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

[zola]

Mal: useful summary and LP was quite clear that she'd restricted choices to her Top Eight for the programme.

What do others think? This seems to match the format of the French programme that some boarders follow. There'll always be arguments if a favourite has been left out but at least the field is made absolutely clear from the start.

Yes, but this was more or less a top four, with Pollini, Fischer, Argerich and Pires restricted to just one extract each if I am not mistaken ?

[edashtav]

A limit of eight seems sensible to me.
I have serious reservations about the winner:
Schiff/CGB/Dorati

My main worry reflects fellow boarders concerns about the twofer programme format, that it is not a dialogue. Schiff sets the arguments with thought and feeling but Antal Dorati and the CGB merely accept his ideas in a wan fashion, adding nothing characterful to the debate.

It's a version for piano lovers but not one likely to gain much favour from those who require a more concerted approach: one that fully recognises the important contributions of orchestra and conductor.
I retain my love for Lisiecki/ St Cec/ Pappano.

[mikealdren]

One of the worst twofers so far. It's amazing how much time is wasted by AmcG and the reviewer agreeing and repeating, adding unnecessary comments and ums and ahs from all concerned. A good reviewer can make so many more comments in 45 mins. Added to this, we now seem to be settling into a shortlist comparison programme. This has always been an issue for popular works but, in the past, reviewers have at least explained why famous/favourite recordings have been disregarded.

[verismissimo]

When I was a young thing, Lipatti/Philharmonia/Karajan (1950?) was treated with great reverence and love.

No more?

[Keraulophone]

But of course they will.

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It was a valiant effort nonetheless.



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[DracoM]

One of the worst twofers so far. It's amazing how much time is wasted by AmcG and the reviewer agreeing and repeating, adding unnecessary comments and ums and ahs from all concerned. A good reviewer can make so many more comments in 45 mins. Added to this, we now seem to be settling into a shortlist comparison programme. This has always been an issue for popular works but, in the past, reviewers have at least explained why famous/favourite recordings have been disregarded.

Oh, crikey.........yes, yes, yes!
WHY do they do it?

[jayne lee wilson]

Well, if you haven't got Melnikov/Freiburg/Heras-Casado "under consideration"... I won't have this BaL under consideration either....

Any critic has at least a duty to keep up-to-date with new releases and approaches, most especially to familiar rep..."oh it's just a personal view" isn't good enough now, sorry.

Wide and even arcane knowledge should be a prerequisite...

[Bryn]

Well, if you haven't got Melnikov/Freiburg/Heras-Casado "under consideration"... I won't have this BaL under consideration either....

Any critic has at least a duty to keep up-to-date with new releases and approaches, most especially to familiar rep..."oh it's just a personal view" isn't good enough now, sorry.

Wide and even arcane knowledge should be a prerequisite...

Quite agree, though knowledge of the Schiff/CO/Dorati disc could be seen as somewhat arcane.

[LeMartinPecheur]

Well, if you haven't got Melnikov/Freiburg/Heras-Casado "under consideration"... I won't have this BaL under consideration either....

To be fair, she may have considered it before selecting her top eight.

[visualnickmos]

For what it's worth, I feel that BaL has now become just a simple 'fly on the wall' discussion of a given oeuvre, and failing to deliver a reasoned critique.

[Bryn]

To be fair, she may have considered it before selecting her top eight.

If so, that would be just one more demerit for her.

[Dave2002]

Why is this being done again when it was done so recently when numerous repertoire works have not been done for donkeys years and to be honest with a less distinguished reviewer than last time ? Parham’s BAL of Rachmaninov PC No 2 some years back was dreadful .

I think that’s unkind. I rather enjoyed the BAL, and compared with most of us who sit and carp away, Lucy can at least play the work in question, and I think she’s certainly more qualified and distinguished than many and most - though perhaps not all - here. I think I even have a CD of her playing it. I don’t even mind the 2-fer format, though perhaps it shouldn’t be trotted out so frequently.

[Dave2002]

If so, that would be just one more demerit for her.

I bet she can play the piano orders of magnitudes better than you can. Sorry!

[Bryn]

I bet she can play the piano orders of magnitudes better than you can. Sorry!

Quite so, and quite irrelevant to the issue at hand.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I bet she can play the piano orders of magnitudes better than you can. Sorry!

But, by that criterion, I wouldn't be able to criticise any of the available versions.

She may be able to play the work better than any of us here, but that doesn't mean that her dismissals of pianists who can play it "orders of magnitude better than [she] can" are valid, against which we have no right to protest.