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Speaking of Beethoven.......

Posted: September 16th, 2020, 9:53 am
by bungeejumper
Although I don't entirely share Dod 101's appreciation of Klemperer, who I generally find a bit stolid and nineteenth century, I do think his recording of the Beethoven violin concerto with Yehudi Menuhin was one of the all-time greats. Right up there with Karajan's triple concerto with Oistrakh, Richter and Rostropovich. (The nearest Beethoven ever got to a cello concerto, but by god, that one was worth the wait.)

But Beethoven had a flop on his hands when he premiered the violin concerto. The audience clearly thought it was too long - maybe they were accustomed to chatting through the music, in time-honoured tradition? - and by the end of the first movement it was apparent that the performance was going down badly.

Maybe that was because the performers hadn't seen all of the sheet music in advance of the performance? Beethoven had made a rush job of it, and even the soloist was having to sight-read from Ludwig's scrawly score. But clearly he didn't want to send them away unhappy. https://www.historytoday.com/archive/pr ... n-concerto
The premiere at the Vienna opera house was not a success. The concerto was not ready until the last moment – two days before, apparently – and Clement had largely to sight-read it. Living up to his reputation for showing off, between the first and second movements he entertained the audience by playing music of his own on the violin upside down. Perhaps he realized that the concerto itself was not going down well.

Understatement of the century, I suspect. What larks!

BJ

Re: Speaking of Beethoven.......

Posted: September 16th, 2020, 10:20 am
by Dod101
And yet and yet, The Violin Concerto is the most beautiful music. As for Klemperer, all I can say is that many present day conductors take much of Beethoven much too fast for my liking. I love the way that Klemperer takes it with to me a real understanding of what Beethoven was about (in so far as any of us know anyway) Majestic I call it. It is not supposed to sound like Mozart.

I am not going to try to sound erudite because I am not; I just know what I like.

Dod

Re: Speaking of Beethoven.......

Posted: September 16th, 2020, 10:36 am
by bungeejumper
Thanks, Dod, I'm very happy to agree to differ. I really love the cover picture from the Menuhin recording, though. Klemperer looks like a faithful dog waiting for a biscuit. :lol: ;)

Image

BJ

Re: Speaking of Beethoven.......

Posted: September 16th, 2020, 11:30 am
by Dod101
Thanks yes. I have that on CD and one of his series of the Symphonies on disc and recently bought the CD version with the 1960 Philharmonia series and lots of other recordings.

Dod

Re: Speaking of Beethoven.......

Posted: October 17th, 2020, 1:11 am
by Dod101
I know it is very late at night in my timezone anyway but listening to Daniel Barenboim with Otto Klemperer in 1968 is as sublime as anyone could want or aspire to. The interplay is just superb. Wonderful stuff or as a tax driver said to me once early in the morning going from Zurich to their airport, 'Wunderbar'.

Dod