This morning, as I wait to meet up with my mom and brother for breakfast, I find myself sitting in a Tim Horton’s restaurant sipping coffee and eating a Boston Creme donut.
Both are delicious.
Just what I needed to start my morning.
Well, that and conductor Herbert Blomstedt (1927- ), my wife, Staatskapelle Dresden, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4 in B flat Major, which is – quite possibly – my favorite of Beethoven’s symphonies.
I first encountered Maestro Blomstedt in my Beethoven project on…
Day 4. Rating: Almost “Huzzah!”
Day 22. Rating: “Meh!”
Day 40. Rating: Not “Meh!” but not “Huzzah!” either.
What will today bring?
Beethoven wrote his symphonies in four parts (except for the Sixth, which is in five). The time breakdown of this particular one (Symphony No. 4 in B flat Major), from this particular conductor (Blomstedt, at age 52) and this particular orchestra (Staatskapelle Dresden), at this particular time in history (1979) on this particular record label (Brilliant Classics) is as follows:
I. Adagio – Allegro vivace…………………………………………………………………12:09
II. Adagio…………………………………………………………………………………………..10:31
III. Allegro molto e vivace – Trio. Un poco meno allegro………………..5:50
IV. Allegro ma non troppo………………………………………………………………..7:10
Total running time: 35:00
My Rating:
Recording quality: 4 (Brilliant Classics does exceptional work finding the best recordings)
Overall musicianship: 5
CD liner notes: 0 (no liner notes in this budget-priced box set – boo! hiss! – but an extensive set of notes can be downloaded from the Brilliant Classics site covering their complete Beethoven box set; however, although extensive, the notes are not exhaustive; no information at all is provided about the conductors, the players, the orchestras, etc.)
How does this make me feel: 5
“Huzzah!”
Maestro Blomstedt hit it out of the park with this one!
This was the Brilliant Classics excitement I remember!
This was an exciting, well recorded, well played, engaging performance of Beethoven’s Second.
I loved every minute of this recording, from the ponderous opening of Movement I to the rollicking enthusiasm of Movement IV.
Highly recommended!