BaL 11.11.23 - Dvorak: Symphony no.9 in E minor "From the New World"

[Nick Armstrong]

… this one was shallow, and, for me , very disappointing. No insights into the music, no interest in the piece as a whole (how it makes into a whole)…

I agree, a pretty banal chit-chat plus as Barbs has said, a stultifyingly limited little batch of recordings.

This reviewer’s ears are very different from mine…

[silvestrione]

a device which plays sound files

What would that be, then?

[vibratoforever]

What would that be, then?

I use a HiBy R2 and store FLAC files on it. Not sure if the quality would meet every one's requirements

[Master Jacques]

This is really where the BAL format shows its weakness. This year's winner, the Mackerras, was recorded in 2005, so presumably the previous reviewer knew of its existence, and decided that its merits were not sufficient to surpass the choice of not one, but two other recordings! Is Katie Hamilton, therefore, considered a more reliable (better?) reviewer than Rob Cowan by the current Record Review team? If not, it should be incumbent on the reviewer to explain why the previously chosen recordings are no longer considered the top choice, and an apology should be forthcoming to all those who purchased the Ancerl or Kubelik on Rob Cowan's recommendation!

To set up a deeply considered lecture from one person, against a light and chatty exchange between two, is of course to compare chalk with cheese. The current format (as a general rule) is neither use nor ornament, as many here would agree, except where the guest reviewer is given the nod to take centre stage and leave Andrew McGregor on the sidelines.

Katie Hamilton - a good broadcaster - didn't display in-depth knowledge of New World recordings, their interpretative range or differing recording philosophies; but then, she wasn't given the space to allow us to gauge whether we could trust her or not. If nothing else, the good showing of the classic Ancerl recording demonstrated that she had at least some knowledge of the work's recorded back-history, beyond a superficial "presentism". Alas, the level of knowledge often pooled on this Forum is rapidly becoming a thing of the past.

[richardfinegold]

Ah you mean like the recent saga recounted on this forum of several forumites waiting weeks for a CD which when it did arrive was palpably not what was ordered?

I've not had anything like the issues with Qobuz that RFG has experienced. Having said that I've not felt the need to cancel my subscription, as I find the depth of the catalogue and the sound quality (up to192/24!) unrivalled among streaming offerings. Oh, and I can indulge any listening whim at a moment's push of a button!

Nothing is full proof, but having purchased several thousand CDs, I can only remember buying one that was defective. Not receiving an ordered CD happened a few times, but probably 0.005% of total purchases. I have always made allowances for the fact that the sales of the average classical recording doesn’t approach Taylor Swift levels and therefore was dependent upon distributors who were few in number with very small profit margins.
I used Qobuz for a few years. Advantages were catalog depth and sound quality. I particularly liked that I could play it directly from the Ethernet into a streamer. Disadvantages were Customer Service—any problems and I was on my own—and the deal killer was the unreliability of the mobile use. If I drove in my car or went for a walk I was SOL. This occurred consistently with a variety of Android and Apple devices. I had no such problem with with Apple, Idagio, and my brief experiences with Amazon, Tidal, Pristine, and Presto, which lead me to conclude it was a Qobuz issue. Googling this revealed many Qobuz users with the same problem , most of whom discontinued the service
. My wife insisted on getting an Apple Music subscription when her free one expired and my only complaint with Apple is the necessity for using AirPlay or Chromecast. Apple of course doesn’t like to work with Google, so if there is a way to Chromecast directly (easily, sans complicated workarounds) from an i device I haven’t discovered it. I do have an Android tablet, several years old and which was gathering dust, but I can Chromecast Apple Music easily with it.
AirPlay isn’t terrible, just a tick below CD in SQ, while Chromecast is prettier impressive

[Lordgeous]

To set up a deeply considered lecture from one person, against a light and chatty exchange between two, is of course to compare chalk with cheese. The current format (as a general rule) is neither use nor ornament, as many here would agree, except where the guest reviewer is given the nod to take centre stage and leave Andrew McGregor on the sidelines.

Katie Hamilton - a good broadcaster - didn't display in-depth knowledge of New World recordings, their interpretative range or differing recording philosophies; but then, she wasn't given the space to allow us to gauge whether we could trust her or not. If nothing else, the good showing of the classic Ancerl recording demonstrated that she had at least some knowledge of the work's recorded back-history, beyond a superficial "presentism". Alas, the level of knowledge often pooled on this Forum is rapidly becoming a thing of the past.

WHY (O WHY!) is the BBC so resistant to extending BAL to at least 60mins or making it a seperate programme? As myself and others continue to point out, its just too short!

[Barbirollians]

WHY (O WHY!) is the BBC so resistant to extending BAL to at least 60mins or making it a seperate programme? As myself and others continue to point out, its just too short!

I do not recall that objection being made often when it was a 45 minute recorded talk. The real waste of time is in Andrew McGregor's interventions , the need of the reviewer to respond to those rather than concentrate on the music and recordings in hand and nonsense waffle such as concerning the Hovis ad.

[Sir Velo]

If I drove in my car or went for a walk I was SOL.

Statute of limitations?

[Barbirollians]

I was sure I owned the BPO/Kubelik ninth on cassette but cannot find it . A very cheap copy from Amazon later - what a gorgeous record of both 8 and 9 . Kubelik’s wonderful insight and sensitivity plus stunning playing , terrific recording to my ears - a particularly lovely cor anglais solo - what’s not to like ? How any serious BAL could exclude Kertesz and Kubelik beats me .

[silvestrione]

I was sure I owned the BPO/Kubelik ninth on cassette but cannot find it . A very cheap copy from Amazon later - what a gorgeous record of both 8 and 9 . Kubelik’s wonderful insight and sensitivity plus stunning playing , terrific recording to my ears - a particularly lovely cor anglais solo - what’s not to like ? How any serious BAL could exclude Kertesz and Kubelik beats me .

Absolutely. In the anti-Karajan prejudice of my younger years, I thought this a demonstration-disc of what the BPO could really do, which it still is, the whole performance of the 8th included. The BPO, orchestral playing, and recording technology, at its best. Another BAL at some point (Robert Cowan?) sowed the seed of doubt that it nevertheless was not Kubelik at his best in the 8th (as against with BRSO, I think). But it is simply a glorious disc. Just savour the golden sound of the trumpets in the 8th.

[Alison]

Come back Jan Smaczny.

[Master Jacques]

Come back Jan Smaczny.

Quite so: he's not been well, I hear, and may possibly have cut Radio 3 out of his usual run of diary commitments. Despite which, it seems odd - when there are other, highly trustworthy regular broadcasters around who do specialise in Czech music (notably Makropulos) that Record Review chose a reviewer who ... well, clearly doesn't.

[Barbirollians]

Sorry to hear that. Hope to hear him back on Radio 3.

They seem to have long since abandoned specialists in particular music . Roger Parker for example is not a Brahms specialist yet did the Double Concerto.

I wonder sometimes whether older contributors have just been pensioned off in the BBC's usual age discrimination way or have simply refused to engage with the interview format with Andrew McGregor.

[Darloboy]

...it should be incumbent on the reviewer to explain why the previously chosen recordings are no longer considered the top choice...

I agree, particularly in this era of short shortlists I think it would be useful for programmes to include a discussion about previous winners and an explanation about why they are no longer first choice. This would justify them leaving out older recordings but would be far preferable to just saying, "I'm only going to include recent recordings" as some reviewers have done.