BaL 5.06.21 - Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D

[Ein Heldenleben]

Ooh Previn himself has been singled out for praise in both his Perlman and Mutter recordings . He obviously put the work in he said was vital...

[Alison]

I wonder how much of today’s discussion will focus on the conductor? I remember Andre Previn describing the work as one of the most difficult to conduct in the entire repertoire. I don’t know the score well enough (or indeed enough about the mechanics of conducting ) but presumably the difficulties are around constantly changing pulse , tempi and giving the soloist the freedom they need in this above all concerti?

Good to hear Previn getting his due.

[Wolfram]

Interesting to hear the original version. But Sibelius was absolutely right to revise it. The version we hear today is much more coherent, even listening to the short clips that we've heard this morning.

[Ein Heldenleben]

The Kavakas excerpt just played must have some of the worst sound in modern recording history. It sounds as if he’s playing in a different room and so bass heavy.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Good to hear Previn getting his due.

Yes a hugely underrated conductor IMV

[pastoralguy]

Simple. Choose one of Ida Haendel's as a first choice and then decide which of her other versions should be runners-up. All the rest can go to land fill or to scare birds...

Simples!

Yo!

[pastoralguy]

Yes a hugely underrated conductor IMV

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Oh great.

The one Haendel performance that isn't available on CD.

[Goon525]

Oh great.

The one Haendel performance that isn't available on CD.

Though easy to find on eg Qobuz.

[Goon525]

I know there have been dozens of amazing female violinists in the last century, but this seems to be the work that women players dominate more than any other?

[Wolfram]

The Kavakas excerpt just played must have some of the worst sound in modern recording history. It sounds as if he’s playing in a different room and so bass heavy.

You're right. I couldn't believe how bad it was. How could it possibly have got released like that?

[Alison]

An enjoyable survey which seemed to pass by very quickly. Something of the old Ted Greenfield approach of finding good in lots of different approaches and no big meal made of narrowing down a winner.

Knowing the winning version quite well I feel compelled to investigate further the Mutter version, the deep dark sound of the Dresden orchestra with Previn adding to the appeal.

[Ein Heldenleben]

You're right. I couldn't believe how bad it was. How could it possibly have got released like that?

It’s absolutely extraordinary.It’s almost as if they did the recording and used the distant space mic not the main rig. When you think of the number of ears that must have okd it. It’s not just echoey - the poor soloist sounds like he was banished to an outside corridor like an offstage trumpet. Weird to hear a different version of such familiar music as well...

[cloughie]

I wonder how much of today’s discussion will focus on the conductor? I remember Andre Previn describing the work as one of the most difficult to conduct in the entire repertoire. I don’t know the score well enough (or indeed enough about the mechanics of conducting ) but presumably the difficulties are around constantly changing pulse , tempi and giving the soloist the freedom they need in this above all concerti?

Interestingly though that he recorded very little Sibelius - he recorded the VC three times - Chung, Perlman and Mutter (Mrs P at the time).

[Bryn]

The Kavakas excerpt just played must have some of the worst sound in modern recording history. It sounds as if he’s playing in a different room and so bass heavy.

My impression was that the overall acoustic fairly closely matched the sound heard in the Gallery of the RAH.

The strange thing is, I have that CD and it did not strike me as being as bad as it sounded this morning.