Having agreed to verismissimo's request, and finished the ironing, I then felt very daunted.
I hope that fellow boarders will not ridicule my very personal reactions to the recordings I have: I claim no expertise in orchestral playing (so the prospect of low piano oboe notes holds no terror!) but am a singer, keyboard player, and occasional conductor (living in the hope that the performance of JSB's Magnificat I conducted will let me through the pearly gates if they exist!).
But I sat down with my `pocket' score, and made a note of places where I would specifically listen to how the performances coped. For those with an interest, and the score, here's my list.
Movement 1
Opening chord: the third quaver of a 2/4 bar, with a quaver rest after; marked mf. Immediate impression of orchestral clarity/recorded acoustic, etc.
Woodwind accompaniment to altos (fig 4 and fig 7).
Ability to distinguish piano 2 playing (with flutes) semiquavers against harp and piano 1 quavers (e.g., at figure 9 and especially at climax, figure 12).
From figure 10, no crescendo marked until one bar before figure 12.
Movement 2
Speed (alerted by Markevitch timing).
Woodwind intonation (fears for Ansermet/OSR!).
Tuning in choral stretto (figure 10).
Audibility of tromba piccola (admittedly marked sub pp) from figure 17 to the end.
Movement 3
Opening speed.
Attack at tempo change (figure 3): sf sub p e stacc.
How much of a scramble things sound at figure 5 (and similar later).
Transition into Intro repeat (figure 12).
Transitions/tempo changes at figure 20 and figure 22 (also figure 26).
Tenors coping with their top note (marked non cresc.) between figures 23 and 24 (and repeated later).
I then listened to four of my recordings, and (not surprisingly) some of the points listed above mattered more than others. Not likely to do much more today: cleaner due shortly and even Stravinsky cannot compete against manic hoovering; then it's my afternoon volunteer reading session at a local primary school.
Spoiler alert: Rattle was one of the four I listened to yesterday, but it did not make it to the top of my list.
I hope that fellow boarders will not ridicule my very personal reactions to the recordings I have: I claim no expertise in orchestral playing (so the prospect of low piano oboe notes holds no terror!) but am a singer, keyboard player, and occasional conductor (living in the hope that the performance of JSB's Magnificat I conducted will let me through the pearly gates if they exist!).
But I sat down with my `pocket' score, and made a note of places where I would specifically listen to how the performances coped. For those with an interest, and the score, here's my list.
Movement 1
Opening chord: the third quaver of a 2/4 bar, with a quaver rest after; marked mf. Immediate impression of orchestral clarity/recorded acoustic, etc.
Woodwind accompaniment to altos (fig 4 and fig 7).
Ability to distinguish piano 2 playing (with flutes) semiquavers against harp and piano 1 quavers (e.g., at figure 9 and especially at climax, figure 12).
From figure 10, no crescendo marked until one bar before figure 12.
Movement 2
Speed (alerted by Markevitch timing).
Woodwind intonation (fears for Ansermet/OSR!).
Tuning in choral stretto (figure 10).
Audibility of tromba piccola (admittedly marked sub pp) from figure 17 to the end.
Movement 3
Opening speed.
Attack at tempo change (figure 3): sf sub p e stacc.
How much of a scramble things sound at figure 5 (and similar later).
Transition into Intro repeat (figure 12).
Transitions/tempo changes at figure 20 and figure 22 (also figure 26).
Tenors coping with their top note (marked non cresc.) between figures 23 and 24 (and repeated later).
I then listened to four of my recordings, and (not surprisingly) some of the points listed above mattered more than others. Not likely to do much more today: cleaner due shortly and even Stravinsky cannot compete against manic hoovering; then it's my afternoon volunteer reading session at a local primary school.
Spoiler alert: Rattle was one of the four I listened to yesterday, but it did not make it to the top of my list.
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