BaL 30.12 23 - Schubert: Winterreise

[EnemyoftheStoat]

Must admit I rather missed an opportunity for some appropriate listening yesterday during the 14-hour odyssey from the Highlands to Wiltshire. However, Schubert's Winterreise doesn't include a near pitched battle at Edinburgh between those already aboard the Inverness-King's Cross service (Edinburgh-KGX leg cancelled, LNER informs us) and those boarding it as the newly scheduled Edinburgh-KGX service... It was quite fun to inform the latter contingent that yes, this train had come from Inverness that morning - we had after all spent an hour waiting for it there - and no, we weren't giving our seats up. LNER had cancelled all reservations anyway. (Had I not been travelling with Ms Stoatfoe I might have been more amenable, but as the individual claiming my seat then turned out to be a seat blocker - bags on other seats instead of overhead - no guilt was felt.)

[Goon525]

Anyone sensing more tension between the two of them than we normally get when Andrew is presenting? Kate keeps asking profound questions which Allyson doesn’t think she wants to answer in the available time.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Must admit I rather missed an opportunity for some appropriate listening yesterday during the 14-hour odyssey from the Highlands to Wiltshire. However, Schubert's Winterreise doesn't include a near pitched battle at Edinburgh between those already aboard the Inverness-King's Cross service (Edinburgh-KGX leg cancelled, LNER informs us) and those boarding it as the newly scheduled Edinburgh-KGX service... It was quite fun to inform the latter contingent that yes, this train had come from Inverness that morning - we had after all spent an hour waiting for it there - and no, we weren't giving our seats up. LNER had cancelled all reservations anyway. (Had I not been travelling with Ms Stoatfoe I might have been more amenable, but as the individual claiming my seat then turned out to be a seat blocker - bags on other seats instead of overhead - no guilt was felt.)

The rage and conflict induced by cancelled (or are they ? ) seat reservations needs a Wagner or Verdi rather than a Schubert perhaps? His stye is more wistful resignation.

[Alison]

Not much of an overview from Allyson who is only comfortable making remarks on individual excerpts.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I’m with her on the quality of the Goerne. He has such a beautiful voice.

[Alison]

Yes Andrew would have been kinder!

[Goon525]

Given the stature of DFD in this music, would have been interesting to hear how say Brendel brought out qualities that differed from the Moore versions.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Fading out Eschenbach’s magnificent chord playing in Das Wirtshaus was almost painful to hear …

[Alison]

Ordered the Goerner disc

[RobP]

As I was compiling this list, I was somewhat shocked by how few recordings are available on CD, such were the numbers indicated to be download only. But as I moved on to the following week's BaL list CD versions were back in abundance. I'm unsure of the reasons for such a difference, but could it be that the record producers don't anticipate high sales for a song cycle?

The major reason I think is that as the number of new albums released in digital format only rises, which includes high-file albums such as Levit's recent Mendelssohn/Alkan recital and the BPO will release their Petrenko/Rachmaninov box, which comprises old and new performances of Symphony No.2, The Isle of the Dead, Piano Concerto No.2 and the Symphonic Dances, all the labels have realised that the the future is stream/download. So with their back catalogue why go to the expense of producing new silver discs, which to be economically viable need to sell in sufficient numbers to cover the pressing process, when you can make them digital only.

The best example of this is the long overdue streaming of the entire Hyperion back catalogue. There is no conceivable way that any company could make these albums available in anything other than digital only format.

With Winterreise there are three Goerne versions, two of which, with Eschenbach and Johnson are on CD, but the Brendel version is digital only and as the Johnson is on Hyperion, once they release it as a stream they won't produce any more CDs and I suspect exactly the same will happen with the Eschebach.

Like it or not the days of the silver disc, are one hopes, numbered.

With regard the BAL choice, for me and all my friends the use of some awful fortepiano that sounds like a cross between a harpsichord and some clapped out, old pub Joanna rules it out of court.

[Goon525]

Leave Ms MacGregor out of it!

[gurnemanz]

Not much of an overview from Allyson who is only comfortable making remarks on individual excerpts.

True. What I got from this BaL was that there are versions out there which didn't know and should listen to: Bauer/Immerseel, Güra/Berner and Mattei/Nilsson.

(Mattei's live-streamed, semi-staged, no-audience, Don Giovanni was a memorable lockdown experience for me).

[richardfinegold]

The major reason I think is that as the number of new albums released in digital format only rises, which includes high-file albums such as Levit's recent Mendelssohn/Alkan recital and the BPO will release their Petrenko/Rachmaninov box, which comprises old and new performances of Symphony No.2, The Isle of the Dead, Piano Concerto No.2 and the Symphonic Dances, all the labels have realised that the the future is stream/download. So with their back catalogue why go to the expense of producing new silver discs, which to be economically viable need to sell in sufficient numbers to cover the pressing process, when you can make them digital only.

The best example of this is the long overdue streaming of the entire Hyperion back catalogue. There is no conceivable way that any company could make these albums available in anything other than digital only format.

With Winterreise there are three Goerne versions, two of which, with Eschenbach and Johnson are on CD, but the Brendel version is digital only and as the Johnson is on Hyperion, once they release it as a stream they won't produce any more CDs and I suspect exactly the same will happen with the Eschebach.

Like it or not the days of the silver disc, are one hopes, numbered.

With regard the BAL choice, for me and all my friends the use of some awful fortepiano that sounds like a cross between a harpsichord and some clapped out, old pub Joanna rules it out of court.

I think the Goerne/Brendel recording is in the big Phillips Brendel box (I will have to pull that behemoth off my top shelf to verify) but I suspect that box of delights is nla anymore

[Alison]

i think the goerne/brendel recording is in the big phillips brendel box (i will have to pull that behemoth off my top shelf to verify) but i suspect that box of delights is nla anymore

yes cd 97

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

So with their back catalogue why go to the expense of producing new silver discs, which to be economically viable need to sell in sufficient numbers to cover the pressing process, when you can make them digital only.

The best example of this is the long overdue streaming of the entire Hyperion back catalogue. There is no conceivable way that any company could make these albums available in anything other than digital only format.[/FONT]

This is what I hinted at in my post. However, the only recordings that are not “digital only” nowadays are vinyl LPs. The CD is a digital format.

Like it or not the days of the silver disc, are one hopes, numbered.

So you believe people should be denied the choice?