BaL 4.06.16 - Tchaikovsky: Symphony no. 6 in B minor, Op. 74, ‘Pathétique’

[EdgeleyRob]

Neck-and-neck - but at the end of the Finale (not illustrated this morning) Karajan's chilling binging-out of the final bass pizzications have a grim nihilism that is unique (and might appeal to your fondness [wrong word, I know] for Shostakovich and Weinberg, Edgey).

Thanks Ferney,I don't have the winning version but I will put that right,right away.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I enjoyed this programme.

Oh, so did I. I was a little concerned, reading her blog, that there's be a lot of "gushing" - but, no; white hot passion for the Music mixed with an ice-cold intellectual detachment (she is/was a Lecturer at Cambridge, after all): exactly as I prefer to hear the work itself performed, too.

Chikovsky not Tchaikovsky and the presenter should know I suppose.

Yes - this is how I've heard other Russians pronounce it, too (Shostakovich, for example). I won't be altering my own lifelong "Tcheye", though; save in a suitably postmodern ironic context.

[Barbirollians]

Oh, so did I. I was a little concerned, reading her blog, that there's be a lot of "gushing" - but, no; white hot passion for the Music mixed with an ice-cold intellectual detachment (she is/was a Lecturer at Cambridge, after all): exactly as I prefer to hear the work itself performed, too.


Yes - this is how I've heard other Russians pronounce it, too (Shostakovich, for example). I won't be altering my own lifelong "Tcheye", though; save in a suitably postmodern ironic context.

Do you not have problems with that EMI recording fhgl ? I much prefer the 1964 recording. I was somewhat surprised she ignored HVK's other recordings bar the 1939 .

[Petrushka]

My introduction to the work (on disc at any rate) was BPO/Karajan in a rather foggy sounding 1974 EMI recording, now on Warner, purchased on July 18 1974.

Haven't heard the programme but presumably this very 1974 version was chosen? I have the Warner transfer and while it's very good it still sounds on the foggy side. I wouldn't myself have put it above either Karajan's 1964 or 1977 recordings for DG. However, I'll listen to it afresh in the coming days.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Do you not have problems with that EMI recording fhgl ? I much prefer the 1964 recording.

No - the performance is so good that my ear soon overcomes any sonic problems. (The '64 recording is a better recorded sound, I agree - but I haven't heard the WARNER remastering of the stereo EMI.)

I was somewhat surprised she ignored HVK's other recordings bar the 1939 .

Yes - this seems to be the "house style" for works that have so many recordings: if a conductor is represented more than once, just choose one (it was the same with Mravinsky - the '80s ERATO recording with the earlier versions put to one side). Fair enough when there are around 100 recordings to "get through" - a 45min programme could be made just of Karajan's recordings of this work (or Mravinsky's, for that matter)! At least she didn't do the fraud of choosing a conductor's worst recording and lying that "all the others are the same" as some nonentity did with Karajan's Pastoral a couple of years ago.

[Barbirollians]

That is the one but she referred to it as being from 1971 .

[BBMmk2]

Surprised to see it was an HvK recording, although, this will have to be another catch-up. Must get the podcasts

[aeolium]

I was a bit disappointed in this BaL. I didn't think there was anything like enough attention to the wide range of recordings and performance styles, with very few being considered from the era post-1986. I'm not questioning her final selection, but I wished we could have heard more from different versions, with her reasons for dismissing those (I accept she had to work from a shortlist). Nezet-Seguin, Mackerras, Abbado, Bychkov, to note but a few, were not even mentioned IIRC. Obviously it was a tough challenge but others have given us a much wider selection from similar challenges.

[ardcarp]

I was a bit disappointed in this BaL. I didn't think there was anything like enough attention to the wide range of recordings and performance styles

I wasn't disappointed...in fact Marina started off with some examples of performance styles though admittedly not post 1986. She did say that it was a vast ocean and that she could only dip her toe in the water; and given that fact, she gave a very clear and extraordinarily well-presented idea of what she was looking for. She chose HvK (1971) without any regard to his fame or infamy as being her ideal performance. It was surprising she was not wowed (waa-waa-ed?)) by the brash brass of Mravinsky and Leningrad. Maybe it was trombone tuning that put her off?

Was this Marina's first solo BAL? If so she got the hang of it pretty well, IMO.

[EdgeleyRob]

A tough task

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4fv78szmZmvB73p2bstPVTT/building-a-library-living-with-the-pathetique

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Yes - this is how I've heard other Russians pronounce it, too (Shostakovich, for example). I won't be altering my own lifelong "Tcheye", though; save in a suitably postmodern ironic context.

This is a bit embarrassing for us forumites (and BBC Messageboarders). We slated Charles Hazelwood for pronouncing it that way. (I kept a low profile as my mother used to say Chikovsky too.)

[ardcarp]

This is a bit embarrassing for us forumites (and BBC Messageboarders). We slated Charles Hazelwood for pronouncing it that way. (I kept a low profile as my mother used to say Chikovsky too.)

Indeed. As students we used to laugh at Alan Keith's 'Chickoffsky' on 100 Best Tunes. But blow me, he was right all the time!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Indeed. As students we used to laugh at Alan Keith's 'Chickoffsky' on 100 Best Tunes. But blow me, he was right all the time!

I used to love that programme. Alan Keith may have selected a Breakfast/Essential Classics repertoire, but there was no pretence, no trying to be cool - just a genuine love of the music.

[visualnickmos]

The 'winner' is on here - the sound is fine IMVHO - it's the EMI Gemini series.

B000NPCMJ4

[Petrushka]

That is the one but she referred to it as being from 1971 .

Apologies. Yes it was recorded in September 1971 and I was getting confused with the year in which I bought it.