BaL 9.07.11 - Bizet: L'Arlesienne

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

When a music critic accuses a conductor of Beecham's stature of making a "howler", he needs to be sure of his ground. However, if Beecham wanted to replace a tambour or any other instrument with a tambourine, he would not let a mere critic's viewpoint make him lose sleep.Sir Thomas even dared to reorchestrate his beloved Mozart when the mood took him. You might question his judgement, but you can be sure he knew exactly what he was doing.

[verismissimo]

I thought it was really interesting - full of stuff I didn't know and music well up to Bizet's considerable best.
Not surprised by the Abbado recommendation.

[LeMartinPecheur]

I thought it was really interesting - full of stuff I didn't know and music well up to Bizet's considerable best.
Not surprised by the Abbado recommendation.

I agree. Interesting programme, well worth listening to, but it still didn't tempt me to buy the winner or any other version. It's pleasant music but I still can't feel that the differences between versions are enough to get excited about. I guess that's my feeling about incidental music generally, as compared with more integrated compositions such as symphonies, concertos, multi-movt chamber music, operas. I don't feel that we ever need to discuss (argue about?) "Abbado's Arlesienne" as compared to Ansermet's in the way we certainly do about their Beethoven symphonies, etc.

[vinteuil]

I thought it was really interesting - full of stuff I didn't know .

I agree. He made me think that Bizet is perhaps a much more interesting composer than I had previously allowed - it was particularly interesting to hear how the various movements represented various parts of the Daudet stories/play, something I had never really bothered to follow in sufficient detail. When I'm back from my hols I may have to consider looking at this all again...

[BBMmk2]

Bizet is not one of my favourite composers, the Suites of Carmen and L'Arlessiene I like and the Symphony in C to. That's about it!:)

[Barbirollians]

I love Bizet - had he lived he would have ben a towering figure .

Nothing it that survey made me feel the need to add to my Beecham and Dutoit recordings

[pilamenon]

I love Bizet - had he lived he would have ben a towering figure .

Indeed. Thoroughly enjoyed hearing this music, and am tempted to get one of the more "complete" recordings, probably Minkowski, and/or the suites, probably Beecham, whose recordings I can't seem to get enough of at the moment.

[Panjandrum]

Another rather maverick review from Scaramuccio I fear. Not sure why no mention was made of the highly regarded Dutoit version or why Beecham's soi-disant "howler" ruled it hors concours. Still, standards are slipping everywhere and not even BAL is immune.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

As I said before, it wasn't really a howler. Beecham knew what he was doing, but some people don't like that, just as they don't like Stokowski touching up orchestrations. It's a matter of taste.

[Rolmill]

Not sure why no mention was made of the highly regarded Dutoit version...

Actually, I think it was mentioned very briefly near the end, but dismissed as bland or something similar. I agree that this was rather short shrift for a very well-played and enjoyable version, but wouldn't disagree with the final choice of Abbado (I have both).