully observe the variously marked portamenti in Mahler's scores.

Mo Norrington's application to join was turned down by the committee. What can I say?

[Alison]

Err, not sure exactly what is meant by "section-by-section" feel. Do you mean that it comes across as episodic? While Danny Boy does take certain liberties with the, err, "ebb and flow", of the music, I don't find that he ever loses sight of the overall architecture of the work. It might be a slightly meandering path rather than a straight road to get there but he knows where he's going.

Yes, episodic is my perception. The performance feels like a collage of often good ideas about how the music should go rather than a coherent whole.

[Petrushka]

Yes, episodic is my perception. The performance feels like a collage of often good ideas about how the music should go rather than a coherent whole.

Alison, if you don't already have it, treat yourself to the LPO/Solti recording. Been listening to this after a long spell away from it and it has come up sounding more moving and wonderful than ever. The amount of detail the Decca engineers realise from the score is astonishing. Recorded an unbelievable 40 years ago, hearing it twice this week via my Cambridge Azur amp has been a revelation.

[Bryn]

Alison, if you don't already have it, treat yourself to the LPO/Solti recording. Been listening to this after a long spell away from it and it has come up sounding more moving and wonderful than ever. The amount of detail the Decca engineers realise from the score is astonishing. Recorded an unbelievable 40 years ago, hearing it twice this week via my Cambridge Azur amp has been a revelation.

Just be careful if buying the Solti second hand. The 1992 pressing was by PDO during their 'bronzing period. Later re-issued are fine.

[Petrushka]

Just be careful if buying the Solti second hand. The 1992 pressing was bt PDO during their 'bronzing period. Later re-issued are fine.

My own CD is from 1989 and sounds just fine.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

[QUOTE=Bryn;477964]1914 eh? So how would any string player best project their instrument's output to the primitive recording devices of the time?

Are you suggesting the acoustic recording horn is responsible for the supposed increase in string vibrato following the 1908 premiere of Elgar 1? I'm certain that R.N. would pick up on that one if he were to dip into this forum.

What have I started?

[akiralx]

I had a dream last night that explained why Sir Roger hasn't recorded Elgar 2, and I can't remember why...

His recording of RVW 2 however is actually very fine...

[Barbirollians]

I have been listening to the Mackerras Argo recordings from the early 1990s which arrived over the weekend . I like them both a great deal perhaps the First Symphony recording more than that of the Second . The A Flat has a wonderful lightness of touch whilst not underplaying the emotion . The brilliance of Elgar's orchestration really comes out . The Second is also very fine if the playing does not quite have the vim of the LSO in the A Flat but again as with the BAL I felt Mackerras's best bits - especially in the Larghetto had been done even better by Barbirolli .

[Radio64]

Stuck in endless traffic jams this morning but luckily had this podcast to hand, and learned so much about this work by my conterraneo...although I didn't make it to the end!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I have been listening to the Mackerras Argo recordings from the early 1990s which arrived over the weekend . I like them both a great deal perhaps the First Symphony recording more than that of the Second . The A Flat has a wonderful lightness of touch whilst not underplaying the emotion . The brilliance of Elgar's orchestration really comes out . The Second is also very fine if the playing does not quite have the vim of the LSO in the A Flat but again as with the BAL I felt Mackerras's best bits - especially in the Larghetto had been done even better by Barbirolli .