Beethoven's transcription of Symphony No.2

[Rod]

There's been too much talk about nothing here recently, so in my usual generous manner I'll remind certain people why the rest of us are here.

During the Authentic Mp3 series I did not have Beethoven's trio arrangement of the second symphony performed in this manner by the time we came to op36, but subsequently I got my hands on a authentic instrument CD by Robert Levin and members of the Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique (Archiv 474 224-2) with the trio and chamber version of the 4th fp concerto.

Here for your listening pleasure is the finale of the Trio:
http://www.mysharefile.com/v/7994235/Op36.wma.html

Any comments welcome.

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

[This message has been edited by Rod (edited 08-31-2006).]

[sjwenger]

Thanks! What a treat!

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[Peter]

Too late tonight Rod - comments will be forthcoming tomorrow!



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'Man know thyself'

[Rod]

Originally posted by Peter:
Too late tonight Rod - comments will be forthcoming tomorrow!

Everything comes to he who waits.

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

[paulverv]

Originally posted by Rod:

Everything comes to he who waits.

That'd be me.

pv

[Frankli]

It's great fun of course, this piano trio version of the 2nd symphony. Directly compared to the symphony though it becomes clear what it lacks in color and in subtlety. It's just impossible, even for Beethoven, to squeeze a whole orchestra into three instruments.
Of course this reworking (probably by Beethoven himself) was meant in the first place for the buyers to make it possible to play the symphony in your own home, and besides for Beethoven, to earn some money with it, since printed music was not copyrighted yet, and if the composer didn't do it himself, someone else would.
I find the other work on the cd, Beethoven's own chamber version of the 4th piano concerto, more interesting, because he changed the piano part in so many places, making it very virtuoso ("almost unplayable" according to the booklet), and changing its character.
Robert Levin is good in the symphony, but in the concerto I find him too hesitating; almost too intellectual in his approach.

[robert newman]

One of my favourite Beethoven symphonies. I loved this and think it is great. Thanks Rod. It's a real treat.

[Rod]

Originally posted by Frankli:
It's great fun of course, this piano trio version of the 2nd symphony. Directly compared to the symphony though it becomes clear what it lacks in color and in subtlety. It's just impossible, even for Beethoven, to squeeze a whole orchestra into three instruments.
Of course this reworking (probably by Beethoven himself) was meant in the first place for the buyers to make it possible to play the symphony in your own home, and besides for Beethoven, to earn some money with it, since printed music was not copyrighted yet, and if the composer didn't do it himself, someone else would.
I find the other work on the cd, Beethoven's own chamber version of the 4th piano concerto, more interesting, because he changed the piano part in so many places, making it very virtuoso ("almost unplayable" according to the booklet), and changing its character.
Robert Levin is good in the symphony, but in the concerto I find him too hesitating; almost too intellectual in his approach.

There is no 'probability' that Beethoven wrote the trio, he definitely wrote it. Concerning the CD I think the trio is of far more interest as a Beethoven work than the chamber version of the concerto which is still much the same as the original. You will know the string parts of the chamber concerto are not Beethoven's. But regardless I agree with your assessment of Levin.

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


[This message has been edited by Rod (edited 09-01-2006).]

[Rod]

Originally posted by robert newman:


One of my favourite Beethoven symphonies. I loved this and think it is great. Thanks Rod. It's a real treat.

Well the performance of the whole piece is excellent, the CD is a definite recommendation.

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

[Peter]

Originally posted by Rod:
Well the performance of the whole piece is excellent, the CD is a definite recommendation.

Terrific Rod - I doubt that many of the amateurs performing this though would have produced such an amazing result! However we have to realise that this is probably how most people would have encountered the great orchestral works of the time.

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'Man know thyself'

[Rod]

Originally posted by Peter:
Terrific Rod - I doubt that many of the amateurs performing this though would have produced such an amazing result! However we have to realise that this is probably how most people would have encountered the great orchestral works of the time.

I agree, though the amateurs then would have had one distinct advantage over most professionals today - the right instruments for the job!


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

[This message has been edited by Rod (edited 09-01-2006).]

[Chaszz]

This is excellent, a great experience to hear.

Rod, the first movement of the 2nd is one of my very favorite works, and I hope I can prevail upon you to post the trio version of it from this CD now. In return I offer to not take the bait the next time you put down Bach or the Romantics, and will additionally let the dirty crack above about the late Romantics go by as an extra bonus freebie.

Seriously, I know you don't care if I react or not, but please post the first movement anyway.

[Rod]

Originally posted by Chaszz:
This is excellent, a great experience to hear.

Rod, the first movement of the 2nd is one of my very favorite works, and I hope I can prevail upon you to post the trio version of it from this CD now. In return I offer to not take the bait the next time you put down Bach or the Romantics, and will additionally let the dirty crack above about the late Romantics go by as an extra bonus freebie.

Seriously, I know you don't care if I react or not, but please post the first movement anyway.

I'll think about it. You can still probably buy this CD, I haven't had it very long myself.

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

[Joy]

I agree. This is a wonderful piece and the recording is excellent! Really enjoyed it, thanks Rod for presenting it here.

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'Truth and beauty joined'

[Rod]

Originally posted by Chaszz:
This is excellent, a great experience to hear.

Rod, the first movement of the 2nd is one of my very favorite works, and I hope I can prevail upon you to post the trio version of it from this CD now. In return I offer to not take the bait the next time you put down Bach or the Romantics, and will additionally let the dirty crack above about the late Romantics go by as an extra bonus freebie.

Seriously, I know you don't care if I react or not, but please post the first movement anyway.

Here you go you lucky people, the first movement of the trio from the same highly recommended recording. But it's just because today is Mrs.C's birthday, and because I'm going to get a healthy mention in Chaszz's will (and I want hard cash Chaszz, not your Wagner collection).

Enjoy:
http://www.mysharefile.com/v/5130179/Op36i.wma.html

I await your detailed assessment Chaszz..


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


[This message has been edited by Rod (edited 09-03-2006).]