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Re: [ARSCLIST] Kostelanetz, was [ARSCLIST] Transfer responsibility



I can recall superb live performances by symphony orchestras that fully met the criterion of "perfect playing," especially from the period referred to here- the 1960s. One was by an American aggregation- the Chicago under Wand (an Unfinished, in the 1980s). I recall the Concertgebouw, the Residency (realy almost the same orchestra with the firsts and supporting principles swapped) and, from broadcast the Dresden. Not complete concerts but complete pieces. The 'Bow a few times. They aspired. When realized, the post-concert high was really something, and not just for the audience.

Kostelanetz was mostly a formulaic conductor. So many pieces ended with an antificial orgasm that, I assume, many of his players went through the motions, not emotions.

Steve Smolian

----- Original Message ----- From: "David Lennick" <dlennick@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, August 24, 2006 4:51 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Kostelanetz, was [ARSCLIST] Transfer responsibility



It doesn't explain why Kosty's recordings were so awful in the last years of
his life. Either he or his producer turned out overmodulated, over-reverbed,
over-arranged, souped-up doses of elevator music at ear-splitting volume with
no subtlety, no variation and very little musicality. And that goes for his
light classical and "Proms" stuff as much as for his pop recordings. He could
do interesting stuff in concert..I have him conducting in Toronto in 1942. He
plays the Shostakovich "Polka" and actually gets laughs from the audience,
although that would have been new music to them at that time.


dl

Lou Judson wrote:

Ron, this is a gem. May I take the quote below and use it for a
signature line fo rmy emails? It is wonderful! It will set me in good
stead with old timers, and puzzle the youngsters who will wonder what
an "Lp recording" is...

<L>

Lou Judson . Intuitive Audio
415-883-2689

On Aug 24, 2006, at 12:41 PM, Ron Fial wrote:

Andre Kostelanetz said he had a problem listening to LP recordings,
because after the engineers spliced all the takes together, the work
was 'too perfect'.  No real orchestra could play that well.


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