What are you listening to?

[Jared]

This comment piqued my curiosity, so I'm listening to it now. I quite emphatically don't get it. Bordering on cacophony.

Yes, the Grosse Fugue isn't for the faint hearted, is it? That said, it's an indication to me of just how far-reaching LvB's late SQs really were in their scope. Nothing like them had been heard before, and with the GF in particular, you really get the sense that it could have been written during the early 20th Cent...

[Diapason]

I really did get that sense, and it was enlightening to hear it. I actually found myself thinking that I'd prefer to listen to Messiaen, because although the sound-world is completely different, some part of me was put in mind of that. Of course, my previous "criticism" of string quartets was that they always seemed to sound too staid and polite to be really interesting. I can forget about that at least!

I gave one of the earlier quartets in that box set a quick airing, and it sounded much more like I was expecting. It would seem I'm going to have to start slowly here.

[fergus]

A plan might be to listen to that Beethoven set of quartets in its entirety Simon just to get a sense of how much he developed the genre from the Classical model.

In time you may be interested to listen to the string quartets of Bartok and Shostakovich which are both magnificent bodies of work

[Diapason]

If I had more time for listening than I currently enjoy, I'd certainly take on that project. As it is, I'm not so sure... :)

[Jared]

A plan might be to listen to that Beethoven set of quartets in its entirety Simon just to get a sense of how much he developed the genre from the Classical model.

I think this point really has to be underlined... LvB pushed the structural form of SQs an in credibly long way within his own lifetime; arguably more so than in either the Symphony or Piano Sonata; to the degree that his Opus 18s are completely difficult animals to the op.130s.... the former sound late classical; the latter, almost beyond Romantic.... like them or not, it really was a phenomenal achievement, and for me marks out his 'genius' more concisely than any other example you could give...

...that said, back to your quandary, Simon... if time is of the essence, please purchase the Schubert, which both Sean and I highlighted a page or so back... we're convinced you'll get a lot of mileage out of just two disks, with respect to this quest of yours....

[Diapason]

Yes, the Schubert will be purchased in due course!

[fergus]

[Seán]

Who are the performers on that LP?

[DonKC]

It is the old Georges Prêtre Philharmonia Orchestra recording.. Not sure of the label. I have heard this years ago, was a fine recording of a weak symphony.

[fergus]

Quite correct Don! The label is the EMI Classics for Pleasure.

To my ears: Philharmonia Orchestra = Excellent!