BaL 26.05.12/25.02.23 - Messiaen: Turangalila Symphony

[makropulos]

(As an aside, Maurice Le Roux was a very interesting composer too - not that you'd know if Radio 3 had been your guide. Surely ORTF have some recordings they'd lend the Beeb?)

From what little I know of his work that's certainly true.
Not his most "serious" work, but I suppose he's most famous for "Le Ballon rouge" with its really lovely score by Le Roux). Ignore the first 15 seconds of this, but otherwise here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQhvgo62l74

[Serial_Apologist]

From what little I know of his work that's certainly true.
Not his most "serious" work, but I suppose he's most famous for "Le Ballon rouge" with its really lovely score by Le Roux). Ignore the first 15 seconds of this, but otherwise here it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQhvgo62l74

Thanks v much for posting this clip, makropulos. Very touching, very evocative of Paris post-war, both film and music. Funny when one remembers Georges Auric was composing music to Ealing comedies at around the same time.

S-A

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

As the broadcast is now on, I'm bumping the thread..

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Ermm ...

Was it me, or at about 20 mins into the review (discussing the Janowski recording just after the Previn excerpt) the Music illustration was from Lutoslawski's Concerto for Orchestra?

[BBMmk2]

Kent Nagano and the Berliner Philharmoniker!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Kent Nagano and the Berliner Philharmoniker!

Yes. Excellent if you don't want to hear the Ondes Martenot!

This seems a bit odd to me: as bad as not being able to hear the Piano clearly. The "saccharine" sound (Thurlow's preferred description; he used the epithet three times) of the prominent Ondes is a part of the "vulgar" aspects of the work - as much as the "brothel" melodies and harmonies - that are contrasted with the ascerbic rhythmic passages: both are celebrated in Messiaen's "Love Time". I think Mr Thurlow's sensitivities have led him away from a core aspect of the work.

[rubbernecker]

Ermm ...

Was it me, or at about 20 mins into the review (discussing the Janowski recording just after the Previn excerpt) the Music illustration was from Lutoslawski's Concerto for Orchestra?

You too, Ferney! And I thought I was going mad.

Indeed, an excerpt from the middle of the first movement of Lutoslawski's Concerto for Orchestra was played to illustrate the rendition of Chant D'Amour 1



EDIT: The reason being, one assumes, that both works are on the same Janowski RCA set entitled Orchestral Masterworks and some sloppy producer at the Beeb didn't notice. Unbelievable...

[BBMmk2]

True. I thought that as well.I be sticking with the Previn and Rattle.

[ostuni]

Was it me, or at about 20 mins into the review (discussing the Janowski recording just after the Previn excerpt) the Music illustration was from Lutoslawski's Concerto for Orchestra?

Ah, I'm so glad to read that! I was seriously worried: I though I know Turangalila pretty well, and this didn't even sound like Messiaen...

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

True. I thought that as well.I be sticking with the Previn and Rattle.

[Nick Armstrong]

Ah, I'm so glad to read that! I was seriously worried: I though I know Turangalila pretty well, and this didn't even sound like Messiaen...

My thoughts precisely, though I couldn't place what was played (gold to ferney and rubbers).

Jeremy Thurlow will be mortified. Presumably the addition of extracts is the producers' responsibility, after the reviewer has recorded the commentary and left instructions for what to play. What's for certain sure is that he would not have made that mistake...

[rubbernecker]

My thoughts precisely, though I couldn't place what was played (gold to ferney and rubbers).

Jeremy Thurlow will be mortified. Presumably the addition of extracts is the producers' responsibility, after the reviewer has recorded the commentary and left instructions for what to play. What's for certain sure is that he would not have made that mistake...

I was just about to make the same point. Clearly Thurlow didn't check it before it went out, which makes you wonder exactly how this progamme is produced.

EDIT: Another thought: someone really ought to tell them. Caliban, you're good at getting on-air corrections. McGregor can say something before the end to spare their blushes. Assuming he's actually there, of course....

[Nick Armstrong]

I was just about to make the same point. Clearly Thurlow didn't check it before it went out, which makes you wonder exactly how this progamme is produced.

EDIT: Another thought: someone really ought to tell them. Caliban, you're good at getting on-air corrections. McGregor can say something before the end to spare their blushes. Assuming he's actually there, of course....

It's not a bad idea

Programme emailed. I bet they got lots...

[Bryn]

I am amazed the historic live recording of Yvonne Loriod (piano), Ginette Martenot (ondes martenot), South West German Radio Symphony Orchestra, under Hans Rosbaud (on Wergo) was not even mentioned. Sure the recording is very dated, but what an incredible historical document of a relatively early performance. As mentioned earlier, it is currently listed on amazon.co.uk as being in stock with them, is at a somewhat inflated price. Perhaps it's old stock.

[Alison]

And wasn't the Salonen version referred to several times as being with the Los Angeles Philharmonic
rather than the Philharmonia ??

Plenty of interesting points today without any real authority I thought.

For me Nagano lacks the bracing freshness and atmosphere of the piece.

As Chandos and Sir Andrew seem to be forming quite a partnership I'd like to
see/hear a new version from him in SACD format !