Unpopular Opinions

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Is it unpopular to actually really like Jaap van Zweden's impeccable musicianship and master of orchestral balance in his interpretations based on his recordings as a conductor?

[(poco) Sforzando]

Is it unpopular to actually really like Jaap van Zweden's impeccable musicianship and master of orchestral balance in his interpretations based on his recordings as a conductor?

Only if you're either a member of the NY press or Norman Lebrecht.

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Only if you're either a member of the NY press or Norman Lebrecht.

Such snobbery

[amw]

Is it unpopular to actually really like Jaap van Zweden's impeccable musicianship and master of orchestral balance in his interpretations based on his recordings as a conductor?

I listened to his Bruckner 8 and was impressed but unmoved, so I'll say yeah. Probably will do his Brahms 3 for the thread in honour, though.

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

I listened to his Bruckner 8 and was impressed but unmoved, so I'll say yeah. Probably will do his Brahms 3 for the thread in honour, though.

Looking forward to your thoughts....I just listened to his Brahms 2 (I got myself a nice pocket score recently) and posted my thoughts in the WAYLT thread.

[Brian]

Is it unpopular to actually really like Jaap van Zweden's impeccable musicianship and master of orchestral balance in his interpretations based on his recordings as a conductor?

His Bruckner 6 reached the Top Five of a recent GMG Blind Listening Game. #1 and #2 were Klemperer and Celibidache; #3 and #4 I'm forgetting at the moment; Jaap placed #5 and was overall excellent but for a slightly momentum-killing development section in the finale.

[mc ukrneal]

His Bruckner 6 reached the Top Five of a recent GMG Blind Listening Game. #1 and #2 were Klemperer and Celibidache; #3 and #4 I'm forgetting at the moment; Jaap placed #5 and was overall excellent but for a slightly momentum-killing development section in the finale.

Is my memory that faulty? Weren't there FOUR finalists and not five? And didn't Celi come in FIRST? And didn't Zweden tie for second with Klemperer. Fourth, I think was Wand, yes? You're not going to make me use the search engine are you?!? 

[Brian]

Is my memory that faulty? Weren't there FOUR finalists and not five? And didn't Celi come in FIRST? And didn't Zweden tie for second with Klemperer. Fourth, I think was Wand, yes? You're not going to make me use the search engine are you?!? 

I can't remember if Klemperer or Celi came in first. Maybe that was my personal ranking!

And yeah, Wand was in there!

[amw]

I remember that! It was my second choice, I think, I was disappointed by stiff conducting and a not so good finale. But thought the orchestra was beautiful and the slow movement possibly the best in comparison. One of the other finalists was Wand on RCA, I don't remember who the last one was? Dohnányi maybe? This felt like a heavily Sergeant Rock-dominated final round >_>

Celibidache was first and Klemperer second, as far as I recall, but it was a difference of a single vote. Don't know whose vote.

[Brian]

Neal was right, only 4 finalists and Jaap tied Klemps. The person who ranked 'em with Wand 3rd and Jaap 4th was, uh, me.

I agree with amw that Jaap had maybe the best slow movement but also maybe the stiffest conducting.

[mc ukrneal]

Neal was right

Wait, wait. Can you write that again?!?! It doesn't happen often enough! 

And I placed Zweden first, but I cannot remember it much (or any of them frankly). I haven't listened to this piece since that blind listening. Guess I'll have to buy it now and see if I still like it...

[(poco) Sforzando]

Any opinions on the Bernstein?

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Any opinions on the Bernstein?

Funny you should say that....before I came to this thread today I was just thinking about Bernstein and made up my mind that I prefer his recordings he made in the 60s and earlier with the NYPO the best. Oh and, his DVD Mahler cycle is to me the best of his three complete Mahler cycles.

[(poco) Sforzando]

Funny you should say that....before I came to this thread today I was just thinking about Bernstein and made up my mind that I prefer his recordings he made in the 60s and earlier with the NYPO the best. Oh and, his DVD Mahler cycle is to me the best of his three complete Mahler cycles.

See my comments on the Jaap thread.

[Daverz]

Any opinions on the Bernstein?

In Bruckner 6?   It's been a while, but I was turned off by the NYP brass sound.

[Karl Henning]

This is reminding me that I do not believe I have as yet listened to any Bruckner from The Box . . .

[(poco) Sforzando]

This is reminding me that I do not believe I have as yet listened to any Bruckner from The Box . . .

After that, you have only 59 CDs to go . . . .

[Karl Henning]

After that, you have only 59 CDs to go . . . .

At a rough guess, I have as yet perhaps listened to 25% 60% of the lot. (I was forgetting that some swaths of the box, I have listened to earlier.)

[Brian]

Hmmm...maybe I should make a Lenny Big Box iPod playlist for my flights to/from NYC next week...

[AndyD.]

Smack me upside, but despite having a TON of recordings of Beethoven's 9th, and loving that symphony beyond any other, I still get sleepy whenever I listen to the slow movement. Go ahead, laugh at me, slap my momma, put the beat down on my crazy mammajamma mofo of a bee-hind...but it just lulls me to sleep every time. Reminds me of listening to "Planet Caravan" off of Black Sabbath's Paranoid (oh how I delight in aggravating the preposterous, pretentious boobs by inserting heavy metal 'mongst the Classics!), boring song squeezed in between the good stuff for the sake of dynamics.

Only this recording at least keeps me conscious during the slow movement (and it's hard to beat this freaking recording overall to begin with!).

Bold italics meant in the most preposterously boob-inal, pretentious tone possible in an attempt bemusedly appease the most preposterously boob-inal of us out there.