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**Peter** · 11-25-2004, 06:35 PM

Beethoven's C# minor quartet Op.131 played by the Italiano quartet - wonderful!

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'Man know thyself'

**Amilee** · 11-26-2004, 12:19 AM

Went to the Royal Festival Hall last night, and as part of the Beethoven Symphonic cycle, we heard a first class performance of symphonies 1, 2 and 3, conducted by the very distinguished Kurt Masur. Very fine!
His rendition of the 1st was brilliant.
I wasn't quite sure whether it was either Masur or the London Philharmonic Orchestra which was a little unequal to the 3rd, though on the whole it a very professional and enjoyable performance. Because the 3rd is such an unspeakably great piece of music, it has to be a very, very special type of conductor and Orchestra to bring it off. Also, very few modern conductors have the atmospheric feel for this great symphony, like the Maestros of the past, such as Klemperer and Furtwangler, or is that just the way society has changed, I guess .
The 2nd is very interesting. I always get the feel that Beethoven was very much experimenting with this symphony, trying to see what the form could do, and also, really appropriating it for his own purposes. The chords and range is very expansive and it is as though he was looking for the widest possible pallet for his own ideas. All in All it was a wonderful evening.
Symphonies 8 and 9 will be performed in January with a pre-concert talk.

There will be a Beethoven study day at the South Bank Centre this Saturday 27th Nov. 09:30 until 16:00 for anyone interested. It would be nice if someone from the site went and let us have his or her comments for everyones benefit - Unfortunately, I am otherwise engaged.

**Gurn Blanston** · 11-26-2004, 01:04 AM

Hey, great to be back. Second Ruud's "Hurray!".
Interesting review, Amalie. I had read a bit elsewhere this AM, and that attendee was very impressed, particularly with 1 & 2. Wish I could say "I'll go" to the study day, but unfortunately too late for reservations...

For me, it is Sonata in c minor for Fortepiano - K 457 - Amadé Mozart - Paul Badura-Skoda playing. Always grateful to Rod for turning me on to this guy.

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Regards,
Gurn
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That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
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**Pastorali** · 11-26-2004, 02:40 AM

Oh yes, Hurray it works again
Bernhard Crusell (1775-1838)
Clarinet Concertos 1–3, very nice indeed.

**spaceray** · 11-26-2004, 02:45 AM

Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:

Always grateful to Rod for turning me on to this guy.

Gurnie,
Rod turned you on to Mozart?,how curious,
I thought I was the one that recomended this recording of Badura-Skoda to you.

I'm listening to Gelido in Ogni Veni,a fabulous aria by Vivaldi .Next CD... Athalia by Handel ,highly recomended by Rod as it happens.

**Gurn Blanston** · 11-26-2004, 03:06 AM

Pastrl,
Wow, those must be from the earliest stages of clarinet concerti, I never heard of ay earlier than that except maybe Mozart. Bueno!

Spacerl,
Well, you were a major contributor to the effort, but Rod set me looking for Badura-Skoda 2 years ago, it took that long to finally achieve success! Oh yeah, he turned me on to Mozart too!

And I am still listening to Badura-Skoda, now it is the Sonata in F, K 332. Great prelude to a feast!

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Regards,
Gurn
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That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
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[This message has been edited by Gurn Blanston (edited 11-25-2004).]

**JA Gardiner** · 11-26-2004, 03:24 AM

A completely new one on me - Erwin Schulhoff symphonies 2 & 5, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunken conducted by James Conlon. All very socialist-realist with some interesting jazz influences. Apparently Schulhoff was a Czech Dadaist turned communist in the late 30's - but it doesn;t stop him pinching from LVB's 9th in the third movement of the 2nd Symphony!
In the most bizarre use of a text ever (unless you know different) he apparently wrote a setting of the Communist Manifesto for a huge (natch) outdoor performance! Bet THAT dragged them in !!!! Sadly the Central Committe didn't like him and walked out on a performance of his 3rd Symphony. A communist to the last, he stayed in Czechoslovakia after the German invasion and was interned in Bavaria, dying in 1942 of tuberculosis. Whilst in the camp he wrote another surefire seller - an heroic symphony for Marx, Stalin and Lenin, his 8th. In 1946 following the Russian occupation his 6th symphony - a Freedom Symphony dedicated to the Red Army was premiered in Prague!. Fascinating listening ( a birthday present from a friend who clearly thinks my socialist credentials need bolstering ) but his patron saint must surely have been St Jude!

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Beethoven the Man!

[This message has been edited by JA Gardiner (edited 11-25-2004).]

**Tegan** · 11-26-2004, 07:55 AM

I am listening to alot of piano concerti. I have a test on them this Tuesday, so I have been listening to Mozart's piano concerti K. 466 and 482 and Beethoven's piano concerti no's 4 and 5. Also, Beethoven symphonies 5, 7, and 9. I love Beethoven, so I would probably be listening to these pieces even without the test.

**spaceray** · 11-26-2004, 09:59 AM

Tegan,
Have you heard John Fields Piano Concertos,
I'm listening to one right now,it's lovely.

**Rod** · 11-26-2004, 06:23 PM

Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:
Pastrl,
Wow, those must be from the earliest stages of clarinet concerti, I never heard of ay earlier than that except maybe Mozart. Bueno!

Spacerl,
Well, you were a major contributor to the effort, but Rod set me looking for Badura-Skoda 2 years ago, it took that long to finally achieve success! Oh yeah, he turned me on to Mozart too!

And I am still listening to Badura-Skoda, now it is the Sonata in F, K 332. Great prelude to a feast!

You'll be hearing the complete lata sonatas (op101 onwards) by Badura-Skoda at the mp3 page in due course, but the CDs have long been deleted from teh catalogue. Currently Ronald Brautigam is undertaking the complete solo piano music on the fortepiano. Vol 1 has just been released. If this includes the Diabelli Variations I'll marry him.
http://www.ronaldbrautigam.com/start.html

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

**atserriotserri** · 11-26-2004, 06:23 PM

I've been in an Arthur Rubinstein feast for this week! My girlfriend and my brother joined efforts in having my cd player busy with that maestro. That also means that basically has been a Chopin week. I admire profoundly Chopin, and the performances of Rubinstein of his compositions is exquisite no matter when they are dated. Hencemore, he will also help me to get deep into Brahms too (the second composer he recorded more works, bahind Chopin).

I'd like to mention, regarding the remasterings of his records, that the sound is brighter than I'd expect, perhaps because you can hear the "bzzzz" as if it was an old record, but with the sound restored. Sometimes I feel that the obsession to reduce that noise in historical recordings by the engineers erases also "musical information", making the sound plain and somehow unexpressive. The piano solo recordings specially have an unexpected bright, clear sound (considering there are recordings from 1910!).

Straight to the point, now I'm listening to the gentleman that has linked us in this board, Ludwig van Beethoven. The piano concerto no. 4 (I've seen I'm not the only one, Ruud, Tegan ) played by such a personalities as Rubinstein (Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sr. Thomas Beecham 1947) and Gould (NY Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein, 1961). Let's say... different approaches to the same piece.

**Gurn Blanston** · 11-26-2004, 08:45 PM

JA,
Certainly an eclectic mix! Schulhof sounds like an interesting, if politically misguided, sort of fellow. Wonder why he is not more well-known, ala Shostakovich! As for the piano concerto, I much enjoy the different approaches aspect. The other day I listened to Pollini followed by Levin (on fortepiano) and was amazed by the different aspects brought out in these two renditions!

Tegan,
Isn't school wonderful that way? Making you do what you wanted to do anyway! "Don't throw me in that briar patc, B'rer Fox"

Spacerl,
You are sure right about Field. No wonder Beethoven admired his piano playing, his concerti show the qualities he must have had.

Rod,
I can hardly wait! I have been diigently hunting his B for a long time, but no joy. I had seen that Brautigam was working on that project. I intend to have those before THEY go OOP.

atserri,
I have seen many glowing recomendations of Rubinstein/Chopin. Sometimes a performer just has that affinity for a composer. And yet another version of the 4th! Beecham is supposed to be a wonderful accompanist. I really need to find some disk of his, I have heard so much.

For me now, it is the Trio in D major for Baryton, Viola & Cello - #52 - The Haydn Baryton Trio. Most intriguing sound, great music!

**ruudp** · 11-26-2004, 09:45 PM

For me it's the last 2 sections of the paintings once more Yevgeny Kissin performing,Some field nocturnes on a authentic Broadwood performed by Bart van oort and Scott joplins maple leaf rag.

i've also been playing myself a little walz of schubert in b minor...very short and simple but a lovely melody

Regards,
ruud

[This message has been edited by ruudp (edited 11-26-2004).]

**spaceray** · 11-26-2004, 11:16 PM

Now playing... Johann Christian Bach,4 Clavierkonzerte played on the fortepiano by
Ingrid Haebler.

So why didn't Rod marry that cute French girl he was going out with?

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