YouTube: the thread for interesting video links

[seabright]

This is for any lovers of English music who happen to have in their collections Andre Previn's recording of the Vaughan Williams 4th Symphony and also Jeffrey Tate's of the Elgar 2nd, both with the LSO. On You Tube the two conductors play each work in radio broadcasts with American orchestras, the Houston Symphony in Previn's case and the San Francisco Symphony in Tate's. One member of the RVW Society has already told me that the Houston RVW4 is "stupendous," not an adjective one usually hears in relation to the Previn / LSO recording, whilst a comment under the San Francisco Elgar performance declares it to be "better than Tate's studio version in London."

If you'd like to see if you agree, here is the Houston RVW4 from 1969 ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQg84UwiftI&t=164s

And here is the San Francisco Elgar 2 in 1987 ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M72A8FIunSU&t=403s

I seem to recall that Tate was criticised for several passages in his LSO recording which slowed down to tortoise-like tempos and you get that in this performance too. Still, the SFSO is a great US orchestra and their excellent playing brings much vitality to the work.

[Edgy 2]

This is for any lovers of English music who happen to have in their collections Andre Previn's recording of the Vaughan Williams 4th Symphony and also Jeffrey Tate's of the Elgar 2nd, both with the LSO. On You Tube the two conductors play each work in radio broadcasts with American orchestras, the Houston Symphony in Previn's case and the San Francisco Symphony in Tate's. One member of the RVW Society has already told me that the Houston RVW4 is "stupendous," not an adjective one usually hears in relation to the Previn / LSO recording, whilst a comment under the San Francisco Elgar performance declares it to be "better than Tate's studio version in London."

If you'd like to see if you agree, here is the Houston RVW4 from 1969 ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQg84UwiftI&t=164s

And here is the San Francisco Elgar 2 in 1987 ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M72A8FIunSU&t=403s

I seem to recall that Tate was criticised for several passages in his LSO recording which slowed down to tortoise-like tempos and you get that in this performance too. Still, the SFSO is a great US orchestra and their excellent playing brings much vitality to the work.

Many thanks for taking the trouble to post these links.
Thoroughly enjoyed listening to both today,the RVW especially is thrilling

[seabright]

I'm glad you like the Houston RVW4, Edgy 2. If you'd like to hear another fascinating non-British RVW performance, here's the 'Sinfonia Antartica' in what was presumably it's Argentinian premiere with the Buenos Aires Philharmonic conducted by Carlos Prazeres. I wonder when it was last played at the RFH?! ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3TDKub6sYc

[seabright]

We're all familiar with "Jerusalem" from the Last Night but it could hardly have been all that familiar to the youngsters who made up the West Point Cadet Glee Club. Here they are, singing in all heartwarming earnestness, though the organist rather over-indulged himself between the two verses, I thought. Anyway, this video has had nearly 2 million views, which is not bad going! Sir Hubert ought to be pleased ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yaxVYNGaUU

[Edgy 2]

Thanks again seabright (belatedly for the RVW 7)

[seabright]

For those of you who know what a Melodica is, here's The Rite of Spring, somewhat abridged, played on two of these free-reed keyboard instruments. They are similar to the pump organ and harmonica and are played by blowing air through a mouthpiece, or two mouthpieces in this particular case ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aidKzrYAo8E

:)

[Joseph K]

Chanced upon this:

Harrison Birtwistle in conversation with Julian Anderson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhsDPL9eiP0

[seabright]

If you've ever wondered what Buxtehude sounds like when played on the Ondes Martenot, here is Cynthia Millar to supply the answer ... ;) ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu-XKIswZV0&t=42s

[Flay]

I stumbled on this. Incredible

[Flay]

It must be her party piece!

Rattle's howl at 4.59 is very apt

[LHC]

It must be her party piece!

Rattle's howl at 4.59 is very apt

I was at that performance in 2015. A fabulous concert that also included Webern‘s Six Pieces for Orchestra, Berg’s Three Fragments from Wozzeck and The Rite of Spring

[Flay]

Barbara Hannigan is my current hero! These (sensible this time) videos are worth a watch.

Barbara Hannigan – Taking Risks: Casting and mentoring young professional musicians for the The Rake’s Progress

https://www.barbarahannigan.com/now-online-documentary-taking-risks-featuring-barbara-hannigan-and-equilibrium/

[Bryn]

Alerted to this via Twitter:

[gradus]

Odd sometimes how you notice things that previously escaped you. On Youtube today, I came upon the 60's recording session Solti/VPO video of Siegfried's Funeral March. It is a truly astonishing performance as thunderous as ever but I'd never noticed the firsts standing to play - why?, nor the placement of the harps behind Solti and the cymbal technique used by the percussionist. Perhaps this is old hat but I thought it interesting and the performance is something else: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkOiKy6sXfM

[Petrushka]

Here's a fascinating 36 minute analysis of the Meistersinger Prelude.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDi44y5LKl8