BaL 17.09.16 - Vivaldi: The Four Seasons

[pastoralguy]

Probably get laughed out of the house for this, but I rather like Isaac Stern's recording with the Jerusalem Music Centre Chamber Orchestra. It is excellent, IMVVHO, I enjoy the almost-understatedness of this particular performance., compared to some more recent recordings, which can (to my mind) sound perhaps a little OTT...

Not at all, Nick! Stern, at his best, was a very fine player and his many recordings are a tribute to his rare ability. No reason why his 'Seasons' should be any less regarded.

I heard him only once playing Mozart no. 3 and the Sinfonia Concertanti circa 1984 and he played gloriously!

[cincinnatus]

Not sure when it began but I am sure I listened to it in the early 70s. I can't really remember RR without it and I listened to that from the late 60s but BaL may not have been part of it then

Mike

When CD Review was relaunched as Record Review at the start of this year I am fairly sure that Andrew MacGregor said that BAL was to be on Beethoven's 5th Symphony because that had been the subject of the very first BAL. And the earliest BAL I can find on the BBC Genome Project is indeed Beethoven's 5th reviewed by Trevor Harvey on 5th October 1957. I hope that helps.

[mikealdren]

When CD Review was relaunched as Record Review at the start of this year I am fairly sure that Andrew MacGregor said that BAL was to be on Beethoven's 5th Symphony because that had been the subject of the very first BAL. And the earliest BAL I can find on the BBC Genome Project is indeed Beethoven's 5th reviewed by Trevor Harvey on 5th October 1957. I hope that helps.

Looks like RR always had a BaL slot then as John Lade started RR in 1957.

[visualnickmos]

Not at all, Nick! Stern, at his best, was a very fine player and his many recordings are a tribute to his rare ability. No reason why his 'Seasons' should be any less regarded.

I heard him only once playing Mozart no. 3 and the Sinfonia Concertanti circa 1984 and he played gloriously!

Must have been quite a concert - I love Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante - I have Stern's recording where he's partnered by Zukerman, with the ECO/Barenboim. It's a super performance..... needless to say!

[underthecountertenor]

On his choices of contemporary music (eg. Górecki and Reich on a recent CD)... of course you could say that for a harpsichordist playing any contemporary music is radical.

Well yes, that's exactly what I would say!

[mikealdren]

My favourites are - Schneiderhan though he seems to have much less zip now the HIPP versions have arrived , Standage/Pinnock, Carmignola/Marcon and Alessandrini mentioned above .

Just dug out the LP of Schneiderhan which I hadn't heard for years and years and was the first version I heard in days when it wasn't often played. It's really great to hear it well played without lots of extra 'interpretation'.

Having said that I have since acquired several other performances, all with their merits:

Biondi, too fast and hard drive
Brusilow, ok but dated, bought for the oistrakh coupling
Campoli, the first ever recording and still surprisingly good
Carmignola, very good
Jakowicz, on LP and not listened to it in years!
Jansen, interesting with a small string band
Loveday, excellent, the first player to really start to 'interpret' the music, carried to extreme by more recent recordings!
Sillito, a good straightforward performance
Zukermann, a bit boring but I bought the LPs for the complete Il cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione
Various soloists with Christopher Hogwood. not to my taste.

Mike

[Beef Oven!]

Very much looking forward to this BaL. I’ve been listening to a few Quattros this week and top of my current list are; the Concerto Italiano (Alessandrini & various soloists) that we’ve discussed on the Baroque thread, Venice Baroque Orchestra, Andrea Macon, Giuliano Carmignola (possibly the best of the bunch of more recent Quattros?) and Europa Galante/Fabio Biondi for a real breakneck and virtuoso performance that surely won’t make for a BaL top rec?

Over 300 recordings stretching back over 70 years so I think the programme will be much longer this week (or they’ll have to leave some out).

[Beef Oven!]

Anyone know the Adrian Chandler and the period-instrument ensemble La Serenissima?

[Beef Oven!]

Interesting comparison between Hogwood and Pinnock. Fascinating BaL. This bloke knows his onions!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Interesting comparison between Hogwood and Pinnock. Fascinating BaL. This bloke knows his onions!

I'll say! I'm LOVING this BaL - and I nearly didn't listen. I want the 1942 recording - was relieved (in a bad way) to hear that the I Musici recording is as deadly dull as I remember (no wonder I actively disliked Vivaldi for so long after repeated listenings of this! The Loveday is so much better than this) - and laughed out loud at Karajan's "dog that thinks it's a cow" - was pleased to hear that he shares my preference for Standish/Pinnock over Hogwwod - - and it's still going on! I could happily listen to this for hours.

[Beef Oven!]

I'll say! I'm LOVING this BaL - and I nearly didn't listen. I want the 1942 recording - was relieved (in a bad way) to hear that the I Musici recording is as deadly dull as I remember (no wonder I actively disliked Vivaldi for so long after repeated listenings of this! The Loveday is so much better than this) - and laughed out loud at Karajan's "dog that thinks it's a cow" - was pleased to hear that he shares my preference for Standish/Pinnock over Hogwwod - - and it's still going on! I could happily listen to this for hours.

And now a reminder of what an incredible music-talent Nigel Kennedy is and always was!!

What a way to start the new season of BaLs!!!

[pastoralguy]

And now a reminder of what an incredible music-talent Nigel Kennedy is and always was!!

What a way to start the new season of BaLs!!!

[Beef Oven!]

“So Rustic, you can almost smell the hay”!!!

(Biondi/Galante)

[Beef Oven!]

Well, that certainly sets the BaL bar very high indeed!

I really enjoyed that BaL.

Hats off to Mahan Esfahani

Can we have two BaLs a week please?

[underthecountertenor]

10/10. Mahan Esfahani is a compelling broadcaster and the insights came think and fast, with waspish humour.