BaL 15.06.19 - Elgar: Violin Sonata in E minor, Op. 82

[verismissimo]

Steroids or not he has a phenomenal pair of ears . All those great musicians “improving” Elgar’s written notes . An ear opener if ever there was one.I think this is an excellent BAL and it usually is when DON is involved.

Ditto. And so good on the Sammons/Murdoch. It was the Sammons recording of the concerto that 'freed up' Nigel Kennedy to play it - escaping from the Menuhin/Elgar.

[Mal]

Mal: i think it's just the original full price Chandos issue, now NLA, that commands silly s/h prices (£30+). The later reissue is still available new and I've just picked up one s/h (following my prediction in #13) for under a fiver

By "silly" I meant "unbelievably low", just ordered the reissue for £1.99 (including P&P) on ebay. Now only only one left at that price... hence: quick!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Twofer apart, this was a great review. Being one of my favourite works, I’m almost tempted to buy every recording. A silly idea, I know.

But I really must get to know the Little/Roscoe recording.

[teamsaint]

They can put DON on at least once a month for me. I learn more from him in 5 minutes than I do from many others in half an hour. And he does it in ways that actually work, eg comparing different performances of the same passage, flagging elements up before playing the excerpt, and also a good mix of his forensic technical approach with some nice descriptive language. All on top of trying to take us into the composers mindset.
Top stuff.

[gurnemanz]

Worth bearing in mind that the Kennedy is on the upcoming 40 Years of Chandos box, if you might be considering getting that. I acquired the recording 10 years ago (tempus fugit) via the Chandos 30 box.

[edashtav]

Steroids or not he has a phenomenal pair of ears . All those great musicians “improving” Elgar’s written notes . An ear opener if ever there was one.I think this is an excellent BAL and it usually is when DON is involved.

Yes, DON is a firebrand: a very active volcano spewing out red hot ideas, hissing with steam as performers depart from the written score, exuding love for the work and the composer. By the end of the the review he'd covered Andrew with lava and turned him into the Stone Guest.

[teamsaint]

Yes, DON is a firebrand: a very active volcano spewing out red hot ideas, hissing with steam as performers depart from the written score, exuding love for the work and the composer. By the end of the the review he'd covered Andrew with lava and turned him into the Stone Guest.

You mean he’d pumiced him into submission?

[Pulcinella]

You mean he’d pumiced him into submission?

Or quite simply petrified him?

[teamsaint]

Or quite simply petrified him?

Perhaps they should move AMG to a Rock station ?

( sorry for going OT, Ed started it !!)

[Barbirollians]

The DON doesn't need a microphone- once upon a time , I sat opposite to him on a train. Once I'd lighted his fuse by admitting my musical interests, the volcano erupted ...

For once he came up with the right answer ! Loved the way he did not let AMcG getting a word in edgeways.

[jonfan]

And that's how you do a twofer- Norris knowing his stuff, doing technicals and enthusing, and absolutely and totally steamrollering AMcG.
Little / Roscoe for me, but.............

Agree. Whatever DON has for breakfast I want it too. Surely his great knowledge and grasp of his subject, plus his consummate communication skills, could be put to greater use by the BBC. He did a superb piece for BBC Four a year or two ago about pianists which was a lesson in how to put a programme together which appeals to newcomers and experts alike. A rare skill.

[LeMartinPecheur]

I wonder: will winning this BaL thrill NK more than Villa's return to the Premier League??

[MrGongGong]

I think a Short chess player has arguably achieved more than at least 2 of them.

Not forgetting the great Tufnel

[ardcarp]

Why is it that everytime David Owen Norris talks on radio, he sounds like he's on steroids? And why do we have to have 2 people discussing the recommended recordings, constantly talking over each other? Why change the original format of just one reviewer?

Why indeed. Hot topic on here. However, DON is a favourite of mine, and it's just as well he talks volubly because today he managed to reduce the dialogue to almost a solo performance. He has terrific technical knowledge of music (even singing bits to demonstrate his point) which I appreciate very much. (Poor old Brautigam!! Sussed.) It was really fascinating to hear Albert Sammons, because he doesn't make Elgar sound like uber-Romantic slush like some players half a generation later did. No names, no pack-drill. Such a shame we can't hear Sammons recaorded with today's technology. I'm very happy with DON's choice of Kennedy...who I think is a terrific Elgarian...though I must say, possibly because I have it and play it a lot, I do like Tasmin Little's account.

[Pulcinella]

Has Bean become a has-been?
Don't think he got a mention, but I'm happy with his version and don't feel the need to supplement.