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

[Tony Halstead]

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


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

[Ein Heldenleben]

David Owen Norris’s main theory was that the emendations were not just negligence but possibly a lack of respect for Elgar as a composer . In other words he couldn’t have meant that when that “works” better .I wonder whether that lack of respect also extends to Novello as a publisher which doesn’t have the Old Testament like cachet of ,say , G. Henle Verlag. Though the latter do publish an urtext version of the violin sonata.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

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.

I have this. Unfortunately, I don't currently have access to it, but look forward to checking it out. (But it isn't called the "critical edition". )

[Tony Halstead]

I have this. Unfortunately, I don't currently have access to it, but look forward to checking it out. (But it isn't called the "critical edition". )

OOPS... my mistake!

[Mal]

Is playing a few wrong notes not treating the composer with respect? Schnabel's Beethoven comes in for great praise even though he played wrong notes quite often.

https://thebeethovenproject.com/summoning-the-spirit-of-schnabel/

It might be that Vengerov liked his performance and thought he'd let a few errors slide, especially if he added to the passion... He gets 10/10 on "Classics Today":

https://www.classicstoday.com/review/review-5631/

The Dvorak pairing is a major attraction... ho hum I'll have to add this to the "maybe buy" list as well...

(Brautigam, on the other hand, was also also criticised for lack of dynamism, is there any saving it, even if he played the latest right notes? Does anyone have it? It was the Penguin "strong first recommendation". Can anyone else come out in support?)

[Mal]

I see Music Magpie have raised the price for Kennedy's CD from £1.99 to £8.99 on ebay! Is this the BAL effect? I did crow about getting it at £1.99, but the condition of the CD is far from "very good"; not only is the case extremely scuffed, the booklet is stained. I wish Magpie wouldn't classify everything as "very good"; the quality varies from Like New to barely acceptable (as here...) It might be that they have a lot in stock and are sending out the better ones first... if so I dread to think what those remaining are like. I'll be consigning this to the charity shop and buying the Chandos 40 box set as new!

[Stanfordian]

I see Music Magpie have raised the price for Kennedy's CD from £1.99 to £8.99 on ebay! Is this the BAL effect? I did crow about getting it at £1.99, but the condition of the CD is far from "very good"; not only is the case extremely scuffed, the booklet is stained. I wish Magpie wouldn't classify everything as "very good"; the quality varies from Like New to barely acceptable (as here...) It might be that they have a lot in stock and are sending out the better ones first... if so I dread to think what those remaining are like. I'll be consigning this to the charity shop and buying the Chandos 40 box set as new!

Yes, one takes a chance with Music Magpie which from my experience often tends of exaggerate condition of the booklet. Smelly, ripped CD booklets just don't do it for me.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Is playing a few wrong notes not treating the composer with respect? Schnabel's Beethoven comes in for great praise even though he played wrong notes quite often.


(Brautigam, on the other hand, was also also criticised for lack of dynamism, is there any saving it, even if he played the latest right notes? Does anyone have it? It was the Penguin "strong first recommendation". Can anyone else come out in support?)

Obviously it’s better if every note is played correctly, but a technically flawed performance is often better than a sterile but accurate one. Anyway, until we have more information on the Novello vs Elgar Complete Edition “right notes”.