Korngold's Cornucopia!

Started by vandermolen, February 26, 2010, 01:52:49 PM

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71 dB

#20
February 28, 2010, 12:32:06 AM
I'm not familiar with Korngold's music at all. I might have seen a movie scored by him but that's it.
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vandermolen

#21
February 28, 2010, 05:52:38 AM
Quote from: erato on February 26, 2010, 10:57:32 PM
Until the title is changed to Korngolds Cornucopia or something similarly ridiculous I don't expect the thread to attract much attention.

Your wish is my command  :D
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

vandermolen

#22
February 28, 2010, 06:03:52 AM Last Edit: February 28, 2010, 06:23:58 AM by vandermolen
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on February 27, 2010, 04:00:07 AM
I'm puzzled by the negative comments directed towards Welser-Möst's brilliant recording of the symphony. I love it but was beginning to doubt my critical faculties  ;D  I checked a few reviews.

Gramophone says: "In the case of the Symphony we now have four to consider, though in fact the only serious rival for this newcomer is Sir Edward Downes and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra's superb account on Chandos. For me that recording seemed pretty unassailable but I have to admit that Welser-Möst and the Philadelphia Orchestra (as one would expect from such a team) make exceptionally strong contenders."

Complete review here

ClassicsToday says (in a 10/9 review): "Here's a no-brainer--the best recording of Erich Korngold's wonderful Symphony in F-sharp... the real star of this show is Franz Welser-Möst, who not only reveals himself sensitive to every cinematic detail of the orchestration...but who also understands how to hold the piece together symphonically. This means urgent tempos in the outer movements, and more importantly, accurate, tight rhythm. There's no way he's going to let this music degenerate into Hollywood mush."

Complete review here

You don't have to agree with them (or me) but I'm relieved others heard what I heard  8)  I own Downes too; the two recordings complement each other quite nicely: Welser-Möst sounding the most "modern" and uncompromising; Downes better at bringing out the sentiment. I'd like to hear the Previn but it's oop. Have to track down a used copy.

Sarge

Am listening to it now following your posting. It is better than I remember - although I think that there is a little less urgency about this performance compared with De Priest, Previn, Kempe or Downes (especially the great opening section), but Welser-Most's more reflective  interpretation may well grow on me - the recording is very good.  Thanks for making me re-evaluate this version.

PS The slow movement is very good in this recording - deeply felt.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

tjguitar

#23
March 01, 2010, 06:03:17 AM
There actually was an old thread....I started it. :)

http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,316.0.html

vandermolen

#24
March 01, 2010, 03:49:28 PM
Quote from: tjguitar on March 01, 2010, 06:03:17 AM
There actually was an old thread....I started it. :)

http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,316.0.html

Oops - sorry about that, but I couldn't find him in Lethe's helpful list of composers.  I'm quite happy if one of the Moderators wants to telescope the two threads together.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

tjguitar

#25
March 01, 2010, 05:22:19 PM
Quote from: vandermolen on March 01, 2010, 03:49:28 PM
Oops - sorry about that, but I couldn't find him in Lethe's helpful list of composers.  I'm quite happy if one of the Moderators wants to telescope the two threads together.

I just type the name in the search box. :)

No worrries. It was an old one.

vandermolen

#26
March 02, 2010, 02:15:28 AM
Quote from: tjguitar on March 01, 2010, 05:22:19 PM
I just type the name in the search box. :)



That's much too straightforward for me - I prefer to go through the whole list and miss it anyway  ;D
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Bogey

#27
March 02, 2010, 08:22:14 PM
Quote from: tjguitar on March 01, 2010, 06:03:17 AM
There actually was an old thread....I started it. :)

http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,316.0.html

Yes.  And I quoted it on the first page of this thread. ;D
There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

Bogey

#28
March 02, 2010, 08:22:56 PM
Quote from: vandermolen on March 02, 2010, 02:15:28 AM
That's much too straightforward for me - I prefer to go through the whole list and miss it anyway  ;D

90% of the fun is the hunt. ;D
There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

vandermolen

#29
March 03, 2010, 08:06:36 AM
Quote from: Bogey on March 02, 2010, 08:22:14 PM
Yes.  And I quoted it on the first page of this thread. ;D

So you did! And I missed that too  :o
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

karlhenning

#30
March 03, 2010, 08:34:16 AM
Quote from: SonicMan on February 26, 2010, 04:20:54 PM
Oh, I think that Josquin is just being his ole contrary self -  ;) ;D

Yes, classic Captain Turd-in-the-Punch-Bowl "Josquin" . . . and right up there with reply no. 1, no less:

karlhenning

#31
March 03, 2010, 08:37:26 AM
BTW, this very morning I pulled the trigger on my first Korngold recording, Gil Shaham playing the Violin Concerto.

jlaurson

#32
March 03, 2010, 01:18:45 PM Last Edit: March 03, 2010, 01:37:44 PM by jlaurson
Re: Shaham: That's a great recording, Henning. My favorite Korngold VC. And the Barber ain't shabby, either.

Here's an article on Korngold and his equally fascinating father that I hope will be of interest not just to Korngold newbies but veterans, too.

http://www.weta.org/fmblog/?p=241

Korngold Sr. & Jr. – Cliché, Critic and Composer

And here a list of essential (and plain awesome) Korngold recordings:

www.weta.org/fmblog/?p=314

The Sounds of Korngold

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