And the first piano concerto, for that matter. I wish Furtwangler had recorded it - that certainly would have been symphonic.

regards, Tam

Indeed!

It's just become one of those strange fads in modern music criticism that everything written for orchestra must somehow be shoehorned into the category "Symphony". Like in instrumental music, everything seems to be an arc these days! (Good buzz word that, eh? ) They listen to a piece - or series of pieces - by Bach that finish on a key closely related to the 1st and that it's it: "Owwww wow! It's an ARC!! And look at this here orchestral song cycle written by a prominent symphonist! Ergo it's really a Symphony!!! Oh the profundity of our insights, Tristram!!!"

Ah, it's early in the morning. Me coffee hasn't kicked in yet!

EW

take it easy - just call it a "symphonic poem."

quote:

Originally posted by fidelio:
take it easy - just call it a "symphonic poem."

Or a symphonic arc?!

How many symphonic arcs you you need to make a symphonic circle? Perhaps that would be pointless as you would end up where you started!

ATB from Fredrik

Well if you think about it, symphonic sonata form is circular - you know, ending on the same key you started on! Man, we're getting profound here! We should write a book full of all that po-mo jargon! Relativistic Hermeneutic Metatwaddle and the Feminine Circularity of the Romantic Symphony. (That cursed icon of white male capitalist hegemony!!)

[Edited for typos as usual!]

wow, e.w. - you're really rocketing into unknown territory there!! metatwaddle!! excellent. must've been reading some fred nietszche, jacques ellul, derrida, or jungian wagner essays, while listening to later schumann or a symphonic poem by liszt (all mispellings intentional) ... fid.

Dear EW,

Sonata form returning home! So true, but whatever a journey does for one's well being the happiest moment is arriving home, if the better for the experience of the time out!

"Metatweddle!" Brilliant! That ought to become an official new word!

ATB from Fredrik

quote:

Originally posted by Fredrik_Fiske:
"Metatweddle!" Brilliant!

I cannot take the credit:

http://richarddawkins.net/article,824,Postmodernism-Dis...chard-Dawkins-Nature

Hope you find that as amusing as I did!!!!

EW

I'v been listening to Giulini's Bruckner 7th on BBC Legends lately and find it to be a wonderful, beautifully realized performance. Has anyone heard his live 8th on BBC Legends? I am also unfamiliar with his DG recordings of the 8th and 9th, both of which are highly praised by critics, so if anyone wishes to comment on those I would appreciate it. On the strength of this live 7th, I considering investigating more of Giulini's Bruckner.

Dear Oldnslow,

I have the 7th - and agree it's wonderful. I have the 8th too (indeed I have all of Giulini's BBC legends discs) and while it's good, I don't think it's in quite the same league. But it's certainly worth investigating (it's a well filled disc and includes a nice Dvorak 8th).

I don't have any of his DG Bruckner. However, I do have an EMI box of his Chicago recordings which is well worth investigating - there is an excellent 9th (not to mention a fine Beethoven 7th, Mahler 1st, Brahms 4th and plenty more besides).

regards, Tam

Thanks Tam. That Giulini boxed Chicago set sounds interesting, and can be had very cheaply. I wonder if his DG 8th and 9th arn't soon due for reissue/remastering--seems odd DG hasn't recirculated such famous performances.

Giulini's catalogue is one of those that has some very odd gaps, in terms of what gets reissued. For example, he recorded all the Brahms symphonies (at least twice, some three times), yet at present, it is only possible to pick up recordings of the 1st and 4th (where is the complete VPO cycle!). Incidentally - the Brahms 1st on BBC Legends is wonderful. I also wish more of his Beethoven could be had....

regards, Tam

I'll have to investigate Giulini's recordings further. I learned the Verdi Requiem from his LP EMI performance(I should pick up the remastered version of that).