BaL 24.04.21 - Stravinsky: Violin concerto in D

[ardcarp]

I just think that so much of the exquisite detail in the accompaniment (if not in the solo part itself) gets lost at that speed: I feel the same about some other music (for example the Brandenburg concertos) taken at a similar breakneck pace.

OMG. How right you are, but hardly fair to compare Hahn/Marriner's brisker speed with the rocket-fuelled Minuet from Brandenburg 1 which followed. My internal metronome was on to its fastest setting (crotchet = 200). The group (which I won't give publicity by naming) describes itself as 'reasearch driven'. Have they not 'researched' the speed of an 18th century Minuet? I'm afraid I didn't have time to reach the off button...just ran out of the room screaming.

[Pulcinella]

OMG. How right you are, but hardly fair to compare Hahn/Marriner's brisker speed with the rocket-fuelled Minuet from Brandenburg 1 which followed. My internal metronome was on to its fastest setting (crotchet = 200). The group (which I won't give publicity by naming) describes itself as 'reasearch driven'. Have they not 'researched' the speed of an 18th century Minuet? I'm afraid I didn't have time to reach the off button...just ran out of the room screaming.

Interesting (subliminal?) association at work for me then, ardcarp!
I wasn't really listening after BaL had finished, as I went off to unload the washing machine, but perhaps it was there in the background, and thus the first port of call when I was looking for a comparison.

[edashtav]

OMG. How right you are, but hardly fair to compare Hahn/Marriner's brisker speed with the rocket-fuelled Minuet from Brandenburg 1 which followed. My internal metronome was on to its fastest setting (crotchet = 200). The group (which I won't give publicity by naming) describes itself as 'reasearch driven'. Have they not 'researched' the speed of an 18th century Minuet? I'm afraid I didn't have time to reach the off button...just ran out of the room screaming.

Indeed, what a shocker!

[silvestrione]

If you have access to BPO Digital Concert Hall, there's a superb performance in there by Mullova with the BPO and Dudamel.

[edashtav]

I'm glad that my (re)discovery of - and enthusiasm for - the Schneiderhan was not misplaced. Anyway, a BaL as good as they get (which says a lot these days): articulate, cogent, knowledgeable, enthusiastic ... in short, a really enjoyable listen. Thanks, Nigel (and, in fairness, due also to A McG).

Agreed: after last week’s ridiculous Bal, this week’s was sublime: Nigel Simeone’s latitudinarian approach allowed a variety of approaches to be appreciated. The work does need an executant who can command both fast and spiky with slow and beautiful. I was delighted to be introduced to the Schneiderhan / Ancerl recording; in fact I loved it so much that I’ve ordered a copy! Nigel was the master of precise characterisation. Not a word was wasted and Andrew responded in kind.
This edition demonstrated that with the right partnership, the Twofer format can succeed
I learned a great deal e.g. Passport Chord, and loved the odd, light touch: Brandenburgski!

[Bert]

This edition demonstrated that with the right partnership, the Twofer format can succeed

It was demonstrated more than three years ago with this sublime broadcast ......

Boulez - Le marteau sans maître (10th February 2018)

[CallMePaul]

I see that Amazon (strictly speaking a Marketplace seller) has the Mullova for the "bargain" price of £48.35. AMcG said it is download only, which is confirmed on the Presto0 site. However, as the CD is on Philips, can we expect a presto CD at any time soon? This was my favourite as well as Nigel Simeone/ Makropulos's but I don't buy downloads for reasons I have explained in other posts. Mutter's is a Presto CD (or exorbitantly priced on Amazon) and Frang, a performance I also enjoyed, is "out of stock at the UK distributor". As I have said before, it is becoming harder to find CDs of good performances of too many pieces and I cannot be the only listener who prefers to buy CDs, either singly or in small sets (not 50-disc anthologies).

[makropulos]

I see that Amazon (strictly speaking a Marketplace seller) has the Mullova for the "bargain" price of £48.35. AMcG said it is download only, which is confirmed on the Presto0 site. However, as the CD is on Philips, can we expect a presto CD at any time soon? This was my favourite as well as Nigel Simeone/ Makropulos's but I don't buy downloads for reasons I have explained in other posts. Mutter's is a Presto CD (or exorbitantly priced on Amazon) and Frang, a performance I also enjoyed, is "out of stock at the UK distributor". As I have said before, it is becoming harder to find CDs of good performances of too many pieces and I cannot be the only listener who prefers to buy CDs, either singly or in small sets (not 50-disc anthologies).

I hope this might help –it's actually available now, but not where anyone would expect to find it. The Stravinsky/Bartók CD is in a set of three separate discs in a slipcase called "Viktoria Mullova: Three Classic Albums". There's a copy here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/393250114...MAAOSwKZBgezLH and it's also on Amazon (cheapest on amazon.fr but that might involve palaver these days).

[Keraulophone]

hardly fair to compare Hahn/Marriner's brisker speed with the rocket-fuelled Minuet from Brandenburg 1 which followed. ... The group (which I won't give publicity by naming) describes itself as 'reasearch driven'.

Lots of us must have had the same instant reaction. I was delighting in the Dunedin Consort’s Brandenburgs yesterday . John Butt has been guided by plenty of his own JSB research - practical and theoretical.
.

[edashtav]

I hope this might help –it's actually available now, but not where anyone would expect to find it. The Stravinsky/Bartók CD is in a set of three separate discs in a slipcase called "Viktoria Mullova: Three Classic Albums". There's a copy here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/393250114...MAAOSwKZBgezLH and it's also on Amazon (cheapest on amazon.fr but that might involve palaver these days).

Ordered!
Many thanks for the link!

[LMcD]

I see that Amazon (strictly speaking a Marketplace seller) has the Mullova for the "bargain" price of £48.35. AMcG said it is download only, which is confirmed on the Presto0 site. However, as the CD is on Philips, can we expect a presto CD at any time soon? This was my favourite as well as Nigel Simeone/ Makropulos's but I don't buy downloads for reasons I have explained in other posts. Mutter's is a Presto CD (or exorbitantly priced on Amazon) and Frang, a performance I also enjoyed, is "out of stock at the UK distributor". As I have said before, it is becoming harder to find CDs of good performances of too many pieces and I cannot be the only listener who prefers to buy CDs, either singly or in small sets (not 50-disc anthologies).

You're not! I've just ordered Mordkovitch/Jarvi from World of Books for under £4 - not 'top notch' perhaps, but probably good enough, I'm sure, for my untutored ears. The other reason for my choice is the inclusion of the Symphony in E Flat - a delightful work which I recently discovered and which will be new to my collection. There are also reasonably-priced recordings by Chantal Juilllet (coupled with Szymanowski) and Simon Rattle (a 2-CD all-Stravinsky collection).

World of Books have yet to disappoint, always deliver on time and often early, and offer many recordings not listed on Amazon. Music Magpie have also proved satisfactory.

Perhaps we could have a 'Recommended Recordings For Skinflints' thread'?

[mikealdren]

I see that Amazon (strictly speaking a Marketplace seller) has the Mullova for the "bargain" price of £48.35. AMcG said it is download only, which is confirmed on the Presto0 site. However, as the CD is on Philips, can we expect a presto CD at any time soon? This was my favourite as well as Nigel Simeone/ Makropulos's but I don't buy downloads for reasons I have explained in other posts. Mutter's is a Presto CD (or exorbitantly priced on Amazon) and Frang, a performance I also enjoyed, is "out of stock at the UK distributor". As I have said before, it is becoming harder to find CDs of good performances of too many pieces and I cannot be the only listener who prefers to buy CDs, either singly or in small sets (not 50-disc anthologies).

I wasn't aware of a Frang recording, is it new?

[rauschwerk]

...but I don't buy downloads for reasons I have explained in other posts.

You could burn CDs from the download files. That's what I used to do before I had satisfactory arrangements for playing downloads through my main system.

[BBMmk2]

It’s a shame that the. Hung/Previn didn’t go down well.

[LHC]

For those who were impressed with Hahn’s performance but balk at the price for the single CD, it is also available in a 5 CD set of all of her Sony recordings for about the same price as the Stravinsky/Brahms recording on its own.