Beethoven Academie auctioned on eBay

[Hofrat]

I found this in my Yahoo news alerts:

The Belgian chamber orchestra, the Beethoven Academie, lost its 2007 government funding. Its management found a very novel way to refinance: it put itself up for auction on eBay!!

The Beethoven Academie specializes in late classical and early romantic music.


Hofrat

[Peter]

here's the link for those of you wh might want to purchase an orchestra!
Rod it would be ideal for you - your dream performances at your command!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...DC6%26from%3DR


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'Man know thyself'

[This message has been edited by Peter (edited 06-29-2006).]

[Hofrat]

Originally posted by Peter:
here's the link for those of you who might want to purchase an orchestra!
Rod it would be ideal for you - your dream performances at your command!

Dear Peter;

Please be advised. This orchestra is "original Eroica sized." That means, 35 instumentalists!!

I, too, thought that this group would be great for command performances of my pet research composer, Joachim Eggert. My problem was this. At the same time that Beethoven conducted orchestras numbering 35 players in Vienna, Eggert was conducting orchestras numbering 65 in Stockholm.


Hofrat

[Joy]

Very interesting! Maybe if we all pooled our resources we could own an orchestra!!!


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'Truth and beauty joined'

[Rod]

Originally posted by Peter:
here's the link for those of you wh might want to purchase an orchestra!
Rod it would be ideal for you - your dream performances at your command!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320000908140&ru=http%3 A%2F%2Fsearch.ebay.co.uk%3A80%2Fsearch%2Fsearch.dl l%3Fsofocus%3Dbs%26sbrftog%3D1%26catref%3DC6%26fr om%3DR

Pity, pity. Too late! I've spent most of my redundancy pay, otherwise I'd have bought the orchestra and renamed it The Rod Band. I am imaginative I know.

Concerning the orchestra size, the best recording I have of the Eroica is with 30-odd performers. In the appropriate acoustic that is enough and allows for a more dynamic effect.

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

[Chaszz]

Originally posted by Rod:
Pity, pity. Too late! I've spent most of my redundancy pay, otherwise I'd have bought the orchestra and renamed it The Rod Band. I am imaginative I know.

Concerning the orchestra size, the best recording I have of the Eroica is with 30-odd performers. In the appropriate acoustic that is enough and allows for a more dynamic effect.

Redundancy pay - Does that mean you've lost your job? I think it was with a events exposition company, if I recall correctly.

[Chaszz]

Originally posted by Rod:
Pity, pity. Too late! I've spent most of my redundancy pay, otherwise I'd have bought the orchestra and renamed it The Rod Band. I am imaginative I know.

Concerning the orchestra size, the best recording I have of the Eroica is with 30-odd performers. In the appropriate acoustic that is enough and allows for a more dynamic effect.

Redundancy pay - Does that mean you've lost your job? I think it was with an events exposition company, if I recall correctly.

[Rod]

Originally posted by Chaszz:

Redundancy pay - Does that mean you've lost your job? I think it was with an events exposition company, if I recall correctly.

Yes I'm glad to be out of that rat race, but I'm in a new trade now, the legal trade, at least temporarily. I'm nothing if not flexible! I might join the Masons (just to stay on-topic).

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

[Peter]

Originally posted by Hofrat:

Dear Peter;

Please be advised. This orchestra is "original Eroica sized." That means, 35 instumentalists!!

I, too, thought that this group would be great for command performances of my pet research composer, Joachim Eggert. My problem was this. At the same time that Beethoven conducted orchestras numbering 35 players in Vienna, Eggert was conducting orchestras numbering 65 in Stockholm.


Hofrat

Yes and that just goes to show the problem of being too pedantic about HIP - composers had to make do with the available resources. Despite the original Lobkowitz performance of the Eroica, later performances at the Theater an der Wien had a more sizable orchestra.

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'Man know thyself'

[Rod]

Originally posted by Peter:
Yes and that just goes to show the problem of being too pedantic about HIP - composers had to make do with the available resources. Despite the original Lobkowitz performance of the Eroica, later performances at the Theater an der Wien had a more sizable orchestra.

Well of course you get orchestras of all sizes playing the same music today, this is not just a consideration for HIP. Chamber orchestras play smaller venues, Philharmonic orchestras try to make some effect in the Royal Albert Hall. That being said, in adition to the diminutive Eroica CD the best recording by far I have of the 5th Concerto has an orchestra of just 20. It's just about having the right people in the right place to get the best effect possible.

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

[Chaszz]

Originally posted by Rod:
Yes I'm glad to be out of that rat race, but I'm in a new trade now, the legal trade, at least temporarily. I'm nothing if not flexible! I might join the Masons (just to stay on-topic).

I would think that Beethoven and Handel might pay you a nice salary to do public relations work for them. Even though they are both dead your enthusiasm should overcome that little impediment.

[Chaszz]

Originally posted by Rod:
Yes I'm glad to be out of that rat race, but I'm in a new trade now, the legal trade, at least temporarily. I'm nothing if not flexible!

Flexible? Favor two composers and dismiss the other 300 worthy ones out of hand? I think not. Refuse to entertain the fact that you are not wired to hear them and others are? No flexibility there.

[Rod]

Originally posted by Chaszz:
I would think that Beethoven and Handel might pay you a nice salary to do public relations work for them. Even though they are both dead your enthusiasm should overcome that little impediment.

I thought about that a long time ago, there's no money in it.

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

[Rod]

Originally posted by Chaszz:
Flexible? Favor two composers and dismiss the other 300 worthy ones out of hand? I think not. Refuse to entertain the fact that you are not wired to hear them and others are? No flexibility there.

Not out of hand, just not as good. An accurate and intelligent assessment made as a result of many hours listening with one good ear. For example believe me I bet I listened to more of the 'complete works of Bach' series on BBC radio recently than most Bach specialists, who seem to talk more than they know (or really even believe deep down) from my experience. I should have been awarded the Victoria Cross for this effort, for indeed it was an effort.

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

[Chaszz]

Originally posted by Rod:
Not out of hand, just not as good. An accurate and intelligent assessment made as a result of many hours listening with one good ear. For example believe me I bet I listened to more of the 'complete works of Bach' series on BBC radio recently than most Bach specialists, who seem to talk more than they know (or really even believe deep down) from my experience. I should have been awarded the Victoria Cross for this effort, for indeed it was an effort.

Rod, you could listen to Bach forever and never understand it. You never reply to my contention that your brain is simply not wired for it. Three hours of listening or three weeks of listening prove nothing. You cannot perceive the meaning in it.