BaL 26.03.22 - Beethoven: Piano Concerto no 4 in G major

[CallMePaul]

Another one that I will miss due to being on holiday out of the country! I have Perahia/Haitink and Buchbinder/Vienna Phil, plus Tan/ Norrington on cassette, which unfortunately I cannot play as I no longer have a tape deck. There are many versions I would happily listen to, but of available versions I would probably buy Bezuidenhout. I suspect that the reviewer will pay only token attention to period instrument performances, though. Why does RR insist on so many performers reviewing works? Academics seem to be the other main source of reviewers. Are there no people like the late Edward Greenfield or Richard Osborne still reviewing, or would they not get a look-in anywhere these days?

[RichardB]

Are there no people like the late Edward Greenfield or Richard Osborne still reviewing, or would they not get a look-in anywhere these days?

Intelligent music journalists are a dying breed, not because music journalists are no longer intelligent, but because there are so few opportunities these days for people like the ones you mention to make a career in music journalism. Of course there's no reason why practising musicians and academics shouldn't be able to express themselves cogently and communicatively, and I know many such people; but they seem not to be chosen for programmes like this.

[gradus]

Intelligent music journalists are a dying breed, not because music journalists are no longer intelligent, but because there are so few opportunities these days for people like the ones you mention to make a career in music journalism. Of course there's no reason why practising musicians and academics shouldn't be able to express themselves cogently and communicatively, and I know many such people; but they seem not to be chosen for programmes like this.

Richard, surely Joanna MacGregor is highly qualified to take on this BAL, just as Sarah Willis and and other working musicians were equally well qualified for theirs.
I think the fault with the programme lies with the inadequate time allowed to play excerpts and failure to explain why long revered performances are not in contention. What exactly are the criteria for inclusion since it is obvious that nobody listens to dozens of performances of the same work, presumably better known performers, latest recordings and acknowledged great 'historic' performances are a starting point so why not publish a pre-list of performances being considered so that we can see who has been discarded.

[Bryn]

Richard, surely Joanna MacGregor is highly qualified to take on this BAL, just as Sarah Willis and and other working musicians were equally well qualified for theirs.
I think the fault with the programme lies with the inadequate time allowed to play excerpts and failure to explain why long revered performances are not in contention. What exactly are the criteria for inclusion since it is obvious that nobody listens to dozens of performances of the same work, presumably better known performers, latest recordings and acknowledged great 'historic' performances are a starting point so why not publish a pre-list of performances being considered so that we can see who has been discarded.

I'll drink to that.

[RichardB]

Richard, surely Joanna MacGregor is highly qualified to take on this BAL

I should say I have the highest regard for her work as a musician!

[Barbirollians]

Richard, surely Joanna MacGregor is highly qualified to take on this BAL, just as Sarah Willis and and other working musicians were equally well qualified for theirs.
I think the fault with the programme lies with the inadequate time allowed to play excerpts and failure to explain why long revered performances are not in contention. What exactly are the criteria for inclusion since it is obvious that nobody listens to dozens of performances of the same work, presumably better known performers, latest recordings and acknowledged great 'historic' performances are a starting point so why not publish a pre-list of performances being considered so that we can see who has been discarded.

There is a tendency for the reviewer , if a pianist to like pianists like themselves. Joanna McGregor may therefore be likely to go for a more off the wall pianist whilst Lucy Parham ruled Richter out of Rachmaninov PC No 2 - it is difficult to imagine a pianist less like Lucy Parham than Richter.

[Lordgeous]

Whoever the reviewer is, academic or perforfmer, I guess, like us listeners, the choice is always going to be a personal preference. Can there be such a thing as an objective review??? I think Hans Keller called music reviewing a 'false art', or words to that effect?

[ardcarp]

There is a tendency for the reviewer , if a pianist to like pianists like themselves.

At a more mundane level of music-making, the same sort of thing applies to ABRSM and Trinity Laban examiners. Sometime ago now I was an examiner for Trinity. This was when they occupied their Mandeville Place premises. Every so often, we had examiners' meetings there, the object being to standardise our marking. We would all sit around a long table and assess 'guinea pig' candidates without peeping at anyone else's mark sheet! Afterwards there would be a comparison of the marks we had given. With very few exceptions, an oboe-playing examiner (for instance) would award marks rather more sparingly for an oboe candidate, and likewise for other instruments. This was the purpose of the sessions, to make our marking more fair and reasonable. When faced with a highly gifted Grade 8 candidate, I suspect that playing style would be part of the equation, i.e. you'd have to factor out your own preferences.

[Lordgeous]

A connection! Many years ago I was in charge (lecturer) of music at the original Laban college when it was in Addlestone (nr Weybridge), a few years before it became Trinity Laban!

[ardcarp]

Have you had a look around the 'new' premises at The Old Royal Naval College? I haven't despite being invited several times. Really must go one day...what a fabulous setting.

[cloughie]

Have you had a look around the 'new' premises at The Old Royal Navel College? I haven't despite being invited several times. Really must go one day...what a fabulous setting.

Is that connect with William of Orange?

[ardcarp]

Oops.

Back on topic. Sort of. I attended a live piano recital by Joanna McG some years ago. At the time she had her hair in dreadlocks. One kept falling out of place as she played. This clearly upset an elderly lady sitting next to me in the audience, who kept muttering (not very sotto voce) "How can she see with her hair in her eyes?" I tried not to let this distract me from an otherwise superb concert, and restrained myself from explaining to the said lady that as no printed music was involved, a few stray strands of hair would not be a problem. By good fortune there was an empty chair next to me in the second half. The grumpy old so-and-so had obviously left in high dudgeon during the interval.

[Barbirollians]

Oops.

Back on topic. Sort of. I attended a live piano recital by Joanna McG some years ago. At the time she had her hair in dreadlocks. One kept falling out of place as she played. This clearly upset an elderly lady sitting next to me in the audience, who kept muttering (not very sotto voce) "How can she see with her hair in her eyes?" I tried not to let this distract me from an otherwise superb concert, and restrained myself from explaining to the said lady that as no printed music was involved, a few stray strands of hair would not be a problem. By good fortune there was an empty chair next to me in the second half. The grumpy old so-and-so had obviously left in high dudgeon during the interval.

She had a very highly rated album called Play in 2001 -some of it was interesting - some quite unbearably pretentious to my ears and it went to the charity shop .

[Darloboy]

Ashkenazy/Solti I think. At least, that disc won on one occasion, as I remember going out and buying the LP. Now, though I favour Gilels, Arrau, Schnabel, Pollini, Wallisch, Bezuidenhout, and probably others I have forgotten. It comes up really fresh in those last two, though Bez has the much better accompaniment, IMHO.

Yes, you're right - Mr Walsh has now kindly uploaded the full programme onto Youtube. Despite the age of the programme, there was also a period recommendation - Badura-Skoda with the Collegium Aureum.

[Bryn]

Yes, you're right - Mr Walsh has now kindly uploaded the full programme onto Youtube. Despite the age of the programme, there was also a period recommendation - Badura-Skoda with the Collegium Aureum.

Both old favourites, here.