I first encountered French conductor Andre Cluytens (1905-1967) and Orchestre Philharmonique De Berlin on Day 6. And then again on Day 24. On Day 6, I proclaimed his performance “Huzzah!” worthy. On Day 24, I wrote that I wanted to poke out my ears with a pencil. So, what will Day 42 bring? I’ll know … [Read more…]
This morning, I return to the top of the batting order with Italian conductor Claudio Abbado (1933-2014). The orchestra is the Berliner Philharmoniker. The record label is the legendary 120-year-old Deutsche Grammophon. The only difference this time is I’m listening to Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 in E flat Major, Opus 55 – also known as … [Read more…]
My office this morning is at a restaurant-chain-that-must-not-be-named, known for its signature Light Roast coffee (when the pot actually has some in it!). As soon as I finish this, I will pack up and go to the office where I’m working on a screenplay and a book project. For now, though, I watch people meet, … [Read more…]
My office this morning while I blog is New Beginnings restaurant. My breakfast is a Mexican chicken all white meat omelette with jalapenos inside and enough Frank’s RedHot and Tabasco sauce on top to make my eyes water. Yummy. I first encountered Pierre Monteux (1875-1964) – and I do mean the first; I didn’t run … [Read more…]
In this Beethoven project, I first encountered German conductor Otto Klemperer (1885-1973) on Day 12. If you want to know some of Klemperer’s background (including his famous actor son), let your mouse do the walking over to that entry. This morning, I’m listening to him conduct Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2 in D Major. How does … [Read more…]
My “office” this morning is a D&W grocery store with a Starbucks inside. I’m in the dining area. A Coke machine taunts me, albeit in vain, from the opposite wall. I don’t drink soda (or pop as we call it) all that often. When I do, it doesn’t come from a machine in a grocery … [Read more…]
This morning’s conductor of Beethoven’s Sympohony No. 2 in D Major is the Belgian-born Frenchman Andre Cluytens (1905-1967). The orchestra is the Orchestre Philharmonique De Berlin, also known as the Berlin Philharmonic. And I am bored to tears. Seriously, this recording and this performance are not even close to engaging me. It sounds as flat … [Read more…]
This morning, the world–renowned conductor of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2 in D Major is Herbert Blomstedt (1927- ). I first encountered Maestro Blomstedt when I listened to the complete works of Beethoven a few years ago. The label then, as it is this morning, is Brilliant Classics, one of the best in the world if … [Read more…]
This morning, Day 19 of my exploration of Beethoven’s symphonies, starts a new chapter: Symphony No. 2 in D Major, which was composed between 1801 and 1802. So here I sit at New Beginnings restaurant, listening to Beethoven’s composition while (or whilst if you’re British) I eat a Mexican chicken omelette complete with jalapenos and … [Read more…]
This morning (Day 18, and the last day of the first leg of my journey) represents a bunch of firsts for me, to wit: I’d never heard anything conducted by David Zinman. I’d never heard the Tonhalle Orchester Zürich perform. I’d never heard of an Urtext edition. I’d never heard of the Arte Nova Classics … [Read more…]