[taoster]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Masolino Another Mozart Violin Concerto album hot off the press!! Given the rather negative press here of Mutter's new album (whose cover picture I cannot stand), I would think Manze is preferrable. Anyone else heard this?

I'll be looking to acquire this one 2. thks.

 

[Masolino]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shosta I bought this week his performance of the violin sonatas (Harmonia Mundi Mozart Edition) and given that I liked Manze previous works about Mozart (and Biber, Handel, Vivaldi, etc), especially his Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, this is one disc I must buy. Thanks for the information.

Please do share with us what you think when you get the recording. I have been listening to it and still cannot quite figure out the interpretation yet (usually not a bad sign).

 

[Bunnyears]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Masolino Another Mozart Violin Concerto album hot off the press!! Given the rather negative press here of Mutter's new album (whose cover picture I cannot stand), I would think Manze is preferrable. Anyone else heard this?

Well she didn't get any bad press from David Hurwitz. He gave the Mutter Mozart V/Cs the 10/10, strange as it may seem.

 

[Masolino]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bunnyears Well she didn't get any bad press from David Hurwitz. He gave the Mutter Mozart V/Cs the 10/10, strange as it may seem.

Well to me, Hurwitz has given out more strange 10/10's than I care to
remember. Call me perverse, but nowadays I read his site specifically
to find titles that he pans.

 

[Shosta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Masolino Well to me, Hurwitz has given out more strange 10/10's than I care to remember. Call me perverse, but nowadays I read his site specifically to find titles that he pans.

In general I find more informative the bad critics than the good ones.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Masolino Please do share with us what you think when you get the recording

I usually buy at jpc and they don't have it. it's strange.
I'll try tomorrow in my weekly visit at the 'traditional brick' store.

 

[Bunnyears]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Masolino Well to me, Hurwitz has given out more strange 10/10's than I care to remember. Call me perverse, but nowadays I read his site specifically to find titles that he pans.

I actually look for things he gives a 9/10 to (he's reliable wrt sound quality). That 9 usually denotes a great performance from someone he's not that interested in, and those reviews tend to be more balanced. But, whenever I go to Classicstoday I am always hoping that he has one of his most scorching bad reviews up. They just make me chuckle, especially when he goes into great detail justifying it. Call it schadenfreud if you must, but it's just plain fun reading him at his worst (or best afaic)

Note: I actually prefer his writing style to Gramophone which is so respectful when it hates something that it's hard deciphering their coded language. They hated Mutter's Mozart, so ofcourse Hurwitz had to love it. That's another thing I look for. Pieces that Gramophone loves that Hurwitz hates.

The most interesting thing around now to consider is Rattle's new Schubert 9th release. Hurwitz gave it a resounding thumbs down, in the strongest and most derogatory terms. Gramophone didn't care for it either, but in their inimitable fashion, damned it with faint praise. I previewed (preheard?) it at Tower in their listening room and it wasn't nearly as bad as Hurwitz suggested but it wasn't great Schubert either. Now the Mutter VC concertos were far from pleasing to me -- even if she has formidable talents I have to wonder at her artistic choices. Those were far from Mozartean and I love Grumiaux's recording of them which is also far from period perfect.

Note: A more interesting point to debate is the way Rattle is making the Berliners sound. Abbado moved away from HvK's unctuous, plush sound to a leaner textured sounding ensemble. Apparently Rattle is even more anorexic than Abbado as the sound is so thin it is almost as if he has remodeled them to sound like the CBSO. Ofcourse, there is a lot better individual musicianship in Berlin but still, the sound is just so different from what I expected from the Berliners as to make me wonder what they are about now.

 

[Bunnyears]

A.S. Mutter's Mozart Violin Concertos have reached yourmusic.com for those who are interested.

 

[iDesign]

The Grumiaux, Stern and Heifetz recordings are among the most notbale performances of Mozart Sonatas. According to your preferences I strongly endorse a recommendation for Kremer.

Best,
iDesign

 

[Shosta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Masolino Please do share with us what you think when you get the recording. I have been listening to it and still cannot quite figure out the interpretation yet (usually not a bad sign).

Just got the cd at my 'weekly visit' to the store. Now listening at work. Fast thoughts: Warm, polite (for Manze) performance. Surprised of the effect (thin sound of the violin, almost a lament) at the beginning of the Adagio (second track). Just now listening to the fourth concert. But I can't concentrate here

BTW: I bought too Bach's Cello suites played by Truls Mork.

 

[Masolino]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shosta Just got the cd at my 'weekly visit' to the store. Now listening at work. Fast thoughts: Warm, polite (for Manze) performance. Surprised of the effect (thin sound of the violin, almost a lament) at the beginning of the Adagio (second track). Just now listening to the fourth concert. But I can't concentrate here BTW: I bought too Bach's Cello suites played by Truls Mork.

Thank you for sharing your first impressions, even though I think Manze is probably onto something here i.e. to de-romanticize the music totally, even if that means to make Mozart sound more like Locatelli or Tartini than say Beethoven. Whether this, if true, is good or bad I guess is up to the listener. Seeing that I like Manze's Corelli recording, which is also prettier than it is wild, I guess I am less distracted by his docility (again, if true) here than you probably are.

Re: Mork - I heard his Haydn concertos and decided that his style is not my cup of tea. Is his approach to Bach just as romanticized?

 

[Bunnyears]

Masolino,

I'm not getting an album picture you posted for the Mozart (just the pictiger logo), so if you could, would you give the information about the set so that I could see it again?

Thanks.

Btw, I had the Mutter Mozart, gave it away only to get it back.

Even a die hard Mutter fan didn't care for it (though I'll bet he copied the set and the booklet). I listened to the second cd (the first one of the set is just ott, too much for me.) and have come to the conclusion that Mozart is indestructible. You have to really go to great lengths to ruin his music it is just that well constructed.

 

[Shosta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Masolino Re: Mork - I heard his Haydn concertos and decided that his style is not my cup of tea. Is his approach to Bach just as romanticized?

Too early to listen to them. I liked his Britten Cello Suites and I liked a lot. I'll tell you when I listen to them.
By the way, Now at the end of the Adagio of the 5th concerto, the violin is almost a whisper.
Another thing I have to listen attentive is the cadenzas, written by Manze.
(Last movement of the 5th concert, Sturm und Drang??

 

[Masolino]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bunnyears Masolino, I'm not getting an album picture you posted for the Mozart (just the pictiger logo), so if you could, would you give the information about the set so that I could see it again? Thanks. Btw, I had the Mutter Mozart, gave it away only to get it back. Even a die hard Mutter fan didn't care for it (though I'll bet he copied the set and the booklet). I listened to the second cd (the first one of the set is just ott, too much for me.) and have come to the conclusion that Mozart is indestructible. You have to really go to great lengths to ruin his music it is just that well constructed.

Dear Bunnyears,

I have fixed the picture where I had first posted about Manze's Mozart
(supersized it, too!

) And here's an internet link to the album for
your reference:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...1963241?n=5174

It's currently on sale

Re: Mutter's Mozart: so it isn't really that bad then??

Actually
I have heard some pretty positive things said about it. But I have
decided I don't need more Mozart violin concertos for now anyway -
I am pitching my money on the new Lars Vogt's disc of sonatas
(EMI, 2 for the price of 1) since I don't have any of that music on
a modern piano yet.

 

[Canman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shosta Just got the cd at my 'weekly visit' to the store. Now listening at work. Fast thoughts: Warm, polite (for Manze) performance. Surprised of the effect (thin sound of the violin, almost a lament) at the beginning of the Adagio (second track). Just now listening to the fourth concert. But I can't concentrate here BTW: I bought too Bach's Cello suites played by Truls Mork.

I purchased the Harmonia Mundi Manze CD last week. It was a featured selection at Tower Records. It is docile, though I don't know the works well enough to comment on the interpretation. It is an enjoyable disc.

The sound quality on this disc is excellent.

 

[Bunnyears]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Masolino Dear Bunnyears, I have fixed the picture where I had first posted about Manze's Mozart (supersized it, too! ) And here's an internet link to the album for your reference: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...1963241?n=5174 It's currently on sale Re: Mutter's Mozart: so it isn't really that bad then?? Actually I have heard some pretty positive things said about it. But I have decided I don't need more Mozart violin concertos for now anyway - I am pitching my money on the new Lars Vogt's disc of sonatas (EMI, 2 for the price of 1) since I don't have any of that music on a modern piano yet.

Dear Masolino,

Thanks for the info. It was hard following the conversation when I couldn't recall the exact recording referred to. I thought it was the Manze but just had to be sure.

The Mutter Mozart is not great Mozart. It is definitely as distasteful as I recalled, especially the first cd of the set (and overpriced when I bought it on impulse in Tower). She uses so much vibrato that some critics have wondered if she is having intonation problems (not imo), she has herself set so forward as to ruin any feelings of ensemble playing (she is definitely the leader and the STAR of this production), and the whole is so calculated for effect as to make me roll my eyes periodically. If I had to describe the performance, it would be as mannerist Mozart. However, Mozart's works are almost bulletproof, not even her excesses ruin the music completely.

Btw, I agree about the dress -- definitely a fashion faux pas. The fishtail skirt is so Las Vegas showgirl, more stripper than violinist. I'm only surprised she didn't include the opera length gloves and diamond bracelets the dress cries for. Sometimes less is more in music as well as fashion. She would have done better to do less with the music as well.