BaL 23.10.21 - Mendelssohn: Octet

[Lordgeous]

Here, in Dinosaur country, we still purchase CDs, or occasionally LPs (remember those?) - have only felt the need to purchase 2 downloads EVER, and they were both to help non-tech friends who wanted them. Gosh its bright out here... crawls back into cave...

PS I DO download plug-ins and sound libraries tho'!

[ahinton]

Somewhat off topic as it's not a commercial recording and is only the octet's finale, but - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWwLSsfdmNk ...

[Lordgeous]

Remarkable! Amazing job by videographer and audio engineer, and not a headphone in sight! Loved the final Backstage clip!

[french frank]

Loved the final Backstage clip!

Yes, what a tour de force. Bit annoyed to discover that the bonus Emerson CD which has a documentary explaining the way they recorded it needs PowerPC to run it - no longer supported on later versions of OS X.

[jayne lee wilson]

Yes, what a tour de force. Bit annoyed to discover that the bonus Emerson CD which has a documentary explaining the way they recorded it needs PowerPC to run it - no longer supported on later versions of OS X.

Take it from here......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNCNX8MDgHk&list=RDpNCNX8MDgHk&start_radio=1&rv=pNCNX8MDgHk&t=74

[french frank]

Take it from here......
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNCN...CNX8MDgHk&t=74

Well done! Thank you.

[jayne lee wilson]

Did anyone listen to Ehnes/Seattle on Radio 3 or elsewhere?

At first I thought it was good if not necessarily very distinctive, but as it plays on you soon see how exceptional and very lovely it is....it gives us all the passion and all the detail with great inner-part clarity.... wonderfully responsive to the great work's wide-ranging demands with finely-balanced sound....and a finale that really leaps out of the speakers!

So I think Lucy Hamilton made a fine conclusion, with this one and the Anima Eterna Brugge there on the shortlist too. You could live with just these two for many happy years....(well, alright, months then.... this is FoR3 after all........... and the Emersons have stolen a unique place in my heart...)

[ardcarp]

On last Saturday's review there was mention of Mendelssohn making reference, in the final movement of the Octet, to the "And he shall reign for ever and ever" them from Messiah. Well of course the first five notes use the same intervals. But is it known that Mendelssohn deliberately did this or is it conjecture? As both themes use part of a major chord (one note excepted) it could easily be sheer co-incidence. Can anyone refer me to a reference if it was intentional?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

On last Saturday's review there was mention of Mendelssohn making reference, in the final movement of the Octet, to the "And he shall reign for ever and ever" them from Messiah. Well of course the first five notes use the same intervals. But is it known that Mendelssohn deliberately did this or is it conjecture? As both themes use part of a major chord (one note excepted) it could easily be sheer co-incidence. Can anyone refer me to a reference if it was intentional?

I assume this to be a coincidence, and far too much can be made of such things. Even AL-W probably didn't nick most of his stuff intentionally.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I assume this to be a coincidence, and far too much can be made of such things. Even AL-W probably didn't nick most of his stuff intentionally.

Yes indeed . On a Handel theme - To the tune of “ Yes We have no Bananas today “ there is the immortal -
“Hallelujah, Bananas , Oh bring back my bonnie to me “

[ostuni]

“Hallelujah, Bananas , Oh bring back my bonnie to me “

Ah yes, I have distant memories of this coming up in an OU music unit, many years ago!

[jayne lee wilson]

I wish someone else would give the Emersons a spin.....volume up to 11 of course.....

[jayne lee wilson]

On last Saturday's review there was mention of Mendelssohn making reference, in the final movement of the Octet, to the "And he shall reign for ever and ever" them from Messiah. Well of course the first five notes use the same intervals. But is it known that Mendelssohn deliberately did this or is it conjecture? As both themes use part of a major chord (one note excepted) it could easily be sheer co-incidence. Can anyone refer me to a reference if it was intentional?

It could have been inspiration or coincidence...... but recalling the use of the Dresden Amen and Ein Feste Burg in the 5th Symphony, Felix The Great might have made such a reference more explicit, if deliberate or intentionally meaningful...

[ardcarp]

I assume this to be a coincidence, and far too much can be made of such things

I agree entirely. But on Record Review it was stated by Katy Hamilton to be a deliberate quote.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0010x19

(about 1 hr from start of programme)