BaL 12.10.13 - Walton's Violin Concerto

[pastoralguy]

I sometimes wonder what checks are done on a reviewer's system to ensure they are listening in the best possible sound. I don't know if anyone remembers a feature in Gramophone where listeners and some of the reviewers had their systems checked out by an audio specialist; it led to the revelation that several suffered from decidedly average equipment; probably one of the reasons why the series was hastily ditched! I have always taken pronouncements on sound quality with several spoonfuls of salt since then.

Yes, I was amazed that I had had a better Hi-fi than some of the Gramophone's reviewers! I did write to Gramophone suggesting that reviewers advise what equipment they listened on. Curiously, it was never taken up...

[Barbirollians]

Yes, I was amazed that I had had a better Hi-fi than some of the Gramophone's reviewers! I did write to Gramophone suggesting that reviewers advise what equipment they listened on. Curiously, it was never taken up...

I should hope PBP's hi-fi is better than my car stereo !

[Barbirollians]

And justifiably too. I listened to it again after the programme and I heard none of the of spirit of the work in his dull efficient playing. I also listened to Ida Haendel, much better although her technique isn't Heifetz strong - I still love his later performance.

Mike

I wouldn't disagree with you as I pointed out about the Bell earlier I thought it was all a bit civilised. I was just pointing out that the previous BAL made it first choice .

Going back to the dismissed Chung/Previn - I agree entirely about the Italianate warmth - something Haendel also captures though one could say heat in her case.

The exquisite passage with the flute and then the rest of the woodwind about nine minutes into the first movement always sends shivers down the spine in Chung's version.

[Barbirollians]

Well having listened to it on Essential Classics this morning - tuning in dead on 11 and tuning out straight after - I enjoyed her account and it was very much a library choice but did not in any way displace the Chung or Haendel to my ears. In particular,it did not quite have that sense of sunshine that both of those recordings have .

[akiralx]

I sometimes wonder what checks are done on a reviewer's system to ensure they are listening in the best possible sound. I don't know if anyone remembers a feature in Gramophone where listeners and some of the reviewers had their systems checked out by an audio specialist; it led to the revelation that several suffered from decidedly average equipment; probably one of the reasons why the series was hastily ditched! I have always taken pronouncements on sound quality with several spoonfuls of salt since then.

Another issue is, do they listen to the SACD layer of an SACD? I suspect not - I noted this thread on SACD.Net about Gramophone's ignoring the medium:

http://www.sa-cd.net/showthread.php?page=1

[Barbirollians]

Another issue is, do they listen to the SACD layer of an SACD? I suspect not - I noted this thread on SACD.Net about Gramophone's ignoring the medium:

http://www.sa-cd.net/showthread.php?page=1

An interesting point . They should, surely, if a hybrid disc listen to both layers .

Listening to Chung again at the moment as my enthusiasm for this great record has been rekindled . No wonder Sir William W loved it .

[akiralx]

An interesting point . They should, surely, if a hybrid disc listen to both layers.

Yes I agree, but I'm sure no discussion of the hi-rez layer of an SACD has ever been included in a Gramophone review. I don't expect them to listen in multichannel (which I suspect most of their reviewers think SACD is all about) but they should in stereo.

The Editor obviously thinks that including the SACD logo in the review title is as far as they need to go...

[HighlandDougie]

Yes, it did - and rather "scrubby" bowing in that excerpt, too. The violin sounded as if it had been recorded in a different acoustic, too - although the kitchen radio isn't the best equipment to make such a judgement.


Yes, I was expecting to be wowed, too. Their NAXOS Walton String Quartet/Piano Quintet is very good.

I've now had the chance to listen to the Bowes performance properly (bought very cheaply from La Chaumiere Musique). The recording - Tony Harrison/Mike Hatch - has the soloist pretty forward in what is a big, resonant acoustic. Hence FHG's impression of it sounding as it it had been recorded in a different acoustic. I was initially a bit put off by what I thought was a rather scrawny violin tone but either my ear adjusted or Bowes was matching the tone of his violin to the music (and I have to admit that it's usually the Ida Haendel performance I listen to when I want to hear this work) but I soon forgot about it. It's certainly a performance which made me sit up and listen. I don't think that I am fond enough of it as a work to be able to get overly excited about Piers Burton-Page's inclusions and omissions but I can see why he liked the Bowes - it's full of character. Maybe a bit more malizia than romanza but none the worse for that. The Barber Violin Concerto is also very good.

[Barbirollians]

Got round tonight to listening to a record I have had too long sitting shrink wrapped .

Gardner 's Walton 1 coupled with the VC with Tasmin Little.

To my ears this is a much more interesting and enjoyable performance from Tazza and Gardner than her BAL winner with Litton .

A little slower in places than my favourites KWC and Ida H .

[BBMmk2]

Got round tonight to listening to a record I have had too long sitting shrink wrapped .

Gardner 's Walton 1 coupled with the VC with Tasmin Little.

To my ears this is a much more interesting and enjoyable performance from Tazza and Gardner than her BAL winner with Litton .

A little slower in places than my favourites KWC and Ida H .

I love this recording. I am a great fan of Tasmin Little, if it had to be said!

[Tony Halstead]

That horn solo did sound horrible ("tubby" was a good word for it ), though, and as if he or she was in the khazi down the corridor....

Hmmmm.... I must have missed this comment the first time round...
It does actually remind me of my very last horn lesson at the old RMCM in July 1966, before I left college and joined 'the profession' initially as 4th horn of the Bournemouth S.O. before moving to the L.S.O.
My teacher, the great Sydney Coulston's final words to me, in his wonderful Lancashire accent, were:
"Toany, doan't furrget, yooore problem is always goain' to be that yoore TOANE is TOO TOOBY!"
Needless to say, most of my practice time over the past 50 years has been devoted to curing ( I hope) this 'musical disability'.

[Tony Halstead]

Hmmmm.... I must have missed this comment the first time round...
It does actually remind me of my very last horn lesson at the old RMCM in July 1966, before I left college and joined 'the profession' initially as 4th horn of the Bournemouth S.O. before moving to the L.S.O.
My teacher, the great Sydney Coulston's final words to me, in his wonderful Lancashire accent, were:
"Toany, doan't furrget, yooore problem is always goain' to be that yoore TOANE is TOO TOOBY!"
Needless to say, most of my practice time over the past 50 years has been devoted to curing ( I hope) this 'musical disability'.

Having never actually heard that recording, this afternoon I managed to listen to it on the 'Naxos Music LIbrary', which I am allowed to access 'for free' as a teacher at Canterbury Christ Church University!
Well, well... my first impressions are that Ms K.W. Chung plays it absolutely superbly and it does indeed have that 'Mediterranean warmth' that several boarders have mentioned. My next observation is that the 'now notorious' horn solo in the 'Trio' of the scherzo doesn't sound particularly 'horrible' as noted by my Rumpole friend...! I now seem to remember that at the time of the recording ( in the wonderful and now sadly late-lamented acoustic of Kingsway Hall) I tried to pick up up on the mood of the Trio as a rather 'chaste and pure' C major reaction (over-reaction?) to the tension of the Scherzo, so I did indeed try to input a modicum of tonal purity into the 'tune'... I can also confess that I tried very hard to 'play my heart out' as I found Ms Chung very attractive ! ( maybe I'm not allowed to say that on this board..?)

[Lordgeous]

Does anyone remember the Francescatti recording? Its the one I 'grew up' with so have fond memories. Wonder what I'd think of it now?

[Hornspieler]

Having never actually heard that recording, this afternoon I managed to listen to it on the 'Naxos Music LIbrary', which I am allowed to access 'for free' as a teacher at Canterbury Christ Church University!
Well, well... my first impressions are that Ms K.W. Chung plays it absolutely superbly and it does indeed have that 'Mediterranean warmth' that several boarders have mentioned. My next observation is that the 'now notorious' horn solo in the 'Trio' of the scherzo doesn't sound particularly 'horrible' as noted by my Rumpole friend...! I now seem to remember that at the time of the recording ( in the wonderful and now sadly late-lamented acoustic of Kingsway Hall) I tried to pick up up on the mood of the Trio as a rather 'chaste and pure' C major reaction (over-reaction?) to the tension of the Scherzo, so I did indeed try to input a modicum of tonal purity into the 'tune'... I can also confess that I tried very hard to 'play my heart out' as I found Ms Chung very attractive ! ( maybe I'm not allowed to say that on this board..?)

Why are the Ladies attracted to horn players? Is it because playing the horn requires a soft embouchure as opposed to the tight and hardened lips of a trumpet player?

Or is it because the playing position suggests a certain attraction?(Naughty, naughty!)

Or is it simply that the horn writing of composers is more romantic? **

I was amazed when I first played as an extra with the BBC Symphony Orchestra in the RAH to find a collection of maidens loitering at the stage door. They were not waiting for Sir Malcolm or the night's soloist - they were the fan club of the BBC horn section (Moore. Watson, Grant and Fiske - all old enough to be their fathers!)

**QV "La Calinda"' " Romeo and Juliet Overture" all of Brahms, Mahler,

I believe that Rumpole plays the trombone. You need a very wide mouth to do that - a bit terrifying for all but the bravest candidates.


HS

[Pulcinella]

Does anyone remember the Francescatti recording? Its the one I 'grew up' with so have fond memories. Wonder what I'd think of it now?

I have it on CD and listen to it occasionally, but find that it never quite gets the tingle factor going in the way that other recordings can.
I remember a period when Iona Brown used to play it (several Prom performances, I think) and similarly thought that it never quite worked with her either.