My listening post this morning is Tim Horton’s, the Canadian-based fast-food chain with the unique food and coffee. The only thing Tim Horton’s lacks is peameal bacon, which I had for breakfast near Toronto once and loved it. I’m tempted to re-enter Canada just so that I can get more peameal bacon.
So, as I sip on my chicory-laced coffee and dream longingly of eating peameal bacon, I find myself listening to Argentine conductor Daniel Barenboim (1942- ), Staatskapelle Berlin, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 in A major.
I have encountered Maestro Barenboim six times previously, on…
Day 2. Rating: None.
Day 20. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 38. Rating: “Almost ‘Huzzah!'”
Day 56. Rating: “Almost ‘Huzzah!'”
Day 75. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 92. Rating: “Huzzah!”
So, peameal bacon or no, what will today bring? Will I dig Maestro Barenboim’s performance? Or will I not?
Beethoven wrote his symphonies in four parts (except for the Sixth, which is in five). The time breakdown of this particular one (Symphony No. 7 in A major), from this particular conductor (Barenboim, at age 57) and this particular orchestra (Staatskapelle Berlin), at this particular time in history (May – July 1999) on this particular record label (Warner Classics) is as follows:
I. Poco sostenuto – Vivace……………………………..14:27
II. Allegretto………………………………………………………9:37
III. Presto – Assai meno presto (trio)……………….9:37
IV. Allegro con brio…………………………………………..8:35
Total running time: 41:36
My Rating:
Recording quality: 4 (overall, it’s an okay recording; however, it’s sounds a little muffled, like some of the top end is missing, or it’s too packed into the mid range)
Overall musicianship: 3 (seems lethargic in some movements, energetic in others)
CD liner notes: 5 (a nice, meaty booklet; lots of info in several languages)
How does this make me feel: 3 (“Meh!”)
I can’t believe how boring this performance is. Seriously, I was not moved in the least – even when listening to Movement II, my favorite Beethoven movement.
Movement I was the sleepiest thing I’ve ever heard from Barenboim.
I was hoping Movement II would electrify me to make up for it. It didn’t.
Movement III exhibited a great deal of effervescence. It redeemed the previous two movements. I actually enjoyed Movement III quite a bit.
Movement IV was also good.
But, overall, I couldn’t believe I was listening to the same symphony that I heard yesterday. It was that different.
I truly disliked this performance.
Plus, the recording seemed fuzzy. Not crisp. Not warm. No lush. The individual instruments weren’t ringing out loud and clear. They were all mushed together.
“Meh!”