Tír Na HiFi

Seán wrote:

fergus wrote:

Jose Echenique wrote:

A member in the other Forum posted this yesterday:

<The most recent issue of Gramophone had a gushing review of a new Beethoven symphony cycle on Glossa with Frans Brüggen conducting the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century. You have to read between the lines to figure out what is really wrong with this set. When Gramophone states:
Quote:
Brüggen strips it [the Ninth Symphony] of the overbearing bombast encrusted across generations and, in a recreation of beauty, both chaste and potent, phases curve according to melodic or harmonic progressions, paragraphs unfold in long-breathed lines, changes in metre are seamlessly accommodated.


This quotation should be translated as follows: "Here is another wimpy, underpowered, excessively tame Beethoven Ninth Symphony on period instruments."

What is the British passion for such underpowered, unemotional performances? I have heard Brüggen in late Haydn symphonies, and, believe me, the results are hideous. In any event, why is an orchestra entitled "Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century" playing works the earliest of which were written at the beginning of the nineteenth century? Moreover, as I have said previously, listeners who have listened to Brahms, Bruckner, Mahler, Stravinsky, Shostakovich, et al. do not have period ears and cannot possibly have the same impression as the original listeners had even if, somehow, a perfect digital recording had been made of the premiere of, for example, Beethoven's Fifth Symphony and we were able to listen to that recording. Finally, I really doubt if many listeners would want to listen to a recording of any Beethoven symphony played as badly as it was undoubtedly played at its premiere.>


I think everybody is entitled to his opinion, everyone has the right to like or dislike period instruments as much as he wants, but what is very strange is that our friend here has NOT heard the recording, and yet, damns the Gramophone for a very positive review.
Strange to say the least, don´t you think....

Attitudes similar to that are are among the reasons why I left that Forum and will most likely not return to it again.

I am trying to return, it is very difficult though.

fergus wrote:A complete contrast to the Vivaldi above was this powerful version of Vaughan Williams’ Symphony No. 8....

Jared wrote:

fergus wrote:A complete contrast to the Vivaldi above was this powerful version of Vaughan Williams’ Symphony No. 8....

now I know you've long struggled with RVW Fergus... and that for me is his least accessible Symphony... how are you finding him these days?

Jared wrote:

fergus wrote:A complete contrast to the Vivaldi above was this powerful version of Vaughan Williams’ Symphony No. 8....

now I know you've long struggled with RVW Fergus... and that for me is his least accessible Symphony... how are you finding him these days?

Jared wrote:Unfortunately this undercurrent of anti-British bias has long been accepted on the other forum, which has always made me feel uncomfortable.. sure, PG, Gramophone and BBC have always had a slant in their preferences, but this is openly criticised and derided too often.

Fergus & Sean: I've been back over to have a look recently, and I have to say that in reading through a few threads, I find the atmosphere to be worse now than it has ever been... I don't think I'd get much out of returning, to be honest.

bombasticDarren wrote: I haven't visited that forum in ages. No need. I liked a few of the contributors but some of the more vocal members were just too vocal for me. Trying to impress each other too much most likely. I don't mind other people having different opinions to mine, but I really don't need to feel silly for liking certain stuff. Anyway, if you want a real scrap try a Doctor Who forum!

bombasticDarren wrote:

Jared wrote:Unfortunately this undercurrent of anti-British bias has long been accepted on the other forum, which has always made me feel uncomfortable.. sure, PG, Gramophone and BBC have always had a slant in their preferences, but this is openly criticised and derided too often.

Fergus & Sean: I've been back over to have a look recently, and I have to say that in reading through a few threads, I find the atmosphere to be worse now than it has ever been... I don't think I'd get much out of returning, to be honest.

I haven't visited that forum in ages. No need. I liked a few of the contributors but some of the more vocal members were just too vocal for me. Trying to impress each other too much most likely. I don't mind other people having different opinions to mine, but I really don't need to feel silly for liking certain stuff. Anyway, if you want a real scrap try a Doctor Who forum!

Seán wrote:

Johann Sebastian Bach
Christen, ätzet diesen Tag (Christians, engrave this day), BWV 63
Bernarda Fink - Soprano,
Claron McFadden - Alto,
Christoph Genz - Tenor,
Dietrich Henschel - Bass,
Monteverdi Choir,
English Baroque Soloists
John Eliot Gardiner - conducting.

On occasion I listen to a performance of a piece of music that is entirely new to me and that really stimulates me on first sitting and some times it takes repeated listening for me to really like a piece of music. Bach's BWV 63 is a Christmas Day Cantata but if truth be told it is a cantata for every day of the year, it is a gorgeous piece of music and Gardiner's approach is gripping. The pulsating rhythms, beautiful choral work and singing of the four soloists is wonderful.

I admire the beauty of Suzuki's Bach but at times I think it's too clean , too clinical even too beautiful or cold perhaps, I prefer Herreweghe's spiritual performances. And now Gardiner's BWV 63 sounds beautiful, the recording quality is superb and the overall performance is spiritually uplifting. I LOVE it. Time to get a copy of his Magnificat perhaps, but that's for another day.

I am really looking forward to exploring the rest of this set