Bruckner's 6th Symphony - Blind Comparison

Started by TheGSMoeller, May 02, 2014, 05:05:52 AM

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Brian

Wow, thanks for posting all of that information. See - coming at the piece afresh with a score in hand is going to force people like me to totally rethink how the symphony is supposed to go. I knew a non-staccato final chord bothered me, but didn't realize just how much people are reinterpreting Bruckner...

Also, the string parts on the page you posted remind me that I'm always amazed classical music lasted for centuries with people having to write everything out by hand. That looks like a truly monotonous task for Bruckner's hand...

aukhawk

#201
I think he probably liked monotonous ...

(I refer to his tendency to count railings, not to anything in his music)


TheGSMoeller

I know it's only been 2 days....but, BUMP!

As I said, I'll accept a minimum of 4 scores per group in order to move on. I know Jens is about to score group C, so that only leaves 2 more for C and 3 more D, of course I'll leave it open if some of you would like to add your vote to a group before I close it. That could always help decrease the chances of a tie.

Also, keep in mind how beautiful that Adagio is and how wonderful it would be to hear it over, and over, and over, and over, and......

Brahmsian

Quote from: TheGSMoeller on July 05, 2014, 09:51:41 AM
Also, keep in mind how beautiful that Adagio is and how wonderful it would be to hear it over, and over, and over, and over, and......

This is so true!   :)  However, I'm satisfied with continuing with my Stravinsky binge in the mean time.  :D

TheGSMoeller

Quote from: ChamberNut on July 05, 2014, 11:10:34 AM
This is so true!   :)  However, I'm satisfied with continuing with my Stravinsky binge in the mean time.  :D

It had been a while since I spun some Igor, will continue later with more. And you've got time, Ray, probably another 3 weeks before the Adagio portion gets under way.

Brahmsian

Quote from: TheGSMoeller on July 05, 2014, 11:39:55 AM
It had been a while since I spun some Igor, will continue later with more. And you've got time, Ray, probably another 3 weeks before the Adagio portion gets under way.

Plenty of time to listen to more Igor.  And my personal summer holiday tradition - listening to Solti's Ring:)

jlaurson


TheGSMoeller


jlaurson

Quote from: TheGSMoeller on July 07, 2014, 07:04:30 AM
Cheers, Jens. Hope you had a good weekend!

Terrific. Being away from Vienna always is.  ;) Friends got together and made White Sausages (almost) from scratch... and then ate the lot.

TheGSMoeller


TheGSMoeller



jlaurson


Ranking of Group C...

C1
C2
C3
C5
C4
C6

All of them fine, actually... not keen on eliminating anything from this group, but I suppose it has to be done.


Lisztianwagner

I'm looking forward to seeing the result! :)
"Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire." - Gustav Mahler

TheGSMoeller

Quote from: ChamberNut on July 14, 2014, 04:54:08 AM
*gentle nudge*

:)

;D I actually crashed last night, woke up and realized I wasn't on time with my Strauss post, so chose that over this. I will post the new losers when I get home. :)

And thank you, Jens, for the C score!

TheGSMoeller

Jens is shaking up Group C!  :o  ;D


Group B

Jens    Brian     Drosera   Sarge
B1       B2         B5          B2
B4       B4         B6          B5
B6       B1         B4          B1
B5       B5         B2          B3
B2       B6         B3          B4
B3       B3         B1          B6


Group C

Neal.   Jens
C3.      C1
C2.      C2
C6.      C3
C5.      C5
C1.      C4
C4.      C6


Group D

Brian     Neal
D5           D3
D3           D5
D2           D2
D1           D6
D6           D4
D4           D1

Cato

Okay, a little late!  Greg has kindly placed me in Group C: I just finished listening to C 1, and it is very good.  Energetic, and (most) of the crescendos are handled with great drama.  The assorted lines of the score are quite clear, and the delicate sections are delicate without being too slow.

(I heard A1 this morning and thought it was fairly arthritic   ???  , except for the final measures.)

Five more to go!
"Meet Miss Ruth Sherwood, from Columbus, Ohio, the Middle of the Universe!"

- Brian Aherne introducing Rosalind Russell in  My Sister Eileen (1942)

Cato

My "window of opportunity" stayed open longer than I thought it would, so I have just finished C 2!

Good, in general "crisp" performance: but at times too fast, e.g. the section after the proclamation of the opening theme seemed almost perfunctory, and again, like with C 1, not every crescendo was handled with the requisite drama.  The mystery in the movement was lost at times because of the rushing through  certain sections, especially the quieter, more reflective passages.

Still, a good number of things are excellent, like the last 2 minutes or so.

So right now, I have:

C1
C2
"Meet Miss Ruth Sherwood, from Columbus, Ohio, the Middle of the Universe!"

- Brian Aherne introducing Rosalind Russell in  My Sister Eileen (1942)

Cato

Okay, C 3!  Let me wonder whether this is the Jochum/Dresden recording from the 1970's!  I have only heard that set once, about 7 years ago, but this performance reminds me of it!  The raw power in the opening with the brass almost overstating their case, and then later on as well!  (The slightly excessive vibrato in the trumpets and horns also makes me wonder if this is not an "eastern" orchestra.)

Again, a little raw, the bass fiddles growling unsmoothly now and then, but the power is there for sure when you need it!

Tempos are fine, clarity of the lines is not always the best, yet at times it is exquisite in the last pages!  Full of energy without sacrificing the mystery or subtlety in the score: what a ride with the brass!

So now this is becoming difficult!   0:)

Subject to change, but right now:

C 3
C 1
C 2
"Meet Miss Ruth Sherwood, from Columbus, Ohio, the Middle of the Universe!"

- Brian Aherne introducing Rosalind Russell in  My Sister Eileen (1942)

Cato

#219
C 4 should be explosive!   8)

A live-audience performance, but we will not hold that against it!  Ignoring the audience noise and a creaking chair somewhere  ??? ...

A good performance, but not great.  The tempos are in general fine, but the crescendos again are not always handled properly, and the climax in the middle of the movement lacks that knockout punch one would like to hear.  Dynamics are at times not quite right: soft sections are occasionally still too loud.  Clarity of the lines is in general good, only occasionally muddy.  The attack of the brass is at times on target, but at others it is rather mushy.

The last two minutes are well done!

A note on C 3: I understand both why Neal chose it as his #1, and why Jens demoted it: see my notes above.

So now I have:

C 3
C 1
C 2
C 4

As a teacher, let me say that the ranking is not from A to F, but from A to B-   :D

All of these are better than A 1!   :D

"Meet Miss Ruth Sherwood, from Columbus, Ohio, the Middle of the Universe!"

- Brian Aherne introducing Rosalind Russell in  My Sister Eileen (1942)