|
|
|
Another performance that really works, though it is only 2/3 of the complete ballet, is the SACD with Minnesota Orchestra and Stanislaw Skrowaczewski. That is in surround, lovingly remastered by Moblle Fidelity from old Vox/Turnabout master tapes. The La Valse on that disc is also quite ravishing and very exciting.
|
|
|
|
|
|
wehecht said:
Mr. Gonzalez,
I think you've made your opinion of this recording well known in previous posts. Perhaps it's time you acquire the new Levine/BSO recording and let us know your views on that one. Since you've mentioned that you're a conductor I tried to find any web reference to recordings or concerts of yours that I might buy/attend, but couldn't find anything. Would you be willing to provide some biographical info? Thanks.
Bill
My biographical info is not needed here. I do have a doctorate in music and my training comes from a long line of major conductors. I am a conductor who tours internationally and have conducted quite a lot of the orchestral repertoire in 42 years on the podium; but this is all about what I hear in a performance that is just not all it could be.
This can happen, as Haitink may have been having a bad night. He can produce some beautiful performances, but on the whole, his career brings us a string of performances that get every note and miss the real pace of the music. As to the soprano, I hear her vibrato is out of control in the high register and, due to the control problem, her intonation in the Poulenc is terrible. I have played this for my vocal coach, who was seized with an attack of laughter at the terrible technique of the soprano. yes, I also sing professionally.
I will consider getting the Levine/BSO, though I have had reports from some colleagues that some tempo problems are present. That makes me a bit wary of spending that kind of money for another performance that may not really take wing.
Besides, collecting recordings is about opinion, and, if some listeners like what they hear, that may explain the reason why Britney Spears has a career, but music performance is a fallible thing and sometimes performances are made permanent that are just not up to the level of the group assembled.
|
|
|
Post by bissie July 22, 2009 (53 of 88)
|
|
hiredfox said:
Strange and unusual opinion certainly. You may find yourself alone on this one. Either your ears or mine need thorough examination and testing. I know the piece exceptionally well and this performance is more than adequate. Your personal comments about Jessica Rivera & Bernard Haitink are disingeuous in the extreme and unworthy of serious consideration.
I haven't heard this particular SACD, but I have to agree with Maestro Gonzales that listening to music is about own taste, perceptions and convictions plus musical ears and education.
I think it is utterly refreshing to read someone with a conviction and who has the balls to state them in an unequivocal way. Much more interesting than the eternal double 5* given out.
If Maestro Gonzales finds Ms. Rivera's vibrato intolerable, he has the right to say so and being considered seriously. Especially since it is so easily verifiable.
Since only 5 out of 12 recommended this disc (surely a Nadir on this Forum) he doesn't seem to be alone in his opinion.
And, yes, I would have said this, even had I been on the wrong end of the stick.
Robert
|
|
|
|
|
|
Potential purchasers of this disc should be aware that it is also available as a CD only release, so if you want the SACD layer, check that you're buying the hybrid release.
|
|
|
Post by Edvin July 22, 2009 (55 of 88)
|
|
bissie said:
I haven't heard this particular SACD, but I have to agree with Maestro Gonzales that listening to music is about own taste, perceptions and convictions plus musical ears and education.
I think it is utterly refreshing to read someone with a conviction and who has the balls to state them in an unequivocal way. Much more interesting than the eternal double 5* given out.
If Maestro Gonzales finds Ms. Rivera's vibrato intolerable, he has the right to say so and being considered seriously. Especially since it is so easily verifiable.
Since only 5 out of 12 recommended this disc (surely a Nadir on this Forum) he doesn't seem to be alone in his opinion.
And, yes, I would have said this, even had I been on the wrong end of the stick.
Robert
I think the 5 out of 12 recommendations has to do with the technical problems of the disc. Two channels were wrongly placed. I have heard this SACD and I was not impressed by the performances. The Poulenc is stodgy and four square, far from elegant. The main piece sounds rushed and uninspired. And I am a great admirer of Haitink.
|
|
|
|
|
|
wehecht said:
Mr. Gonzalez,
I think you've made your opinion of this recording well known in previous posts. Perhaps it's time you acquire the new Levine/BSO recording and let us know your views on that one. Since you've mentioned that you're a conductor I tried to find any web reference to recordings or concerts of yours that I might buy/attend, but couldn't find anything. Would you be willing to provide some biographical info? Thanks.
Bill
Also, you will find it difficult to Google my name as I do not use this on the podium and my last international tours have been to countries where my name is transliterated, so Google would not pick up my performances. On the other hand, I have done quite an extensive array of works as paid conductor (including premieres of hundreds of works) which I started doing in Puerto Rico when I was 15 years old, and that was 42 years ago.
Still, I am enough of a performer to know when I am hearing something in a performance that is objectionable or just plain bad, especially when it does not appear so marked in the score (the "Oohs" instead of "Aahs" in the final crescendo of the Daphnis Ballet); sopranos that sing off pitch or are unprepared (I have had a number of performances of the Beethoven 9th ruined by singers that were incompetent or unprepared, for which I had to do emergency coaching); etc... These are all parts of the insanity that is concert life and I understand very well the fallibility of the human beings that attempt to scale the heights that composers leave in their creations. So, sometimes, the best of forces, with all the best intentions, come up with misbegotten performances. I can think of a classic case, about 30+ years ago, RCA recorded Anna Moffo in complete version of Thaïs. This is one of the most unfortunate serious opera recordings I have ever heard.
As regards my comments about tempo in Haitink's Daphnis, a prime responsibility of a good conductor is to keep, not just the complete lyrical line from beginning to end of an extended work, but to do so with the line of tempo links and progressions throughout. The purpose of this is to make the beginning, middle, and end of a work be performed in proper proportion to its whole. This is something that does NOT occur successfully in the recording here in question. Why did it happen that way? I do not know that there can be an easy answer, but, what may seem "adequate" to some listeners is, to me, not worthy of permanent storage on disc.
Yes, adequate sometimes is tolerable in live performance. I remember hearing Dame Kiri te Kanawa in recital one occasion. She had rescheduled the concert a day later due to a cold, so she came on stage and went through the motions, but never really reached for her best. While I can understand that and I thought the singing was beautiful, but the lack of energy and projection in the performance left me cold, and made me feel as if I had been robbed.
So it goes...
|
|
|
Post by wehecht July 23, 2009 (57 of 88)
|
|
gonzostick said:
Also, you will find it difficult to Google my name as I do not use this on the podium and my last international tours have been to countries where my name is transliterated, so Google would not pick up my performances. On the other hand, I have done quite an extensive array of works as paid conductor (including premieres of hundreds of works) which I started doing in Puerto Rico when I was 15 years old, and that was 42 years ago.
Still, I am enough of a performer to know when I am hearing something in a performance that is objectionable or just plain bad, especially when it does not appear so marked in the score (the "Oohs" instead of "Aahs" in the final crescendo of the Daphnis Ballet); sopranos that sing off pitch or are unprepared (I have had a number of performances of the Beethoven 9th ruined by singers that were incompetent or unprepared, for which I had to do emergency coaching); etc... These are all parts of the insanity that is concert life and I understand very well the fallibility of the human beings that attempt to scale the heights that composers leave in their creations. So, sometimes, the best of forces, with all the best intentions, come up with misbegotten performances. I can think of a classic case, about 30+ years ago, RCA recorded Anna Moffo in complete version of Thaïs. This is one of the most unfortunate serious opera recordings I have ever heard.
As regards my comments about tempo in Haitink's Daphnis, a prime responsibility of a good conductor is to keep, not just the complete lyrical line from beginning to end of an extended work, but to do so with the line of tempo links and progressions throughout. The purpose of this is to make the beginning, middle, and end of a work be performed in proper proportion to its whole. This is something that does NOT occur successfully in the recording here in question. Why did it happen that way? I do not know that there can be an easy answer, but, what may seem "adequate" to some listeners is, to me, not worthy of permanent storage on disc.
Yes, adequate sometimes is tolerable in live performance. I remember hearing Dame Kiri te Kanawa in recital one occasion. She had rescheduled the concert a day later due to a cold, so she came on stage and went through the motions, but never really reached for her best. While I can understand that and I thought the singing was beautiful, but the lack of energy and projection in the performance left me cold, and made me feel as if I had been robbed.
So it goes...
Thank you for your extensive replies.
Bill
|
|
|
|
|
|
As has been claimed and noticed here, there is indeed a problem with the SACD layers on this release. It occured in the post-production phase of the album's production, and while we do take steps to ensure that errors like this are identified before an album goes on sale, we missed it this time. We've taken further action to make sure that this type of problem cannot happen again.
New hybrid SACDs have been ordered from the manufacturer. If anyone has purchased a defective SACD (and all available copies are defective), please send it to the address below, and a replacement copy will be mailed to you.
The classical-music industry has a long history of leadership in high-quality audio recording, and today SACD technology is a large part of this. The CSO and CSO Resound are committed to this format, and to those listeners who are devoted to it. We regret that this mistake has been made by our still-young label. There are more recordings on their way from CSO Resound, and we hope that you enjoy the performances captured on those SACDs.
Please send all correspondence on this issue to:
Marc Geelhoed
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
220 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60604
Thank you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chicago Symphony said:
...
Thank you.
Now that is customer service
|
|
|
|
|
|
I should also have added my email address: geelhoedm AT cso.org.
Marc Geelhoed
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
220 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60604
|
|
