BaL 22.04.23 - Schubert: Symphony no. 5 in B flat D. 485

[Barbirollians]

RPO Beecham is a favourite of mine, so much so that I have neglected exploring other performances. Elegantly detailed, simple and spontaneous; gets across the carefree nature of a youthful composer without trivializing the music. From what third ear says, it might be a good "middle ground" BAL choice. I think I'll try the extremes next - VPO/Bohm for richer romance? Mackerras/OAE for period crispness?

It is lovely - a bit like coffee with cream but sometimes an espresso can be just as much fun.

[Pulcinella]

"We haven't got time to do that today."
Today's reviewer on the fact that it would be interesting to compare Norrington's two recordings.

Doesn't that sadly sum up BaL these days?

[Barbirollians]

"We haven't got time to do that today."
Today's reviewer on the fact that it would be interesting to compare Norrington's two recordings.

Doesn't that sadly sum up BaL these days?

Exactly and heavens the versions she has played so far have been pretty dull.

[Barbirollians]

Hooray Abbado and yawn McGregor’s endless pro HIPP bias

[Retune]

Oddly, they already have the 'runners up' on the web page:

Concentus Musicus Wien, Stefan Gottfried

Svenska Kammarorkestern, Thomas Dausgaard

[Ein Heldenleben]

Exactly and heavens the versions she has played so far have been pretty dull.

And as far as I can tell no one has really started the piece with a genuine pianissimo. The Abbado has too much acoustic for me.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Oddly, they already have the 'runners up' on the web page:
Concentus Musicus Wien, Stefan Gottfried

Svenska Kammarorkestern, Thomas Dausgaard

Yes - that’s very odd, particularly as it’s allegedly a live broadcast.

[Retune]

VPO Bohm - The 50s recording (Eclipse and now on Eloquence) a lovely performance and the late 70s on DG in the Bohm Later Recordings box but there’s also the BPO, early 70s recording.

The BPO is the one I grew up with (from 1966 apparently, unless there are two), coupled with the 9th on a Walkman Classics tape. The VPO I have on a DG Originals CD with Böhm's Beethoven Pastoral, two very fine recordings that stand up well today. Has either been done better in the romantic big band style?

[JasonPalmer]

Bonkers or brilliant she says....well..make your mind up eh. Lol

[Ein Heldenleben]

I’m very taken with the Bernstein which was a version I hadn’t heard . Lovely sprightly string playing.

[Bryn]

Oddly, they already have the 'runners up' on the web page:

Concentus Musicus Wien, Stefan Gottfried

Svenska Kammarorkestern, Thomas Dausgaard

Perhaps they are overcompensating for last week's tardy update to the Record Review page.

[Bryn]

I got distracted at times during the broadcast. Was Harnoncourt's Berlin Phil recording discussed?

[Ein Heldenleben]

I got distracted at times during the broadcast. Was Harnoncourt's Berlin Phil recording discussed?

I don’t think so.
I think it was Abbado , Bernstein , Norrington , Dausgaard , Gottfried , Jacobs, Fischer(?) , Vegh excerpted. With mme tins of a few others like Davis.

[Barbirollians]

I don’t think so.
I think it was Abbado , Bernstein , Norrington , Dausgaard , Gottfried , Jacobs, Fischer(?) , Vegh excerpted. With mme tins of a few others like Davis.

I think she mentioned the ICA classics set with Harnoncourt . I was also taken with the Bernstein Al- second hand copies are not cheap though.

Another one of those shabby nothing before 1985 counts BALs though - one might have thought Beecham at least required a mention even if a dismissal.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I think she mentioned the ICA classics set with Harnoncourt . I was also taken with the Bernstein Al- second hand copies are not cheap though.

Another one of those shabby nothing before 1985 counts BALs though - one might have thought Beecham at least required a mention even if a dismissal.

It was pretty obvious she favoured Abbado from the outset. It’s a lovely performance but for me the orchestra just sounds a tad too far from the mikes.