BaL 5.06.21 - Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D

[LMcD]

I’ve never underrated him - as conductor, composer, arranger, pianist - as soloist, accompanist, in jazz he was the complete musician!

Couldn't agree more! Regarding initial reactions to his LSO appointment, I may have mentioned before the reported reaction of the Baltimore Symphony - a stony silence - to the news that their new MD was to be Marin Alsop. They seem to have grown quite fond of her. Jo Ann Falletta's Buffalo appointment also provoked some hostility. Spot the link ....
Thankfully, we seem to have moved on.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Though easy to find on eg Qobuz.

I don’t want to be tied in that way, but I’d like to thank the two forumists who’ve helped me to find secondhand copies of the CD.

[visualnickmos]

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.

Exactly my feeling, too.

As it's been around some time; still 'in print' so to speak, maybe there was a fault in the manufacture of one of the batches..... and BaL, had one from said batch.... purely conjecture on my part.

[jayne lee wilson]

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.

As ever with very spacious, reverberant tapings, the more you reveal of them they better they sound, so a lossy codec (even acc 320) can do a terrible disservice to them, and even more so on BaL, sadly, where the excerpts played are often alarmingly far from the sound I get from CD and hi-res - often lacking resolution and presence..

The Kavakos/Vanska is indeed vastly spacious and very set-back; but very naturally-balanced, the violin just slightly forward of the orchestra in the same acoustic setting, the bass-heaviness clearly a product of the Lahti Church of the Cross reverb, used for many of Vanska’s much-praised first Sibelius series.

This was BIS CD-500, very early in the edition, and later recordings of the symphonies and poems show a slightly closer-set approach and better (or domestically friendlier!) control of the acoustic signature. The spaciousness is in fact often very atmospherically apt for the Sibelian sound with especially spectacular brass (evident on BIS500); very different to most other cycles. (Shame they didn't do any Bruckner in there).
Listening to these Violin Concerto tapings - admittedly somewhat uncompromising - alongside others from the same BIS Sibelius edition will make better sense of them. Kind of a work-in-progress, but the effect aimed for (of vast space and grandeur) is clear.

Having said that, I do enjoy this BIS original/revised concerto disc. The lower strings have a suitably Northern, wolfish, threatening character. The brasses are coming to eat you!
The main domestic problem is the huge dynamic range which, given the need for a fairly high volume to bring the detail forward (it is all there, but very deep in the hall), can make it a challenge to ears, amps and speakers.
I think Petry, Suff and the great Robert von Bahr liked the engineering challenge - and relished the challenge offered to the home systems and listeners…!

Trying the CD just now had me giggling at the massive impact as the brass came in - and nearly had me diving for cover behind the chair!
Maybe I could hire out the local church hall with some ATC-ASL150s.......that oughta do it.

[cloughie]

Must investigate his Sibelius 2!

Available as a download from Presto at a very good price!

[edashtav]

Leah Broad seems to be doing just fine. Plenty of knowledge well expressed, and loads of enthusiasm for the work and many of its interpreters. And we seem to be getting more than the now customary six or seven versions included.

Indeed, but both Leah and, later, Roger’s contributions would have been improved through rehearsal or recording and editing. Andrew’s redundant interjections can break contributors’ chains of thought, and the constant repetition of “Absolutely” from both his partners this morning was Absolutely Not Fabulous.

[LMcD]

If the 'winner' is the recording previously available on HMV Classics 5 72489 2, then I'm pleased to say that I picked up the CD in question very cheaply in a charity shop a couple of years ago. Other featured works are the Karelia Overture (SNO/Gibson), Karelia Suite (Halle/Barbirolli) and 7th Symphony (RPO/Beecham) - not a bad selection, eh?
Currently available from Amazon - a snip at £52.75.

[ardcarp]

Indeed, but both Leah and, later, Roger’s contributions would have been improved through rehearsal or recording and editing. Andrew’s redundant interjections can break contributors’ chains of thought, and the constant repetition of “Absolutely” from both his partners this morning was Absolutely Not Fabulous.

I agree with all that. Absolutely! But I was pleasantly surprised that Vignoles (wonderful artist) was allowed space for his thoughts to unfold. He clearly needed a certain amount of air-time to do this spontaneously. I rather suspect the programme producer/s realised this was going to be the case, and Andrew didn't hassle him too much.

[edashtav]

I agree with all that. But I was pleasantly surprised that Vignoles (wonderful artist) was allowed space for his thoughts to unfold. He clearly needed a certain amount of air-time to do this spontaneously. I rather suspect the programme producer/s realised this was going to be the case, and Andrew didn't hassle him too much.

Well written, ardcarp: your additional, sensitive comments are better than my blunt original ones.

[Bryn]

Strange, no sign of the usual detailed listing of items played and BaL 'winner'/recommendation on the Record Review schedule page as yet, today.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Strange, no sign of the usual detailed listing of items played and BaL 'winner'/recommendation on the Record Review schedule page as yet, today.

Maybe not, but it's highlighted in the OP.

[LMcD]

Strange, no sign of the usual detailed listing of items played and BaL 'winner'/recommendation on the Record Review schedule page as yet, today.

That's still the case. Were no other versions even deemed worthy of mention or consideration? The list of tracks played stops at a Beethoven cello sonata.

[DracoM]

Pekka Kuusisto, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Leif Segerstam

For me, THIS was both the surprise and delight. Might well buy

[LMcD]

As ever with very spacious, reverberant tapings, the more you reveal of them they better they sound, so a lossy codec (even acc 320) can do a terrible disservice to them, and even more so on BaL, sadly, where the excerpts played are often alarmingly far from the sound I get from CD and hi-res - often lacking resolution and presence..

The Kavakos/Vanska is indeed vastly spacious and very set-back; but very naturally-balanced, the violin just slightly forward of the orchestra in the same acoustic setting, the bass-heaviness clearly a product of the Lahti Church of the Cross reverb, used for many of Vanska’s much-praised first Sibelius series.

This was BIS CD-500, very early in the edition, and later recordings of the symphonies and poems show a slightly closer-set approach and better (or domestically friendlier!) control of the acoustic signature. The spaciousness is in fact often very atmospherically apt for the Sibelian sound with especially spectacular brass (evident on BIS500); very different to most other cycles. (Shame they didn't do any Bruckner in there).
Listening to these Violin Concerto tapings - admittedly somewhat uncompromising - alongside others from the same BIS Sibelius edition will make better sense of them. Kind of a work-in-progress, but the effect aimed for (of vast space and grandeur) is clear.

Having said that, I do enjoy this BIS original/revised concerto disc. The lower strings have a suitably Northern, wolfish, threatening character. The brasses are coming to eat you!
The main domestic problem is the huge dynamic range which, given the need for a fairly high volume to bring the detail forward (it is all there, but very deep in the hall), can make it a challenge to ears, amps and speakers.
I think Petry, Suff and the great Robert von Bahr liked the engineering challenge - and relished the challenge offered to the home systems and listeners…!

Trying the CD just now had me giggling at the massive impact as the brass came in - and nearly had me diving for cover behind the chair!
Maybe I could hire out the local church hall with some ATC-ASL150s.......that oughta do it.

Pleased to report that the SQ of the HMV Classics CD is absolutely stunning on my very modest little player.

[Bryn]

That's still the case. Were no other versions even deemed worthy of mention or consideration? The list of tracks played stops at a Beethoven cello sonata.

Still yet no change. Has the work experience lad or lass taken the weekend off?