The Classical Music Guide Forums

Nice that somebody brought up the topic of Berwald. Being a Swede myself I can´t help making a push for this often underrated and unknown composer. I´ll never forget the wonderful impression his 3rd (the singuliere) symphony made on me when played live here in Göteborg by the Göteborg SO about 30 ye...

Diego Bueno wrote: "The forward motion is more important"

True. The first movement needs real propulsion to work. Like the first movement of Schumann´s 3rd symphony wich clearly was the inspiration for the same movement in Brahms 3rd.

Heck 148 wrote: "Brahms 3 provides great work for all woodwinds including first horn..." It sure does. Specially the andante. Brahms never wrote anything more beautiful for woodwind. This thread on Brahms 3rd made my return to my music archive and relisten about 20+ or so versions of the particular ...

Yes, Brahms 3rd is probably the most difficult of his symphonies to get going. Can´t think of a "perfectly" conducted version right out of my head. But I do know that I think that nobody makes the 2nd and 4th movements better than Karajan (usually not one of my favorite conductors) in the recording ...

Oops, I forgot to mention Minkowski´s take on No 102. As good, if not better, than Colin Davis´. And that is high praise indeed coming from me. The slow movement is revealed in all its sublimity. And the first movement has just as much zest and irressistible propulsion as Davis version.

Hi Ted, José and the others, I am glad that I managed to set the ball rolling. First I might tell you that I have had the Minkowski set for about a week. I transferred it to my new mobile phone (Samsung Galaxy Super...a wonderful phone if ever there was one. The music player is outstanding. It´s act...

Has anybody on the list heard Marc Minkowski´s recordings of Haydn´s London symphonies. Any thoughts on the matter?

"Sounds like you would enjoy the recordings of Mozart and Haydn symphonies from Harnoncourt and the Concertgebouw (not to be mistake for Harnoncourt COE)." I actually think Harnoncourt is one of the worst Mozart conductors ever to have stood on a podium. Yes, he really lets the brass speak out loud ...

For me the problem in most performances is not so much too much brass but too LITTLE. I´m mostly thinking of oldschool performances of 18th century composers like Haydn and Mozart. Just listen to the late Haydn symphonies conducted by the likes of Karajan (DEcca) or Jochum (DG) to see what I mean. A...

Dont worry Jack. I think overall Theodora is several steps ahead of a work like Judas Maccabeus in terms of quality. You are in for one of the great musical experiences of your life.

Antonio Jerez

Thank you very much, Anton for these recommendations. I wonder if I can get my girlfriend Heidi to give me "Theodora" for Christmas...?! Jack, I have just been sitting here the last couple of hours comparing both the Paul McCreesh and William Christie recordings of Theodora again and it is so hard ...

You're just ahead of me. "Theodora" and "Alexander Balus" are my next Handelian purchases. I've never heard "Theodora" and understand that the double-chorus in it is considered by some as Handel's finest. I'm waiting with baited breath to hear it! What recording would you recommend? Jack, your are ...

There is so much...but if I would have to choose among operas I would give the price for most beautiful ever composed to Mozart´s COSI FAN TUTTE. Just dip into any part of the score and you will find miracles like "Soave sia il vento". Händels oratorio Theodora is also full of marvels. I think the h...

I think Harnoncourt can be recommended in most of the works mentioned in danglam's first post. In particular if you already own recordings of these works, he can be a refreshing alternative. Harnoncourt is a rather paradoxical conductor: He started as one of the pioneers on period instruments, but ...

Brahms's music is enjoyable but, to be honest, not too unique. About as original as a toothpick in a box of toothpicks. What do you mean by not being "too unique"? I guess that your way of measuring a piece of music´s greatness mostly has to do with a composer being revolutionary in things like for...

A small correction to my earlier message. The last paragraph should have read: "That Bach was an intrumentalist at hearts shows up in that much of his vocal music often sounds like it was written for an instrument. Much of Handel´s instrumental music on the other hand sounds like it was written for ...

Miranda wrote >And if anyone wants to listen to someone who, in my opinion, was one of >the supreme interpreters of Handel's vocal music, look no further than >this amazing lady: I agree that Lorraine Hunt Lieberson is one of the supreme interpreters of Handel. She is very much missed. Her voice has...

While I am usually no great fan of Karajan I still think he was one of the best Brahms conductors of his generation. His 1978 symphony cycle with the Berliner Philharmoniker is very good. But if I would have to pick out the gem among all his Brahms recordings it would have to be the recording of the...

Brahms? He's one of THE giants. He wrote pure musician's music, and he penned a much higher percentage of "absolute" (i.e., non-programmatic) music than others of his generation. As durable as they come. Sorry for joining in so late on this thread, but I must say amen to Wallingfords words. Persona...

Some months ago I heaped praise on Felix Mendelssohn. I think I cannot stop doing it again. The reason is that I am sitting here by the computer listening to a recent recording of Mendelssohn´s piano trios. And so far I just want to sing GLORY, GLORY HALLELUJAH! I´ll put the blame on violinist Julia...

Hello, The other week, my local morning programme played an overture to the opera "The Ridiculous Prince Jodelet" by a German Baroque composer named Reinhard Keiser. The host indicated that Keiser was a popular writer for the Hamburg Opera at about 1700. This particular recording was from a disc of...

Jack Kelso wrote: I have the Zinman/Tonhalle dics: the interpretations are not what gives these great symphonies their character, poetry, lyricism and inner meaning. Sawallisch is much better, Muti is quite good as well. Bernstein, Szell, Klemperer, Kubelik, Thielemann, etc. are fine for individual ...

JBuck wrote: The real problem with Mendelssohn, which is shared to some extent by Schubert, and which can be attributed to the failure to attain artistic maturity within the scope of the lifetime granted, is that he didn't seem to know how to complete a flawless masterpiece. From the early octet thr...

Jack Kelso wrote: Mendelssohn is a wonderfully charming and good-natured composer of a great deal of polished music----piano, chamber, songs, symphonies and choral works. I was the one who posted that "Mendelssohn's greatest technical flaw was rhythm". And it is true---but only compared to those mas...

Can somebody please help me with a few tips. I still haven´t figured out how to post replies with quotes on this list. Can´t make things work yet...

Thanks

Antonio Jerez
Sweden

Pizza wrote: Of course that's a matter of personal perception. Schubert wrote his first 5 symphonies during his teen years. Mahler finished the original version of Das Klagende Lied when he was 17. Korngold wrote Violanta and Der Ring des Polycrates as a teenager. Bizet wrote his Symphony at 17. The...

Thanks for the warm welcome from people on this board. Yes, I will certainly participate actively on this list from now on. I should have started a long time ago, but it is never to late. I love classical music and have many ideas about have old masters like Handel, Mozart, Mendelssohn and others sh...

Hi, this will be my first post to this excellent list. A few months ago there was a quite long discussion here about the relative merits or nonmerits of Felix Mendelssohn. Since then many of the things that were said at that time about this german composer has been buzzing around in my head. Particu...