BaL 29.12.18 - Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto no. 2 in C minor Op. 18

[Mal]

She can't win!

She can, she just needs to include the entire history of recorded music. It's meant to be "building a library" not "building a library of the last twenty years". Although she did say Richter's orchestra was a bit muddy and that knocked it ff the top spot. So maybe she didn't need to make the twenty year caveat. But she did, so now we don't know what she thinks is the "best ever".

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

She can, she just needs to include the entire history of recorded music.

Ah, yes, of course.

I felt that the favourable mentions of the recordings by Rachmaninoff, Moiseiwitsch, Joyce, and Richter made clear her great appreciation of the many recordings that she illustrated (as well as the many she mentioned having enjoyed that couldn't be included in the programme for time reasons). It was also very clear that, because of the recorded orchestral sound, she didn't think that the Richter was the "best ever", and that the more recent recordings that she selected give better total representations of the work. I don't think it can be gainsaid that Papano and the BPO are heard to better effect than Wislocki and the Warsaw NPO, can it? Or, for that matter, Oramo and the CBSO or Nezet-Seguin and the Philadelphians?

[cloughie]

Odd how personal prejudice (aka taste) gets in the way of appreciating an artist. A few years back I went to an Andsnes Chopin recital which I thought the worst I'd ever attended and ever since I can't warm to his playing. My loss I fear.

Ihavd a similar problem with Weissenberg based on his awful Debussy CD/LP on DG many years ago!

[zola]

She can, she just needs to include the entire history of recorded music. It's meant to be "building a library" not "building a library of the last twenty years". Although she did say Richter's orchestra was a bit muddy and that knocked it ff the top spot. So maybe she didn't need to make the twenty year caveat. But she did, so now we don't know what she thinks is the "best ever".

Look again at message number one on this thread. She'd still be talking now if she aimed to reference everything. Some kind of methodology has to be employed when faced with a work with such an extensive catalogue, given the time constraints of the programme and no doubt time constraints on the reviewer that would not be covered by a BBC fee ! From the list, there were many recordings from the last twenty years that were not given space as well as more venerable efforts.

[cloughie]

Look again at message number one on this thread. She'd still be talking now if she aimed to reference everything. Some kind of methodology has to be employed when faced with a work with such an extensive catalogue, given the time constraints of the programme and no doubt time constraints on the reviewer that would not be covered by a BBC fee ! From the list, there were many recordings from the last twenty years that were not given space as well as more venerable efforts.

Musical ageism is a real problem! Using the 20 year yardstick 15 years of DDD is being ignored!

[Beef Oven!]

Musical ageism is a real problem! Using the 20 year yardstick 15 years of DDD is being ignored!

20 years seems a bit short. I'm all for putting ancient recordings to one side, for the purposes of BaL, but I'd go for circa 40 years or 1970 onwards. All subjective, of course.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Musical ageism is a real problem! Using the 20 year yardstick 15 years of DDD is being ignored!

Except that it wasn't "ignored" in this programme, was it? (Nor, for that matter, were Mono recordings.)

[ardcarp]

Thank heavens Lang Lang wasn’t chosen! I was having an awful feeling!

Now,now! [see post 49]

[BBMmk2]

Now,now! [see post 49]

Yes, I did hear this BaL, that’s why I said what a contributed.

[pastoralguy]

...and what a lovely voice and accent!

I've longj been a fan of Ms. F-W. she could read the telephone directory and make it sound ...!

[zola]

I've long been a fan of Ms. F-W. she could read the telephone directory and make it sound ...!

She is a contributor on the Listening Service tomorrow discussing the Nutcracker.

[cloughie]

Except that it wasn't "ignored" in this programme, was it? (Nor, for that matter, were Mono recordings.)

For once no, but it is not always the case!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

For once no, but it is not always the case!

True, sadly.

[teamsaint]

Anyway, very good BaL, with understandable and sensible, if not universally popular, reasons for selecting from recent recordings.

Great to have a presenter who illuminated both the work and the recordings that she focused on.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Anyway, very good BaL, with understandable and sensible, if not universally popular, reasons for selecting from recent recordings.
Great to have a presenter who illuminated both the work and the recordings that she focused on.

... and, did you notice, ts: a woman reviewing a Late Romantic work?