Holst's The Planets

[Karl Henning]

Sacrée vache!  He cut The Planets?  Was nothing safe from his tampering?!

[Pat B]

Sacrée vache!  He cut The Planets?  Was nothing safe from his tampering?!

I think André was referring to Ormandy's Scheherazade. To answer the question: I don't know. I have probably only listened to it once, years ago, since getting another recording.

[Karl Henning]

Oh!  Still . . . .

[Pat B]

Oh!  Still . . . .

You're quick!

For what's worth, my recollection is that it has bigger problems than a cut.

[Peter Power Pop]

This is excellent. You're all doing a Scheherazade survey for me.

[Karl Henning]

Hey, nothing wrong with making it a communal effort!

[Peter Power Pop]

Hey, nothing wrong with making it a communal effort!

No sirree.

[NJ Joe]

Now to see how many recordings there are of Le Sacre du Printemps, Also Sprach Zarathustra, Pictures at an Exhibition, La Mer, Concerto for Orchestra etc.

Just take your time and do all of them!

Or maybe what about Bartok's Music For Strings Percussion and Celesta?

[Peter Power Pop]

Amstelodamum. For you.

Thanks. (I think.)

Now to find out what "Amstelodamum" means (I'm guessing it doesn't mean someone's mum called "Amstelo")...

According to the Dutch Wikipedia, "Amstelodamum" is a "Nederlands genootschap".

Now before you ask what a "genootschap" is, I'll tell you (or more accurately, Dutch Wikipedia will tell you):

"Een genootschap is een vereniging wier leden genoten genoemd worden."

So there you have it. That's what a "genootschap" is.

Out of those words in the description, I recognised "is".

Update: I used Google Translate, and discovered this (on the same Dutch Wikipedia page):

"The Society Amstelodamum is a Dutch society that is fighting for the preservation of the city of Amsterdam."

Okey dokey then.

[kishnevi]

Anglophone Wiki
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genootschap

Each member voluntarily joins his or her fate with that of his or her fellow members and that of the genootschap's ups and downs. Such a society also usually has a number of other characteristics :

Size and composition: The number of members of a society is limited. A society can be sizeable, but it is never a mass association. Thus its intentions are decided only by its character.
Objective: The target of a genootschap is always carried forward by its members with a certain degree of seriousness, as well as a great social aim. From this also results its solemn character and interest in decorum.

Does GMG qualify as a genootschap?
ETA. Probably not, if solemn character and interest in decorum are essential elements.

[Peter Power Pop]

Just take your time and do all of them!

Or maybe what about Bartok's Music For Strings Percussion and Celesta?

Isn't that the piece in which all interpretations bow down to Fritz Reiner and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and every other recording of it is rubbish?

https://www.youtube.com/v/w3dR3McS69Y

https://www.youtube.com/v/QVdCcFo_HnA

https://www.youtube.com/v/Wqaeeu1nux4

https://www.youtube.com/v/ppsV4HoCVqc

Hmm. It's not the kind of music that encourages me to listen to it over and over again. (I can't picture saying to myself, "I think I'll listen to that one more time.")

[Peter Power Pop]

Anglophone Wiki
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genootschap
Does GMG qualify as a genootschap?
ETA. Probably not, if solemn character and interest in decorum are essential elements.

I must admit that every time I see the word "genootschap", I want to say "Bless you" and hand someone a tissue.

[Peter Power Pop]

I thought about Daphnis et Chloé, with Ravel being my favourite 20th Century composer and all, but I think that particular ballet goes on way too long.

La Mer is well worth considering. (I hadn't thought of that one.)

As for Le Sacre du Printemps, I already have a favourite: Riccardo Chailly's 1987 recording with The Cleveland Orchestra.

Nevertheless, Le Sacre is entirely doable. It wouldn't be much of a stretch for me, because last year I went through a heavy-duty Stravinsky ballet phase, listening to as many of the three big ones (The Firebird, Petrushka, The Rite of Spring) as possible.

If I was to do a Vaughan Williams symphony, it'd be his 5th. I love, love, love the slow movement, and if I did a survey of the symphony I'd probably spend almost all of my time talking about that slow movement. Love it.

But I like the idea of La Mer.

I'm liking the idea of La Mer more and more.

I already have six versions on CD:

• Serge Baudo, London Philharmonic Orchestra (1986)
• Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, London Symphony Orchestra (er, dunno)
• Bernard Haitink, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (1976)
• Herbert von Karajan, Berliner Philharmoniker (1977, EMI)
• Jean Martinon, Orchestre National de l'O.R.T.F. (1974)
• André Previn, London Symphony Orchestra (1979)

So that's a good start.

And yesterday I found 26 La Mers in the one place. Woohoo!

However, when it comes to works by Debussy, I prefer Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune.

It looks like Le Sacre du Printemps is fading into the distance for a survey. But just a little. I'm extremely keen on doing Le Sacre, if only because I have the perfect title for the blog: "Peter's Rite".

So far, it's neck-and-neck: La Mer and Le Sacre du Printemps*.

(*Anyone seeing that title for the first time might be forgiven for thinking it translates to "The Scary Print Imps".)

[Peter Power Pop]

I'm liking the idea of La Mer more and more.

I already have six versions on CD:

• Serge Baudo, London Philharmonic Orchestra (1986)
• Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, London Symphony Orchestra (er, dunno)
• Bernard Haitink, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (1976)
• Herbert von Karajan, Berliner Philharmoniker (1977, EMI)
• Jean Martinon, Orchestre National de l'O.R.T.F. (1974)
• André Previn, London Symphony Orchestra (1979)

So that's a good start.

And yesterday I found 26 La Mers in the one place. Woohoo!

However, when it comes to works by Debussy, I prefer Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune.

It looks like Le Sacre du Printemps is fading into the distance for a survey. But just a little. I'm extremely keen on doing Le Sacre, if only because I have the perfect title for the blog: "Peter's Rite".

So far, it's neck-and-neck: La Mer and Le Sacre du Printemps*.

(*Anyone seeing that title for the first time might be forgiven for thinking it translates to "The Scary Print Imps".)

I just bought four more La Mer CDs:

• Vladimir Ashkenazy, Cleveland Orchestra (1987, Decca Eclipse)
• Herbert von Karajan, Berliner Philharmoniker (1965, DG Galleria)
• Eugene Ormandy, Philadelphia Orchestra (1959, Sony Classical Essential Classics)
• Max Pommer, Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra (1991, Laserlight)

This is eating into my Planets money. But I'd say it's for a good cause. (Plus I've just about run out of inexpensive Planets CDs to buy.)

I think the ball has begun rolling.

[Christo]

Now to find out what "Amstelodamum" means (I'm guessing it doesn't mean someone's mum called "Amstelo")...

Amstelodamum is the (artificial) Latin name for Amsterdam and the 'genootschap' (society) with the same name is here on earth to promote, preserve, do what it likes - the interest of the city. Its inhabitants (I was one) simply call it 'Mokum', derived via Yiddish from the Hebrew Maqom מָקוֹם(place/town). So it's Mokum for me and Amstelodamum for you.  Back to La Mer, an intriguing idea!

[Peter Power Pop]

Amstelodamum is the (artificial) Latin name for Amsterdam and the 'genootschap' (society) with the same name is here on earth to promote, preserve, do what it likes - the interest of the city. Its inhabitants (I was one) simply call it 'Mokum', derived via Yiddish from the Hebrew Maqom מָקוֹם(place/town). So it's Mokum for me and Amstelodamum for you.  Back to La Mer, an intriguing idea!

Thanks for elucidating, Christo.

[NJ Joe]

Isn't that the piece in which all interpretations bow down to Fritz Reiner and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and every other recording of it is rubbish?

Absolutely not, Mr. Power Pop!  In addition to Reiner, I own and enjoy recordings by Boulez, Bernstein, Dorati, Karajan, and James Levine, who all do the piece justice.

EDIT:  And Fricsay!

Hmm. It's not the kind of music that encourages me to listen to it over and over again. (I can't picture saying to myself, "I think I'll listen to that one more time.")

Understood. Hey, it was worth a shot. La Mer would by a great choice, btw. I guess you gave up on Pictures at some point?

[kishnevi]

Amstelodamum is the (artificial) Latin name for Amsterdam and the 'genootschap' (society) with the same name is here on earth to promote, preserve, do what it likes - the interest of the city. Its inhabitants (I was one) simply call it 'Mokum', derived via Yiddish from the Hebrew Maqom מָקוֹם(place/town). So it's Mokum for me and Amstelodamum for you.  Back to La Mer, an intriguing idea!

To add a twist on that, the original Hebrew word is one of the common titles of God (haMakom), usually in that context translated as "the Omnipresent".  The usage derives in turn from a rabbinic expression of God's transcendence: He is the place of the world but He has no place in it.

Now back to Holst's HaKokhavim-lechet.  Or Debussy's HaYam.

[kishnevi]

BTW, if you are going to do La Mer,  this seems a good thread to revive for that purpose.
http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,11445.msg588354.html#msg588354

[Peter Power Pop]

Absolutely not, Mr. Power Pop!  In addition to Reiner, I own and enjoy recordings by Boulez, Bernstein, Dorati, Karajan, and James Levine, who all do the piece justice.

EDIT:  And Fricsay!

Okey dokey.

Understood. Hey, it was worth a shot. La Mer would be a great choice, btw. I guess you gave up on Pictures at some point?

Not give up per se. It sort of fell by the wayside. When Christo suggested La Mer, that suddenly became more attractive than all the other frontrunners I was pondering.

The other frontrunners I was pondering:

• Pictures at an Exhibition
• Enigma Variations
• Le Sacre du Printemps
• Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune

Ex-frontrunners:

• Scheherazade
• Also Sprach Zarathustra

I actually want to do all of those eventually, but there's something about listening to loads of La Mers that I find irresistible.

Scheherazade Update: I'm now on my fourth straight day of listening to nothing but Scheherazade, and I'm just about all Scheherazaded out. Unfortunately, I enjoyed almost every version I heard, which I think is A Very Bad Thing for a list of recommended Scheherazades. My favourite is the one I'm listening to at the moment. Believe it or not, it's Karajan's 1967 recording with the Berliner Philharmoniker. I say "believe it or not" because I don't usually like Mr. von K.'s efforts on the podium, but just about everything here – despite more duff notes from the Berliners than I had imagined – ticks all my Scheherazade boxes.