BaL 5.01.13 - Sibelius: Symphony no. 2 in D

[visualnickmos]

Surely it was partly because of their oversensitivity to criticism that the old R3 boards were disbanded anyway.

Good point, but if you ask for opinions, you're sure as hell gonna get 'em

[Barbirollians]

As a rule I don't dislike Davis in Sibelius . I have a lot of time for that RCA cycle , I was not so taken with the Boston No2 but The Swan of Tuonela performance with which it was coupled is my favourite recording of the piece and the Pohjola's Daughter with which the LSO Live Sibelius 2 was coupled is also a cracking account .

I just don't believe that the LSO Live Sibelius 2 shows him at his best and I suspect that there is something about that marvellous pioneering Berglund Kullervo that very few performances match.

[Hornspieler]

I just don't believe that the LSO Live Sibelius 2 shows him at his best and I suspect that there is something about that marvellous pioneering Berglund Kullervo that very few performances match.

I quite agree. But then I would, wouldn't I?

The atmosphere and sense of excitement when we recorded that in Southampton Guildhall was electric.

Hornspieler

[Don Petter]

However, I think you are overstating it by indicating that one member's negative response to Davis' Sibelius will somehow be taken as representing the view of the forum per se. Should any hypothetical controller commission his minions to report back on what's said here, he would be a fool indeed to dismiss everything on the basis of one contributor's blindspot.

Spot on!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I think we're getting over-fussy here.

I don't think we are.

Nor do I think your choice of Norrington gives a real point of comparison with Davis: whilst HS doesn't appreciate Davis' performance of Sibelius, he does speak favourably of his Berlioz and Mozart. those who criticize Norrington's Beethoven on the Forum tend to be critical of Norrington no matter what he does.

To take a different example; Herbert von Karajan devoted much of his career to the performance and recording of Beethoven's symphonies (with four complete cycles - five, if we include the cycle recorded on video). These, too, have both their critics and their admirers: but if someone who wasn't convinced by any of them but who admired, say, Karajan's Wagner or Strauss (or Sibelius!) recordings, claimed that "Beethoven wasn't his metier", then this should attract censure/contradiction/complaint.

My point is that there is a real (not "over-fussy") difference between somebody's disliking Davis' third recording of the Sibelius second Symphony and their blanket dismissal of Davis' mastery of Sibelius. Especially when it is clear that s/he hasn't listened to other recordings of Sibelius that Davis has made.

[Barbirollians]

OT I know but I find Norrington a bit of an enigma . I have not much experience of his recent vibratoless recordings - I didn't warm to his Mahler 9 though which seemed emotionally emaciated when I listened to it on Spotify .

As for his earlier LCP recordings . I really liked his Beethoven 1,2,4 & 8 but the others seemed to be trying too hard . His Brahms 1 seemed all wrong - his Symphonie Fantastique , however, remains a revelation and in a different league to Immerseel and his pianos ! The Le Bal in particular is magical .

[BBMmk2]

I quite agree. But then I would, wouldn't I?

The atmosphere and sense of excitement when we recorded that in Southampton Guildhall was electric.

Hornspieler

Thank you HS!! I will have to buy the Berglund Kullervo now!! Indeed the whole Berglund Sibelius cycle, perhaps?

[Bryn]

Thank you HS!! I will have to buy the Berglund Kullervo now!! Indeed the whole Berglund Sibelius cycle, perhaps?

Careful Bbm, there are at least two Berglund Sibelius symphony cycles, plus several recordings of individual symphonies. The survey just re-issued by EMI (the Bournemouth recordings) is probably the one you are considering. Last night I listened to a recorded live performance of the Fourth which he gave with the RCO. Magnificent!

Don't forget the tone poems on EMI.

[Petrushka]

Barbirolli's 1962 RPO disc arrived yesterday and I played it last night. It's wonderfully alive and thriiling and although it isn't, it sounds as if it was a live performance. This is a great recording and one I'll turn to often. I haven't yet compared with Szell/Concertgebouw.

[Nick Armstrong]

We still appear to be expecting Ms Jeal to have stepped, like Aphrodite, fully-formed from the head of Zeus!

I caught up with this BAL this morning and as a result am now catching up with this thread which I avoided hitherto so as not to spoil the traditional 'BAL listening experience'...

I must say I am enjoying the ding-dong hugely so far (I'm only up to page 8!)... and the above just made me laugh out loud!

Those who like me

Awww... we all like you, LMP!

[Nick Armstrong]

It's a revelation for me too.

The RPO was not formed until after WW2

HS

[Nick Armstrong]

Because he was conducting the RA Band on the Bandstand at Eastbourne, which was where Civil was supposed to be!

It was one of the old ladies in the Grand Hotel, where Geary was staying, who happened to say in all innocence "I saw one of your musicians on television tonight, playing with the Royal Philharmonic orchestra, Colonel" which blue the whistle.

HS

Priceless!!!

[Nick Armstrong]

Please sir, we are not all chaps

[Nick Armstrong]

..."Isn't Alan Bennett a fat-arsed Northerner?" and "Harrison Bumwhistle"...

Sorry to bore everyone with my piecemeal reactions but I now have tears rolling down my cheeks at the above

I'll comment on the Sibelius 2 BAL shortly...

[LeMartinPecheur]

Awww... we all like you, LMP!

Awww... thank you Mr Caliban

MEMO I shall, from now on, be scrupulous to put my parenthetic comments into commas when ambiguity might otherwise result, even when getting VERY, VERY CROSS! (That's about the comments re Ms Jeal, not with you, Calibs-darling)