BaL 20.04.19/11.01.20 - Schumann: Piano Concerto in A minor

[Mal]

I had to Google "Eusebius Schumann". This produced some very difficult reading. Thank goodness for Stephen Isserlis and the Grauniad:

"Schumann's writing, like his music, reflects his deeply romantic nature; many of his articles describe the reactions of two imaginary characters of his own invention, representing different aspects of his character, whom he dubbed Florestan (impulsive and spontaneous) and Eusebius (inward and thoughtful)."

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/jul/01/in-defence-of-schumann-steven-isserlis

I thought this was a good BAL, it generated a library building impulse in me due to a spontaneous reaction to Perahia's pianism, although I had already put deep thought and inward contemplation into associated items. "Murray Perahia plays Schumann", 6CD sony box, £15 from various outlets (I avoided the Swiss air mail/tax dodging and Amazon's £20 lower limit by plumping for Music Magpie).

[Dave2002]

I recently ordered a cd of the Brahms violin sonatas that was on RCA by a violinist I'd never heard of. It was very cheap and my curiosity was pricked. It was TERRIBLE! Lethargic tempi, an uninteresting sound and just not very good. (I've always loved Isaac Stern's assertion that a great violinist should DEMAND your ears! Well, this player certainly didn't.)

So I do wonder if, like those articles in Gramophone, there should be a 'one to avoid' anti-recommendation. For how can one truly choose a single example of such masterpieces? In the case of the Brahms, how can one choose between Oistrakh, Grumiaux, Kovackos, etc, etc?

Fairly recently my car radio was “detuned” to another station - CFM I think. There was a programme with Alexander Armstrong which played a version of Tchaikovsky’s violin concerto. It attracted my attention because of the question and answer which followed, about a piece where the orchestra at the first performance were allegedly told to play so quietly that the audience wouldn’t hear it, and then it would never be heard again. Then there was a lot of puff and bluster (and afterwards) about the great performance by some obscure artist and orchestra to be heard. I don’t like being too critical, but it was truly dreadful. If that soloist had played at the first performance with that orchestra it would have justified the piece being excluded from the repertoire permanently.

Sometimes there really are excruciating performances. The winner of this weekend’s BAL was not in the same league.

[Barbirollians]

Fairly recently my car radio was “detuned” to another station - CFM I think. There was a programme with Alexander Armstrong which played a version of Tchaikovsky’s violin concerto. It attracted my attention because of the question and answer which followed, about a piece where the orchestra at the first performance were allegedly told to play so quietly that the audience wouldn’t hear it, and then it would never be heard again. Then there was a lot of puff and bluster (and afterwards) about the great performance by some obscure artist and orchestra to be heard. I don’t like being too critical, but it was truly dreadful. If that soloist had played at the first performance with that orchestra it would have justified the piece being excluded from the repertoire permanently.

Sometimes there really are excruciating performances. The winner of this weekend’s BAL was not in the same league.

With Andrew Schiff at the piano it could not be - but to my taste it was very short on Florestan. Bought the Fischer/Giulini she praised and it arrived this afternoon on Amazon Prime - I wonder why she did not play more of it - a terrific account - much more vim than the winner.

[Pulcinella]

I missed the BaL but listened to the BBCMM CD issue last night (Lars Vogt, BBCSSO, Martyn Brabbins, from the 1996 Proms) and was somewhat underwhelmed.
I'm pretty sure that I used to have a Stephen Bishop coupling with the Greig, but I mustn't have upgraded it to a CD release; the version I have in my non-BBC CD collection is Pascal Devoyon, London Philharmonic, Jerzy Maksymiuk, on Classics for Pleasure, which is not in Alpie's list, so presumably nla. I must listen to it again soon.

PS: It does seem still to be available:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Grieg-Schumann-Pascal-Devoyon-Maksymiuk/dp/B009CXQDSO

though the version I have looks like this:

https://www.discogs.com/Schumann-and-Grieg-Pascal-DevoyonLondon-Philharmonic-Jerzy-Maksymiuk-Piano-Concertos/release/8317133

(and it appears to have had other incarnations too!).

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Bumping this one as it was repeated today, replacing the advertised BaL.

[ardcarp]

Oh dear, listening to all that twice is more than body and soul can bear......

[Barbirollians]

Oh dear, listening to all that twice is more than body and soul can bear......

Has the Brahms Quintet thread been deleted ?

[jayne lee wilson]

Bumping this one as it was repeated today, replacing the advertised BaL.

Lucy Parham was due to cover the Op.34... she did the Op.54 as well, hence....
Maybe she's ill or something.... shame though, looking forward to the Op.34 one....

[pastoralguy]

Has the Brahms Quintet thread been deleted ?

Looks like it!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Has the Brahms Quintet thread been deleted ?

It’s been hidden until we know if/when the BaL will be broadcast.

[vinteuil]

It’s been hidden until we know if/when the BaL will be broadcast.

... can it be brought out of hiding? I want to re-read some of the thoughts of contributors.

I can't see what is gained by keeping it hidden!

Just because Radio 3 can't get its act together, it doesn't mean we shd be deprived of the chance of sharing our thoughts, surely??

.

[Barbirollians]

... can it be brought out of hiding? I want to re-read some of the thoughts of contributors.

I can't see what is gained by keeping it hidden!

Just because Radio 3 can't get its act together, it doesn't mean we shd be deprived of the chance of sharing our thoughts, surely??

.

Can we not put it into recordings in discussion and then merge it into any new BAL thread ?

[LMcD]

Lucy Parham was due to cover the Op.34... she did the Op.54 as well, hence....
Maybe she's ill or something.... shame though, looking forward to the Op.34 one....

Struck down with laryngitis.

[BBMmk2]

I have Martha Argerich in the Lugano box. I’m quite happy with that but those others who were in the prizes, look intriguing too.

[cloughie]

Struck down with laryngitis.

Good that she postponed rather than try to struggle on meaning that Andrew took even greater proportion of the twofer vocals!