Beethoven's birth anniversary today,

[elleng]

listen to him all day! Right now, 8th Symphony:

http://www.weta.org/listen-live



Right NOW, 12:08, the 9th Symphony

[malthaussen]

1. I was just listening to all of Chailly's with the GWO.

They raise the question of whether playing Ludwig at his indicated metronome notations tends to make the piece a little less profound and majestic. OTOH, hearing them at those speeds casts a whole different light on the music.

If one views Beethoven as a Classical composer pushing the envelope, rather than as a fully-realized Romantic composer, then the faster pieces are probably preferable to the "traditional" readings. Then again, any Beethoven is good Beethoven.

-- Mal

[elleng]

2. Nice to read your approach.

Recall Glenn Gould's unusual take on Bach???

[malthaussen]

3. As a matter of fact, no!

I wasn't aware of that recording, or his thoughts about it. It's interesting that fast tempi are so often considered "unfeeling," as if one must linger over every phrase to instill it with gravity. There are some pieces I think are played too darn fast -- "Pavane pour une Infante Defunte," for example, which I always think would be so much more moving if played more slowly than is usually the case. But other works seem to gain more coherence or unity when played more quickly, which apparently was what Mr Gould had in mind in 1955. (Along with getting it over with, if I'm reading his comments correctly)

It seems though, whenever anyone wants to criticize a performer, they claim he lacks feeling. Hell, even Mozart said that about Clementi. I'm dubious about that: in the first place, I think feeling is contributed as much by the listener as the performer. But then, I've always been convinced that criticism tells us more about the critic than the thing criticized. At any rate, I don't find Chailly's readings either clinical, cold, or mechanical. Although those are the criticisms that have been levelled at him.

Now must listen to Mr Gould!

-- Mal

[elleng]

4. Some Beethoven @ Google's Doodle today!