Britten on BBC4

[Sir Velo]

The Fitzwilliam played the quartet. I should enter a caveat emptor at this point: the 3rd quartet contains some of Britten's most harrowing music. You can hear a man clinging onto life by his fingernails in certain passages; gut wrenching. A stiff drink and upper lip are mandatory requirements for an audition.

[eighthobstruction]

The Fitzwilliam played the quartet. I should enter a caveat emptor at this point: the 3rd quartet contains some of Britten's most harrowing music. You can hear a man clinging onto life by his fingernails in certain passages; gut wrenching. A stiff drink and upper lip are mandatory requirements for an audition.

Eeer none of your self induced lacrymose....pull your self together....I'm doing the Passacaglia - just assam and two sugars ....<smile>

[amateur51]

I am precisely in the same position, 8tho & BS





Just the steers I was looking for, thanks

Sounds like a choice between the Takács & the Magginis, for me. Any views on their relative merits, IGI? And the Elias Quartet are very well thought of, iirc... any views?

I've always rather enjoyed the recording by the Amadeus quartet who are the dedicatees of Britten string quartet no.3

[Sir Velo]

I've always rather enjoyed the recording by the Amadeus quartet who are the dedicatees of Britten string quartet no.3

I have the Amadeus recording c/w the 2nd Qt and the Sinfonietta, performed by members of the Vienna Octet, on a Decca The British Collection disc.

[amateur51]

There is also an Amadeus quartet 'live' performance of Britten string quartet no 3 from the Schwetzingen Festival in 1977 - I haven't heard it but I am tempted ...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/String-Quartets-recital-Amadeus-Quartett/dp/B003E113QW/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1384794346&sr=1-2&keywords=britten+string+quartets+amadeus+quartet

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

Sounds like a choice between the Takács & the Magginis, for me. Any views on their relative merits, IGI? And the Elias Quartet are very well thought of, iirc... any views?[/COLOR]

I much prefer the Takács to the Magginis, who are a little 'safe' and soft-grained for me. Another advantage to the Takács is that all three quartets come on a single disc. The acoustic on the new Hyperion/ Takács disc is very warm and full - the opposite to the Emperors on BIS, which is on the chilly side.

I also reviewed the Elias disc of Quartets 2 and 3 and it is another excellent candidate to use for getting to know No.3.

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

Yes - it is a compliment, and is always received with good humour (often with a scowl or leer at the audience, generating a greater response).

Singers with whom I have corresponded on this issue find it rather wearisome. As to being received with good humour, there's not a lot else they can do other than grin and bear it. It doesn't happen in other countries.

[jean]

No - in other countries it would be too easily confused with a comment on the inadequacy of the singing.

[french frank]

For the benefit of anyone in the environs of Wigmore this Friday, there's a Britten Centenary Day.

[EdgeleyRob]

The Fitzwilliam played the quartet. I should enter a caveat emptor at this point: the 3rd quartet contains some of Britten's most harrowing music. You can hear a man clinging onto life by his fingernails in certain passages; gut wrenching. A stiff drink and upper lip are mandatory requirements for an audition.

I know eactly what you mean SV,I put this quartet in my 'handle with care' section.
Here we go,another of my wierd thoughts,but in the last movement I always think of the words I'm dying when I hear that three note falling phrase,as you say,gutwrenching.

There's not a lot wrong with this set IMO.



For what it's worth (not much) I thought Billy Budd on the telly was brilliant.
Didn't know people went in for booing and such at the opera,I was quite surprised.

[JimD]

An amusing moment on tonight's University Challenge when an excerpt from Britten's War Requiem was attributed by a team member to John Rutter. Well, it amused me anyway.

[Mary Chambers]

An amusing moment on tonight's University Challenge when an excerpt from Britten's War Requiem was attributed by a team member to John Rutter. Well, it amused me anyway.

It horrified me!

[mercia]

Radio 4 seems to have gone Britten mad too

yesterday http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03hvn5q
today http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03hvqlf

[Stephen Whitaker]

An amusing moment on tonight's University Challenge when an excerpt from Britten's War Requiem was attributed by a team member to John Rutter. Well, it amused me anyway.

In fairness that was given by the team from Rutter's own college where he was music director in the 70s and with which he still has strong connections.

What about the a capella chant that was credited to Dvorak?

(By Paxo that is, not the contestants}

[ardcarp]

...and if we get a reference to BB on Radio 1 he'll really have arrived.