The Barber Chair

Started by Szykneij, August 13, 2007, 06:50:40 AM

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Guido

I have a recording of it - Atlanta Symphony Chorus, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Robert Shaw. I think I borrowed the Lovers from the library once here in Cambridge.
Geologist.

The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away

karlhenning

I think Guido means Schenck's recording, ColinRobt Shaw did a great disc of the Prayers together with Bartók's Cantata profana and the Vaughan Williams Dona nobis pacem.

(And I could have read ahead . . . of course, Guido straightened things out promptly.)

jowcol

Quickly, I'd have to say my faves are Symphony 1, 2nd Essay (my very favorite), the Cello Concerto(the Naxos one worked very well for me...) , and the underated Music for a Scene by Shelley.   And Knoxville 1915, of course.  And the Tocatta Festiva for Organ works very well for me.

I must admit the Piano and violin concerti did not do as much for me.  May be a problem on my side, and require a few more listens.
"If it sounds good, it is good."
Duke Ellington

Guido

The Naxos recordings of both the piano concerto and the violin concertos are the least convincing recordings in that series - to do with the soloists mainly... Browning in the piano concerto is just incredible, as is Takezawa in the violin concerto. I'm very glad that you agree with me on the Naxos recording of the cello concerto - a truly wonderful recording of an amazing piece.
Geologist.

The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away

karlhenning

The Medea music is just plain great.

Guido

You're right there Karl! It's rather Stravinskian in parts, a composer whom Barber admired though not uncritically. Like all Barber's other music, it's just so superbly made, gorgeous, the wind writing especially is just fantastic. And that xylophone figure really sticks in the mind - always what I remember first about the piece. He conducted this work along with the violin concerto, second symphony  and the Adagio for strings in Germany, and it was Medea that the audience demanded again. I like both the Suite and the shortened concert movement - Medea's Meditation and Dance of Vengeance.
Geologist.

The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away

karlhenning

Quote from: Guido on April 13, 2009, 07:27:18 AM
. . . I like both the Suite and the shortened concert movement - Medea's Meditation and Dance of Vengeance.

Yes, I listened to both versions of the piece the other night.

karlhenning

Here's an odd tangent . . . I've been speed-reading the odd title in the 33 1/3 series, and I am nearly done with the Beatles's Let It Be . . . the filming with which the project started out (at Twickenham Studios, IIRC) ran for about a week, and so there was a lot of jamming/puttering going on.  I haven'tr actually seen any of the footage (which I understand is out there for the viewing), but the book retails a couple of mentions of McCartney playing an arrangement of the Barber Adagio.

Guido

How odd... I wonder what on? Of course McCartney famously can't read music, so I wonder how it was achieved...
Geologist.

The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away

snyprrr

I wish more threads had as witty titles! :)

Guido

What's so witty about it?
Geologist.

The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away

snyprrr

Is it the punchline to a composer pun?

Guido

I don't know what you are asking above...

It's not a pun because the name Barber comes from the job barber... unless there is something else called a barber chair which has nothing to do with hairdressing...
Geologist.

The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away

karlhenning

Anyone listen to Barber this weekend past?

Opus106

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on July 06, 2009, 05:50:43 AM
Anyone listen to Barber this weekend past?

Funny you should ask. I listened to the VC for the first time, yesterday -- and immediately went scouring for CD reviews. :)
Regards,
Navneeth

karlhenning

Splendid! I await your report!  :)

Opus106

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on July 06, 2009, 06:05:20 AM
Splendid! I await your report!  :)

It was a one-time listen, on an internet station. Definitely Romantic, but it was good to be discovering and listening to 'new' works, a VC especially, after a gap. I haven't actually purchased a CD yet. :) Do you have a favourite recording?
Regards,
Navneeth

karlhenning

Quote from: opus106 on July 06, 2009, 06:11:22 AM
It was a one-time listen, on an internet station. Definitely Romantic, but it was good to be discovering and listening to 'new' works, a VC especially, after a gap. I haven't actually purchased a CD yet. :) Do you have a favourite recording?

I haven't heard many, so I don't know if I should call the one I own my favorite, though it is good.  And I've heard the piece live, too.

We'll let others chime in on range of recordings . . . .

Opus106

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on July 06, 2009, 06:13:23 AM
I haven't heard many, so I don't know if I should call the one I own my favorite, though it is good. 

Okay, just name the recordings you own or have heard. ;D
Regards,
Navneeth

karlhenning

Oh, what the hell:  Buswell/RSNO/Alsop on Naxos: buy it!  ;D