David Hurwitz

[Brian]

I also like how coronavirus is making Hurwitz a little crazy. During the mostly glowing "big box" review of the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields megabox, he takes a break to observe his cat playing with a toy, and then there's this amusing exchange in the comment section:

Viewer: "This is waaaaaay too much music for me, though even at $160, this is a good deal for the sheer quantity."
Dave: "Oh, come on! What else have you got to do?"

[vandermolen]

I also like how coronavirus is making Hurwitz a little crazy. During the mostly glowing "big box" review of the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields megabox, he takes a break to observe his cat playing with a toy, and then there's this amusing exchange in the comment section:

Viewer: "This is waaaaaay too much music for me, though even at $160, this is a good deal for the sheer quantity."
Dave: "Oh, come on! What else have you got to do?"

Nice!

[Irons]

Enjoyed the Hurwitz Frank Bridge and not too long which is a plus. Laughed out loud at his comments on English music and indeed England itself. As always an element of truth adds to the humour. Hurwitz does know his stuff over a vast repertoire and recordings. I am particularly impressed at his fulsome praise for Sir Charles Groves but less so at failing to mention the profound effect that WW1 had on Bridge's musical style.

https://youtu.be/2z-j1v64e8Q

[Madiel]

Enjoyed the Hurwitz Frank Bridge and not too long which is a plus. Laughed out loud at his comments on English music and indeed England itself. As always an element of truth adds to the humour. Hurwitz does know his stuff over a vast repertoire and recordings. I am particularly impressed at his fulsome praise for Sir Charles Groves but less so at failing to mention the profound effect that WW1 had on Bridge's musical style.

https://youtu.be/2z-j1v64e8Q

Pity it's only about a handful of orchestral works (though his choices make a lot of sense). I think Bridge's best stuff is in chamber music. But he does seem to have a handle on the music he's talking about.

Also... it's a bit creepy when the music is playing.

[Todd]

Eloquence seems to think David Hurwitz's reviews are worthwhile enough to cite in an email blast.

GMG gripers gonna gripe, though.

[Irons]

Pity it's only about a handful of orchestral works (though his choices make a lot of sense). I think Bridge's best stuff is in chamber music. But he does seem to have a handle on the music he's talking about.

Also... it's a bit creepy when the music is playing.

It is. Does he freeze the frame or go very still? His knowledge is impressive but lets face it he ain't no oil painting! Why not fill the screen with the booklet cover of music being played. Anything other then him.

[Brian]

He freeze frames it, yeah. It's a little unnerving. It's already weird that he stares straight at me when I might be watching the video while, say, using the john  .

[MishaK]

I've been enjoying his youtube channel immensely. He comes off so much more humorous and thoughtful in video than he does in his writing. (Though his obsession with tam tams persists.)

[André]

I've been enjoying his youtube channel immensely. He comes off so much more humorous and thoughtful in video than he does in his writing. (Though his obsession with tam tams persists.)

Coincidentally, I just read a review of his (Gerhard Schjelderup on CPO) and as I read I tried to hear his voice and speech manner in my head. It actually made much more sense that way ! He really gains from being heard, despite his mannerisms.

[MishaK]

Coincidentally, I just read a review of his (Gerhard Schjelderup on CPO) and as I read I tried to hear his voice and speech manner in my head. It actually made much more sense that way ! He really gains from being heard, despite his mannerisms.

Yes, I agree. His writings take on a different tone when you know what he actually sounds like in speech. And it's easier to appreciate the sort of wink in the eye when he seemingly completely trashes a recording.

[Jo498]

I think the voice and mannerisms are often grating but it adds a (intended or unintended) humourous dimension that is lacking in writing. The recent video on Hindemith's Weber Metamorphoses is very nice because Hurwitz dug out the obscure piano 4-hand pieces by Weber that served as material but that hardly anybody has ever heard before.

[Daverz]

I think the voice and mannerisms are often grating but it adds a (intended or unintended) humourous dimension that is lacking in writing. The recent video on Hindemith's Weber Metamorphoses is very nice because Hurwitz dug out the obscure piano 4-hand pieces by Weber that served as material but that hardly anybody has ever heard before.

He also has a video on the works by Domenico Gallo that Stravinsky's Pulcinella is based on.  Very fun to listen to these works having known and loved the Stravinsky for decades.

https://www.youtube.com/v/qXioT4afCrs

[Scion7]

Yes, I agree. His writings take on a different tone when you know what he actually sounds like in speech. And it's easier to appreciate the sort of wink in the eye when he seemingly completely trashes a recording.

On the other hand, a few days in the stocks at Thame wouldn't do him any harm ...

[vandermolen]

Enjoyed the Hurwitz Frank Bridge and not too long which is a plus. Laughed out loud at his comments on English music and indeed England itself. As always an element of truth adds to the humour. Hurwitz does know his stuff over a vast repertoire and recordings. I am particularly impressed at his fulsome praise for Sir Charles Groves but less so at failing to mention the profound effect that WW1 had on Bridge's musical style.

https://youtu.be/2z-j1v64e8Q

I just watched the Bridge video as a displacement activity from getting on with my school work preparation  .
Thank you Lol for alerting me to it. It was very enjoyable indeed and he is right about Sir Charles Groves who, IMO, conducted the best 'Morning Heroes' (Bliss) on disc (although everyone raves about Andrew Davis) and Bliss's 'A Colour Symphony'. amongst much else. I have the large Groves box which includes the marvellous Bridge tone poems. Hurwitz is also right about how good James Judd's 'Jeremiah Symphony' (Bernstein) is. His comments on England and English music are very funny including the way in which Bridge transformed from an 'uninteresting, late-romantic, pale, English, quasi-pastoral' composer (a representative of the 'Old Boy's Club') to a 'gnarly modernist'. Good to hear him still droning on about Elgar's 'March of the Moghul Emperors' as well. Highly entertaining and informative. I'd have liked to hear him say a bit more about 'Oration'.

[Irons]

I just watched the Bridge video as a displacement activity from getting on with my school work preparation  .
Thank you Lol for alerting me to it. It was very enjoyable indeed and he is right about Sir Charles Groves who, IMO, conducted the best 'Morning Heroes' (Bliss) on disc (although everyone raves about Andrew Davis) and Bliss's 'A Colour Symphony'. amongst much else. I have the large Groves box which includes the marvellous Bridge tone poems. Hurwitz is also right about how good James Judd's 'Jeremiah Symphony' (Bernstein) is. His comments on England and English music are very funny including the way in which Bridge transformed from an 'uninteresting, late-romantic, pale, English, quasi-pastoral' composer (a representative of the 'Old Boy's Club') to a 'gnarly modernist'. Good to hear him still droning on about Elgar's 'March of the Moghul Emperors' as well. Highly entertaining and informative. I'd liked to hear him say a bit more about 'Oration'.

I know your expertise is channelled to older students Jeffrey, but driving past our village infants school this morning I got an unexpected buzz seeing for the first time for too long kiddies in their uniforms being taken to school by their parents. It felt like a small victory and a big step forward.

Pleased, as I did, you enjoyed the Bridge video. He only scratched the surface of a deep and interesting composer but we are all guilty of that, at least I am! As an American, I thought his judgements were sound and true, more so then many British commentators I think. As I commented he missed out on the WW1 influence on Bridge's music and indeed 'Oration' is a crucial part of that.

[vandermolen]

I know your expertise is channelled to older students Jeffrey, but driving past our village infants school this morning I got an unexpected buzz seeing for the first time for too long kiddies in their uniforms being taken to school by their parents. It felt like a small victory and a big step forward.

Pleased, as I did, you enjoyed the Bridge video. He only scratched the surface of a deep and interesting composer but we are all guilty of that, at least I am! As an American, I thought his judgements were sound and true, more so then many British commentators I think. As I commented he missed out on the WW1 influence on Bridge's music and indeed 'Oration' is a crucial part of that.

It must have been touching to see the children returning to school Lol - a bit of normality restored. Last week I had to teach a Year 8 class while (unsuccessfully) attempting to include a pupil isolating at home via video-link with a background notice of continuous drilling going on from the building site outside the windows (which have to be kept open for ventilation purposes). Other than that the lesson went well! 
Yes, it would be good to hear David Hurwitz's views on some of Bridge's chamber music such as the excellent Piano Quintet. I find him a most interesting composer.

[Irons]

It must have been touching to see the children returning to school Lol - a bit of normality restored. Last week I had to teach a Year 8 class while (unsuccessfully) attempting to include a pupil isolating at home via video-link with a background notice of continuous drilling going on from the building site outside the windows (which have to be kept open for ventilation purposes). Other than that the lesson went well! 
Yes, it would be good to hear David Hurwitz's views on some of Bridge's chamber music such as the excellent Piano Quintet. I find him a most interesting composer.

The only way I can approach Bridge is as two composers, Jeffrey. The one of "Summer" and the other of the 4th Quartet. I picked up a recording of the Piano Quintet just recently.

Hope for your sake the building work is finished soon as we are in for an "Indian" summer I have read. Thinking of rolling out the barbecue for weekend.

[Irons]

Fair play to Hurwitz he has the power to surprise. His video talk on complete Nielsen cycles went pretty much as expected with the usual suspects achieving the Hurwitz seal of approval.

Moving on to single symphony recommendations I listened to his survey of the Nielsen "Inextinguishable". Well I never! Didn't see that one coming!!

https://youtu.be/6urJd0hEssc

[Daverz]

Fair play to Hurwitz he has the power to surprise. His video talk on complete Nielsen cycles went pretty much as expected with the usual suspects achieving the Hurwitz seal of approval.

Moving on to single symphony recommendations I listened to his survey of the Nielsen "Inextinguishable". Well I never! Didn't see that one coming!!

https://youtu.be/6urJd0hEssc

Have to admit that I discounted the later Gibson recordings on Chandos, but this is a cheap download on chandos.net.

https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHAN%206524

[Irons]

Have to admit that I discounted the later Gibson recordings on Chandos, but this is a cheap download on chandos.net.

https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHAN%206524

Unsuccessfully searched for CD but located a LP on RCA which I have ordered. Be interesting to see if as good Hurwitz says it is.