BaL 14.10.17 - Purcell: "My Heart is Inditing"

[Nick Armstrong]

Interested to hear AMcG flag this BAL which sounds as if it will be along the lines of the excellent French radio 'Tribune des Critiques' - versions to be listened to blind. I wonder which reviewer/s they will field for this. I hope they make a success of it...

As the Radio 3 site now announces:

0930
Conductor, academic, broadcaster and record producer Jeremy Summerly joins Andrew live for a 'blind' Building a Library discussion comparing recordings of Purcell's glorious Coronation Anthem 'My Heart is Inditing' (Z30). Neither Jeremy nor Andrew will have been told which recording is which, either in their preparation or as they listen live on air, in an attempt to bypass any preconceptions and compare performances in a different light.

Available versions:

Choir of King's College, Cambridge & Leonhardt Consort, Gustav Leonhardt (Warner Classics, Das Alte Werk)

The Choir of Westminster Abbey, The English Concert, Simon Preston (DG Archiv)

Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford and The English Concert, Simon Preston (DG Archiv)

The Choir of the Chapel Royal & The Musicians Extra-ordinary, Andrew Gant (Signum)

VOCES8 & Les Inventions (Signum)

Chanticleer (Teldec)

Collegium Vocale Gent, Philippe Herreweghe (Harmonia Mundi)

The Choir of New College, Oxford, & The Band of Instruments, Edward Higginbottom (crd)

Choir of New College Oxford, & Academy of Ancient Music, Edward Higginbottom (Decca)

Choir of New College Oxford, King's Consort Choir, King's Consort, Robert King (Hyperion)
(Formed part of a box-set recommendation on BAL in February 2014)




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[Richard Barrett]

there will be a BAL which sounds as if it will be along the lines of the excellent French radio 'Tribune des Critiques'

And the people did rejoice, and lo! the sheep were sorted from the goats.

[vinteuil]

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... and, as I often wondered - "What's so wrong with goats? - didn't the Lord make them too??" - and yet He says "depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels ... these shall go away into everlasting punishment."

Harsh!

Those of us who love our crottin de chavignol, valençay, chabichou du poitou, pouligny saint-pierre, and other pyramides : stop this anti-goat propaganda...







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[Barbirollians]

I am not sure how Tribune des Critiques is truly " blind" - surely some recordings are so recognisable that they are not blind at all to a listening critic- the du Pre/Barbirolli Elgar Cello Concerto recording for example .

[Pulcinella]

From the listing in October's BBC MM, it looks like it might be the 14 October programme, with Jeremy Summerly as reviewer.
All other Saturdays have the piece and reviewer mentioned, though that does not in itself preclude blind tasting, I suppose.
The entry for 14 October simply says: Building a Library with Jeremy Summerly.

[visualnickmos]

I am not sure how Tribune des Critiques is truly " blind" - surely some recordings are so recognisable that they are not blind at all to a listening critic- the du Pre/Barbirolli Elgar Cello Concerto recording for example .

I agree, but I suppose that is all part of the 'fun' which doesn't actually detract from the aim of Tribune des Critiques, which is of course, to select a recommendation; if a piece within the mix is recognisable, then so be it...

I wish I could remember what music was going to be the subject.... if indeed, it was mentioned at all.

[Richard Barrett]

that is all part of the 'fun' which doesn't actually detract from the aim of Tribune des Critiques, which is of course, to select a recommendation; if a piece within the mix is recognisable, then so be it...

Of course. (Though personally I wouldn't know the du Pré/Barbirolli Elgar Cello Concerto from a hole in the ground.)

[Barbirollians]

Of course. (Though personally I wouldn't know the du Pré/Barbirolli Elgar Cello Concerto from a hole in the ground.)

Poor you I wouldn't regard that as something to boast about.

[Richard Barrett]

Poor you I wouldn't regard that as something to boast about.

I wasn't boasting! but Elgar's music is a closed book to me.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

It'll make a change from the usual deaf critics, 's'ppose.

[pastoralguy]

Of course. (Though personally I wouldn't know the du Pré/Barbirolli Elgar Cello Concerto from a hole in the ground.)

Do you have that recording, Richard? If not, PM me and I'll send you a copy.

Please persevere- it's great stuff!!

[vinteuil]

Do you have that recording, Richard? If not, PM me and I'll send you a copy.

Please persevere- it's great stuff!!

... hmmm. “For those who like that sort of thing," said Miss Brodie in her best Edinburgh voice, "That is the sort of thing they like.”

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[pastoralguy]

... hmmm. “For those who like that sort of thing," said Miss Brodie in her best Edinburgh voice, "That is the sort of thing they like.”

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A quotation I have used often! (In MY best Edinburgh accent! )

Also, 'We are EUROPEANS. Not dowdy provincials!!'

And that's a phrase I trot out a LOT these days!

[Barbirollians]

Do you have that recording, Richard? If not, PM me and I'll send you a copy.

Please persevere- it's great stuff!!

[Nick Armstrong]

I am not sure how Tribune des Critiques is truly " blind" - surely some recordings are so recognisable that they are not blind at all to a listening critic- the du Pre/Barbirolli Elgar Cello Concerto recording for example .

But of course - no more or less than a blind Bordeaux tasting when the Beychevelle might be easily recognisable to a seasoned taster.

That's part of the point - the critics are in a sense as much on trial for listeners as the recordings: you would probably want to discount the opinion of any critic who didn't spot the du Pré/Barbirolli (and I bet some of the recent Record Review roster might not).

In fact, it's not that simple - sometimes, in the context of other recordings, familiar classics can cease to weave their spell. I remember one Tribune on Ravel's Shéhérazade where one recording was roundly criticised by the three critics (and I didn't like it either) - and it turned out to be the classic Crespin/Ansermet (which I thought was my touchstone in the work). The 'blind' comparative format can challenge accepted or engrained preferences, and for me at least is all the more stimulating for that.

Mind you, sometimes the French programme bows to recognisability in opera recordings - I can remember a couple where the format was changed because it was pointless to expect Pavarotti, Domingo, Callas, Sutherland etc to remain anonymous.