BaL 22.01.11 - Strauss: Eine Alpensinfonie

[Alison]

of the three, Haitink is the one I'd least happily be without. And it has the best cover!

If a disc is REALLY special I will buy a second copy just in case the first one gets lost or damaged.

The LSO/Haitink falls into this category.

[Petrushka]

I enjoy an occasional spin of Karajan/BPO's live May 1972 RFH perf. on Testament.

Sorry to have to be the one to correct this (and a similar error by EA, of all people, in message 36) but the Karajan 1972 recording on Testament is of Ein Heldenleben not Eine Alpensinfonie.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I'll remove the "similar error" which was an update.

[Richard Tarleton]

Sorry to have to be the one to correct this (and a similar error by EA, of all people, in message 36) but the Karajan 1972 recording on Testament is of Ein Heldenleben not Eine Alpensinfonie.

Thanks Petrushka. Very stupid of me.

In that case it's Haitink (LP) and Thielmann (CD). The latter was one of my test CDs when buying my B&W speakers. And I always enjoy seeing Alpen's avatar, it reminds me of walking past the Matterhorn about 5 years ago on the Tour of Monte Rosa, a challenging Alpine trek. The view of the Matterhorn from Zermatt is unforgettable. The churchyard in Zermatt contains a large number of graves of young men, many of them English, who perished in the attempt. Though that has nothing to do with the piece, as Alpen says.....

I'll go and have my bath.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Thanks Petrushka. Very stupid of me.

In that case it's Haitink (LP) and Thielmann (CD). The latter was one of my test CDs when buying my B&W speakers. And I always enjoy seeing Alpen's avatar, it reminds me of walking past the Matterhorn about 5 years ago on the Tour of Monte Rosa, a challenging Alpine trek. The view of the Matterhorn from Zermatt is unforgettable. The churchyard in Zermatt contains a large number of graves of young men, many of them English, who perished in the attempt. Though that has nothing to do with the piece, as Alpen says.....

I'll go and have my bath.

My fascination with the Matterhorn has been for the following reasons:
1. I love mountains, and this is the ultimate mountain!
2. There was a girl I fancied when at school whose parents had climbed it, so I was mightily impressed.
3. My mother used to buy me books to encourage me to read more. One of these was "Banner in the Sky", based upon the first successful climbing of the Matterhorn (though in the story it was renamed The Citadel). The book was filmed as "The Thrid Man on the Mountain.)
4. The RCA RPO/Kempe LP has a that wonderful cover...

[Ferretfancy]

I have several versions including both the Kempe recordings, also Wit and Zinman. The most exciting live performance, if not the most accurate was with A Cumbrian Schools orchestra years ago at an all purpose activity centre in Kendal. The auditorium was a large gymnasium that could function as a concert hall with temporary seating, and the place was packed with parents and friends. We were sitting about halfway back in the steeply rising seats, and couldn't help wondering why the seats immediately behind us were empty.
The performance got off to a good start, they really were good, but suddenly I nearly fainted - yes! it was the "offstage brass" in the row behind!
I've heard some wonderful performances, both live and on CD, but none quite like that!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I had a similar experience in the Free Trade Hall, when attending a performance of Verdi's Requiem. The "distant trumpets" were at the back of the balcony (and so was I :( ).

But a Cumbrian youth orchestra playing Eine Alpensinfonie. That sounds great. Very ambitious, of course. How well did they manage it? One of the benefits might have been that the 20 French horns did not mean huge extra costs.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I've just been listening to the Solti recording - one I'd passed by as being too hard-driven in the Solti fashion. But on rehearing it, I've revised my opinion. Not only is this late analogue recording sonically superior to most of the digital versions, but the interpretation has grown on me - possibly as a result of comparing it with recent Proms performances.

Nearly Saturday... The excitement is getting to me.

[BBMmk2]

Not long now EA!! I cant wait either!!

[BBMmk2]

Karajan chosen!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Well, that was a surprise - the only version I've given away.
Interesting, nevertheless, though what's Eine Alpensinfonie without a thunderstorm?

The Bohm was the 1st version I ever bought (Karajan the 3rd) and I've never heard the 1985 Haitink.

[Bryn]

... what's Eine Alpensinfonie without a thunderstorm?

A little less overblown? Thank goodness that BaL is over. Perhaps we can be offered sonething a little more worthwhile in the nest few editions?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

A little less overblown? Thank goodness that BaL is over. Perhaps we can be offered sonething a little more worthwhile in the nest few editions?

You mean like this?

http://www.for3.org/forums/showthread.php?1049-BAL-28.01.11-Liszt-Anneés-de-Pélerinage-Deuxième-Anneé-Italie

[pastoralguy]

Very interesting BAL today. I thought. Although, once again, Ida Haendel didn't get a mention...

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Returning to the lack of thunderstorm discussion (thank you, Bryn) this is an important part of the work. It used to be derided as being much less musical than storms portrayed by Beethoven, Rossini, etc., but that is to ignore its place in the work as the development section. True, it goes in for realistic effects - wind and thunder machines (though the latter's appearance is insignificant), but comparisons of how different interpreters view it would have worthwhile had time permitted. Solti's use of the wind machine is the most unapologetic of any, but absolutely brilliant.