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

[verismissimo]

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 ?

When I was a child in the 1950s, the self-evident answer to the question, 'Who do you think you are …?', was either

a. Sterling Moss,
b. Stanley Matthews, or
c. Yehudi Menuhin, depending on context.

Were there others? Is there current usage with new exemplars?

[LMcD]

When I was a child in the 1950s, the self-evident answer to the question, 'Who do you think you are …?', was either

a. Sterling Moss,
b. Stanley Matthews, or
c. Yehudi Menuhin, depending on context.

Were there others? Is there current usage with new exemplars?

Was he the financial consultant who had a famous racing driver, named after a Scottish castle, for a brother?

[edashtav]

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.

Spot on, Barbirollians.

[Mal]

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.

It's the controller's programme! And he's likely to give AMcG an earful if he just goes silent... he's on record as saying he likes this dialogue format. So if AMcG wants to keep his nice job he has to show willing.

https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2015-06-02/radio-3-controller-alan-davey-answers-your-questions/

Questioner: The Building a Library segment of CD Review (on Saturdays) gets much praise – but some readers say the recorded, scripted editions are immeasurably better than the rambling live discussions.

Alan Davey (controller of BBC Radio 3): There’s room for both. We get a lot of positive feedback for live discussions, if not all the time. In terms of Building a Library, it’s such a mammoth task our people take on in finding the best version of a piece, and it’s always going to be serious and detailed and carefully thought through. If we get the right guests, the level of erudition will be high. And the exchange of views is interesting. The sense of liveliness that brings is welcome.

Actually this comment indicates that Davey doesn't know the format of the programme! There are no "guests" there is only one "guest", so there can be no "exchange of views" because the "level of erudition" is almost always too low... AMcG not having the necessary specialist knowledge in most cases...

Hmmm.... the controller of BBC Radio 3 not knowing the format of his flagship programme? Who controls the controller? Maybe we should write to him and complain...

Q: Which are your own don’t-miss programmes on Radio 3?
AD: I’ve listened to Composer of the Week for years and years. I never miss In Tune because you never know who’s going to be on. As well as Live in Concert every night... [Note, BAL is not mentioned!]

[Mal]

Davey sounds like quite an attractive character:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/sep/26/alan-davey-controller-radio-3-charlotte-higgins

BUT:

"The big missing element from Davey’s CV is broadcast experience, which to some might make him a peculiar choice for the job at all; it certainly means that he is an unknown quantity in terms of what we will hear when we hit the Radio 3 dial in future..."

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Davey sounds like quite an attractive character:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/sep/26/alan-davey-controller-radio-3-charlotte-higgins

BUT:

"The big missing element from Davey’s CV is broadcast experience, which to some might make him a peculiar choice for the job at all; it certainly means that he is an unknown quantity in terms of what we will hear when we hit the Radio 3 dial in future..."

Interesting stuff indeed. There doesn’t really seem to be a coherent plan.
Roger Wright Plus, perhaps?

[Stanfordian]

Perhaps John Humphrys is his mentor.

So true!

[Mal]

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!

Yes, Brautigam came in for some heavy, and repeated, criticism. But Vengerov did come in for some general slagging from DON, and he gave technical detail on one other mistake. DON also indicated there were too many mistakes, by too many players, to mention them all in detail! He also made a good stab at reasons why they make these mistakes... doing too much, not enough time... which I guess would be the same excuses for many CD reviewers... and we are left to buy dross in a state of ignorance all round... So thank goodness for DON, who obviously does listen to all the notes, and knows what they should be!

[Master Jacques]

947 Beethoven With Furtwangler
1943 Brahms with Boult
Early 1930s Paganini 1 with Monteux
That is leaving aside his most famous recording.

Please could I put in another couple, please? His Mendelssohn Concerto under his teacher Enescu, and Enescu's own 3rd Violin Sonata (with sister Hephzibah on piano). Both are treasures, in the way of golden musicianship over idle virtuosity and/or Rolls Royce power.

[Tony Halstead]

Yes, Brautigam came in for some heavy, and repeated, criticism. But Vengerov did come in for some general slagging from DON, and he gave technical detail on one other mistake. DON also indicated there were too many mistakes, by too many players, to mention them all in detail! He also made a good stab at reasons why they make these mistakes... doing too much, not enough time... which I guess would be the same excuses for many CD reviewers... and we are left to buy dross in a state of ignorance all round... So thank goodness for DON, who obviously does listen to all the notes, and knows what they should be!

There is a new 'Elgar critical edition' publication. I am wondering whether the 'Brautigam/ Van Keulen' recording used this!
Having worked with Mr Brautigam many, many times in concerts, most particularly at the EHF Bridgnorth, I can't quite believe that he would have made mistakes with the text. I have ordered the new edition and look forward to its arrival!

[ardcarp]

I did wonder. Record producers are pretty darned sharp eared as well, and it would be strange for so many 'wrong notes' to slip through.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

There is a new 'Elgar critical edition' publication. I am wondering whether the 'Brautigam/ Van Keulen' recording used this!
Having worked with Mr Brautigam many, many times in concerts/ most particularly at the EHF Bridgnorth, I can't quite believe that he would have made mistakes with the text. I have ordered the new edition and look forward to its arrival!

Do keep us posted on this.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

It does seem strange that a Musician of Brautigam's calibre should have made so many errors in his playing - but the CD was recorded over 12 years ago (in February, 2007): would the "new Critical Edition" have been available then? (And, if so, why has it taken - or, rather, "is it" taking - so long to reach the public?)

[Tony Halstead]

It does seem strange that a Musician of Brautigam's calibre should have made so many errors in his playing - but the CD was recorded over 12 years ago (in February, 2007): would the "new Critical Edition" have been available then? (And, if so, why has it taken - or, rather, "is it" taking - so long to reach the public?)

As I understand it, Volume 37 of the 'Complete Edition', containing every scrap of Elgar's violin music, edited by Clive Brown, was published in 2007.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

As I understand it, Volume 37 of the 'Complete Edition', containing every scrap of Elgar's violin music, edited by Clive Brown, was published in 2007.

Aha! Then I can only repeat Alpie's #117


(With, of course, apologies to Alpie, who doesn't like repeats.)