David Hurwitz

[Madiel]

David Hurwitz regularly recommends period instrument recordings. As he himself frequently points out due to the canard that he never likes period instrument recordings.

I don't know off the top of my head if that goes as far as the baroque. It most definitely goes as far as Haydn.

[Madiel]

A brief exchange here with someone I know about a recording can be quite interesting and valuable.

Why don't you consider that to be a review?

[Spotted Horses]

Why don't you consider that to be a review?

Because it is a conversation.

[Madiel]

Because it is a conversation.

I see.

[Florestan]

Reminds me of the conversations between Florestan, Eusebius and Master Raro, which mystified people into believing they were actually reviews. 

[Madiel]

Reminds me of the conversations between Florestan, Eusebius and Master Raro, which mystified people into believing they were actually reviews. 

Well look, if you can't find anyone else to have a satisfying conversation with, it's at least worth trying a conversation with yourself to see if it is up to the required standard.

[DavidW]

DH made a video about J.S.Bach - Johannes Passion & Matteus Passion - Herreweghe

That is odd.  I thought that Hurwitz didn't even listen to baroque era music since Jed Distler covers that era on Classics Today.  And are you saying that DH praised Herreweghe!?!  A conductor he mostly hates!?  Wow!

[71 dB]

That is odd.  I thought that Hurwitz didn't even listen to baroque era music since Jed Distler covers that era on Classics Today.  And are you saying that DH praised Herreweghe!?!  A conductor he mostly hates!?  Wow!

Why don't you watch the video yourself? It's not long.

[Madiel]

A conductor he mostly hates!?

Evidence please. Given that I can very quickly find at least 2 other examples of him recommending Herreweghe as a top choice in repertoire.

There is plenty of mention of Baroque music on his channel.

[DavidW]

Evidence please.

Look up any (written) review of Beethoven symphonies conducted by Herreweghe as a starter.  You can also just search Classics Today.

[DavidW]

Why don't you watch the video yourself? It's not long.

lol no, I'm not giving him a higher watch count.

[Florestan]

lol no, I'm not giving him a higher watch count.

Oh yes, your watching or not watching one of his videos is going to make a big difference and have a huge impact on his watch count. 

With all due respect, your position is not quite fair: somebody mentions a David Hurwitz video, you express disbelief about its content, but when invited to see for yourself you demur under a rather slight pretext. Do you hate him so much?

[DavidW]

With all due respect, your position is not quite fair: somebody mentions a David Hurwitz video, you express disbelief about its content, but when invited to see for yourself you demur under a rather slight pretext. Do you hate him so much?

Well you just read that wrong.  I believe Poju.  I was just shocked that Hurwitz would promote a recording from a conductor that he has spent so long bashing.  I don't need to watch the video, Poju never lies.

[Madiel]

Look up any (written) review of Beethoven symphonies conducted by Herreweghe as a starter.  You can also just search Classics Today.

Me asking for evidence is not an invitation to make me Google. I already did a search as I told you, and found 2 more times he recommended Herreweghe in Purcell and Monteverdi. Not liking his performances of one composer is not evidence of hating Herreweghe all the time, it's merely evidence of hating his Beethoven.

Which isn't even Baroque repertoire. About the strongest proposition so far might be he thinks Herreweghe should stick to Baroque.

EDIT: Turns out he thinks Herreweghe is good in Stravinsky too.

SECOND EDIT: And if YOU bothered searching Classics Today you would find his existing rave reviews of Herreweghe's Bach.

[DavidW]

On Classics Today most of the reviews of Herreweghe's recordings are negative, and the ones that are positive are mostly by Distler or Carr and not Hurwitz.  There is your summary.  Move on.  You lost this one.

[Florestan]

Well you just read that wrong.  I believe Poju.  I was just shocked that Hurwitz would promote a recording from a conductor that he has spent so long bashing.  I don't need to watch the video, Poju never lies.

Ah, okay, my bad then, I apologize.

[Madiel]

On Classics Today most of the reviews of Herreweghe's recordings are negative, and the ones that are positive are mostly by Distler or Carr and not Hurwitz.  There is your summary.  Move on.  You lost this one.

It doesn't take very long to actually search the reviews in question and find out that your memory is faulty.  This is simply false. I'm not going to move on, I'm going to type out a list if you don't go and actually look.

Edit: as you'll see below, I most definitely did not lose this one.

[Madiel]

There are only the following reviews of the conductor Hurwitz has supposedly spent "so long bashing". You'd think there'd be more, but no. I'll just put the artistic score. This includes reviews by "Classics Today" where it isn't totally clear whether Hurwitz was the reviewer.

1. Bach St Matthew Passion Herreweghe's 1st recording: insider review so score not visible but it's his reference recording (consistent with the new video)

2. Brahms Symphony no.4: 6/10

3. Monteverdi Vespers: insider review but it's his reference recording (again consistent with one of his videos)

4. Beethoven symphonies 4 & 7: 5/10

5. Mahler symphony 4: 3/10

6. Stravinsky: 9/10

7. Bruckner symphony 5: 7/10

8. Bach St Matthew Passion Herreweghe's 2nd recording: 10/10

9. Beethoven symphonies 1&3: 5/10

10. Bach Cantatas 29, 119, 120: 10/10

11. Bruckner symphony 4: 6/10

12. Schubert/Mendlessohn ("Classics Today" review): 9/10

13. Lassus motets ("Classics Today" review): 8/10

14. Schumann concertos ("Classics Today" review): 9/10

15. Rameau: 8/10

And that's the complete list. 12 reviews definitely attributable to him, half of which are 8/10 of better. Plus 3 more that might or might not be his that are all positive.

Understood? Even if I set the bar at 8/10 we get at least half of reviews meeting that mark.

It's time to end the bullshit caricatures.

[71 dB]

Poju never lies.

Thanks for the trust! 

[Scion7]

He remains a dullard.

Much better reviewers and sites out there.