Thank you Jonny, I really appreciate your kind words. I will eventually make it to the Appassionata (it is #26 on the list so it won't be too long), so I'll definitely take a look at what you wrote. It is my favorite Beethoven sonata, so I can't wait to read what you have to say about it.
The Eroica was rather exhausting, and even though I love it, I will now be taking a break from it for a while! I'm still learning a lot about the process of writing, and I'm learning so much all the time about the composers, the pieces of music, and the background history. But I'm enjoying it.
Thanks again for reaching out and for the encouragement! Be well.
I confess that I’m not a fan of Xavier Roth. He is currently “on the crest of the wave”, but untill now I have found his interpretations uninteristing and this one is no exeption. For my taste There are more convincing period instruments “Eroica”, for example Jordi Savall, and Andrew Manze: both with small orchestras but razor shape versions.
In general I agree with you on Roth, perhaps his Eroica just struck me a certain way when I listened to it. The Savall and Manze are both excellent. As you can imagine, one of the difficulties when embarking on surveys of recordings of works like the Eroica is the breadth and depth of versions available. For me it is important to be able to change my mind about a piece or a recording, which is why I appreciate comments like yours. Sometimes upon further listening I come to different conclusions.
Of course It’s just an exchange of opinions. There are so many recordings of this masterpieces! I really appreciate your job and I agree with 90% of your recommendations.
I would recommend Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt Wiener Philharmoniker, for his Eroica recorded by Decca at the Sofiensaal. I also like Gunter Wand's NDR recording, and for HIP Martin Haselbock's Orchester Wiener Akademie. The latter is part of a series recorded in venues where Beethoven symphonies were first performed. The OWA recording uses the minimum number of strings Beethoven suggested so has a much thinner sound. I think Haselbock should do another one using say 8 first, 7 second, 6 violas, 6 cellos and 6 basses, which later concerts eg in 1820s used.
This is such a wonderful and thoughtful analysis. I agree that the second movement is the heart and soul, and that's why I've neglected to listen to the symphony as a whole in a while. But this writing got me back to it and appreciating it so much more. Thank you, John!
I've always been partial to Bernstein or the Berlin Philharmonic when it comes to the Romantics, but I love hearing--almost unlocking--a new kind of Beethoven through another composer/musician.
I'm eager for your analysis on Appassionata (unless I've missed it somewhere). I saw that it's also your favorite of the sonatas. I attempted to write about it this past weekend and would absolutely love to hear your thoughts/feedback. In any case, I'm excited to read yours.
Thank you Jonny, I really appreciate your kind words. I will eventually make it to the Appassionata (it is #26 on the list so it won't be too long), so I'll definitely take a look at what you wrote. It is my favorite Beethoven sonata, so I can't wait to read what you have to say about it.
The Eroica was rather exhausting, and even though I love it, I will now be taking a break from it for a while! I'm still learning a lot about the process of writing, and I'm learning so much all the time about the composers, the pieces of music, and the background history. But I'm enjoying it.
Thanks again for reaching out and for the encouragement! Be well.
I confess that I’m not a fan of Xavier Roth. He is currently “on the crest of the wave”, but untill now I have found his interpretations uninteristing and this one is no exeption. For my taste There are more convincing period instruments “Eroica”, for example Jordi Savall, and Andrew Manze: both with small orchestras but razor shape versions.
In general I agree with you on Roth, perhaps his Eroica just struck me a certain way when I listened to it. The Savall and Manze are both excellent. As you can imagine, one of the difficulties when embarking on surveys of recordings of works like the Eroica is the breadth and depth of versions available. For me it is important to be able to change my mind about a piece or a recording, which is why I appreciate comments like yours. Sometimes upon further listening I come to different conclusions.
Of course It’s just an exchange of opinions. There are so many recordings of this masterpieces! I really appreciate your job and I agree with 90% of your recommendations.
Thank you!
I would recommend Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt Wiener Philharmoniker, for his Eroica recorded by Decca at the Sofiensaal. I also like Gunter Wand's NDR recording, and for HIP Martin Haselbock's Orchester Wiener Akademie. The latter is part of a series recorded in venues where Beethoven symphonies were first performed. The OWA recording uses the minimum number of strings Beethoven suggested so has a much thinner sound. I think Haselbock should do another one using say 8 first, 7 second, 6 violas, 6 cellos and 6 basses, which later concerts eg in 1820s used.
This is such a wonderful and thoughtful analysis. I agree that the second movement is the heart and soul, and that's why I've neglected to listen to the symphony as a whole in a while. But this writing got me back to it and appreciating it so much more. Thank you, John!
I've always been partial to Bernstein or the Berlin Philharmonic when it comes to the Romantics, but I love hearing--almost unlocking--a new kind of Beethoven through another composer/musician.
I'm eager for your analysis on Appassionata (unless I've missed it somewhere). I saw that it's also your favorite of the sonatas. I attempted to write about it this past weekend and would absolutely love to hear your thoughts/feedback. In any case, I'm excited to read yours.