Author Topic: Boulez, SB,Barenboim; Carter's Interventions, Mahler 6th; Berlin, 20 April 2009.  (Read 3998 times)

Offline Alexandros

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Offline je-b

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Interesting, thanks! I'm going to attend the second performance of this very programme tonight at the "Konzerthaus" here in Berlin.
If I have time, I'll check back with some thoughts on the performance.
"Ich leb' allein in meinem Himmel,
 In meinem Lieben, in meinem Lied!"

Offline Alexandros

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Lucky you!!!

Alex

Offline Leo K

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  • You're the best Angie
Thanks so much for posting this!!!!  Thank God I still have my rapidshare account for a few more days!!

--Todd

Offline je-b

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I have yet to listen to the recording posted above, but what I can say is that the live performance I came back from a few hours ago was actually quite excellent. Some "facts": S/A order for the inner movements, two hammer strokes in the Finale.
Boulez - somewhat unexpectedly for me - virtually unleashed hell in the Finale, creating an almost unbearably intense and intimidating atmosphere (the Konzerthaus is a rather small and boomy hall, making the whole thing actually incredibly noisy at times...  :o ). The playing of the Staatskapelle was about as dark, gloomy, and world-weary as it gets, with excellent solo contributions (trumpets, clarinets, percussion, and tuba particularly outstanding). Boulez adopted tempi that were a tad slower than I had expected on the whole, but was unsually flexible throughout. Some might argue that the Andante was still somewhat "dry" and the one movement Boulez seemed to care least about, but I felt the three remaining movements were flat-out superb, with the Finale being a particularly merciless, completely unsentimental flight of demons.
Oh, and the hammer blows were deafening, making the elderly ladies in the row in front of mine almost literally jump out of their seats - both times...  ;D

---
Okay, I just briefly sampled the broadcast recording (excellent sound quality!).
Timings are:

I 22:26
II 12:50
III 12:47
IV 28:23
Total: 76:02   
« Last Edit: April 23, 2009, 12:35:01 AM by je-b »
"Ich leb' allein in meinem Himmel,
 In meinem Lieben, in meinem Lied!"

Offline barry guerrero

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12:47 is incredibly fast for the andante movement. Are you sure about that one?    .     .     .   I probably would have liked it that way.

Barry

Offline je-b

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Yes, it's true: The Andante is 12:47. I had to re-check myself as it didn't feel that fast (i.e. not rushed) in the concert performance I attended. Rather like a calm, but clearly proceeding counterpoint to the darkness of the remaining movements. I must say, I too like it that way.
"Ich leb' allein in meinem Himmel,
 In meinem Lieben, in meinem Lied!"

 

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