Ears Today - 2009-12-26

I know I retired Ears Today, my short-lived daily roundup of what I've been listening to, a few months back, however I listened to such a fine crop of discs on boxing day that an encore seemed in order.

I began with this:

I've been exploring Sinopoli's Verdi recordings recently, and while I don't know Attila at all, I found this live recording from 1980 to be amongst the most impressive of the bunch. Yes, it being live (in Vienna) the applause can sometimes be a little intrusive, but there is such an energy and drama to Sinopoli's reading that such flaws are easily forgiven. The cast seem pretty solid too.

Verdi was followed by Haydn:

I'm a big fan of Jansons and the Baravian Radio Symphony Orchestra as a team and so the news that they've launched their own label is very exciting (they did previously issue some releases on Sony but these weren't always available in the UK). This first disc includes wonderfully played and joyful readings of Haydn's 88th Symphony and his Harmoniemesse. It's also available as a DVD (other releases include a Bruckner seventh, which is very fine, and a Mahler seventh I haven't listened to yet).

I've had the most recent box of DG's Bernstein Collector's Edition on my shelf for some time now, but hadn't got round to giving it a spin:

This is the second Beethoven release in the series and might be described as the odds and ends, but don't let that put you off. At the time of that first set (which was a cycle of the symphonies with the Vienna Philharmonic), I was slightly disappointed his Ode to Freedom performance of the ninth was not included. The reason is now apparent. However, it isn't that performance I listened to. Instead I gave something even rarer a spin. Bernstein's 1976 Amnesty International concert with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra has remained out of the catalogue for a bafflingly long period of time. One of the key reasons I bought the box, aside from being a Bernstein fan, was to get hold of it. Now that I have done, my puzzlement is only increased. The programme is all Beethoven and atmosphere is suitably electric, right from the opening bars of the Leonora III overture. This is followed by, in truth, a slightly weightier performance of the fourth concerto with Claudio Arrau than would ideally be my preference, but a very satisfying one nonetheless. On the second disc, however, the concert concludes with a reading of the fifth symphony that must rank amongst the most thrilling on record. This concert alone probably justifies acquiring the set.

It feels something of a shame, therefore, that this second disc is padded out with a reading of the seventh with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. It comes from August 1990 and the Tanglewood Festival, less than two months before the conductor's death, and lacks the energy that this exuberant work requires.

Annoyingly, none of the releases are on Spotify so I can provide no links.

Ears Today, Gone Tomorrow

The more attentive of you may have noticed that I haven't posted an Ears Today in a little while, not for very nearly two weeks in fact.

Why not? Well, I've been struggling a little to find the time. It's true that I have been doing it in a slightly long winded way, and with pictures which probably aren't necessary, but that's how I want to do it and I'm not sure I'd be happy doing it a quicker way (this shouldn't, incidentally, be taken as criticism of the way @violamaths does it, whose enjoyable posts are the whole reason I started writing these; it's just that that isn't really my style).

There are other writing things that are a higher priority for me (mainly for this website, and one or two other things that may appear in due course), so I'm going to let the ears fall by the wayside.

Except, of course, that while just a basic list doesn't quite fit with my style for this site, there is one place it does fit very well: twitter. So the ears will live on with twitter updates for what I'm listing to right now (follow them here).

Sorry to all those who enjoyed them for the brief time they were here. It's always possible that they may make the odd cameo when time permits.

Ears Today - 2009-09-11

As yesterday, the Ears kicked off with the 29th August issue of the Economist (so still as behind as ever). However, since there were actually some papers on the bus this morning, a switch to some music was necessitated.

Erich Kleiber's sublime reading of Le Nozze di Figaro with the Vienna Philharmonic in, I believe, Decca's first stereo recording. It's beautiful and has an impressively live and dramatic feel for a studio performance. The disc also saw me through building up some flexi-time at work and lasted nearly perfectly until my front door.

Then it was time to catch Jonathan Nott's Prom with the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester (an ensemble I've long been a fan of) before it vanished from the iPlayer. They played Ligeti's Atmospheres, Mahler's Kindertotenlieder and Schoenberg's Five Orchestral Pieces, op.16, with Strauss's Also sprach Zarathustra following after the interval. There was some superb playing and the Ligeti was especially fine. But the Mahler didn't really grab me; Goerne is a fine singer, but I never feel the piece sounds quite right with baritone. Also sprach Zarathustra isn't my favourite Strauss either, and this wasn't the most compelling reading of it.

Then, at the recommendation of @BBCMusicMag, I gave Harnoncourt's recording of Schubert's great C major symphony a try. I'm not a fan of his generally, and this proved no exception. Somehow he managed to make the Concertgebouw sound most unlike themselves. It was often a little dull for my taste and just didn't grab me. Doubtless, though, his many fans will read this paragraph and be as baffled as I am by him.

After a brief and infuriating interlude watching a two bit con artist lie about how he didn't predict the results of the lottery, I tried a different perspective and went to Welser-Most's Prom with the Vienna Phil for a rerun of the Schubert. Interestingly he was standing in for Harnoncourt. This was much more like it, though the decision to omit repeats in all but the scherzo gave it an odd feel. I wish I had a better memory of how he did it in Edinburgh with the Cleveland Orchestra five years ago (sadly I wasn't writing reviews then).

Finally, before bed, it was back to Spotify, where after some lengthy searching (their classical search capabilities are useless, to say the least), a few days ago I managed to assemble Vernon Handley's Elgar recordings. His sublime reading of the first symphony with the LPO made for a very nice start.

Ears today - 2009-09-10

Not much for the Ears today.

To and from work (and to and from orchestra) they were accompanied by the audio edition of the Economist, in an effort to catch back up. It was the 29th August issue, so briefly today I was only a week behind.

Then it was off to orchestra. I play trombone, very badly, in the amateur Stockbridge and New Town Community Orchestra, affectionately SNOTCO; that said, I do hold the distinction of being the best trombonist, but mainly because I'm also the only trombonist. Interestingly, membership seems to have ballooned and we were almost too big for the hall at St Stephen's Church (our temporary home while Stockbridge Parish Church is refurbished). However, while we now have three basses, six violas and more violins than I could count, we still only have the one trombone. If you're from Edinburgh and fancy joining me to play the trombone badly, or even well, on a Thursday evening, followed by a trip to the pub, let me know.

Being essentially a sports hall the acoustic was less than ideal. However, in it we rehearsed Walton's Crown Imperial, which does have some rather fun brass action, Malcolm Arnold's Little Suite No.2 and, for fun, Live and Let Die from a James Bond medley.

Once home, and while writing this, it was time for the evening's Prom, which the digibox had handily recorded. Welser-Most had stepped in for an indisposed Harnoncourt to conduct the Vienna Philharmonic. I must admit, I'm quite shocked by how few women there are in the orchestra. I found Haydn's 98th symphony a little staid. I'm enjoying Schubert's great C major much more, but I think I must go to bed rather than finish it now.

Ears Today - 2009-09-09

A number of people on twitter had spotted that today's date had lots of nines in it, and therefore suggested listening to nine ninth symphonies. If it was a weekend I'd probably have done so, but on a work day it wasn't practical.

I could have made a better stab but, truth be told, I was a little tired this morning (owing to staying up late into the early hours for Plinth-a-lele) so I totally forgot on the bus to work and was instead accompanied by a nice fourth symphony (Tchaikovsky's with Jansons and the Oslo Philharmonic).

On the way home it was back to the Economist (I'm nearly only a week behind now, though given the new issue is out tomorrow.....).

Once home it was another run for Jansons' Bavarian Tchaikovsky four (since there hadn't been quite time to finish it before Plinth-a-lele started).

This was followed by my stab at the ninth symphonies. Perhaps my favourite ninth, though I love so many of them so much, is Schubert. And there are many wonderful ones to choose from: Mackerras, Furtwangler, Jochum, Giulini, Bernstein, Rattle, Kleiber and many more. However, on the suggestion of @ViolaMaths and others, I gave Boult and the LPO a try thanks to Spotify (I do have a Boult recording but it's from the 30s and the sound is dire). The result of this recording is pretty impressive, and thoroughly deserving of the great recordings marque.

@BBCMusicMag recommended Harnoncourt's recording with the Concertgebouw. Sadly I didn't have time, but I've tracked it down on Spotify and will listen before too long.

Then it was another viewing of Plinth-a-lele (this time round, i.e. not live, the internet stream suffered not the ghost of an interruption).

Finally, while ironing my shirt for the morning, and before going to bed, it was back to the economist.

Ears this week (or more) - 2009-08-31 to 2009-09-08

Owing to overwork with my Fringe venue duties, too much festival going last week, and illness, I've not written up the ears for far too long. Here's what they've heard lately.


2009-08-31

The Ears really should have been catching up with their Economist on the way to work. However, since I was feeling under the weather, something altogether lighter in tone was required.

I therefore continued with the second series of Radio 4's Bleak Expectations. Series three, which was recorded recently, can't come soon enough.

Then it was off to the Usher Hall to hear Donald Runnicles conduct Webern, Brahms and Strauss (review here).

Once home, it appeared I'd not yet had my Runnicles fix for the day, so I gave his Prom another listen: Adams' Slonimsky's Earbox, Mozart's K466 concerto with Wosner and Strauss's Sinfonia Domestica.


2009-09-01

Tuesday had a Strauss feel to begin with. First in the form of Fabio Luisi's Prom with the Staatskapelle Dresden and their performance of the Alpensinfonie. It didn't really grab me so, thanks to Spotify, I put on Kempe's attempt with the same orchestra for comparison. Much more like it.

Then it was some Radio 4 comedy on the iplayer, first legal send-up Chambers then episode two of the new series of That Mitchell and Webb Sound

I finished off the day with a little more from the fabulous new Furtwangler/Berlin box. I've heard some of these before, but they've never sounded so good, but then access has never before been granted to the master tapes. My listening included Mendelssohn's Overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream, Beethoven's violin concerto with Menuhin, Bach's suite BWV1068 and Schubert's Unfinished symphony.


2009-09-02

Wednesday began with the Brahms double concerto in a recording from Bernstein and the Vienna Phil with Kremer and Maisky (prompted in part by hearing it again at the Runnicles concert).

The remainder of the journey to and from work was concerned with a futile effort not to get any further behind with the Economist audio edition. After this came two concerts: Carolyn Sampson singing Bach at Greyfriars Kirk (review here) and Metzmacher conducting the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin in Webern's Passacaglia, Berg's violin concerto with Tetzlaff, finishing with Brahms' fourth symphony (review to follow).

When I got home it was back to the Furtwangler box for a slightly more dramatic take on Brahms four.


2009-09-03

Jansons and the Oslo Philharmonic took me to work and back with Sibelius's third and fifth symphonies (very fine recordings). After which it was back to the Economist (still absurdly far behind). Things were rounded off by a concert from Gardiner and the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists featuring JC Bach's Es erhub sich ein Streit, part one of Handel's Israel in Egypt and Bach's cantatas BWV130, BWV19 and BWV50.


2009-09-04

Friday kicked off with more Economist (indeed, finally finishing off the 15th August issue, so still massively behind). There was time though for a brief interlude from Mendelssohn's fourth symphony care of Bernstein and the Israeli Philharmonic.

Once home, I gave Jansons' new disc with the Concertgebouw a spin. A two CD set, it comprises Bruckner's third and fourth symphonies (and given how well he did the latter with the Bavarians last year, it promised to be good).

It did not disappoint and renders baffling the sole Amazon review that complains of a lack of fire. Unfortunately, the Ears were about to get an object lesson in lack of fire from Actus Tragicus.


2009-09-05

Saturday kicked off with some of CD review (including a first listen to some of Rattle's new Brahms cycle, which was a little unimpressive).

Prompted by someone on twitter, I thought I'd give Gardiner's Brahms another go. But, after a movement or so, I was as unimpressed as ever so I abandoned it.

This was followed by Gardiner on altogether safer ground: volume twenty of his Bach cantata series with the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists. I opted for BWV144 and 84. Then it was back to the Jansons disc for Bruckner four, which was every bit as impressive as the third.

Lastly, before dashing off to the Usher Hall to hear a stunning Dream of Gerontius from Elder and the Halle, there was just time for disc eight of Jansons' Shostakovich cycle. It features symphony nine with the Oslo Philharmonic and ten with the Philadelphia Orchestra.

On returning home, I just had to relive some of the concert with my hasty interval purchase - Gerontius by the same forces on CD.


2009-09-06

Sunday was similarly dominated by Gerontius. After a full listen to the Elder CD, it felt like a comparison to my previous favourite, Oramo and the CBSO, was needed.

There was time for little other listening, save the fabulous fireworks concert.


2009-09-07

Monday kicked off with the 22nd August issue of the Economist (so still two weeks behind, then).

The evening's listening was dominated by the new Rattle/Berlin Brahms cycle. After Saturday's CD review I was worried. And while the first, in particular, took some getting going, there was plenty of drama on hand. The second was especially impressive (there wasn't time for three and four).


2009-09-08

Tuesday saw a very light day for the Ears. Travelling to and from work it was an Economist only zone. Once home I discovered another Jansons/Bavarian disc on the doormat, this time including the Tchaikovsky's first piano concert (with Bronfman) and the fourth symphony.

I've sometimes found his Oslo Tchaik a little tame. This, if any criticism were made, is too much the other way. White hot wouldn't quite do it justice.

That was all apart from the glories Plinth-a-lele in the small hours of the morning. If you weren't there, or haven't watched it online, do so now.

Ears This Weekend (2009-08-29 & 30)

Apologies for anyone on the edge of their seat waiting for the Ears yesterday. They did not appear for two reasons: firstly, due to a long stint at the venue, followed by a trip to the pub thereafter, I listened to very little; secondly, by the time I was back, it was too late. Today, I've done very little, as I seem to have collapsed as a result of having been doing two jobs for the last few weeks, not to mention all the writing for this site.

Yesterday began with a little more of that Radio 4 gem, Cabin Pressure. Then another listen to Mariss Jansons and the Bavarians playing Britten's A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra:

With the exception of another listen to Runnicles, Wosner and the BBC Scottish playing Mozart's K466 concerto at the Proms last week while I counted the money up for the last time, that was it for Friday. Well, except that David (the venue technician) and I managed to get ourselves looked into the building and so when we came downstairs and set the alarm off, the Ears had rather a shock.


Today was a fairly minimal day for the Ears as well, as much of it was spent vegetating in front of the TV. However, one earworthy piece of viewing was the film version of Ronald Harwood's play Taking Sides, which I saw recently. The film version, in an attempt to be more film like, ended up being massively inferior and less compelling and dramatic.

I should have headed out to hear the Festspiel Orchester Gottingen do Acis and Galatea, but I didn't quite feel up to it so my ticket went to waste. Instead it was a second visit to the CD player for Jansons' Bavarian Tchaikovsky sixth.

Finally, I gave the first disc of my new Furtwangler box set a spin. It is from his first concert with the Berlin Philharmonic following his clearance by the denazification committee and features Beethoven's sixth and fifth symphonies:

Between works I have a bath, for which another gem of Radio 4's comedy department accompanied me, the second series of Dickensian spoof Bleak Expectations:

Then it was back to the Furtwangler for Beethoven five, then off to bed.

Tomorrow Runnicles is in town for his first conducting engagement here in three years. Wild horses won't keep me from that.

Ears Today - 2009-08-28

The Ears have haven't had too much on their plate today, but that's what comes of a 9-6 shift in the venue (rewarding though it is, I'm rather glad there's only one day left).

They took a rest from the Economist this morning, opting instead for the recently purchased first series of the Radio Four comedy Cabin Pressure.

The Ears then heartily enjoyed Deneve's performance of Romeo and Juliet (see review here).

Rather than coming straight home to type it up (and thus have the opportunity for more listening), I instead made my way to Sandy Bells, a pub on Forrest Road, famous for it's folk music, the choice dictated by it being our chosen gathering point for venue volunteers. There may well have been some music in the background, but such was the throng and general hubbub (which gives the pub its 'charm') the Ears didn't pick up on any.

Then it was home to write up the review, and what better company than Romeo and Juliet, this time in a live recording from Davis and the London Symphony Orchestra.

I didn't finish it, it was well past time for bed by this point.

Ears Today - 2009-08-27

Today began for the Ears like many others: with the audio edition of the Economist (and, what is now two weeks ago's issue). This accompanied me out of bed, to work, where despite being technically on holiday I had to go in for an interview for a promotion (seemed to go okay), and then on the bus to the Royal Mail depot to collect some goodies that the postman was unable to deliver (the goodies in question including some Jansons/Bavarian discs).

On returning home, I paid a visit to the iPlayer and had a listen to Prom 49: chamber sized forces from Barenboim's West-Eastern Divan Orchestra playing first Mendelssohn's Octet and then Berg's Chamber Concerto. What with the festival it's a mad dash to catch some proms before they vanish - a week isn't long enough.

This was followed by the first of my Bavarian Jansons treats:

Tchaikovsky's sixth symphony. Now, Jansons' studio cycle in Oslo has had rave reviews but has never grabbed me, odd given I think he had fantastic chemistry with the orchestra. This, however, is another matter altogether, a searing and white hot reading. It comes coupled with Schoenberg's Verklarte Nacht.

So good in fact, that another disc from the family had to follow straight away, featuring Sibelius's first symphony and a fine performance that every bit lives up to the version I heard them give two years ago.

Then it was off to the Usher Hall for a disappointing concert of Brahms' Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Berio's Folk Songs and Mahler's fourth symphony (see review here). On the way, I had the recently purchased, via iTunes, first series of Radio Four comedy Cabin Pressure to keep me company.

Once home, a little more of the same while I had a late supper. Then I needed to hear the Brahms Haydn Variations done properly. What better excuse to rip the cellophane wrapper from my new box set of Furtwangler recordings.

After that it was back to the Jansons Sibelius disc for the other two works: Britten's The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra and Webern's Im Sommerwind.

I wanted to listen to that Tchaik six again, but really it was time for bed.

Ears Today - 2009-08-25 (Lots of new things)

I didn't set out with this specific objective, but today the Ears wound up hearing lots of stuff they'd never heard before. Which is great, I love hearing new things, so three in one day is outstanding.

The first was born of necessity:

The Prom of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain was due to expire on iPlayer this evening and will, by now, have done so. Pity, since it was insanely good and I would wholeheartedly recommend it.

Not only are they eight talented players, but they have a keen sense of humour too. Add to that that we got to hear what a thousand or so ukuleles playing the Ode to Joy sounded like and, well, what more could you possibly ask for.

This was followed by more from the Proms in the form of the first Prom by Barenboim and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra. I only had time for the first half before leaving the flat: Liszt's Les Preludes and Wagner's Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde. I heard the orchestra play the latter as an encore when they came to Edinburgh four years ago. It was quite a performance.

There wasn't quite time for the second half, but I did squeeze in part of Pictures at an Exhibition (orch. Ravel) by Rattle and the Berliners care of Spotify.

Then it was off to the venue accompanied once again by last week's Economist on my ipod. However, I was not there to work, rather to meet a colleague for some musical adventures.

First we headed down to the Grassmarket and to the Apex hotel (which becomes the Sweet Grassmarket venue) to hear Living Room, an ensemble based around the hang (think two woks stuck together). It was exception and one of the best musical experiences I've had in a while (review here).

Then it was off the Udderbelly to catch The Magnets, an exceptional band of a capella singers and beatboxers (review here).

Then the Ears had a bit of a rest, aside from the dialogue of Black Comedy, a rather fine farce being done by a school theatre group at my venue (with the nice device that most of the action occurs with the lights 'off', but from the perspective of the audience this is reversed).

Then it was home for some typing up of what I've heard today, and what better to accompany this than the Living Room in London CD (though first I finished off the rest of the Mussorgsky from earlier).

Just before bed, I squeezed in the second half of the Barenboim prom: Berlioz's Symphony Fantastique (and again find myself wondering when they might get round to broadcasting that stunning Runnicles performance from earlier this year).

Ears Today - 2009-08-24 (The Berliner Philharmonic Digital Concert Hall)

The Ears a fairly busy Monday (I'm technically on holiday this week, and wasn't needed at the venue until 6pm). Things got off to a somewhat atypical start:

I've been meaning to listen to something by the Arctic Monkeys for ages but have repeatedly failed to get round to it. Annoyingly Spotify let me down (in that when you try to play the debut album Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, you get a message that it isn't available at the request of the artists). Fortunately, it is on the rival service We7.

It's good. Very listenable, though after a while it does seem a little samey overall. I'm not sure they deserve the reputation they have managed to acquire. Certainly, I've heard a lot of much better rock music over the years.

After that it was time for something completely different:

Cabin Pressure is a rather fine Radio 4 comedy (and the last episode of the current series will be on the iPlayer until Friday). It charts the adventures of a somewhat shambolic charter airline with an inept captain, know-it-all first officer, mind-bogglingly stupid flight attendant and exasperated manager. Well worth a listen - it's baffling that this goes out in the daytime slot when so much junk gets put on in the 6.30 prime time period (the less said about Down the Line the better).

Then, to accompany me on a brief trip to the supermarket:

Once again the audio edition of the Economist (still a week or so behind).

I still had a couple of hours to kill before the venue so I thought I'd investigate the Berlin Philharmonic's Digital Concert Hall a little more closely. Now, in the past I've steered clear because the price (€9.90 per concert or nearly €150 for a season pass) seemed pretty steep. However, this tour did leave me wanting a little more. Still, I had a conundrum: if it wasn't worth it I didn't really want to spend €150 and if it was, I didn't want to spend €9.90 just to be sure and then have to spend €150 on top of that. What's needed is proper free trail of, say, one concert or even just one work. Fortunately, via Gramophone, there is one (the article gives a discount code that gives you access to one concert of your choice from the archive for free). However, the orchestra would be sensible to offer this as standard.

So, after a little browsing, I selected this concert, not least as the prospect of Christine Brewer singing Wagner is always appealing.

Picture quality is pretty good (though I'm not sure the link from my Macbook to my TV is quite good enough to really exploit it). Sound is good too, though at 320kbps not quite CD quality which is a shame. That said, it is massively better than what you get from a BBC Proms broadcast on the iPlayer. The interface is pretty user friendly.

What, then, of the music. Well, the programme kicked off with a new commission from Siegfried Matthus of a work for wind quintet and orchestra. This was rather fine (and interesting for the fact that Rattle himself took to the timpani to open it).

The Wagner that followed was the real treat, though. It's wonderful to hear the music played buy this superb ensemble. They worked their way through the standard Gotterdammerung chunks: the Rheinfahrt, the funeral music and immolation. However we also got Waltraute's scene with the added bonus of Karen Cargill. My only reservation was that the soprano was not, as advertised on the website, Brewer. Since I wasn't paying (and since Katarina Dalayman was a creditable replacement), I wasn't too miffed. If I'd paid €9.90 I'd be pretty cross so they ought to correct it.

So, is it worth it? For the individual concerts I'd say not (unless it's something really special). €9.90 either gets you the option to watch live or a 48 hour pass to watch an archived performance. So, the price of a CD, and then in two weeks time if you wanted to watch again, you have to pay again. You can compare to a real concert ticket, but in my view any such comparison is spurious since the two things aren't remotely comparable.

That said, in a funny way, €150 for the season pass is actually pretty fair value. You get the live concerts, you get full access to the archive (both of last year's season, and this year's as they're added) and it lasts until the 2010 season kicks off in a year's time. I think I may invest.

The ears had no company on their way to the venue. On returning home, I dipped into Furtwangler and the Berlin Philharmonic's 1949 Bruckner eight (I have two different pressings, but can't decide if they're the same performance).

I have some interesting things in store for the Ears tomorrow (but you'll just have to wait until then to find out what they are).

Ears Today - 2009-08-23 (lots from Jansons)

The Ears have had a Jansons theme today. There's no particular reason for this, other than he was at the top of my mind after yesterday's Haydn.

Late last night I finally got around to cancelling my emusic subscription (the sound quality is pretty low and I rarely actually get round to using my downloads so it isn't very cost effective). However, I had 40 tracks left to use up and expended most of them adding various things from the RCO Live label.

First up today, though, was a second Bavarian disc care of Spotify: this time of Wagner chunks. And they really are rather fine - but then this combination is one of my absolute favourites in the world today (up there with Mackerras/SCO, Runnicles/BBCSSO).


The emusic downloads followed on the train to and from Glasgow for my TV interview.

This rather decent recording of Dvorak's ninth symphony started things off.

Dvorak was followed by Strauss's Heldenleben. Actually, I used to own this on CD but parted company after having acquired the Rattle recording which I found significantly more compelling. At the time I didn't feel it was a work I wanted own multiple times but it has since grown on me, particularly through Barbirolli's emotive recording. The Jansons is solid if not great.

Finally came Honegger's third symphony (a work completely new to me). I'll refrain from judgement but I want to explore it further, and somewhat regret that all I have to do with is a comparatively low quality download (the CD also contain's Poulenc's Gloriana but I've split them apart in my iTunes library so the Ears will have to wait for that).

Before bed, there was just time for a couple of hypnotic tracks from Louis Lortie's complete survey of Ravel's solo piano music. I've been meaning to listen to it ever since he blew me away in Aldeburgh (the set is quite something and I may have to review when I get a moment).

Ears Today - 2009-08-22

The Ears have had a pretty light day today. First up was a disc of Jansons conducting the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. They are a combination that has made two few recordings, or rather, too few that are readily available in the UK (one must instead trawl the German Amazon). This is all the more baffling given that I think the partnership has a more compelling chemistry than Jansons' other with the Concertgebouw.

But, as usual, I digress. The disc in question was via Spotify and contained Haydn's 104th and 101st symphonies (I heard Jansons do the former at the Festival Hall a little while back).

This is unashamed big band Haydn (no bad thing in my view).


However, I didn't even have time to finish it before I had to dash off to the AGM of the Fringe Society. Then it was back and fourth to the venue (pausing only for a long coffee after a chance encounter).

I returned home to find the evening's Prom safely stored on my digibox. It was one I've been looking forward to: Baremboim and his extraordinary West-Eastern Divan Orchestra in a concert performance of Fidelio (those in the UK can watch it on the iPlayer).

Sadly it was a disappointment. The BBC2 sound engineers had done an impressively poor job (a horrifically closed sound). To make matters worse they had elected for an annoying and patronising narration which got completely in the way of the music. The performance didn't totally catch fire for me (but I'm not sure how much these other factors were to blame).

To add insult to injury, the box cut off filming four minutes before the end!

To ease the ears to bed, I returned to the Jansons to finish off the disc with the 100th symphony.

Ears Today - 2009-08-21 (Furtwangler Friday)

The ears have had a more eventful day today than I would normally have expected (since I was in the office all day and in the venue all evening).

The day got off to its usual start with the audio edition of the Economist seeing me out of bed and into work.

Now onto the 2009-08-15 issue (so still about a week behind). I was pleasantly surprised to learn it will now download straight to iTunes (sadly, it comes as one huge big file - which I don't like at all).

Once at work, it became clear that lots of people were away and so it was in no way antisocial to put on my iPod. I always find Mozart good to work to so I called on Zacharias and the Lausanne Chamber orchestra for concertos K271 and 413.

After that, I felt like some Furtwangler (I'm still waiting for my new box set to turn up) and I went for a favourite recording of the Beethoven violin concerto from the early 40s in a live performance with the Berlin Philharmonic and Rohn as the soloist.

Another favourite followed: Mahler's first symphony from Jansons and the Olso Philharmonic.

From then it was firmly back to Furtwangler for the rest of the day. First up was a stunning Tckaikovsky sixth symphony, again live, again with the Berlin Philharmonic (though this time recorded in Cairo of all places).

Then it was the newish Orfeo issue of Furtwangler's classic performance of Beethoven's ninth symphony at the reopening of the Bayreuth festival in 1951.

That pretty much took me to the venue (where the evening wasn't the smoothest I've had). When I got home I was in need of a sofa, a whisky (a fine 18 year old Caol Ila, in the end) and Bruckner eight from Furtwangler. That should see me more or less to bed.