Klarinet Archive - Posting 001007.txt from 1999/09

From: "Kevin Fay (LCA)" <kevinfay@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] "Definitive" Recordings (Was 2025 Mozart)
Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999 17:52:12 -0400

Mario/KlarBoy noted:

<<<I believe that certain artist are more in tune with their own times, and
hence are more "dated" by their interpretations, while other artists are
better able to transcend their times and give us something great and
lasting. . . . [lists favorite recordings]

While these recordings do not often reflect the current scholarship of
period performance practice (especially the Mozart
works) they have a virtuosity that gives them such amazing clarity and
brilliance that I will never tire of listening to them.>>>

This is an interesting thread -- and could get "interestinger."

Clearly, the early recordings of Toscanini can't compare with today's
recordings. Starting in the mid- to late 1950's, however, recording
technology got to the point where we can now intelligently compare
performances with modern ones. To be sure, modern recording technology
might get every grunt, burp and key click better, but at least we can
compare tone quality and artistic interpretation (which wasn't possible when
recordings had time constraints of the old 78s).

I agree with Mario -- there are some recordings that are so dang good as to
be considered "definitive," despite what some will say are anachronistic
performance practices. I agree w/ Mario that Glenn Gould's Bach recording
(on piano--the horror!) is such an example. Two others come to my mind.

The first is a recording done by a bunch of brassholes in the mid-1960's.
The brass sections of Philly, Boston & Chicago got together, played for 9
hours (without tuning up, and according to the liner notes, on the way to a
tavern) and produced a fantastic album of Gabrielli. Others have tried to
cover these tunes, and IMHO none have come close. I wore out 2 vinyl
copies, and was overjoyed to see that it has been reissued on CD. So I
bought 2.

The second is Jascha Heifetz's recording of the Tchaikovsky violin concerto
w/ Fritz Reiner & the Chicago band from 1957. Apparently, he was supposed
to be old & washed up when this was released. This recording is so stinkin'
good I seriously question the judgment of anyone else who has subsequently
recorded it -- none, in my humble opinion, are even in the same ballpark.
Why prove you're second fiddle? (Sorry, couldn't resist).

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