What are you listening to now?

[Peter]

J.S.Bach's concertos for 2,3 and 4 pianos.

[Sorrano]

This weekend I've been listening to Beethoven's 1st, 2nd, and 5th Symphonies (Toscanini--he's still fresh as the first time I heard him), as well as piano music by Liszt, a bit of Brahms (1st Symphony), and among other pieces, the Polka and Fugue by Weinberger.

[Chris]

Listening to Fidelio now (Klemperer).

[Hofrat]

Maybe it is just me, but I do not trust Klemperer with Beethoven. I had a recording of Klemperer conducting Beethoven's 5th symphony. He was so agonizingly slow that it took two sides of the LP to get it all in. I actually threw the recording away, the only time I ever did that. Ever since that incident, I have shunted Klemperer conducting Beethoven.

[HaydnFan]

I think I had a nightmare about Klemperer conducting something recently...I remember it being a horrible recording...

[Peter]

Maybe it is just me, but I do not trust Klemperer with Beethoven. I had a recording of Klemperer conducting Beethoven's 5th symphony. He was so agonizingly slow that it took two sides of the LP to get it all in. I actually threw the recording away, the only time I ever did that. Ever since that incident, I have shunted Klemperer conducting Beethoven.

Yes I have heard that recording and have to agree with you - the only happy memories I have of Klemperer are his Missa Solemnis which was my introduction to the work. I haven't replaced it on cd in my collection though, Eliot Gardner's rendition of the Missa is my favourite.

Listening to that rather neglected gem, Beethoven's violin sonata in G Op.96.

[Megan]

Listened to
Charpenteir - In Nativitatem Domini Nostri Jesu Christi canticum.
Taverner Consort.

Fasch - Concerto for Flute, Oboe and Strings

[atserriotserri]

I'm listening to the Brahms Piano concerto no. 1, live recording at the Carnegie Hall, Gould, Bernstein, NY Philharmonic. The recording starts with a "disclaimer" addressed by Leonard Bernstein to the audience! It's so funny that I'll write it down:

(Clapping) "Don't be frightened Mr.Gould is here." (laughter).

"He will appear in a moment. I'm not...- um- as you know in the habit of speaking on any concert except the Thursday night previews, but a curious situation has arisen, which merits, I think, a word or two. You are about to hear a rather, shall we say, unorthodox performance of the Brahms D Minor Concerto, a performance distinctly different from any I've ever heard, or even dreamt of for that matter, in its remarkably broad tempi and its frequent departures from Brahms' dynamic indications.
I cannot say I am in total agreement with Mr. Gould's conception and this raises the interesting question: "What am I doing conducting it?" (laughs) I'm conducting it because Mr. Gould is so valid and serious an artist that I must take seriously anything he conceives in good faith and his conception is interesting enough so that I feel you should hear it, too.

But the age old question still remains: "In a concerto, who is the boss (laughter) the soloist or the conductor?" (laughter grows louder). The answer is, of course, sometimes the one and sometimes the other depending on the people involved. But almost always, the two manage to get together by persuasion or charm... or even threats laughs) to achieve a unified performance.
I have only once before in my life, had to submit to a soloist's wholly new and incompatible concept and that was the last time I accompanied Mr. Gould. (loud laughs).
But, but THIS time, the descrepencies between our views are so great that I feel I must make this small disclaimer. Then why, to repeat the question, am I conducting it? Why I do I not make a minor scandal -- get a substitute soloist, or let an assistant conduct? Because I am FASCINATED, glad to have the chance for a new look at this much played work; Because, what's more, there are moments in Mr. Gould's performance that emerge with astonishing freshness and conviction. Thirdly, because we can all learn something from this extraordinary artist who is a THINKING performer, and finally because there IS in music what Dimitri Mitropoulos used to call "the SPORTIVE element" (mild laughter), that FACTOR of curiousity, adventure, experiment, and I can assure you that it HAS been an adventure this week (audience laughter) collaborating with Mr. Gould on this Brahms concerto and it's in this spirit of adventure that we now present it to you. (clapping)"

I love that sportive element applicated to music.

[Peter]

I'm listening to the Brahms Piano concerto no. 1, live recording at the Carnegie Hall, Gould, Bernstein, NY Philharmonic. The recording starts with a "disclaimer" addressed by Leonard Bernstein to the audience! It's so funny that I'll write it down:


I love that sportive element applicated to music.

Yes it's quite a unique story - a conductor distancing himself from the performance he is about to give! What did you make of it?

[JA Gardiner]

Telemann - the complete Tafelmusik by Musica Amphion conducted by Pieter-Jan Belder. Can quite see why in his day he would have been as highly regarded as Bach and Handel and am looking forward to the rest of the box - a 10CD masterworks collection from Brilliant - which has a selection of his concertos for Oboe, Trumpet and a variety of other instruments as well as a recording of his Matthew Passion which I'll be fascinated to compare with its better known namesake!

[Peter]

Eroica - conducted by George Szell, a wonderful account.

[atserriotserri]

Yes it's quite a unique story - a conductor distancing himself from the performance he is about to give! What did you make of it?

Well, I think one side of the message is the one you mention, the other side of it is that if well-constructed, different does not means bad, good, better or worse, just different (another concept would be different and careless, or different and incoherent).

In the notes of the Cd (Sony Classical Great Performances) Bernstein is quoted to have written that, after Gould called him as an alert that there were some surprises in re-examining the score: "Any discovery of Glenn's was welcomed by me because I worshipped the way he played: I admired his intellectual approach, his complete dedication to whatever he was doing" but once they met, Bernstein thought that needed careful explanation both to orchestra and audience. And Gould, in a radio interview added as the last track of the cd mentions, among other facts, that Bernstein thought that the antagonism between orchestra and piano had to be preserved and needed more contrasts in dynamics and tempi, while Gould wanted to give common impulsion to both elements since his conception emphasised continuity over contrast and to make connections between motifs and movements.

Curiously, despite this disclaimer, Bernstein directed Gould in the recording of the 2nd, 3rd & 4th Beethoven piano concertos, Bach's BWV 1052 concerto and (at least Gould said) they both had projects of further collaborating.

The music? I like Gould, I find his Bach marvelous, and for other composers, it opens my mind listening to him and then anyone else play the same piece. And regarding this particular concerto, is not by far the slowest on you can find, and I don't consider it boring, nor annoying, nor disrespectful... But indeed, perhaps is among the most peculiar recordings for the pianist decision of converting the piano in another instrument of the orchestra that for time to time gains protagonism more than "The Piano" and for his interpretation of some passages where he plays or better said, converts, romantic piano music into almost a contrapunctus.

If one wants to find the most loyal rendition to the script, forget it, but it's not that far... at least not as much in Gould's terms you should hear his hammerklavier... no, really

[Megan]

On BBC Radio 3 tonight, 17:00, I shall be listening to Bach at Christmas, with John Eliot Gardiner. On every evening weekdays.

[Peter]

Beethoven's Eroica, Eliot-Gardiner.

[Michael]

Rensolinksy's "Guiness and Sherry" symphony. It's the new year!!!