...to deliver the Real Thing: Live music in mostly unintermediated sound. (By which I mean, no toys, minimal boards and mics -- and no splicing!)First the Met gave us Jenufa, by Leos Janacek, in a glorious, full-throated and dramatically viable performance.
Then, as usual, Prairie Home Companion -- with stars of the Minnesota Opera, Butch Thompson, Pat Donohue, Vern Sutton, Prudence Johnson. I swear, the engineers there get some of the most realistic sound around.
And at eight o'clock the locale switched to Symphony Hall, where James Levine conducted Haydn, Wuorinen and Brahms. I have to say, when I listened to the Friday concert I was not impressed, although admittedly I was running errands so was in and out of the car (which by the way is a great place to concentrate, especially when sitting in the parking lot). The Haydn 22nd was too slow, the Wuorinen 8th was incomprehensible (Why does modern music seem to demand xylophones and wood blocks? Such cliches!) and the Brahms 4th lacked propulsion.
Be that as it may, last night was totally different. Maybe it was a belly full of sirloin and broccoli and Sam Smith IPA, maybe it was the sound (different station, better audio), maybe it was the band, or maybe it was Jimmy. At any rate it all clicked -- even the Wuorinen. And if you know any Wuorinen, you'll know how radical this pronouncement sounds: I enjoyed it!
Cheers to radio! Three cheers to live music!
clark
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Topic - Yesterday: What a great day for music on the radio-audio! Really there's no better way... - clarkjohnsen 11:17:41 02/18/07 (8)
- Couldn't agree more....heard the first two out here in Western Mass.... - theaudiohiffle 14:15:54 02/18/07 (7)
- "Good sound by a good station, and much enjoyment." Indeed so! But there are those... - clarkjohnsen 08:57:04 02/20/07 (1)
- Thanks for the quote, despite your usual lame and transparent attempt to.... - Rick W 10:20:26 02/20/07 (0)
- Re: Couldn't agree more....heard the first two out here in Western Mass.... - Bob Neill 05:51:28 02/19/07 (4)
- If you'd watch either his Tanglewood program from last summer, or his New Year's Eve show, you'd know. nt - clarkjohnsen 08:48:46 02/20/07 (1)
- Re: If you'd watch either his Tanglewood program from last summer, or his New Year's Eve show, you'd know. nt - Bob Neill 09:09:11 02/20/07 (0)
- Sorry.... - feet's too big 04:47:46 02/20/07 (1)
- Re: Sorry.... - Bob Neill 04:52:45 02/20/07 (0)