My spot for today’s Beethoven blog is one of my favorites.
It is, in fact, my happy place: the second floor of the local library.
The view is spectacular – a field (granted, it was once a landfill but now it’s a field) bordered by trees. Sometimes, as I’m sitting at one of the tables, I’ll see deer, turkeys, hawks, ducks, and other creatures one might normally see in such a locale.
In the Fall and Winter, it’s even prettier.
Plus, even though the grand view is in front of me, there’s an even grander view – of stacks and stacks of books – behind me.
I could move in to this spot right now and never leave.
There’s even a bathroom a few dozen yards away. No shower, though. But I could live with that if I could have this table, this chair, the books behind me, and the view before me.
As for today’s conductor – Simon Rattle – I wish I was as excited about hearing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 in E flat Minor under Rattle’s baton as I am about the place in which I listen to it.
Alas…
Well, I’ll save the “Alas…” for the appropriate time in my blog.
For now, it’s just the facts, Ma’am.
I first encountered Simon Rattle on Day 15 in my Beethoven project, and then again on Day 33.
Beethoven wrote his symphonies in four parts (except for the Sixth, which is in five). The time breakdown of this particular one (Symphony No. 3 in E flat Major), from this particular conductor (Rattle, at 47) and this particular orchestra (Weiner Philharmonker), at this particular time in history (April 29-May 14, 2002) on this particular record label (Warner Classics) is as follows:
I. Allegro con brio………………………………………………………………………16:21
II. Marcia funebre: Adagio assai……………………………………………….15:14
III. Scherzo: Allegro vivace – Trio…………………………………………………6:02
IV. Finale: Allegro molto – Poco andante – Presto…………………..12:08
Total running time: 49:45
My Rating:
Recording quality: 4 (seems to lack depth and breadth; doesn’t feel full and rich)
Overall musicianship: 4
CD liner notes: 3 (one essay about Beethoven in English, German, and French; nothing about Rattle)
How does this make me feel: 2
So far, Simon Rattle is batting 0-3 with me.
This was terribly sleepy performance.
The opening two chords of Movement I were tentative, hesitant, timid. Instead of a bold couple of chords – DUN! DUN! – they were softer, less forceful: dun. dun.
And the rest of the movement was just like that. Tentative. Timid. Shy.
By Movement IV (Finale), some of the proper punch was evident. But the Adagio (Movement II) sounds like it was phoned in. And by the time I got to the Finale I just didn’t care.
To say that this performance lacks energy is to understate the matter. Everyone sounded like they’re playing on a full stomach, and haven’t yet had their afternoon nap.
I have to give this Rattle performance another “Meh!” rating.