My listening post this morning is in front of our Christmas tree, overlooking a frozen lake.
To my left is a mug of coffee and – in my 5-CD changer – are the first five Jefferson Starship albums turned down low, like the music would be in a restaurant. To my right is a notepad and pen.
I owned the first two Jefferson Starship albums back in the day. Red Octopus is a bona fide classic.
But I had no idea how good Starship was in the ’70s until I started buying and listening to their CDs in the last couple of years. Maybe it’s just that when they are compared to music today, they sound like Mozart. Today’s music sucks the shit out of a thousand monkey asses.
I dig that band, and pine for the days when modern music was expertly crafted.
Speaking of expertly crafted, it doesn’t get any more crafted than Beethoven.
Not coincidentally, in my ears right now is American conductor David Zinman (1936- ), Tonhalle Orchester Zurich, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8 in F major.
Today brings to a close my cycle of Symphony No. 8 in F major. I started with A (for Abbado) and today is Z (for Zinman).
I’ve enjoyed Symphony 8. It often gets lesser billing than Beethoven’s other symphonies. But I like it, especially Movements I and IV.
I’ve encountered Maestro Zinman seven times previous to today, on…
Day 18. Rating: “Meh!”
Day 36. Rating: Almost “Huzzah!”
Day 54. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 72. Rating: “Meh!”
Day 90. Rating: “Meh!”
Day 108. Rating: “Meh!”
Day 126. Rating: “Huzzah!”
That’s four “Meh!” ratings, two “Huzzah!” ratings and one bizarre “almost ‘Huzzah!'” rating.
What will today bring? If I know my Zinman, I’ll know in double-quick time.
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 (Zinman, at age 61) and this particular orchestra (Tonhalle Orchster Zurich), at this particular time in history (December 16 & 17, 1997) on this particular record label (Arte Nova Classics – no web site or Wiki entry available) is as follows:
I. Allegro vivace e con brio…………………………………8:14
II. Allegretto scherzando…………………………………….3:50
III. Tempo di menuetto……………………………………….4:16
IV. Allegro vivace…………………………………………………6:40
Total running time: 22:20
My Rating:
Recording quality: 4 (very bright, almost brittle; could be the all-digital recording, Movement III was miked in an irritating way with the strings sounding a little too loud )
Overall musicianship: 4 (way yonder too speedy, this is the shortest performance of the 18 I heard of Symphony 8 in my Beethoven project)
CD liner notes: 3 (a booklet in each CD jewel case; however, the information is a hodgepodge that lacks even running times for each track, as well as total running time for each symphony, plus the essays are technical and academic in nature)
How does this make me feel: 3 (“Meh!”)
You gotta be kidding me.
Twenty-two minutes?!?!?!
This is the shortest performance of any I’ve heard from the 18 performances in this leg of my Beethoven project. And it’s not hard to hear why. Movement I is so speedy it sounds like the orchestra is going off the rails. There’s no space between the notes! It sounds double time compared to the other performances.
The tempo relaxes a bit for the subsequent movements, but – as demonstrated by the twenty-two minute length – the tempo doesn’t slow down too much.
Movement IV is also miked a bit funny. The tympani is quite pronounced. Sadly, the movement, which along withe Movement I, is my favorite lacks punch. The ending doesn’t give me the chills, it gives me the willies. Between the brittle recording, and the breakneck pace, Movement IV has been neutered. It lacks power.
I supposed this performance isn’t horrible But I was so put off by the speed of Movement I that I never recovered. I mean, it was ridiculously fast. And that set the tone for the rest of the performance.
I’m sorry. But this isn’t a performance I could recommend – except as a cautionary tale of how not to play it – nor is it one I’ll ever hear again.
“Meh!”
By the way, if you’d like to read a cool and quirky review of Beethoven’s Eighth, click here to read an article in The Guardian, which begins with:
It’s one of the shortest, weirdest, but most compelling symphonies of the 19th century.
You gotta dig a review that begins that way.