BaL 17.02.24 - Saint-Saëns: Symphony no. 3 in C minor Op. 78

[Alison]

Gosh they are lazy at Record Review to be bringing this back so soon . Fond of Munch and Fremaux but fonder still of Serge Baudo on EMI Eminence many moons back

Pundit driven one suspects.

[Goon525]

I’m with Master Jacques on the reference to her computer. If she’s merely using it to act as a server sending files to her hifi, then fine - but not if she’s actually using it for listening.

[ucanseetheend]

Very interesting review .Never knew that 95% of recordings of the opening movement don't play as the score states

[peterthekeys]

I was very impressed with Anna Lapwood's "Building a Library" item this morning - particularly with her rigorously analytical and thoroughly knowledgeable approach, leading her to identify faults with, and eliminate, a lot of well-known recordings; also by her tacit assumption of a reasonable knowledge of musical terminology on the part of listeners - so there were no patronising explanations of terms like "registration" and "fugue". Altogether, I thought it was probably the best "Building a Library" for several years.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Yes it was a very good review . She’s pretty much a complete musician isn’t she , player , conductor, lovely singing voice , musical analyst that really gets into the heart of the piece . Remarkable really . I find it difficult to believe a pair of ears that keen would tolerate useless computer speakers. As an organist she must demand equipment with a superb bass response surely ?

[richardfinegold]

As Goon pointed out, she might just be using a computer as a source. Many audiophiles use PCs, sometimes accompanied by a software program such as Roon, which then interface with a DAC as the gateway to a big time audio system. Streamers, under the bonnet, are just networking computers that have been gussied up to look like audio components.

[Pulcinella]

Maybe she was simply shouting at her computer as she was typing up her comments?

[LHC]

The live recording of the LPO with O'Donnell and Nezet-Seguin which Anna Lapwood was so taken with was taken from one of the concerts to celebrate the return of the Festival Hall Organ in 2014 after its lengthy restoration. If memory serves, it was only the second concert to feature the organ after its restoration and re-installation into the hall, the first having been a rather odd and somewhat disappointing gala concert.

The concert also featured the same performers in the Poulenc Organ Concerto (which is also included on the CD) as well as Sarah Connolly singing Berlioz's Nuits d'Ete (sans organ and not on the CD).

I was at the concert, having contributed to restoration of the organ by paying for one of the pipes, and also have the CD, largely as a memento of a memorable occasion. The performance was thrilling, as could be heard from the applause that she included in the final excerpt played this morning.

I would also agree with others that this was an exemplary BAL, and one of the best in recent years.

[ucanseetheend]

The Wayne Marshall organ part from finale recorded separately and added to orchestral playing was truly awful . It,s not just the acoustic sound as AM seemed to suggest, rather the organ came as a distorted,grating noise. Have a listen if you missed it.

[ucanseetheend]

The live recording of the LPO with O'Donnell and Nezet-Seguin which Anna Lapwood was so taken with was taken from one of the concerts to celebrate the return of the Festival Hall Organ in 2014 after its lengthy restoration. If memory serves, it was only the second concert to feature the organ after its restoration and re-installation into the hall, the first having been a rather odd and somewhat disappointing gala concert.

The concert also featured the same performers in the Poulenc Organ Concerto (which is also included on the CD) as well as Sarah Connolly singing Berlioz's Nuits d'Ete (sans organ and not on the CD).

I was at the concert, having contributed to restoration of the organ by paying for one of the pipes, and also have the CD, largely as a memento of a memorable occasion. The performance was thrilling, as could be heard from the applause that she included in the final excerpt played this morning.

I would also agree with others that this was an exemplary BAL, and one of the best in recent years.

The best recording in my opinion .It made her final 2 but something about a 'dry' sound in last movement put her off..uh? Great LPO playing , recorded sound and Organ is fantastic under O'Donnell

[Pulcinella]

The best recording in my opinion .It made her final 2 but something about a 'dry' sound in last movement put her off..uh? Great LPO playing , recorded sound and Organ is fantastic under O'Donnell

I must dig out the recording I mentioned previously: admittedly dubbed but it's still O'Donnell and the LPO, with presumably a better acoustic for the orchestra.

[Retune]

Agreed, couldn't they cover one of the piano concertos for a change.

Previous BaL Recommendations:

James Harding (May 80): Litaize/Barenboim
Lionel Salter (October 87): Hurford/Dutoit + Litaize/Barenboim & Preston/Levine as runners-uo
Edward Greenfield (July 96): Weir/Tortelier + Gavoty/Martinon as bargain choice
Chris de Souza (December 07): Latry/Eschebach
Geoffrey Norris (February 15): Litaize/Barenboim - I remember I bought the Roth period version after listening to the programme

While Anna Lapwood was excellent and made a good case for de Waart/SFS/Guillou, that really is far too often, and the results emphasise just how much this is a matter of personal taste, with Barenboim picked twice 35 years apart, and today's choice (available to the last four reviewers) passed over until now. Ivan March, who preferred Batiz and Barenboim, really slated de Waart/SFS/Guillou in Gramophone at the time (perhaps he was listening on cassette, which may not have helped):

'An unimpressive and uncompetitive new version of the popular Saint-Saens Organ Symphony. The recording is bright and clear, but the acoustic effect is curiously flat. The performance of the first movement is vigorous but uninvolving; with the Poco adagio very reticent. The scherzo is crisply rhythmic and a similar clipped rhythmic effect keeps the finale alive after the massive organ entry. The closing climax is certainly positive, but overall this is a singularly uninteresting account which refuses to blossom.'

It doesn't seem to have been reissued on disc, except in Japan and as a Presto CD-R, which makes it hard to find for a reasonable price now (especially after this morning!). Barenboim's version has been a staple of DG mid-price reissues for a long time - I have it in one of their big boxes, and must give it a spin.

[crb11]

Geoffrey Norris (February 15): Litaize/Barenboim - I remember I bought the Roth period version after listening to the programme

What do you (or others) make of it? I'm generally a fan of his approaches, so tempted.

[Sir Velo]

What do you (or others) make of it? I'm generally a fan of his approaches, so tempted.

See my comment qv. It gets my vote for its indefinable sense of garlic charm. The organ's entry is thunderous and the acoustic of one of the big Parisian churches suitably spacious.

[MickyD]

See my comment qv. It gets my vote for its indefinable sense of garlic charm. The organ's entry is thunderous and the acoustic of one of the big Parisian churches suitably spacious.

Yes indeed. An 1862 Cavaillé Coll. Plus an interesting coupling of the Fourth Piano Concerto played by François Heisser on an 1874 Erard.