I enjoy listening to Austrian conductor Herbert von Karajan (1908-1989) back to back like this, especially comparing his two most prized Beethoven cycles: 1963 and 1977. Although a reader’s poll on the Talk Classical site, indicates most of those who responded preferred Karajan’s 1963 cycle by a margin of more than two to one, I … [Read more…]
This morning’s conductor of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2 in D Major is the legendary Herbert von Karajan (1908-1989). His orchestra is the legendary Berliner Philharmoniker. The record label is equally as legendary: Deutsche Grammophon, with its famous yellow logo. And, legendary upon legendary upon legendary, the recording comes from Karajan’s famed 1963 Beethoven cycle. So … [Read more…]
This morning, as I munch on my Asiago bagel (toasted dark!) with plain cream cheese, and sip my quickly cooling Light Roast coffee at a restaurant-chain-that-must-not-be-named, I listen to Dutch conductor Bernard Haitink wave his baton before the London Symphony Orchestra, inwardly smiling smugly to myself knowing that I will be ticking off an item … [Read more…]
This morning’s “office” is Panera Bread, the restaurant chain that I have a dislike-hate relationship with. If Panera weren’t the only game in town at 6am (when I like to get started), I’d go somewhere else. I first encountered Austrian conductor Karl Bohm (1894-1981) on Day 5. This morning, as then, he works with the … [Read more…]
This morning, my office is Spyro’s restaurant, which bills itself as “Fort Wayne’s Breakfast Eggsperts!” The coffee is good. The Irish Skillet is wonderful. And the biscuits and gravy were better than I expected. The only downside is I’m using my iPhone’s Personal Hotspot setting as my WiFi connection. This restaurant doesn’t offer WiFi to … [Read more…]
Okay. I’ll be honest. I have a soft spot in my heart for Argentine conductor Daniel Barenboim (1942- ). And Staatskapelle_Berlin. My wife and I saw both and in person at Carnegie Hall on Saturday, January 28, 2017. The performance was Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 8. It was a night we’ll never forget. Anyway, I … [Read more…]
This morning (Day 17 of my 18-day exploration of Beethoven’s First), under storm-threatening skies, I sit once again at Panera Restaurant – a place to which I keep swearing I’ll never return, although the reasons why seem to escape me at the moment. Sloppy service, so-so food, and a Light Roast coffee pot that seems … [Read more…]
This morning’s conductor of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1 in C Major is a fellow I had never heard of before, Frenchman (Pierre Monteux), on an Italian record label I’d never heard of before (Memories Reverence). And those two reasons are precisely why I chose this no-frills box set. And I do mean no frills. There … [Read more…]
As with Otto Klemperer, I first encountered German conductor Franz Konwitschny when I explored the symphonic works of Anton Bruckner a year or two ago (see My Year-Long Project for details about my musical explorations, including Anton Bruckner). The orchestra for today’s recording is the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, the Wikipedia entry for which tells us … [Read more…]
When I explored the symphonic works of Anton Bruckner a few years ago, I came across Otto Klemperer (1885-1973) and was surprised to discover a lot of fun thing about him, first and foremost of which is that he was considered one of the great conductors of the 20th century. I had never heard of … [Read more…]