Beethoven - which Eroica?

[Anna]

clearly not a real fan the Cloughie. Need to have your facts at your fingertips ....... !!
There just has to be a good thread in this.....fastest performances , slowest movements... most symphonies on a CD, that sort of thing...I'll start it if nobody else will !!

I first fell in love with Eroica via Karajan. I also have Norrington and Zinman. I don't have a stopwatch ...... I am not worthy .....

[Thropplenoggin]

I first fell in love with Eroica via Karajan. I also have Norrington and Zinman. I don't have a stopwatch ...... I am not worthy .....

No, Anna. You have a life.

[cloughie]

I first fell in love with Eroica via Karajan. I also have Norrington and Zinman. I don't have a stopwatch ...... I am not worthy .....

No stopwatch needed - just read the CD notes.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Why don't we suggest an Eroica contest for the next Olympics?

Kleiber took 15'39, which is why it doesn't sound like a scherzo, or as if the players just want to get to the pub.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Adagio assai.

[Anna]

No stopwatch needed - just read the CD notes.

Someone said 'life's too short to stuff a mushroom'
I feel that also applies to CD notes .... just enjoy! the music Pick the one you love most. At the moment, for me, it's Norrington.

[cloughie]

Why don't we suggest an Eroica contest for the next Olympics?

Kleiber took 15'39, which is why it doesn't sound like a scherzo, or as if the players just want to get to the pub.

His interpretation flowed and showed respect without rushing!

Is that CAO or VPO?

[teamsaint]

Why don't we suggest an Eroica contest for the next Olympics?

Kleiber took 15'39, which is why it doesn't sound like a scherzo, or as if the players just want to get to the pub.

have we got somebody (and a band) to do the business on this, EA? Perhaps selections could be run on saturday mornings on R3.....

Could be the audience widening winner that they are after.......

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

VPO

[teamsaint]

Someone said 'life's too short to stuff a mushroom'
I feel that also applies to CD notes .... just enjoy! the music Pick the one you love most. At the moment, for me, it's Norrington.

I love good CD notes !! only education I get these days. well apart from this board
Life is indeed to short to stuff mushrooms. Where do people stuff them anyway?

[Roehre]

Adagio assai.

but sotto voce, which implies a singable tempo

[cloughie]

Someone said 'life's too short to stuff a mushroom'
I feel that also applies to CD notes .... just enjoy! the music Pick the one you love most. At the moment, for me, it's Norrington.

In that perhaps life's too short to listen to Klemperer - I'd guess 5 or 6 minutes longer than Norrington.
No need to stuff mushrooms - throw them in a pyrex bowl, chuck in a little chopped garlic, a lttle thyme (fresh or dried), a turn or two of black pepper, a slug of olive oil, cover and microwave for a few minutes and serve with a slice or two of homemade wholemeal or granary bread - as a sandwich if you wish.

Probably takes as long as Eroica movt 2 - BPO Karajan DG 1960s recording!

[Petrushka]

Stuttgart RSO/Norrington 12'18"

[The 'stopwatch' target, based on Beethoven's metronome marking is 12'24".]

Chailly dispatches it in 12'11'' which is surely too fast but you get used to it in the context of Chailly's reading of the whole. At the other extreme Furtwangler (1944) is 17'41'' with Klemperer in 1961 clocking in at 16'52''. Monteux (14' 56''), Haitink, LSO (14'26'') and Abbado (14' 49) among many similar strike a happy medium that feels 'right'.

[Thropplenoggin]

Bruno Weil's recent account with the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra brought out a lot of the nuance in this movement for me. A lovely detailed recording, crisp, punchy with great strings. The crescendos are not just thrilling but also pellucid.

It clocks in at 14'23".

The dynamics of the second movement seem to suffer a lot in old recordings, so I'd recommend this for those wanting to hear something new in the work. It's available on Qobus for those who use it, and the disc comes paired with Mendelsshon's 4th.

[Roehre]

...No need to stuff mushrooms - throw them in a pyrex bowl, chuck in a little chopped garlic, a lttle thyme (fresh or dried), a turn or two of black pepper, a slug of olive oil, cover and microwave for a few minutes and serve with a slice or two of homemade wholemeal or granary bread - as a sandwich if you wish.

Yummie