BaL 12.03.16 - Rachmaninoff: Symphony no. 3 in A minor

[Barbirollians]

Kletzki is excellent in this symphony I agree as was Previn on EMI .

[Nick Armstrong]

Kletzki is excellent in this symphony I agree

Playing as I type, thanks to Apple Music. Really terrific !

EDIT: That was the first movement... Not sure I can forgive, still less live with, the rancidly out-of-tune woodwind in the second though... Horrible clarinet solo

[Alison]

I really need to hear the Jurowski/LPO, amazed I haven't

Me too. I have hurriedly ordered the CD in case it's the winner tomorrow causing sudden universal out of stockness.

[Nick Armstrong]

What a pity about the Swiss woodwind in the slow movement under Kletzki. The first and third movements are electrifying, strings and brass wonderful and a great recording. I'd be interested in others' views about the second movement tuning. I don't think I'm being too demanding; but in one review one reads 'Kletzki gets vibrant and colorful playing from the Suisse Romande orchestra, particularly the brass and woodwinds'

Just listened to Jurowski in the first movement, Alison...

I've already earmarked the new LPO/Jurowski as a likely purchase on the grounds that he can seemingly do no wrong.

.. and Pet. Well, hmm something lacking: performance and recording bland, somehow. I did leave a couple of hours after the Kletzki, but...

Looking forward to this BAL!

PS: Which Svetlanov should I hear, cloughie?

[visualnickmos]

I'd like to put in a shout for Maazel, here...

[Nick Armstrong]

PS: Which Svetlanov should I hear, cloughie?

On further enquiry, the 'legendary' version seems to be the live USSR Symphony Orch recording - cued up for listening later. I imagine that's the one you mean?

There's a third one (in addition to those listed in post #1) available on Apple Music - namely:

[cloughie]

On further enquiry, the 'legendary' version seems to be the live USSR Symphony Orch recording - cued up for listening later. I imagine that's the one you mean?

There's a third one (in addition to those listed in post #1) available on Apple Music - namely:

Cali I think it is probably the one you picture though I didn't know it had been released on Beulah - that coupling looks magic however as Kondrashin's SymDs are second to none, paricularly if you like a good Russian sound. My Svetlanov 3 is the BMG Melodiya reissue of the EMI Melodiya LP on set SLS847 but I get confused by the names of the USSR and Moscow orchestras which seem to get swapped around.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ASD-2646-RACHMANINOV-Symphony-3-Svetlanov-Moscow-Melodiya-EMI-/371312176558

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SLS-847-Rachmaninov-Symphonies-etc-Svetlanov-5xLP-EMI-Melodiya-Box-Set-NEAR-MINT-/252047695440

[Nick Armstrong]

I get confused by the names of the USSR and Moscow orchestras which seem to get swapped around.

Oh.... were they different names for the same band?

And on this one, he's billed as conducting No 3 with the "USSR RTV LARGE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA" (as opposed, apparently, to the plain old "USSR Symphony Orchestra" in No 1)....

[teamsaint]

http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/USSR-Symphony.htm

And

http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/MRSO.htm

Not sure that is the whole story though.......

Need Pete Frame on the job.....

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Frame

[cloughie]

Oh.... were they different names for the same band?

And on this one, he's billed as conducting No 3 with the "USSR RTV LARGE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA" (as opposed, apparently, to the plain old "USSR Symphony Orchestra" in No 1)....

Or was the USSR RTV LARGE SO the same as the Moscow Radio SO.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Some interesting contributions and comparisons here, but why, oh why, does the reviewer feel it necessary to wander into the world of speculation-without foundation? The scherzo within the slow movement being because Rachmaninoff was in a hurry to get on with his busy concert schedule? Really? Doesn't she realise that:
(a) Rachmaninoff had done this on several occasions, including times when he wasn't relying on performing to make a living.
(b) if u want to save time as a composer, you don't write fast music, as it takes ages to fill the same musical time-space.

Yet this same reviewer did one of the best BaLs of recent times - Strauss's Oboe Concerto - when she kept to the facts rather than wandering into the world of speculation.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Yes - an irritating stain on an otherwise splendid review and presentation. I notice that Previn was illustrated with his earlier recording - no mention of the later EMI recording. But I was really taken with the chosen recording (Ashkenazy, Concertgebouw, Bbm) - and the programme reminded me how much I enjoy this wonderful work.

[HighlandDougie]

Egregious speculation apart (and there have been worse on BaL), I really enjoyed the programme: cogent, articulate, wide-ranging and convincing. The 45 minutes or so flew past. I pretty much liked every performance she illustrated (which doesn't say much for my critical faculties) and very much agree with FHG in that I also was reminded of what an enjoyable work it is.

[teamsaint]

Egregious speculation apart (and there have been worse on BaL), I really enjoyed the programme: cogent, articulate, wide-ranging and convincing. The 45 minutes or so flew past. I pretty much liked every performance she illustrated (which doesn't say much for my critical faculties) and very much agree with FHG in that I also was reminded of what an enjoyable work it is.

Says more about the recorded riches available, HD, IMO.

[Alison]

Says more about the recorded riches available, HD, IMO.

And yet, as testament to the excellence of the symphony, there still feels room for fresh new recordings.