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

[Mal]

I didn't think AMcG was all bad, he can sometimes provide an interjection that adds something to the reviewers estimation, or underlines it, as in the first Kennedy extract where AMcG added to DON's enthusiasm by saying, 'major key glow is wonderful... prepared to be rough... it really works!' or 'Little equals Vengerov for lyricism, power and passion'. I think he needs to keep quiet more and *only* make useful interjections, i.e., not 'play the nodding dog', avoid just saying "yes, yes, that's right, that's right...", which spoils the flow, and more importantly, doesn't add anything. This is hard though, as the dialogue format means he can't just produce bon mots every five minutes. AMcG is in a very difficult situation, is there an example where someone has played this kind of role successfully?

[Stanfordian]

(But I did so wish AMcG would shut up and stop spoiling the flow)

Does AMcG not know that talking over someone on the radio means listeners can hear barely anything being said.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

AMcG is in a very difficult situation, is there an example where someone has played this kind of role successfully?

In a difficult position? It’s his programme, so he can more or less do what he wants, within reason. Saying nothing for 50 minutes shouldn’t be so difficult.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Does AMcG not know that talking over someone on the radio means listeners can hear barely anything being said.

Perhaps John Humphrys is his mentor.

[DracoM]

Plus he's making the same assumption - i.e. that HE is more important than the reviewer. Deo Gratias for DON, I say.

[MrGongGong]

Doesn't stop my overall admiration for him as a musician and as a human being.

A great human being
but a rather lousy fiddle player IMV

[verismissimo]

The gist of it so far as I can tell is that several boarders have heard Mr Bean's recording, like it a lot, so it must be the best.

And somewhere in that process, Mr Dunnett, who has reservations about that recording, became a bad guy with poor musical judgement.

Have I missed something?

[Tony Halstead]

The gist of it so far as I can tell is that several boarders have heard Mr Bean's recording, like it a lot, so it must be the best.

And somewhere in that process, Mr Dunnett, who has reservations about that recording, became a bad guy with poor musical judgement.

Have I missed something?

Although I dearly love the Bean/ Parkhouse recording, I have to concede that the 2 most outstanding ones on Saturday were Little/Roscoe and Kennedy/ Pettinger.
If asked to choose, I'd go for the Little/ Roscoe.

[pastoralguy]

Although David Owen Norris was very explicit in pointing out Miss-readings in the piano part, I was surprised he didn't comment on Vengarov's mistake 3 bars after figure 11 in the first movement where he plays a simplified version of what Elgar wrote. He completely misses out the top harmonic and plays a stopped note two octaves below. Most odd for a player of his supreme abilities!

[pastoralguy]

I was slightly disappointed that Tasmin Wales-Cohen and Huw Watkins didn't get a mention. I was extremely impressed with their recording.

[Edgy 2]

Many, many thanks again to Mal for his marvellous resumé in #44.

Beats listening to the actual programme every time.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Regarding taking liberties with the notes, there are one or two errors in the Novello published version, corrected in the Elgar Complete Edition.

[Barbirollians]

A great human being
but a rather lousy fiddle player IMV

He struggled in later years but I suggest the following as a brief corrective to the lousy fiddle player jibe .

1947 Beethoven With Furtwangler

1943 Brahms with Boult

Early 1930s Paganini 1 with Monteux

That is leaving aside his most famous recording.

[pastoralguy]

He struggled in later years but I suggest the following as a brief corrective to the lousy fiddle player jibe .

1947 Beethoven With Furtwangler

1943 Brahms with Boult

Early 1930s Paganini 1 with Monteux

That is leaving aside his most famous recording.

One of my favourite recordings of all time is one from the 1930's where he and his sister play Lekau's Sonatas with a passion and intensity that I've rarely heard on a disc. He was such a special artist but, alas, wasn't short of problems in later life.

[MrGongGong]

He struggled in later years but I suggest the following as a brief corrective to the lousy fiddle player jibe .

1947 Beethoven With Furtwangler

1943 Brahms with Boult

Early 1930s Paganini 1 with Monteux

That is leaving aside his most famous recording.

I'm sure he was a good player when younger
but (aside from the other aspects of his personality) why was he so celebrated as a violinist for all of his life ?