Dear M'sieu G. Fauré

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I'm not sure that I follow what Alpie's comment means - in what way was SM-P's comment indicative of a decline since RW left?

Not to be taken too seriously. I'm just gobsmacked by some recent happenings. But I suppose it was RW who started the rot. Under the new management, I has sensed a little progress, but this seems to have receded.

And as for the idiot who posts Facebook headlines, I just despair.

[jean]

The patronising tone of her voice only confirmed that she was effectively putting the work down. If turgidness were something to do with the performance, a re-orchestration wouldn't change a thing.

It might, especially iof the turgidity were not intrinsic to the work, but merely an appearance.

There are many turgid performances of this work, and I suspect this may have something to do with the difficulty of the piano/organ accompaniment slowing things down in performance with many amateur choirs. But this should not affect choirs of the standard we might expect on The Choir

No, but it might explain why Rutter thought to simplify things for the inadequate musician.

Rutter does little else, and I think it is most unfair that he's not getting the blame for this.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Could it have been something to do with may being considered preferable?

Ah! But "it may sound turgid" sounds as if she were giving it permission to be so? I wondered if frenchie was merely emphasising the possibility of turgidness/ity, rather than the definite presence of such?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Not to be taken too seriously. I'm just gobsmacked by some recent happenings. But I suppose it was RW who started the rot. Under the new management, I has sensed a little progress, but this seems to have receded.

Yes - this feeling has been communicated to Mr Davey.

I would say, though, that I didn't hear the patronising tone that you (and others) detected. It was a silly, flyaway comment unworthy of her and (mohr importantly) of R3.

And as for the idiot who posts Facebook headlines, I just despair.

And the BBC C&O website: "an irresistable mix", my diapason!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

No, but it might explain why Rutter thought to simplify things for the inadequate musician.

Rutter does little else, and I think it is most unfair that he's not getting the blame for this.

Why should we deflect the "blame" to John Rutter? If he wants to re-orchestrate a work (as Bach, Mozart, Balakirev, Respighi, Mahler, Schoenberg, and many others have done) it isn't a crime.

[jean]

It is when Rutter does it.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Is there a particular reason you chose this font size?

Because the comment's off-topic, and I didn't want it to distract others from the main discussion.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

... she was effectively putting the work down. If turgidness were something to do with the performance, a re-orchestration wouldn't change a thing.

But doesn't this argument work the other way round, too? If she regarded the work as "turgid", then "a re-orchestration wouldn't change a thing"?

[french frank]

But doesn't this argument work the other way round, too? If she regarded the work as "turgid", then "a re-orchestration wouldn't change a thing"?

What I would have understood her to be saying (had I heard it before people started discussing it ) was that the work was improved by the Rutter orchestration. And that, presumably, was why they chose it for the programme. Otherwise they could have chosen a recording which managed somehow to avoid turgidity and sounding like an academic exercise. There must be some, surely?

[DracoM]

[Vox Humana]

Goodness, what a storm in a teacup this thread has become! I was so intrigued that I had to check out the offending piece. I have partial sympathy with SM-P's throw-away comments. I don't understand what she meant by "academic", but I can certainly relate to the "turgid" epithet. It could apply to every performance of the Cantique that I have had to accompany - not because the accompaniment is difficult (it's not), but because the conductors have liked to wallow in Romanticism. Whilst I generally approve of indulgent opulence (and wish it wasn't so out of fashion today) I do heartily dislike the Cantique. It's like watching in slow motion an upset tin of Golden Syrup slowly pouring off a kitchen top and spreading gradually across the floor. At least the speed at which Mr Halsey took Dr Rutter's arrangement prevented us plumbing any great emotional depths - deliberately, I'd guess. As for the arrangement itself I can't really see how more restrained it could have been. It was just strings and harp - a perfectly logical and musical solution IMO, and very effective.

[french frank]

Boom boom. Batten down the hatches!

[Pabmusic]

But doesn't this argument work the other way round, too? If she regarded the work as "turgid", then "a re-orchestration wouldn't change a thing"?

Well said. It's for Pedant's Paradise, I suppose, but 'turgid' means overblown, bombastic. Reorchestration will hardly help. Perhaps she meant 'turbid', which means muddy, dull. (I donn't find it either.)

[vinteuil]

Well said. It's for Pedant's Paradise, I suppose, but 'turgid' means overblown, bombastic...

...but not only. Sometimes turgid is preferable to flaccid...


.

[Pabmusic]

...but not only. Sometimes turgid is preferable to flaccid...


.

You know, someone else said that to me once...