BaL 14.11.15 - Poulenc: Flute Sonata

[Lento]

I suppose DON is a bit of a Marmite figure

Absolutely agreed: each to his own. Too much forensic stuff and too many examples, curiously not seeming to lead anywhere imv, though in another context some of it might have appealed to me. Last week, I found Mark Lowther an engaging guide to performances of music which I regard as Handel at his boring worst. This week, for me, the roles were somewhat reversed.

[LeMartinPecheur]

Absolutely agreed: each to his own. Too much forensic stuff and too many examples, curiously not seeming to lead anywhere imv, though in another context some of it might have appealed to me. Last week, I found Mark Lowther an engaging guide to performances of music which I regard as Handel at his boring worst. This week, for me, the roles were somewhat reversed.

I generally like DON and enjoyed hearing lots of bits of this work, but my impression was that I really wan't as much bothered as he was (ulp, pretended to be??) about the differences between performances. I could probably live happily with most of them.

So could it be that the problem was that nearly all of these performances are pretty damn good, so DON was always struggling to make an interesting programme?

Just a thought... (I'll now don - sorry, no pun intended - the bullet-proof vest in case a gang of Roussel's Joueurs de flute come after me)

[ardcarp]

I really wasn't as much bothered as he was (ulp, pretended to be??) about the differences between performances.

I don't want to end up being the Forum's resident DON apologist, but I don't think there was any pretending. His enthusiasm for Poulenc (he said, "this is real composing" at one point, and I know what he meant) and his wish for performers to be true to his intentions were, IMHO, genuine and ardent.

[LeMartinPecheur]

I don't want to end up being the Forum's resident DON apologist, but I don't think there was any pretending. His enthusiasm for Poulenc (he said, "this is real composing" at one point, and I know what he meant) and his wish for performers to be true to his intentions were, IMHO, genuine and ardent.

Ardcarp, I wasn't accusing DON of faking his enthusiasm for the work. But it must be a problem for a reviewer if he sits down with his pile of discs, listens to them all and thinks "Damn, there are ten here that I'd be perfectly happy with", surely?

Far easier if you really really hate all but one or two?

[ardcarp]

It must undoubtedly be cigarette-paper stuff. I suppose BAL shares some of the unreasonable aspects of music competitions. But it's clearly a popular sport with the punters....us!

[visualnickmos]

Absolutely agreed: each to his own. Too much forensic stuff and too many examples, curiously not seeming to lead anywhere imv, though in another context some of it might have appealed to me. Last week, I found Mark Lowther an engaging guide to performances of music which I regard as Handel at his boring worst. This week, for me, the roles were somewhat reversed.

That was exactly my feeling! Phew - it's not just me!

[visualnickmos]

For the first time I've found one that's 'not on the list!'

Paula Robison flute, Charles Wadsworth piano

from an ASV double CD set 'Complete music for wind instruments & piano' - the only version I have of this piece....... yet!

I was sorely disappointed today; I went play aforesaid CD, and found that it was a strange light-copper in hue, and unplayable - made funny noises and intermittent fuzzy sounds. I will write to ASV explaining my plight, in the vague hope they will respond and 'sort it out' I'll keep you posted, but if any of you have had a similar issue with ASV CDs, I'd be grateful for any pointers..... it has not been stored in adverse conditions, (eg. no horrible spongy things in the case) nor subjected to anything other than normal occasional spins. Basically within the last few months it has become a piece of c****!

It's double ASV CD set called Poulenc 'Complete music for wind instruments & piano' ref. no. CD AMD 201. I've owned it for quite a few years, but I have owned many vinyls for almost 10 times as long which still play beautifully....

[Bryn]

I was sorely disappointed today; I went play aforesaid CD, and found that it was a strange light-copper in hue, and unplayable - made funny noises and intermittent fuzzy sounds. I will write to ASV explaining my plight, in the vague hope they will respond and 'sort it out' I'll keep you posted, but if any of you have had a similar issue with ASV CDs, I'd be grateful for any pointers..... it has not been stored in adverse conditions, (eg. no horrible spongy things in the case) nor subjected to anything other than normal occasional spins. Basically within the last few months it has become a piece of c****!

It's double ASV CD set called Poulenc 'Complete music for wind instruments & piano' ref. no. CD AMD 201. I've owned it for quite a few years, but I have owned many vinyls for almost 10 times as long which still play beautifully....

Hmm. Presumably one of the PDO pressed discs with the cut price lacquer layer. Do ASV still exist? If so they might just burn a CD-R for you as a replacement.

[visualnickmos]

Hmm. Presumably one of the PDO pressed discs with the cut price lacquer layer. Do ASV still exist? If so they might just burn a CD-R for you as a replacement.

Thanks, Bryn - that was quick! Much appreciated, this end.
Apparently they DO still exist, still 'active' - though not at the address on the CD sleeve. (Awwww - internet!) They are in an office in Kensington High Street. I don't hold out much hope of getting anywhere with this, but it's worth trying for the price of a stamp! Otherwise, I'll just bin it. I'll let you know 'as and when'

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I was sorely disappointed today; I went play aforesaid CD, and found that it was a strange light-copper in hue, and unplayable - made funny noises and intermittent fuzzy sounds. I will write to ASV explaining my plight, in the vague hope they will respond and 'sort it out' I'll keep you posted, but if any of you have had a similar issue with ASV CDs, I'd be grateful for any pointers..... it has not been stored in adverse conditions, (eg. no horrible spongy things in the case) nor subjected to anything other than normal occasional spins. Basically within the last few months it has become a piece of c****!

It's double ASV CD set called Poulenc 'Complete music for wind instruments & piano' ref. no. CD AMD 201. I've owned it for quite a few years, but I have owned many vinyls for almost 10 times as long which still play beautifully....

The only "bronzed" CDs I ever had were ASV ones.

[Tony Halstead]

I was 'on the road' this morning and my car radio was misbehaving.
Who was the 'winner'?

[Bryn]

I was 'on the road' this morning and my car radio was misbehaving.
Who was the 'winner'?

"TOP RECOMMENDATION:

Bezaly & Brautigam: Masterworks for Flute and Piano

MARTIN, F: Ballade for Flute & Piano

MARTINU: Sonata for Flute & Piano, H. 306

MESSIAEN: Le Merle noir for flute and piano

POULENC: Flute Sonata Op. 164

REINECKE: Sonata for flute & piano in E major 'Undine' Op. 167

Sharon Bezaly (flute), Ronald Brautigam (piano)

BIS BISSACD1729 (Hybrid SACD)"

[Tony Halstead]

Thanks very much, Bryn.
I will buy it.
However, I would gladly swap the Reineke for the Hindemith, IMV one of the very best of his 'Gebrauchmusik' pieces.

[ardcarp]

far too much gushing about the work and what she thinks of it - far too little analysis of the recordings just her personal responses .

and

What a dire and dreadful 43 minutes listening to the podcast. The description on the webpage " ,,.,, chooses a recording of Berg's Violin Concerto" as opposed to "a survey of available recordings" tells the story. The broadcast was full of adjectives describing the reviewers feelings about a performance but virtually free of those describing the facts of it. Listen around 20 minutes to the verbiage about the Kramer/Davis performance - total nonsense. Add to that the small number of recordings sampled

about the Berg Violin Concerto, but

Too much forensic stuff and too many examples, curiously not seeming to lead anywhere

about Poulenc's Flute Sonata.

Hard to please everyone, I guess.

[Dave2002]

Hmm. Presumably one of the PDO pressed discs with the cut price lacquer layer. Do ASV still exist? If so they might just burn a CD-R for you as a replacement.

VN

Can you try to read it on your computer? For example, use EAC (Exact Aido Copy) and maybe also set thr read speed very low to give it a chance. if you can get that far, then you can burn another new copy. Works sometimes - though I'm not sure if it'll work with a bronzed disc, or even this one.