David Hurwitz

[Atriod]

You seem to like Hurwitz as a negative compass--his disses become your faves. I agree with most of his opinions, but still find him tiresome to listen to. If you don't agree with him much, doesn't he drive you nuts?

From my list there was only one thing I disagreed with Hurwitz on (Asahina). I find his videos on FXR a bit hyperbolic but his opinion is sound, the only François-Xavier Roth recording I've bought so far is Symphonie Fantastique. There are many more recordings I've discovered through him but I was just naming ones that I could remember.

[DavidW]

From my list there was only one thing I disagreed with Hurwitz on (Asahina). I find his videos on FXR a bit hyperbolic but his opinion is sound, the only François-Xavier Roth recording I've bought so far is Symphonie Fantastique. There are many more recordings I've discovered through him but I was just naming ones that I could remember.

I liked this recording:



More of a curiosity to hear this version of the first, then something definitive.  But the playing is passionate, and the sounds of the instruments are strangely different in some key ways... the Viennese horns and trumpets sound quite a bit different.

[Mookalafalas]

From my list there was only one thing I disagreed with Hurwitz on (Asahina). I find his videos on FXR a bit hyperbolic but his opinion is sound, the only François-Xavier Roth recording I've bought so far is Symphonie Fantastique. There are many more recordings I've discovered through him but I was just naming ones that I could remember.

Oh, sorry. When you wrote "François-Xavier Roth/Les Siècles. Hurwitz's videos on him are rants, I had to hear them out of sheer curiosity" I assumed it was a negative rant.


  For my part, I really liked his long video praising Neeme Jarvi's Chandos recordings. I was able to snag a big batch of those, and I see where he was coming from. Nice, solid, clear interpretations without any undue flash and bang. I'm learning a lot of new repertoire.  
  I'm not sure what it is about his delivery that makes him (Hurwitz) so persuasive (to me, anyway). Perhaps it's the sheer quantity of concrete details and examples he mentions for each recording.
   I'm listening to Jarvi at home, Ormandy on my commutes, and Blomstedt in my office, all basically as a result of his videos

 I loved his video on the Cleveland Qtt.  I may be listening to those soon, too.
 

[Karl Henning]

some possible tips on where to start listening to Boulez?

@Brian this is veering OT, and I shall cross-post. My suggestions for three pieces to start with Boulez in chronological order:

Le Marteau sans maître. It's not everyone's money, and in fact it fell out of and back into my own favor. I fell for it readily the first time I heard it, so maybe you will, too. And now that my own pendulum has re-swung, it's a firm fave again.

Rituel in memoriam Bruno Maderna. Atypical of the composer, as heretofore noted. Mightily strong piece.

Sur Incises. I don't know how the true Boulez fans feel about various times when the composer fiddled with various scores, and I guess that my writing that indicates that my own fandom is somewhat at arm's length, but I find this an unalloyed success.

[Brian]

So many thanks! I will take the Boulez recommendations from you and earlier in these pages, and make them a new year's resolution for early January.

[(poco) Sforzando]

Hmmmm. Yes, the artwork alone sells the set. I shall listen for that noise morning, noon, and night when my copy arrives. Though you'd expect the engineer to take care of such a matter, there is a way to rip the tracks and edit out low-level noise that I've found successful on some occasions. I'll let you know if I can do it.

Well Brian, I got the set and at best I can hear a faint hum in 6-7-8, but nothing I find very obvious. Can you give me a passage where it is seriously obtrusive? I will upload a track for you from my copy to see if you are hearing the same thing on mine. But I'll have to do it as a Facebook message, or a link to Dropbox due to file size.

[DavidW]

Hey if you guys like Hurwitz, I found another youtuber doing the same thing that DH does!  He is a professional musician and respectful and nuanced so you might not like him    

I had not heard his #1 in this one, and was surprised that Solti didn't make his list.  But it seems fun and I'm going to check out his other videos.  I like to support the smaller youtubers.

[Karl Henning]

He is a professional musician and respectful and nuanced so you might not like him    

(* chortle *)

[Karl Henning]

I had not heard his #1 in this one, and was surprised that Solti didn't make his list.  But it seems fun and I'm going to check out his other videos.  I like to support the smaller youtubers.

Thanks, I've subscribed right away.

[Karl Henning]

Hey if you guys like Hurwitz, I found another youtuber doing the same thing that DH does!  He is a professional musician and respectful and nuanced so you might not like him    

I had not heard his #1 in this one, and was surprised that Solti didn't make his list.  But it seems fun and I'm going to check out his other videos.  I like to support the smaller youtubers.

Just finished watching. Straightforward, yet engaging. No bullshit. I like his work. I also got a charge out of his including both Barbirolli and Mitropoulos.

[Florestan]

Hey if you guys like Hurwitz, I found another youtuber doing the same thing that DH does!  He is a professional musician and respectful and nuanced so you might not like him    

I had not heard his #1 in this one, and was surprised that Solti didn't make his list.  But it seems fun and I'm going to check out his other videos.  I like to support the smaller youtubers.

His channel looks interesting, will investigate. Thanks for making us aware of it.

[LKB]

I've seen this guy. Seems to be serious about presenting options sans ego, which automatically makes him more attractive than Hurwitz. 

[DavidW]

One thing I've learned is that they are not rankings, they are all his favorites and the last one isn't the best but the historical option.

[Karl Henning]

One thing I've learned is that they are not rankings, they are all his favorites and the last one isn't the best but the historical option.

A critic who understands that rankings are rubbish.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Which orchestra(s)/ensembles, etc. does he play with?

PD

[Karl Henning]

Which orchestra(s)/ensembles, etc. does he play with?

PD

Appears to be a singer, I think.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Appears to be a singer, I think.

Thanks!  I found this info:  https://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Zilkha-Gil.htm

There was also a link to apparently his official website but the link wasn't Https.

PD

[DavidW]

Here he is performing bwv 82:

The good stuff starts about 5:30 minutes in.

[DavidW]

Oh and totally unfair but here is Hans Hotter for comparison if you are unfamiliar with my favorite Bach cantata:

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Oh and totally unfair but here is Hans Hotter for comparison if you are unfamiliar with my favorite Bach cantata:

I'll have to watch his, but augh!  I love (and own) Hans Hotter's recording of it...along with some others.  And that's a tough act to follow!   

PD