Benjamin Britten

[San Antone]

I usually turn to Naxos for repertoire that you just can't find on any other label. In this respect, I find them useful and sometimes even 'ahead of the curve' so to speak, but when it comes to major repertoire, I'm afraid they simply don't measure up. But this is my opinion and understand that not everyone shares these views.

(I had mistakenly posted this somewhere else, where it made no sense.    )

I could happily live on a desert island with nothing but Naxos recordings.  But I might be unique among classical music listeners, my favorite recording of a work is almost always the one I am listening to at the time.

[Mirror Image]

My only point was that the musicians are far more important than the label. There are great recordings on Naxos and there are awful recordings on BIS, Decca, or DG. The inverse of course is also true. I agree that they are generally ahead of the curve on recording certain repertoire that other labels would not risk their budget on recording.

But my point is the musicians on the Naxos label don't always interest me and many times aren't in the same league as what the major labels have produced. This is why Naxos isn't too important of a label to me when it comes to the major repertoire.

[Mirror Image]

(I had mistakenly posted this somewhere else, where it made no sense.    )

I could happily live on a desert island with nothing but Naxos recordings.  But I might be unique among classical music listeners, my favorite recording of a work is almost always the one I am listening to at the time.

I hope I can choose what recordings I can take to that desert island and not be stuck with Naxos recordings. Naxos isn't a terrible label by any means and I don't want it to sound like I'm bashing the label, but they're not always a first choice in repertoire that's important to me.

[San Antone]

I hope I can choose what recordings I can take to that desert island and not be stuck with Naxos recordings. Naxos isn't a terrible label by any means and I don't want it to sound like I'm bashing the label, but they're not always a first choice in repertoire that's important to me.

I have always been more interested in the work, the music, instead of any specific performer.  Yeah, I know it takes a performer to realize the music and some do a better job then others.  But it is also the case where the differences are very small or a preferred recording is the result of personal/subjective taste.  So, I am generally very forgiving of the performance since I am mainly listening to the music/work and don't much care for the minutia of performance aspects. 

But, if it is a work I know well or a composer whose music I know well, then I will be more choosy - but this is mainly for big things, like I prefer the organ version of the Durufle Requiem.  That said, I have never been disappointed by a Naxos recording.  Alsop's Bernstein recordings are a case in point.

Back to Britten - after spending some time recently with his operas, I really think he was one of the most important operatic composers of the 20th century - maybe of all centuries.

[Mirror Image]

Back to Britten - after spending some time recently with his operas, I really think he was one of the most important operatic composers of the 20th century - maybe of all centuries.

So do I, but my opinion may, of course, be just a tad bit biased. But, to be even more honest, I like all of facets of his oeuvre and I consider him one of the greats. Incredibly consistent composer and no one really sounds remotely like him.

[vers la flamme]

I just got this CD in the mail:



First listen to the famous Serenade. So far, so good, I am enjoying it. Pears' voice is a little less grating than usual today. The interplay between tenor and horn is very interesting. I am very much enjoying slowly exploring Britten's works. All of the Decca recordings thus far under the composer's baton have been very good.

[Mandryka]

Back to Britten - after spending some time recently with his operas, I really think he was one of the most important operatic composers of the 20th century - maybe of all centuries.

It's interesting to hear an American saying that. I think many people who went to the opera in London in the second half of the last century would agree, but we were never sure about his reception elsewhere. What I can see is that Grimes gets more and more positive attention from opera people in Europe, and Billy Budd has developped a sort of gay cachet after the film Beau Travail, but maybe the other operas are still not very well known. That seems a shame to me, I like Grimes very much, I have mixed views about Billy Budd,  but the real summit IMO is Turn of the Screw.

[Mandryka]

First listen to the famous Serenade.

Invisible worm.

WTF is that about?!!!!

[vers la flamme]

Invisible worm.

WTF is that about?!!!!

I'm not much of a poetry buff myself, but I do like some Blake. I didn't have the words in front of me the whole time, I'm going to do it right next time, see if I can make some sense out of the words. I was more so immersed in the beautiful orchestration.

[Mirror Image]

I just got this CD in the mail:



First listen to the famous Serenade. So far, so good, I am enjoying it. Pears' voice is a little less grating than usual today. The interplay between tenor and horn is very interesting. I am very much enjoying slowly exploring Britten's works. All of the Decca recordings thus far under the composer's baton have been very good.

A fantastic recording, but I'm of the mind that there are many great performances of these works. Philip Langridge, for example, does a fantastic Serenade as does newcomer Allan Clayton (on Linn). Do check both of these out (when you get the time). They were hugely impressive.

[Mirror Image]

It's interesting to hear an American saying that. I think many people who went to the opera in London in the second half of the last century would agree, but we were never sure about his reception elsewhere. What I can see is that Grimes gets more and more positive attention from opera people in Europe, and Billy Budd has developped a sort of gay cachet after the film Beau Travail, but maybe the other operas are still not very well known. That seems a shame to me, I like Grimes very much, I have mixed views about Billy Budd,  but the real summit IMO is Turn of the Screw.

I certainly agree that The Turn of the Screw is phenomenal, but I wouldn't call it 'the real summit' of his operatic output. I think this opera, Death in Venice, Peter Grimes, and, believe it or not, Gloriana are what I consider to be Britten at his operatic best. Death in Venice is still rather unappreciated I think, although I'm not sure how often it gets performed. Even when I wasn't completely taken by Britten's music years ago, I thought highly of this opera and, in this sense, it was my gateway into his operas.

[Maestro267]

Just finished Britten's Violin Concerto, and I'm curious about a passage in the second movement. Somewhere in the middle, the solo violin plays very high, and is joined by the piccolo. Then at the other end of the scale, a tuba comes in and plays an ascending pattern which sounds pretty similar to the first half of the subsequent Passacaglia's ground-bass theme. Can the tuba part in II be considered a "preview" of the upcoming Passacaglia to which the entire concerto is building?

[Herman]

Here is the Doric Quartet, this week, performing Mozart 575 and Britten's 3d Quartet, one of the great pieces of 20th C chamber music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXfJMUahi4A

The next day I put a recording of the Britten Qt in the cd-player, by the Belcea. Somehow I felt that recording sounds too "warm". I think I have the Amadeus Qt recording, too, somewhere. Any other recommends?

[Herman]

Turns out I have the ASV recording by the Lindsay Quartet: Tippett SQ nr 4 and Britten's nr 3.

[Mandryka]

Here is the Doric Quartet, this week, performing Mozart 575 and Britten's 3d Quartet, one of the great pieces of 20th C chamber music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXfJMUahi4A

The next day I put a recording of the Britten Qt in the cd-player, by the Belcea. Somehow I felt that recording sounds too "warm". I think I have the Amadeus Qt recording, too, somewhere. Any other recommends?

I'll check that YouTube later. The last time I listened to this quartet was quite recently, in May, The Fine Arts Quartet. I enjoyed it I remember.

[Herman]

unfortunately the Lindsay Qt is just not up to it. Each successive movement the playing is worse.

it doesn't make me happy at all to say this; I mean, how is it possible? But it is.

I don't think this happens with today's string quartets. The technical finesse is so much better.

[Jo498]

to be fair, most of the other famous quartets of the 70s-90s like Alban-Berg Quartett were technically far more secure than the Lindsays. The latter basically made a career of being the only/major British quartet for a while and the considerable weight of British record labels and critical publications (like Gramophone and the Penguin etc.) in the 1980s who loved them.

[Herman]

to be fair, most of the other famous quartets of the 70s-90s like Alban-Berg Quartett were technically far more secure than the Lindsays. The latter basically made a career of being the only/major British quartet for a while and the considerable weight of British record labels and critical publications (like Gramophone and the Penguin etc.) in the 1980s who loved them.

The ABQ was technically top of the heap. These guys were able to do anything flawlessly (no doubt after studying and rehearsing a lot). Their technical finesse was so high that (for some people) it sucked the life out of their studio recordings.

What I don't understand about this Britten recording is that there wasn't a producer who said, we need to do this again. This is the premier British quartet and they are recording the premier British composer of the previous era.

[Mirror Image]

unfortunately the Lindsay Qt is just not up to it. Each successive movement the playing is worse.

it doesn't make me happy at all to say this; I mean, how is it possible? But it is.

I don't think this happens with today's string quartets. The technical finesse is so much better.

The Britten Quartet and Emperor String Quartet are my go-to recordings for Britten's SQs. Check these out if you haven't already.

[Mandryka]

I first heard Britten 3 in a concert with the Takacs quartet, it was the highlight of the evening,  I remember discussing it after with my friend and we agreed, we said that their approach was serious, and that was just fabulous in this music.


I never thought about it much until today and this afternoon to my surprise I found that Takacs have recorded it, so of course, I decided to download it. It's every bit as good as the memory of the concert - helped by wonderful sound. 

Still haven't heard Doric