What are you listening to now?

[Todd]

80 years of age made Charles Mackerras into a great interpreter

Mackerras turned in some great Mozart for Telarc well before the age of 80.  Just sayin' . . .

[Brian]

Mackerras turned in some great Mozart for Telarc well before the age of 80.  Just sayin' . . .

I know; I've heard that too. Correction: more greaterer

[Todd]

Correction: more greaterer

Ahhh, that's better.  I like to use that phrase when discussing Annie Fischer's different recordings.

[Wakefield]

Being taken for another ride by Harnoncourt's new Mozart.

[asin]B00IROIE1I[/asin]

80 years of age made Charles Mackerras into a great interpreter, wise yet energetic, who turned in some of the liveliest but best-judged Mozart albums ever with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. 80 years of age have, however, made Harnoncourt into a seeming juvenile, abounding with bizarre ideas. The booklet contains two bizarre ideas: that these symphonies are actually one gigantic "Oratorio" composed to a secret plan for a twelve-movement orchestral mass, and that Mozart was a blackmailer who extracted "hush money" from noblemen. And then there are the interpretations, which could be most charitably called eccentric. No. 39 works, except maybe the hyperspeed intro; Nos. 40 and 41 suffer from pointless slow movements and additional weirdnesses like the giant pauses dropped into the middle of 40's finale.

Bottom line, choose Sir Charles, unless it's weirdness you want.

I haven't listened to this Harnoncourt's, but I'm not surprised at all. His Mozart has never been a favorite of mine and you're right: his love for weirdness is going mad the last years.

I would really like to listen to your opinion about Brüggen:

[asin]B00J587L14[/asin]

[Mandryka]

Being taken for another ride by Harnoncourt's new Mozart.

[asin]B00IROIE1I[/asin]

80 years of age made Charles Mackerras into a great interpreter, wise yet energetic, who turned in some of the liveliest but best-judged Mozart albums ever with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. 80 years of age have, however, made Harnoncourt into a seeming juvenile, abounding with bizarre ideas. The booklet contains two bizarre ideas: that these symphonies are actually one gigantic "Oratorio" composed to a secret plan for a twelve-movement orchestral mass, and that Mozart was a blackmailer who extracted "hush money" from noblemen. And then there are the interpretations, which could be most charitably called eccentric. No. 39 works, except maybe the hyperspeed intro; Nos. 40 and 41 suffer from pointless slow movements and additional weirdnesses like the giant pauses dropped into the middle of 40's finale.

Bottom line, choose Sir Charles, unless it's weirdness you want.

I haven't seen the booklet - what does he say about the oratorio? Does he explain the idea?

[Mirror Image]

Now:



Listening to Ravel's Piano Concerto in G. Fine performance from Argerich/Abbado.

[Que]

.[asin]B000WC38AA[/asin]

Q

[Lisztianwagner]

Alfred Schnittke
Passacaglia

https://www.youtube.com/v/AxWd1Gk1E7E

[Brian]

I haven't seen the booklet - what does he say about the oratorio? Does he explain the idea?

The booklet is in fake interview format, that is, a paragraph by the essayist, a paragraph by Harnoncourt, then the essayist, then Harnoncourt. Harnoncourt states all of his ideas - for example, that conducting CPE Bach's oratorio inspired Mozart to create a "symphonic oratorio" in twelve movements, doing away with arias and choruses to create a totally new orchestral form. Unfortunately, Harnoncourt offers no evidence for any of his claims, except that the symphonies were written in consecutive months and that they share three themes (which themes, he does not say). The booklet writer fills in a few gaps with facts about history.

[Sergeant Rock]

Opening act of vacation playlist.

[asin]B00000I0W0[/asin]

My favorite Eroica. Nice 

Sarge

[Sergeant Rock]

There are some performances in that cycle I really love (like 2 and 4). Haven't heard his Third in a couple years; how does it hold up?

It won't be joining my favorites Suitner and Kertész both of whom present a stronger interpretive personality: fiercer attacks, more rhythmic intervention. Their recordings are more detailed too. I simply hear more of the music. Listening to Suitner's Third now.




Sarge

[Harry]

New Acquisition, Came in today.

http://walboi.blogspot.nl/2014/09/new-acquisition-jenkins-john-1592-1678_15.html?spref=tw

[Madiel]

Hmm. Reading some Harnoncourt stuff.

It's one thing to suggest that Mozart was inspired by other music he'd been involved in. It's quite another to suggest that his inspiration took the form of a 12-movement work that was so subtle it fooled people into thinking it was three different works for centuries.

Lord knows what makes the finales of 39 and 40 not be 'proper' finales in Harnoncourt's eyes. They sound fine to me.

[North Star]

Fresh from the mailbox

Messiaen
Les Offrandes oubliées
L'Ascension
Poèmes pour Mi*
Yvonne Naef (mezzo)*
SWR Baden-Baden und Freiburg
Cambreling
[asin]B001E4S0X0[/asin]

[Harry]

A bit of Strauss will hurt no one.

http://walboi.blogspot.nl/2014/09/strauss-johann-ii-complete-orchestral_15.html?spref=tw

[Sergeant Rock]

Havergal Brian Symphony No.14 F minor (1960), Downes conducting the LSO




Sarge

[Brian]

Lord knows what makes the finales of 39 and 40 not be 'proper' finales in Harnoncourt's eyes. They sound fine to me.

That REALLY bothers me. Especially 39, one of my favorite finales of the entire 18th century.

Currently listening to:



Age at which three conductors (re-)tackled the Final Three:
Bruggen........75
Mackerras......81
Harnoncourt...83

[EigenUser]

Ligeti's puzzling Cello Concerto (I think it has started... is that an 'E' that I hear, or are my ears ringing?) WHY DON'T I GET THIS PIECE DAMN IT ?!?!
[asin]B000HWZALK[/asin]

[Mirror Image]

Alfred Schnittke
Passacaglia

https://www.youtube.com/v/AxWd1Gk1E7E

Very nice, Ilaria. I take it you've become a fan of Schnittke's music?

[Sergeant Rock]

Haydn Symphony No.101 D major "Clock" ...Goodman conducting the Hanover Band




Sarge