GMG Classical Music Forum

The Music Room => General Classical Music Discussion => Topic started by: Bogey on May 12, 2007, 09:35:37 AM

Title: Rimsky-Korsakov's 'Scheherazade' (Interview with Alsop)
Post by: Bogey on May 12, 2007, 09:35:37 AM
Here is an interview with Marin Alsop concerning the above piece:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10139009

Title: Re: Rimsky-Korsakov's 'Scheherazade' (Interview with Alsop)
Post by: PerfectWagnerite on May 12, 2007, 10:33:43 AM
Wow, what an outpouring of platitudes from Maestro Alsop. Please, tell me something I don't know.

If you scroll down and read her little blog on Mahler's 5th you come across this:

Tackling Mahler's Fifth Symphony requires an expert team, and working with the musicians of the London Symphony Orchestra on such a monumental piece is like a dream come true. They are phenomenal individual stars, yet willing to work together selflessly. The perfect climbing team for our journey!

Tell me it is not the most nauseating, patronizing, and sycophantic piece of gibberish you have heard. She sounds like a college graduate writing a cover letter trying to get an entry level job. Or worse , she sounds like Zander.

OTOH, her blog on Shostakovich is quite informative.
Title: Re: Rimsky-Korsakov's 'Scheherazade' (Interview with Alsop)
Post by: Brian on May 12, 2007, 11:33:19 AM
Please tell me she's not recording it.
Title: Re: Rimsky-Korsakov's 'Scheherazade' (Interview with Alsop)
Post by: Don on May 12, 2007, 11:51:39 AM
Quote from: brianrein on May 12, 2007, 11:33:19 AM
Please tell me she's not recording it.

Alsop has been playing it in concert, so a disc probably isn't distant.  Ain't life grand?
Title: Re: Rimsky-Korsakov's 'Scheherazade' (Interview with Alsop)
Post by: jochanaan on May 12, 2007, 01:03:46 PM
Don't discount her yet.  I can still remember the flawless Mahler Seventh she did with the Colorado Symphony in Denver.  She's probably just telling the journalists what she thinks they want to hear. :-\
Title: Re: Rimsky-Korsakov's 'Scheherazade' (Interview with Alsop)
Post by: karlhenning on May 13, 2007, 04:42:39 AM
We tuned in the car radio mid-interview, and we were making fun of it even before we were informed that the interviewee was Maestra Alsop  ;)
Title: Re: Rimsky-Korsakov's 'Scheherazade' (Interview with Alsop)
Post by: PerfectWagnerite on May 13, 2007, 05:33:34 AM
I wonder if her Brahms sells at all. I keep seeing them at $3.99 at Academy, then $2.99, then $1.99.
Title: Re: Rimsky-Korsakov's 'Scheherazade' (Interview with Alsop)
Post by: beclemund on May 13, 2007, 10:16:39 AM
On the bright side, my wife, who I can't get to listen to anything, heard excerpts from Scheherazade during this interview and decided she would like to hear the full suite. So this may be a nice gateway drug for a shared habit for us.  ;)
Title: Re: Rimsky-Korsakov's 'Scheherazade' (Interview with Alsop)
Post by: Don on May 13, 2007, 10:27:02 AM
Quote from: PerfectWagnerite on May 13, 2007, 05:33:34 AM
I wonder if her Brahms sells at all. I keep seeing them at $3.99 at Academy, then $2.99, then $1.99.

Well, Naxos isn't exactly stupid.  If her Brahms symphony discs were not selling, I think they would have pulled the plug on the project.
Title: Re: Rimsky-Korsakov's 'Scheherazade' (Interview with Alsop)
Post by: Brian on May 13, 2007, 11:40:42 AM
Quote from: Don on May 13, 2007, 10:27:02 AM
Well, Naxos isn't exactly stupid.  If her Brahms symphony discs were not selling, I think they would have pulled the plug on the project.
Indeed, the No. 3 CD is on their orchestral bestseller list.
Don't see why... (review in post #2 of this thread (http://www.good-music-guide.com/forum/index.php/topic,12214.0.html)).