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Discussion: Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 1 etc. - Neeme Järvi

Posts: 27
Page: 1 2 3 next

Post by jdaniel@jps.net October 25, 2004 (1 of 27)
The quality of the playing (and, of course the recording), is making me wonder about the Jarvi 6th--is is *that* cool? What I'm hearing in these performances is a freshness and clarity without any loss of emotional content. The more excessive moments of the Romeo and Juliet overture worked for me. How does Jarvi's take on the 6th and esp. Francesca compare with this recording? Are they the same, or do you all think the 6th/Francesca should simply be avoided completely?

Post by peteyspambucket October 25, 2004 (2 of 27)
I know that I am in the minority, but I feel that his 6th/Francesca should be avoided at all costs. Please refer to my review on this site. I am planning to get rid of it today, as a matter of fact, at my local used CD store.

I think his tempi are way too fast, and he doesn't seem to elicit idiomatic playing. There is a loss of atmosphere and emotion with each piece. Even the usually crowd-pleasing 3rd movement is so fast, that I didn't care that it was on.

The worst part is that I was so thrilled about this release on paper, that I ordered it from AmazonUK, which was very pricey to the USA (over $20). And I will probably be getting only $3-4 for it at the used record store.

Post by tream October 25, 2004 (3 of 27)
peteyspambucket said:

I know that I am in the minority, but I feel that his 6th/Francesca should be avoided at all costs. Please refer to my review on this site. I am planning to get rid of it today, as a matter of fact, at my local used CD store.

I think his tempi are way too fast, and he doesn't seem to elicit idiomatic playing. There is a loss of atmosphere and emotion with each piece. Even the usually crowd-pleasing 3rd movement is so fast, that I didn't care that it was on.

The worst part is that I was so thrilled about this release on paper, that I ordered it from AmazonUK, which was very pricey to the USA (over $20). And I will probably be getting only $3-4 for it at the used record store.

After acquired over the years a number of Jarvi's recordings and hearing him live I find his reputation to be inflated, at least to my taste. I haven't liked his Sibelius, Dvorak or Beethoven (heard live) and doubt if I would like his Tchaikovsy. Others have different reactions.

Post by flyingdutchman October 25, 2004 (4 of 27)
Found the 6th merely good, not great. Won't get rid of it, but it won't displace favorites such as Pletnev (Virgin) or Mravinsky. The 1st is a different matter all together. Simply a wonderful recording.

Post by Castor October 26, 2004 (5 of 27)
peteyspambucket said:

I know that I am in the minority, but I feel that his 6th/Francesca should be avoided at all costs. Please refer to my review on this site. I am planning to get rid of it today, as a matter of fact, at my local used CD store.

I don't think that you are in the minority about this recording.
I agree with the review you posted on this site and most of the reviews in the magazines also concur with your findings. It is very much a case of "great sound, shame about the performance"
I shall keep it until something better appears.
The Francesca da Rimini that Jarvi recorded with the Detroit SO about nine years ago is much more involving even though the overall timing is the same.

Post by jdaniel@jps.net October 26, 2004 (6 of 27)
I also notice the Symphony #1 is recorded more closely than the fillers on the SACD, they are more distant which I prefer.

Post by Julien July 18, 2007 (7 of 27)
Dear Bissie, I feel that I owe you a few reviews, because recently I discovered a few wonderful releases from Bis, so I'll take some more time to know them well and write reviews in the next days. That's a promise!

But first, something's bothering me with this excellent SACD. I would put my money on a bet that the Snow Maiden was recorded or edited separately, because there is a constant high frequency noise that is not in the symphony nor Romeo and Juliet (the same kind of noise there is in the Channel Classics Beethoven cello sonatas recordings). This noise is audible also on the CD layer, titles 5 to 8. If I trust my ears I would say between 8khz and 9khz. I don't know how to measure it.

Has anyone noticed that?

Post by andrewb July 19, 2007 (8 of 27)
Julien said:

Dear Bissie, I feel that I owe you a few reviews, because recently I discovered a few wonderful releases from Bis, so I'll take some more time to know them well and write reviews in the next days. That's a promise!

But first, something's bothering me with this excellent SACD. I would put my money on a bet that the Snow Maiden was recorded or edited separately, because there is a constant high frequency noise that is not in the symphony nor Romeo and Juliet (the same kind of noise there is in the Channel Classics Beethoven cello sonatas recordings). This noise is audible also on the CD layer, titles 5 to 8. If I trust my ears I would say between 8khz and 9khz. I don't know how to measure it.

Has anyone noticed that?

I have just listened to both the Snow Maiden and Romeo and Juliet but cannot hear any constant high frequency noise like you describe - of course there is a very minor background hiss or hum present throughout the disc but that is on almost every recording and seems to be the ambient noise of the hall. Perhaps there is slightly more of this background hiss present on the Snow Maiden.

You are right that the Snow Maiden was recorded separately, according to the booklet all three works were recorded about 6 months apart from each other.

Post by bissie July 19, 2007 (9 of 27)
Julien said:

Dear Bissie, I feel that I owe you a few reviews, because recently I discovered a few wonderful releases from Bis, so I'll take some more time to know them well and write reviews in the next days. That's a promise!

But first, something's bothering me with this excellent SACD. I would put my money on a bet that the Snow Maiden was recorded or edited separately, because there is a constant high frequency noise that is not in the symphony nor Romeo and Juliet (the same kind of noise there is in the Channel Classics Beethoven cello sonatas recordings). This noise is audible also on the CD layer, titles 5 to 8. If I trust my ears I would say between 8khz and 9khz. I don't know how to measure it.

Has anyone noticed that?

Dear Julien,

yes, indeed! May I congratulate you on your ears and/or equipment! There is such a whistle-tone, and (again you're right) it is between 9 and 9,5 Khz. Quite soft and, what must be the important thing, not really disturbing during the music, but, yes, it is there. As you may easily ascertain, untypically the recordings in the Gothenburg Hall aren't made by BIS house personnel, but by a local team. This team is extremely good and has a long string of records behind it, both for BIS and DGG, and we have learned to trust them. I am saying this so as to explain that I cannot easily explain why this tone is on this one piece (that indeed was recorded separately) but I will certainly enquire about it. We deemed it to be so light and undisturbing that we decided to release the SACD anyway, and, as you can see from Andrew's answer above and the fact that, besides us, you're the very first to hear or at least comment on it, we were right in doing so. Anyway, we hope that it doesn't reappear on subsequent releases in this series, the next one, BTW, being SACD 1458, to be released in November, with the S4 and Serenade.

Best - Robert

Post by Julien July 19, 2007 (10 of 27)
Thanks a lot!

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