A milestone!
Today marks 100 days of listening to Beethoven and writing about it.
That’s over three months to you and me.
So here I sit in a Tim Horton’s restaurant (Tim Horton’s is a Canadian-based restaurant chain that recently ventured into Michigan) sipping their chicory-laced coffee and listening to Austrian conductor Herbert von Karajan (1908-1989), the Berliner Philharmoniker, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 in F major.
The coffee is good.
But is the performance?
I’ve encountered Maestro Karajan five times previously in his legendary 1977 cycle, on…
Day 11. Rating: “Meh!”
Day 29. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 47. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 65. Rating: Almost “Huzzah!”
Day 83. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Beethoven wrote his symphonies in four parts (except for the Sixth, which is in five). The time breakdown of this particular one (Symphony No. 6 in F major), from this particular conductor (Karajan, at age 67-69) and this particular orchestra (Berliner Philharmoniker), at this particular time in history (1975-1977) on this particular record label (Deutsche Grammophon) is as follows:
I. Allegro ma non troppo………………………………………..9:04
“Awakening of cheerful feelings upon arrival in the country”
II. Andante molto mosso………………………………………..11:22
“Scene by the brook”
III. Allegro…………………………………………………………………5:04
“Merry gathering of country folk”
IV. Allegro…………………………………………………………………..3:30
“Thunderstorm”
V. Allegretto……………………………………………………………..8:34
“Shepherd’s song: Happy and thankful feelings after the storm”
Total running time: 37:34
My Rating:
Recording quality: 4 (hardly noticeable tape hiss, seems to lack top end; otherwise, rich and dynamic)
Overall musicianship: 4 (feels a big lethargic, not quite energized, a bit by the book)
CD liner notes: 4 (slimmer booklet compared to the 1963 cycle, but no less interesting…a missing, but necessary, piece of information: when, exactly, was this recorded? Which day? Which year? Providing a range of 1975-1977 isn’t sufficient for inquiring minds like mine)
How does this make me feel: 4 (“Meh!”)
The first movement – starting with my all-time favorite melody from 7:48-8:00 – had me thinking, “This is awesome!” I felt energized, stirred, totally captivated. I nearly choked back tears from the feeling those notes gave me.
But then, the second movement arrived…and I lost my enthusiasm. The solo that begins with flute and morphs into oboe (4:50 to 5:10 or so) is still fascinating. I would love to be the musician who gets to solo like that. I was gripped during those 10-15 minutes.
But I lost more interest when Movement III arrived. It just didn’t sound reckless and exuberant like a “Merry gathering of country folk.” It sounded scripted. Plus, speaking of its sound, I didn’t like how it was recorded.
I listened to this all the way through 3-4 times. Each time, I had less joy for it. I was less engaged.
I’m sorry. I truly wanted to love this. Not just like it. Love it. All to pieces. And shout its accomplishments from the rooftops.
Alas. I can’t give this more than a “Meh!” rating.
It’s solid. It’s lush and dynamic. It features some outstanding passages.
But it didn’t raise the hairs on my arms or cause me to choke up with emotion in more places than just my usual ones.