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Gramophone announces that Sir Simon Rattle will be the new Music Director of the LSO. Another win for bland.
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Rattle often puts out "monotonous" performances that lack "snap" from the ensemble and "drama".... But not nearly as bad as Franz Welser Most or Daniel Barenboim in this regard. Rattle's best performances are in an accompaniment role in concertos. (Did a really nice Beethoven Concerto One w Lars Vogt. Although not the fire of Blomstedt w the same soloist.)
There are some interesting comments here. I find it interesting that Rattle is being referred to by some here as "bland." While he is not one of my favorites, to my knowledge this is not a normal description of either him or his performances, which are usually very energetic. That said, I am mostly familiar with his earlier work, and not so much with what he has done in Berlin. I would guess that perhaps he might seem bland there, after Abbado....
If they want a knight with an ear for music there's still a few about.
True terror is to wake up one morning and discover that your high school class is running the country.
quote by Kurt Vonnegut
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"Life without music is a mistake" (Nietzsche)
Thanks Chris for reminding me. It's already 10:30 in the morning here and that leaves me ony a few hours to perform my daily chauvinistic act. So little time...
Actually London is difficult city to be chauvinistic in when nearly 40% of the population was not born in the UK and where a minority of residents have an indigenous heritage.
Love your post! I was wondering if my knee jerk response would get a reaction! (My reference was more to the tone and attitude of certain Gramophone reviewers, although even there, I don't notice the British boosterism these days quite as much as I used to, decades ago.) In any case, I think chauvinism comes with the territory in music reviewing. Certainly, we exhibit our share of it in the US. I also just read an account of a French critic's reaction to talk of Solti taking over the Orchestre de Paris (many years ago obviously), where he wrote, "Why do we need Solti when we have Georges Sébastian!"Last time I was in London (4 years ago), I noticed that it seemed more. . . uh. . . ethnic (in keeping with your comments) than when I had been there 30 years previously. Both my wife and I love the city and we had a great time there (including attending concerts by the LSO and the LPO). It's a great place and atmosphere, and we're hoping to return soon!
Edits: 03/04/15 03/04/15
Love your post! I was wondering if my knee jerk response would get a reaction! (My reference was more to the tone and attitude of certain Gramophone reviewers, although even there, I don't notice the British boosterism these days quite as much as I used to, decades ago.) In any case, I think chauvinism comes with the territory in music reviewing. Certainly, we exhibit our share of it in the US. I also just read an account of a French critic's reaction to talk of Solti taking over the Orchestre de Paris (many years ago obviously), where he wrote, "Why do we need Solti when we have Georges Sébastian!"
Last time I was in London (4 years ago), I noticed that it seemed more. . . uh. . . ethnic (in keeping with your comments) than when I had been there 30 years previously. Both my wife and I love the city and we had a great time there (including attending concerts by the LSO and the LPO). It's a great place and atmosphere, and we're hoping to return soon!
I hope that you will enjoy your return to London.
One thing that i can guarantee is that it will be different to your last time. I live in the suburbs and every time I go up to town I get out of the railway station and start my "where the hell did that come from ?" experience. The whole town seems under constant rebuild and change. Not always for the better believe me e.g. the current gentrification of Soho or the shops of Regent Street now seemingly catering exclusively for Russian oligarchs.
They should have hired a babe conductor, like one of these
Anu Tali
Karina Chen
Katya Chilingiri
"Life without music is a mistake" (Nietzsche)
in front of a mirror.
Talk to the hand.
I like her CD's - and here's a better picture of her:
She has a twin sister named Kadri.Kadri was one of the founders and currently Director of the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra.
Here they are together, Anu on the left and Kadri on the right. I think Kadri eats more than Anu.
"Life without music is a mistake" (Nietzsche)
Edits: 03/03/15 03/03/15 03/03/15 03/03/15
n
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I've seen any number of conductors gaze at the tip of the baton, as in awe of its,
well, never mind about that.
Nor his Gerontius, nor his Sibelius "Night Ride and Sunrise."
But I'd always rather listen to Sir Colin Davis, piece for piece.
But Sir Colin now can be heard only on recordings.
jm
NT
The original live Colorado MahlerFest Wheeler version is the one for me.
jm
more than others I've heard.
After reading your reply, I just realized that he recorded it twice, didn't he (maybe different completions)?
I do not like his Berlin, but love his Bournemouth on EMI. Have it on LP and it sounds terrific, as does the performance.
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It's become more and more fashionable to slam conductors from the peanut gallery, hasn't it? Yet in general they probably have less control over the final product than ever. Rattle's 16 seasons in Berlin, where the conductor is elected by the players, was quite an impressive run. I'd be surprised to see anything like it again.
Those who can, do. Those who can't (do) write negative posts on the internet.
my blog: http://carsmusicandnature.blogspot.com/
Do you have to play in the major leagues to know whether or not Willie Mays was a good baseball player? ;-)
I didn't know that calling someone bland was a hate crime! I guess I'll go back to being positive so that everyone else can go back to trashing performers, conductors, and composers....
Since you play, you are exempt.
Another old saying
"Everybody's a critic."
A new saying
"Everybody's meaner on the internet than in person."
my blog: http://carsmusicandnature.blogspot.com/
It's clear from his posts here that Chris is not only a piano teacher, but an active performer and accompanyist, so he hears a great deal of live music. Moreover, the amount of recorded music he listens to is considerable even for a musician. There is no denying his experience, training and knowledge. But you will find that pianists, conductors, orchestra musicians, studio musicians, freelancers, music teachers, academics, etc. all have characteristic biases as much as ordinary amateur LP and CD collectors, opera fans, piano fans, etc.
It is very hard to have truly neutral, broad-minded opinions when you are in the middle of the fray and trying to earn a living. For example, conductors are traditionally feared and/or despised by most rank-and-file musicians. There have always been major exceptions, and the conductor's power has markedly waned in the modern world. But you can still see remnants of that attitude. Of course, that doesn't mean Simon Rattle doesn't have his flaws. But don't let CFL's cv intimidate you. ;)
Yep, and some more than others!
Well, if he plays then the saying I paraphrased doesn't apply.
He has been sneering at musicians like Angela Hewitt lately. I like it better when he makes me aware of musicians, including the comely ones.
There are certainly musicians whose work I don't care for but I try to keep the negative comments about them to a minimum.
my blog: http://carsmusicandnature.blogspot.com/
Most comments should be positive and helpful in nature, and I usually try not to rain on other people's parades, but with some performers (especially those who make sneering comments about their betters - as Miss Prissypants did about Rachmaninoff), I just can't help myself. ;-)
I even found a couple of positive things to say about Sir Simon! ;-)
Of course, your comments about Shostakovich are a completely different thing. ;)
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Well OK - even I have an exception to that generalization:
Blessedly HIP-free! And I'm glad to have heard his BPO recording of the latest go at the fourth movement of Bruckner's Ninth. But still, he's MOSTLY pretty bland! ;-)
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"Familiarity breeds contempt, and children."
-Mark Twain
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