My listening post this morning is Bagel Beanery.
Even my ninja liked my choice.
Hungry little fella.
While I sit here watching customers enter and leave, and the cars go to and fro outside (as opposed to what – to and fro inside?), I’m listening to American-Swedish conductor Herbert Blomstedt (1927- ), Staatskapelle Dresden, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8 in F major.
I need to, once again mention the record label for this Blomstedt CD box set: Brilliant Classics.
For the money, you can never go wrong with Brilliant Classics. They release extremely high quality music at very affordable prices. I once remarked (Day 40) that theirs is nobleman’s music at a pauper’s price.
I own many CD box sets (especially complete editions of well-known composers) from Brilliant Classics. I’ve enjoyed every one.
I’ve encountered Maestro Blomstedt seven times previous to this morning’s outing at Bagel Beanery, on…
Day 4. Rating: Not “Meh!” but not “Huzzah!”
Day 22. Rating: “Meh!”
Day 40. Rating: Not “Meh!” but not “Huzzah!”
Day 58. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 76. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 94. Rating: “Meh!”
Day 112. Rating: “Huzzah!”
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. 8 in F major), from this particular conductor (Blomstedt, at age 51) and this particular orchestra (Staatskapelle Dresden), at this particular time in history (1978) on this particular record label (Brilliant Classics) is as follows:
I. Allegro vivace e con brio…………………………………..10:02
II. Allegretto scherzando…………………………………….3:56
III. Tempo di menuetto……………………………………….4:47
IV. Allegro vivace………………………………………………….7:50
Total running time: 25:55
My Rating:
Recording quality: 4 (a nice recording, rich and well balanced, perhaps a little top end missing)
Overall musicianship: 5 (dynamic, playful, expressive)
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!”)
This is another delightful performance from Maestro Blomstedt and Staatskapelle Dresden, one that captures both the playfulness of Beethoven’s Eighth, as well as its cleverness. It seems a trifle at first listen. But, the more one listens, the more one hears.
Beethoven’s Eighth is deceptively simple and compact.
Yet, as the old saying goes, good things come in small packages.
These movements leap out of my iTunes player, all bright and shiny, and hook me from the opening notes. Especially Movement I. It’s really a beautiful movement, with lots of ebbs and flows.
If I had a favorite movement in this performance, it would likely be the fourth. It’s raucous and just plain fun.
I recommend this recording and this performance.
“Huzzah!”