Classical Court

Which performances? Which parts? What constitutes soullessness? [nt]

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Chris from Lafayette

In Reply to: RE: His performances are soulless IMO... (nt) posted by TWB on April 15, 2021 at 09:58:45

Follow Ups:

Follow Fischer's Mahler by Kubelik's, or his Beethoven by...dare I say it? Sch...... : ) nt - jdaniel@jps.net 10:56:50 04/15/21 (7)
.
- You're hardly making the point you think you're making - Chris from Lafayette 12:25:51 04/15/21 (6)
  And, yeah, you've got this thing for Scherchen. I guess that's all part of your charm!
  
  As for me, I've got the complete Kubelik DG set as well as all the Mahler Fischer has recorded for Channel Classics. The rap against Fischer is that he's quite fast in some movements (kind of like Scherchen in the Beethoven symphonies?). Kubelik? Fischer? - I like them both, so it's a toss up for me.
  - My point is that Kubelik and that other guy, two among many, capture the spirit of the music better without - jdaniel@jps.net 13:05:21 04/15/21 (1)
    getting in the way.
    
    It's not an old-school thing, imho Janowski's youthful Suisse Romande is able to sound very comfortable in Bruckner's skin, and his idiom can elusive too.
    - OK - I don't have a problem with that - Chris from Lafayette 13:10:13 04/15/21 (0)
      But HIP definitely gets in the way! ;-)
  - Just taking the Budapest string section alone, imho they don't seem very unified in purpose or direction - jdaniel@jps.net 12:53:21 04/15/21 (3)
    A great example is Mehta's LAPO strings in their Decca Mahler's 3rd sixth movt vs Fischer's. Heck, even Janowski's youthful Suisse Romande string section seems more collectively comfortable and confident when playing Bruckner.
    - Well, that's another one of your singular opinions again - Chris from Lafayette 13:07:37 04/15/21 (2)
      Sometimes it's good to be singular! ;-)
      
      I own all the recordings you mention, and that was hardly my impression (i.e., that the BFO strings were lacking in unified purpose or direction, compared to other recordings). Nor do I know of a single other reviewer (or even poster) who has expressed the same sentiments as yours. Nothing wrong with that of course, and it doesn't make your opinion incorrect. But that's all it is: your opinion (unless you have something more objective to buttress it).
      - I meant to delete that post, as such carelessly-tossed blanket statements aren't worthy of a forum like this, - jdaniel@jps.net 15:03:11 04/15/21 (1)
        
        In Reply to: RE: Well, that's another one of your singular opinions again posted by Chris from Lafayette on April 15, 2021 at 13:07:37
        
        right? : )
        
        The Budapest strings are pleasant enough, but, using the finale of the Mahler 3rd as an example, even when they soar, they seem to be flying into headwinds.
        
        Mehta's LAPO corporate string sound, for example? They achieve what I call "tossing the score" and playing with abandon. I don't know of an M3 Finale that is more ravishing.
        
        Odd, because otherwise I've never heard the LAPO mentioned when people talk about the world's best string sections.
        
        I agree with you that the LAPO string section is excellent - Chris from Lafayette 01:34:06 04/16/21 (0)
        
        In Reply to: RE: I meant to delete that post, as such carelessly-tossed blanket statements aren't worthy of a forum like this, posted by jdaniel@jps.net on April 15, 2021 at 15:03:11
        
        When I lived down in the LA area, I remember radio station KFAC did a program about how there were four Strads which had been willed/gifted to the LAPO, for the express use of the principal players in each section for the duration of their time as LAPO members. I wonder if that might have something to do with the wonderful corporate sound of the orchestra's string section?
        
        OTOH, Mehta's LAPO Mahler Fifth with the LAPO can be pretty slapdash, with a couple of violins even entering early at one point in the finale! It makes me wonder if the Decca engineers couldn't have used another take there instead!

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