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 What were they thinking?
Author: GBK 
Date:   2008-04-03 18:35

File under: A good idea executed badly

A new recording last month paired Beethoven's 7th Symphony with a Rossini Overture, Weber Clarinet Concerto #1 and a piece by the (obscure) Dutch composer Johann Wilhelm Wilms.

https://www.europadisc.co.uk/classical/58626/Beethoven_-_Symphony_No.7_.htm

A clever pairing, considering the connection of Weber to Beethoven (Weber was vocal in his dislike for Beethoven's works) and Weber to Wilms (whose flute concerto he had called "dull and routine")

However, on this disc, all that is offered is the 2nd movement of the Weber Clarinet Concerto and the last movement of a Wilms symphony.

Where are the 1st and 3rd movements of the Weber?

Where are the 1st and 2nd movements of the Wilms symphony?

Do we really need Beethoven paired with single movements from other pieces, neither which is strong enough to stand alone?

Note to record producers: Give us complete works. Not a hodge-podge of semi related movements. And you wonder why CD's sales are plummeting?

If this is just a clumsy attempt to lure me into buying the (sure to be released) complete Weber Concerto and complete Wilms Symphony, I'm (literally) not buying it.

End of rant. Continue on...


...GBK



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 Re: What were they thinking?
Author: rsholmes 
Date:   2008-04-03 18:55

At least it's not a disc full of the World's Most Relaxing Adagios.

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 Re: What were they thinking?
Author: Katrina 
Date:   2008-04-03 20:11

"At least it's not a disc full of the World's Most Relaxing Adagios."

I'm certain you mean "ANOTHER disc full of..."

:P

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 Re: What were they thinking?
Author: DavidBlumberg 
Date:   2008-04-03 22:56

Well, as you know there are players who only perform slow mvts. ;)

http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com


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 Re: What were they thinking?
Author: rsholmes 
Date:   2008-04-04 00:09

'I'm certain you mean "ANOTHER disc full of..."'

Indeed, indeed.

Between those who think classical music is supposed to be relaxing and those who think it's boring, I'm not sure why composers bother trying to write an Allegro con Fuoco. There's just no market for it!

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 Re: What were they thinking?
Author: ken 
Date:   2008-04-04 00:54

Why didn't they slip in a movement from the Nutcracker Suite so it could also be marketed as a Christmas CD? [right] v/r Ken



Post Edited (2008-04-04 00:54)

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 Re: What were they thinking?
Author: skygardener 
Date:   2008-04-04 02:10

I heard in a Music History class that performance of full works was not standard until the mid 1800s. It was quite common in a concert to have one "main" work in the performance performed in full and a movement or 2 from other works to fill the remaining time. Anyone else hear thins?

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 Re: What were they thinking?
Author: GBK 
Date:   2008-04-04 02:44

skygardener wrote:

> I heard in a Music History class that performance of full works
> was not standard until the mid 1800s. It was quite common in a
> concert to have one "main" work in the performance performed in
> full and a movement or 2 from other works to fill the remaining
> time.


You are correct.

An 18th century / early 19th century concert would often have individual movements from symphonies, concerti, etc... performed and/or repeated.

As an encore, it was not unusual to have a selected movement from a previously heard piece replayed.

Sometimes, the entire symphony would be played again.

But - no one was yet buying CD's of the concert. [wink] ...GBK

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 Re: What were they thinking?
Author: skygardener 
Date:   2008-04-04 05:31

GBK- "An 18th century / early 19th century concert would often have individual movements from symphonies, concerti, etc... performed and/or repeated."
So then, compilation CDs are more historically correct than "All Hyden", "all Clarinet" etc., CDs.

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 Re: What were they thinking?
Author: stevensfo 
Date:   2008-04-04 06:06

From your description of the CD, it sounds like a typical free CD you find stuck to the cover of various classical music magazines.

I wonder if perhaps, for various reasons - e.g. magazine changed their mind, some enthusiastic yet naive young marketing assistant persuaded his bosses to try 'selling' it instead.

Steve

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 Re: What were they thinking?
Author: NorbertTheParrot 
Date:   2008-04-04 06:35

It contains a Rossini piece as well.

It's an SACD, not an "ordinary" CD, so I doubt it was meant as a freebie.

In terms of minutes of music per pound (dollar, euro, yen, krona etc) it's probably not bad value.

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 Re: What were they thinking?
Author: Lelia Loban 2017
Date:   2008-04-04 13:54

GBK wrote,
>>Note to record producers: Give us complete works. Not a hodge-podge of semi related movements. >>

Yes. Sheesh!

>>As an encore, it was not unusual to have a selected movement from a previously heard piece replayed.
>>

At the premiere of Beethoven's violin concerto, the violinist entertained the audience between movements by performing "barnyard imitations" on his fiddle. HEEEE-haw!

Golly, think of what we've been missing. Maybe if we're lucky and the CD producers go all the way back to the future, we'll soon be able to buy recordings with great clarinetists treating us to, "Cuckoo! Cuckoo!" between movements of the Mozart concerto.

Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.

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 Re: What were they thinking?
Author: Bob Phillips 
Date:   2008-04-05 15:12

Here, in our small community, we (too) often play just fragments of a piece --the objective is to allow more people to perform and to keep the audience from being "stuck" with something that just seems to go on and on, ...

This policy often sucks; one can not expect an opportunity to play an entire concerto or sonata. For June, we'll be playing the 2nd and 3rd movements of the Beethoven Piano Quintet, Op. 16. Last year, we treated the audience to the 1st and 2nd movements; so those with good memories will, hopefully, be able to segue into the missing movement from last year.

This way, the related keys chosen by the composer make no contribution to the performance!

Bob Phillips

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 Re: What were they thinking?
Author: BG 2017
Date:   2008-04-05 17:46

If you listen very carefully, you will also hear just the first two minutes of John Cage's 4:33.

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 Re: What were they thinking?
Author: Lelia Loban 2017
Date:   2008-04-06 18:15

>>If you listen very carefully, you will also hear just the first two minutes of John Cage's 4:33.
>>

Why, how dare they cut it off at two minutes! If they're not going to record the whole thing, then the least they could do is start it after the first 51 seconds and play through to the end.
;-)

Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.

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 Re: What were they thinking?
Author: Bassie 
Date:   2008-04-07 16:03

:-D

Has anyone ever done that for real? I mean, played an excerpt of 4:33?

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 Re: What were they thinking?
Author: GBK 
Date:   2008-04-07 16:21

Bassie wrote:

> :-D
>
> Has anyone ever done that for real? I mean, played an excerpt
> of 4:33?




There are a number of excellent recordings and performances of Cage's 4'33''

Here is an album containing 2 different versions:

4'33"


If you have Windows Media or Real Player you can compare the interpretation, tone quality and technique, by listening to brief audio clips on Amazon.

BTW - I find the 2nd performance much more inspiring.... [wink]

...GBK



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 Re: What were they thinking?
Author: DavidBlumberg 
Date:   2008-04-07 17:15

I would record the piece that takes over 300 years to play, but would either run out of recording memory, or die first.....

Reply To Message
 
 Re: What were they thinking?
Author: Lelia Loban 2017
Date:   2008-04-08 11:43

>>I would record the piece that takes over 300 years to play, but would either run out of recording memory, or die first.....
>>

If cats can figure out how to get reincarnated over and over again as cats, then clarinet players oughta be able to figure out how to come back as clarinetists. Might mean a few years between recording sessions, though....

Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.

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 Re: What were they thinking?
Author: job_man 
Date:   2008-04-08 16:22

'This policy often sucks'

Please could you explain the meaning of this seemingly disgusting expression?
I thought we were talking about clarinets, which most people blow?

Jobman

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