What are you currently listening to (Classical)?
- Thread starter Bachtoven
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I looked for this ^ on PrimePhonic but could not find it.
I knew little of Klaus Tennstedt other than he was highly regarded, and had a residency with the LPO in the 80s.
I did a little reading up on him - one of the things about streaming services is they often give you a 'potted' history of conductor, performer, orchestra, etc.
Tennstedt had an interesting life, with much adversity, ill health and frailty. He didn't get an easy trot.
In any event I did manage to track this down, a 1976 recording with Symphonie Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, which interested me.
Released in 1985 by Profil.
In Primephonic there is something of a scathing review reproduced (but not adopted) from TiVo, which frankly I thought abit tough. Anyway the final paragraph reads as follows:
Like the 1982 Eighth, Tennstedt's 1976 recording of Bruckner's Third with the Symphonie Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks is intensely charismatic, a wonderful quality in Mahler, whose music is about yearning and striving, but it has nothing to do with Bruckner, whose music is about being and becoming. With his brave Bavarians beside him, Tennstedt leads a mounted assault on Bruckner's Third, sweeping through themes and over developments to take the final climax with sheer sonic power. But it's entirely beside the point. For all the charismatic intensity of Tennstedt's interpretation, Bruckner's Third is not about getting from here to there, but about being here, there, and everywhere -- and the more Tennstedt strives, the less he succeeds. Profil's radio broadcast sound is a bit rough, but very evocative.”
Ok - I'll give him that the sound quality wasn't the absolute best - but then again - its 1976 and a 1985 CD.
As for the performance - I thought charismatic was a decent enough good descriptor - I liked it - it was full of passion and feeling. It was a very powerful 3rd to be sure - needed a much better system than mine to really experience that.
I'll give the reviewer that it wasn't perhaps the most subtle thing in the world, but I enjoyed it.
Edit: PS - WTF this actually means I have no idea: "Mahler, whose music is about yearning and striving, but it has nothing to do with Bruckner, whose music is about being and becoming."
This sort of reviewing I find particularly annoying. What exactly being and becoming is, that yearning and striving isn't? (even if I accepted the proposition it was an accurate characterization of Mahler, which I don't - Mahler wrote an awful lot of music, and had at least 3 distinct periods to his composition, which are to my ears at least quite distinct).
Anyways - rant over...
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Thanks Rando - tracked this down - and the McCreesh - and have saved them to listen to.
It's this one isn't it? great review here.
What a world in which we are regurgitating TiVo (providers of quips for idiot box programming) reviews as a note on the decline of culture and critique.
Yes, that is it. Doing a search I came across @bonzo75 making mention of that version in a listening report. Indecision over the disc or 48/24 files is ongoing.
Yes, that is it. Doing a search I came across @bonzo75 making mention of that version in a listening report. Indecision over the disc or 48/24 files is ongoing.
I used that for a specific reason, because whilst using CD it covers vocals, choral and purchaser orchestra all in initial tracks. Also one of those starts very quiet and grows complex allowing one to easily compare while ABing
I have many Beethoven favorites, he's been my go to composer ever since I started listening to classical music. Being into high-end audio kind of made it frustrating for me to enjoy the immortal classics in the beginning as I thought most of the recordings weren't good enough, today I can appreciate these performances as well, but when the performances and recordings are all bliss, pure magic can happen. Soooo many good Beethovens out there, is there still room for more?
Recently I discovered the new cycle from Jordi Savall & Le Concert des Nations by co-incidence. I was browsing around, curious about something "new" and hitting play on the 5th I felt immediately that this was indeed something different. It got me completely hooked from those very famous first notes and I continued listening the entire evening and have almost not been able to listen to something else ever since. This is one of the best (if not THE best), most lively, most captivating and addictive Beethoven I've ever heard.
These are all simply great, and it would likely have been perfectly flawless if it weren't to the unfortunate event of Covid-19 which interrupted the recordings half-way as we only get Symphony 1-5 in this release, but I sincerely hope that they will get around to record the rest eventually.
Highly recommended!
Recently I discovered the new cycle from Jordi Savall & Le Concert des Nations by co-incidence. I was browsing around, curious about something "new" and hitting play on the 5th I felt immediately that this was indeed something different. It got me completely hooked from those very famous first notes and I continued listening the entire evening and have almost not been able to listen to something else ever since. This is one of the best (if not THE best), most lively, most captivating and addictive Beethoven I've ever heard.
These are all simply great, and it would likely have been perfectly flawless if it weren't to the unfortunate event of Covid-19 which interrupted the recordings half-way as we only get Symphony 1-5 in this release, but I sincerely hope that they will get around to record the rest eventually.
Highly recommended!
Firstly may I say what an absolutely lovely system you have put together. Very well thought out - to my mind. Congratulations.
Isn't it a truism the higher the fidelity the less listenable some of the greatest performances are - early Furtwrangler springs to mind. Not something I have to worry about! But as you say - when all is well - pure bliss.
I too love Jordi Savall and his band. Will look for this - I also adore Beethoven.
Bach, Beethoven & Brahms are too me God, the Father & The Son. You could add Mahler I suppose as the Holy Spirit.
Edit - this is abit of a cryptic reference for the foundations for, and transitions between the great periods - Renaissance, Classic, Romantic & Post Romantic. I took out the reference to me posting this on WBF in 2015/2016 - pretty irrelevant and out of content anyway.
Have a lovely evening.
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Ohh, thank you for the kind words! I'm very happy with it...
I tend to always come back to Beethoven, "the others" also of course, but Beethoven is more home than anything else.
You know, I was thinking about this overnight, and I am inclined to agree. If I had to chose one composer to listen to for the rest of my life (which would be a fairly onerous punishment) - it would probably be Beethoven. He covered so much ground, and his music is something that always stays with you. Haydn also - in my case.
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It's almost impossible to pick a favourite - I don't think I can. I have such broad interests in 'classical'. I do particulalry admire Beethoven - if anything - I just wish his works were not quite as done to death as they are. It got to the point I couldn't listen to the 5th for a while. Fatigue.
I briefly compared the 3rd to Richter/Muti--I prefer Zimerman's--it's more dramatic overall. Better sound, too. Then Perahia/Haitink--still prefer Zimerman for the same reasons!
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