Vanska Beethoven Cycle
Sun, May 23 2010, 3:23AM
Anyboduy heard the new Vanska Beethoven Cycle? Despite the good reviews, I was rather underwhelmed. There was no brasss at all in the 9th and the 5th. The 3rd was also pretty bad. The pastoral was awful, worse than Karajan;s much maligned account. The only saving grace was the 7th. What does everybody think of this cycle?
Sun, May 23 2010, 4:12AM
#2
RE: Vanska Beethoven Cycle
Totally misguided. Vanska needed much more LvB under his belt before undertaking such a project.
The last successful LvB cycle was Harnoncourt's...20 years ago.
Sun, May 23 2010, 8:01PM
#3
RE: Vanska Beethoven Cycle
The two new cycles I've enjoyed have been those of Paavo Jarvi and David Zinman. Vanska's was totally underwhelming. Who has heard Kubelik's 9th + Masonic Funeral Music=Otto Klemperer's memorial concert? Fabulous and powerful, a performance to be treasured.
Sun, May 23 2010, 8:17PM
#4
RE: Vanska Beethoven Cycle
I have yet to hear anything from P. Järvi's cycle, but I certainly have heard good things. Do any symphonies in particular stick out?
Sun, May 23 2010, 9:03PM
#5
RE: Vanska Beethoven Cycle
I collected this series as the CDs appeared one by one and have really enjoyed each disc. For my desert island I'd pick 3, 4, 7 and 8 but overall this has been far superior to anything in Vanska's cycle. The Minnesota Orchestra is terrific, by the way, my criticism is directed at the conductor's interpretations.
Sun, Jun 6 2010, 5:20AM
#6
RE: Vanska Beethoven Cycle
The Minnesota Orchestra is fantastic. I have been able to see them on numerous occasions, although I regularly see the Chicago Symphony. I heard Vänskä and Tetzlaff do Bartok's Second Violin Concerto with the MO, and the performance was outstanding. But on Beethoven...they underwhelm. The pairing with Vänskä certainly was not well thought out.
Sun, Jun 6 2010, 6:33AM
#7
RE: Vanska Beethoven Cycle
Thank you all for your honest assessments on Vanska's Beethoven cycle. Now I know that I shall stick with the Bernstein cycle with the VPO (which I would've anyways regardless, but thanks nevertheless). :-)
Dave.
Sun, Jun 6 2010, 5:43PM
#8
RE: Vanska Beethoven Cycle
Ah, Bernstein has an excellent cycle, especially his rousing interpretation of the Ninth. I don't think there's a single one that he does poorly, which is rare in a cycle.
Sun, Jun 6 2010, 9:56PM
#9
RE: Vanska Beethoven Cycle
I agree jtitus1 totally! There is no weak link in the Bernstein cycle and yes, his rendition of the Ninth is rousing. And come to think of it, I love his Brahm and Sibelius (and his Mahler) also. But those are other topics worthy of exploring.
In regards to the consistency of a cycle/series, Atterberg's (Rasilainen/CPO) & Glazunov's (Serebrier/Warner) cycles are excellent from start to finish. But again, I'm getting a bit off-tangent here.
Mon, Feb 28 2011, 6:48PM
#10
RE: Vanska Beethoven Cycle
Am glad to hear others were also 'underwhelmed' by the Vanska Beethoven Cycle. The Bernstein cycle is definitely worth sticking to!
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Very true. Vänskä has a great Seventh, but he is certainly not unsurpassed by Carlos Kleiber on that same symphony.
"Some say it is Napoleon, some Hitler, some Mussolini. For me it is simply Allegro con brio." – Toscanini, speaking of the Eroica