BaL 19.11.11. Walton: Belshazzar's Feast

[rauschwerk]

Don't quite follow that, le MP. I'm passionately interested in the work, having sung in it first as a 19-year-old and being blown away by it. What makes you think that others are lukewarm?

I'm certainly not lukewarm! I knew the piece so well as a teenager that I often used to run through it in my head on my 35 minute bike ride to school. I sang a lot of choral/orchestral repertoire in my twenties but never this piece. I'm still determined to sing in a good performance before I die, even if it means joining a choir in London and making long journeys to rehearsals (roll on retirement!)

I shall listen to the BaL recommendation with interest and compare it with Hickox.

[EnemyoftheStoat]

I'm still determined to sing in a good performance before I die, even if it means joining a choir in London and making long journeys to rehearsals (roll on retirement!)

Well, you've missed the boat for this one, Rauschwerk, http://www.bbc.co.uk/orchestras/events/576 , but a look at the Proms board re. 2012 might interest you.Let's just say the gig's unlikely to be wholly Welsh.

[Alison]

As a matter of interest can anyone recall Andrew Davis 'winnning' a BaL before ?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I don't recall that, but his 23rd cousin, Colin has done rather better.

[Nick Armstrong]

I dug the Previn/RPO/Luxon disc out and it's rather disappointing, having heard some of the competition yesterday. The choir lacks edge and focus, and Luxon later in his career sounds awfully wobbly after the youthful Terfel and that excellent Canadian. I can feel a purchase coming on..

[Colonel Danby]

An interesting BaL, as I've always loved 'Belshazzar's Feast' from a callow youth. I'd still stick with Paul Daniel and Chris Purves on Naxos though. One recording I never could recommend would be the live taping at the Last Night of the Proms with Bryn and Goldilocks on Teldec: too many coughs and snuffles for my taste, and believe me, I was on the front row of the arena when they did it. In fact I'm on the front cover (to my shame). Otherwise, Davis' Leeds recording with Willard White on BBC Music Magazine will do very well.

[Alison]

Ive listened to RPO/Previn as well today. Orchestrally I find it top notch and all the big moments have ticked boxes for me.

No disappointments in the percussion department. The choir issues don't bother me that much.

[johnb]

I'm another who listened to Previn (yesterday). As so often with Walton I came away impressed by the brilliance but wondering whether he had anything much to actually say. It's a question I never ask after hearing, say, Vaughan Williams, Tippett, Britten (sticking with English composers).

[Alison]

Totally agree, John. I thoroughly enjoyed the CD in the car today but that will be it for a year or two.
A new recording or an outing on the radio will be required to reignite enthusiasm.

I did have a love affair with the piece in my youth.

[Barbirollians]

I did not hear any reason to desert Previn but I understand entirely what Alison says . It is for me very much one of those choral works that sounds better in concert than on a recording .

[kuligin]

I dont think Jeremy Summerly was so focused on the need for accuracy of pitch when he praised Sting's Dowland back in 2007!

I thought this review had too many anecdotes about "Willy Walton " , was Mr Summerly a close friend? I much preferred the approach last week for the Faure

I think if I was in the market for this piece I would go for Previn given his track record in Walton, I seems to be easy to trace on Amazon, certainly the last night recording despite its merits, and Terfel sounded magnificent in the examples given, may have a lot of extra noise that would not be enjoyable on repeated hearings.

[BBMmk2]

I think with 'live' recordings you always have to make allowances for anything else, other than the music to be part of the 'live' event, with this in mind I felt that the recording with Bryn Terfel and Sir Andrew Davis on Teldec, imo, is one of the best ones out there.

[rauschwerk]

Did no-one listen to yesterday's broadcast? On the strength of hearing the last 10 minutes in the car, I have ordered the recommended version. Less than a fiver, after all! and the generous fill-up is Job.

[Nick Armstrong]

Did no-one listen to yesterday's broadcast? On the strength of hearing the last 10 minutes in the car, I have ordered the recommended version. Less than a fiver, after all! and the generous fill-up is Job.

I did hear some of it on Monday. Not sure. The parts I heard sounded a bit rushed. Wasn't fair to judge though, I did only hear parts - but then again, rauschwerk, it seems you did too.

Tempted by the Eurodisc offer where tomorrow, 24/11, it (along with all Warner Apex) is on sale for less than the price of a pair of posh pints: £4.03...

http://www.europadisc.co.uk/classica...iams_-_Job.htm

[Keraulophone]

As a matter of interest can anyone recall Andrew Davis 'winnning' a BaL before ?

His Tippett Corelli Fantasia with the BBC SO was Martin Cotton's 'alternative choice' (to Tippett's own Bath Festival version) back in June 2001.

Andrew D doesn't seem to have been much in favour with Building Librarians over the years. I had thought his Elgar 2 or Introduction and Allegro were once selected, but I must have been mistaken.

Anyway, he used to give good value on the Last Night.