Unwell today so gave up at the interval...
That taken into account, I felt from early on that they were going to play the LvB G major more or less as I thought they would, so despite the tonal beauties I felt unengaged. But this is why I now cleave to Brautigam, Schoonderwoerd and so on for a Beethoven experience...
Caught Haitink's rather dismissive comments about the B9 finale... in a short interview in the programme he's rather less peremptory. Of course, he never recorded the Mahler 10 in Cooke's performing version either...
Latest newsletter from John F. Berky (abruckner.com) is critical of what Berky sees as an "over-the-top" reaction to the Rattle Berlin 9th, he feels that the Gramophone and BBC MM reviews should have considered the history of the finale more, it's different versions and recordings, but still acclaims Rattle's reading and acknowledges it as significantly raising the profile of the complete work. He also felt there was too eager a tendency to suggest that the 3-movement version is passing into history or at least into a new perspective. I've not seen the BBC review, but I feel Berky's a little unfair if he has Cowan in mind, whose review (G. 08/12) is a model of balance which asks more questions than it answers.
But I'm with Cowan in finding it harder - if not impossible - to listen to the 9th as a 3-movement work now - which doesn't imply disrespect for the great tradition of its recorded history.
As I said earlier I wish most conductors would take it up and play it as a complete symphony all the time, for a few years - the interpretations would change, perhaps radically, and we could then see it in its true light.
Still a bit too much reverence in the Classical Museum.
That taken into account, I felt from early on that they were going to play the LvB G major more or less as I thought they would, so despite the tonal beauties I felt unengaged. But this is why I now cleave to Brautigam, Schoonderwoerd and so on for a Beethoven experience...
Caught Haitink's rather dismissive comments about the B9 finale... in a short interview in the programme he's rather less peremptory. Of course, he never recorded the Mahler 10 in Cooke's performing version either...
Latest newsletter from John F. Berky (abruckner.com) is critical of what Berky sees as an "over-the-top" reaction to the Rattle Berlin 9th, he feels that the Gramophone and BBC MM reviews should have considered the history of the finale more, it's different versions and recordings, but still acclaims Rattle's reading and acknowledges it as significantly raising the profile of the complete work. He also felt there was too eager a tendency to suggest that the 3-movement version is passing into history or at least into a new perspective. I've not seen the BBC review, but I feel Berky's a little unfair if he has Cowan in mind, whose review (G. 08/12) is a model of balance which asks more questions than it answers.
But I'm with Cowan in finding it harder - if not impossible - to listen to the 9th as a 3-movement work now - which doesn't imply disrespect for the great tradition of its recorded history.
As I said earlier I wish most conductors would take it up and play it as a complete symphony all the time, for a few years - the interpretations would change, perhaps radically, and we could then see it in its true light.
Still a bit too much reverence in the Classical Museum.
It showed in the first movement of the LvB I thought)
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