Unfinished Business: Schubert
Sun, Feb 17 2013, 1:14PM
#2
RE: Unfinished Business: Schubert
Chris thankyou so much for doing that. You've saved me a little job today, though I don't have as many recordings of the unfinished as you do!
The Klemperer sounds like it might be right up my alley...
I suppose really it's a question of whether the tempi chosen by a conductor feel right. The Sinopoli one (and I can't find the record I must have lent it to someone at some point) struck me as too slow - it emphasised the lyricism rather than the tension.
Mark
Mon, May 6 2013, 6:40PM
#3
RE: Unfinished Business: Schubert
Hi Chris et al.
Chris I don't know about you but I found the Harnoncourt/Concertgebouw version of the Unfinished just a little slow in the first movement. At such it seems to lack a bit of momentum and sadly I found it flagged a bit. 2nd movement much better, as I thought the tempo about right.
Must try and get the Klemperer...
Mon, May 6 2013, 7:33PM
#4
RE: Unfinished Business: Schubert
Hi Mark,
Yes, I have the complete set of Schubert symphonies but I must admit I don't get them down very often, even though I am generally a Harnoncourt admirer. Throughout these symphonies he often seems to me to be in his finickity, unsettled, too probing into details mood. In the Unfinished, as you say, the tempo seems too slow, partly ast least for this reason (though it IS slow!).
I'm pretty sure you'd like Klemperer's Unfinished. It's not generally slow, much tauter and more brooding. There's a recently issued very cheap box of Klemperer in 'Romantic Symphonies' in very good-sounding transfers, which also includes his 5th and 9th symphonies, as well as some symphonies you might not associate with Klemperer.
On another subject I understand that Graindelavoix have now recorded the Machaut Mass. Can't wait!
All the best: don't go away!
Chris
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Hi Mark!
Encouraged by your latest posts, I spent some time testerday evening with the Schubert 8th. (or is it 7th?).
I listened to Klemperer right through, a dark, powerful performance, and then the first movement with Krips/VPO, slow and lyrical, and finally Böhm, who seems to me to get the balance just right! Of those three, Böhm omits the exposition repeat, the others take it.
Timings are interesting. Including those I have and consolidating with those you gave:
Without Repeat:
Böhm/Berlin 11'32"
Cantelli/Philharmonia 10'51"
Karajan/BPO 11'28"
Knappertsbusch/ Bavarian 11'00"
With repeat:
Harnoncourt/Concertgebouw 14'56"
Kleiber/VPO 13'56"
Klemperer/Philharmonia 13'38" (so 10'23" without repeat)
Krips/Vienna PO 15'03"
Kubelik/Vienna PO 15'00"
As a guide, from Klemperer the unrepeated exposition lasts 3'15"
The outcome, which may surprise some, is that the two conductors renowned as 'slow-coaches' Klemperer and Knappertsbusch, turn in the fastest performances! If you are after brooding intensity perhaps you should try Klemperer.
Of course, timings are not everything, but an interesting little exercise!
Chris
Chris A.Gnostic