Blind Comparison: Brahms 2

[Brahmsian]

I've done a number of listens, and I have 5 of them firmly ranked as my favourites or least favourites.

3 recordings that are still in up in the air and so close, that a few more listens to each are required.  Once I am done, will post obviously. 

I used 8 criteria (some criterion with a higher weight of importance), to use as a guide, which I found very useful.

[Sergeant Rock]

I've done a number of listens, and I have 5 of them firmly ranked as my favourites or least favourites.

3 recordings that are still in up in the air and so close, that a few more listens to each are required.  Once I am done, will post obviously. 

I used 8 criteria (some criterion with a higher weight of importance), to use as a guide, which I found very useful.

I'm looking forward to the results of such a rational comparative listening plan. Me? no plan. I just dive in and hope for the best 

Sarge

[TheGSMoeller]

I'm looking forward to the results of such a rational comparative listening plan. Me? no plan. I just dive in and hope for the best 

Sarge

This is me. And I normally don't like second listens because I prefer first impressions.

[TheGSMoeller]

I've done a number of listens, and I have 5 of them firmly ranked as my favourites or least favourites.

3 recordings that are still in up in the air and so close, that a few more listens to each are required.  Once I am done, will post obviously. 

I used 8 criteria (some criterion with a higher weight of importance), to use as a guide, which I found very useful.

Glad you stuck around, Ray. Also I get to look at your wacky avatar more. 

[Brian]

A1: This is a wonderful performance. It's not perfect, because neither winds nor strings play flawlessly in this clip, and also the mono sound, although really good for mono, peels the violins up and out of the acoustic. It's a little like the lid curling up when you use a can opener. Aaaaaaand I've just won the prize for weirdest review! But this is a lively, cheery performance that, especially before and after the climax, really moves along. Flowing. Very nice. 7/10.

A2: Another pastoral performance, with a unique sound to the horns at the start. Divided violins with the wonderful cellists in the middle. I agree with Neal about the softness and lyricism here, and with NY Mark about the word "reverential." In contrast with Neal, I think the climax might be too light on its feet and too see-through (if that makes sense); thus I don't hear the darkness Mark hears. 7.5/10.

A3: Gosh, I love the flute playing in the introduction. I disagree with Neal about the rough strings, because to me the violins (especially around 14:00) are as smooth as an ice-skating rink. They feel very old-school, almost like this is Karajan's Berliners or something. The conducting feels very middle-of-the-pack. 6/10.

A4: I am immediately taken by the powerful bass and the horns, which have a wonderful evocative way about them. Is this a live recording, or just a loud one? Like Mark, I turned down the volume. But not only are the horns wonderful - so is the whole orchestra, maybe the most interesting orchestra yet. Is this an American group? The lullaby is not as lyrical and gorgeous as the others, a definite minus for me, but it's because this performance is more propulsive, which pays off in the climax. (I love how, at around 18:30, the trumpet starts to "signal" the oncoming excitement.) I can see why some would call this unsubtle. This is like Levine/CSO, but slightly less good. Unless it is Levine/CSO, and then I will look like a fool. 7.7/10.

A5: Coming right after A4 puts this at a disadvantage, because it is exactly the opposite approach. Again, love the horns (now with vibrato!). This is a subtle account, yes, and a little bit lethargic maybe, but I don't mind. I do mind the kind of blatty horns around 23:50, and the climax does seem a little sluggish. 6.6/10.

A6: Faster opening, slightly pinched horns, and I suspect that this is a chamber orchestra. The performance is graceful, light on its feet. Everything feels a little smaller, less grandiose, which I welcome. Actually, truth be told, I don't love this interpretation, but find it distinctive enough to want to hear more of it. 6.4/10.

A7: And even faster and more clipped yet! Like Neal says, consistently staccato, even and especially in wind solos. The string section is smaller, but more unified and just better-played than A6. I think I'll lower my score for A6 and allot the points to this one, which does similar things but more interestingly still. There's interesting phrasing all over the place. 7.8/10.

A8: Old, and speedy. We have awakened a sleeping giant! I hear moments when the violins have trouble hanging together (37:30ish) and the recorded sound and eccentricity are enough to ensure this will never be my favorite. Plus, I was expecting more fireworks than actually arrived. 5.5/10.

Ranking in order from favorite to least: A7, A4, A2, A1, A5, A6, A3, A8
Recordings I would like to hear in the next round: A7, A4, A2, A1, A5

Okay, Daniel, bring on another group!!

[Sergeant Rock]

Okay, Daniel, bring on another group!!

Send me the links to A and C also, Daniel.

Sarge

[TheGSMoeller]

Send me Group C, Daniel. Only seen A and B so far so I'll help represent C.

[Brahmsian]

OK, so I have my rankings for Group B.  Very enjoyable experience.  I feel now after several listens, I could conduct this opening 5 minutes or so. 

I had 8 criteria for marking (don't hate me, it was just a guide to help me along, and it did!)

My 8 criteria were (and some I weighted as a more important criterion than others) were:

1 - Recording Quality/Sound (weight = 2)
2 - Dynamics (weight = 2)
3 - Clarity (weight = 2)
4 - Nailing the Key Moments     (weight = 3)
5 - Woodwind Play (weight = 1)
6 - Tempo (weight = 1)
7 - Overall energy and feel (weight = 1)
8 - Unity, cohesion, in sync (weight = 1)

Thus, in order of most preferred to least preferred, here they are:

B4
B6
B8
B2

B3
*B7
B5
B1

Before making remarks, I didn't feel that any wanted to make me puke a hairball.  All of these had their moments.  However, the clear favourites for me were B4 and B6, and the clear least favourites were B1 and B5.

*However, it was B7 that I was most disappoined with , even though it wasn't my least favourite.  The reason being:  The first minute or two, I was like "Oh boy, this is surely going to be the best one - off to a great start.....and then it fell apart during the key moments, felt sluggish and seemed like a car sputtering out of gas.  Scored pretty high on the first 3 criteria, and highest on great woodwind play, but scored the lowest on "nailing the key moments", tempo (horrible), and overall energy and feel.

For me, I felt if one could combine the absolute best parts of B4 and B7, it would be 'almost perfect'.    By the way, I was a bit surprised in a way, how much I liked B4, as I thought I preferred a more moderated tempo, but I really dug the brisk, fast pace of B4.  It seem to work so well. 


NB:  I made sure not to read any comments of anyone else's in Group B, before posting my own thoughts.  It did not want any influence and be a completely partial and non-coerced nut! 

[Brahmsian]

Looking at Sarge's list, and no surprise here!    Although we love many of the same composers and works, we usually differ vastly in our favourite recordings of said composers/works. 

Therefore, I know that Sarge and I are in synchronicity! 

[TheGSMoeller]

B4 B6 B8 B2

Order: B4, B7, B2, B6,

Hey now!   

[Brahmsian]

Hey now!   

We have 3 of the same in our top 4.  And we both picked B4 as our fave, Greg! 

+1 

[Sergeant Rock]

And we both picked B4 as our fave, Greg! 

I understand that. After my first time through the eight samples I was thinking of placing it first or second and I was sure it would be the overall favorite. It's a bold, brash, in your face kind of performance, very exciting. It was only with subsequent listens (probably a dozen times) that it began to settle into the middle of the pack in my estimation. I expect to be the odd man out here.

Sarge

[Brahmsian]

I understand that. After my first time through the eight samples I was thinking of placing it first or second and I was sure it would be the overall favorite. It's a bold, brash, in your face kind of performance, very exciting. It was only with subsequent listens (probably a dozen times) that it began to settle into the middle of the pack in my estimation. I expect to be the odd man out here.

Sarge

Oh boy.  B1 was your favourite, and my least favourite.   

Bazooka blast not required.  ---------->    <------------ That is the face of someone who just received a dosage of bazooka fire. 

[Brahmsian]

Summary of my highest/lowest ranking in each of the eight categories I chose for this exposition:


1 - Recording Quality/Sound (Highest B6, Lowest B5)

2 - Dynamics (Highest B4, Lowest B1)

3 - Clarity (Highest B6, Lowest B5)

4 - Nailing the Key Moments   (Highest B4, Lowest B7)

5 - Woodwind Play (Highest B7, Lowest B5)

6 - Tempo (Highest B2, Lowest B7)

7 - Overall energy and feel (Highest B4, Lowest B7)

8 - Unity, cohesion, in sync (Highest B4, Lowest B1)

[Sergeant Rock]

Bazooka blast not required.

No danger of that. I had to check my weapons at the door 

Seriously, I don't think there has ever been an argument or a disparaging remark made about someone's choices in these blind comparisons. The participants have always been remarkably polite and respectful of each other.

Sarge

[Brahmsian]

I'm curious now as to how many GMG blind listens there have been thus far?  This is my first participation, in the Brahms S2 one, and I've only read a bit in the Berlioz' Symphonie Fantastique one.

A quick glance at threads:

*Berlioz - Symphonie fantastique

*Mendelssohn - Violin Concerto

*Ravel - Gaspard de la Nuit

*Chopin - An Etude

*Brahms - Symphony No. 2

*Bach - Toccata for Harpsichord

Were there any others? 

[TheGSMoeller]

Zarathustra

And if there's interest I may hold a Bruckner 6th after this one.

[North Star]

Debussy: La mer
Schumann 4
Mahler 1 and 6

[Brian]

*Mendelssohn - Violin Concerto

To be clear, though, this was only a three-minute excerpt from the concerto.

[Brahmsian]

And if there's interest I may hold a Bruckner 6th after this one.

That is a great one, Greg.  A symphony that has really, really grown on me over the last few years!    I would gladly participate in that one, surely.