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Mon, 25 Jan 1999 08:33:43 -0700 |
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Chris Bonds writes:
>All I am saying is that his external behavior makes me imagine that he is
>that way. I think body language on the podium or at the keyboard does say
>something about the person. It's a form of communication that we ignore
>to our detriment, perhaps. Allow me to be more specific: I don't care for
>puffing out of cheeks at the climaxes (like you are blowing out a birthday
>candle), nor do I care for constantly sweeping baton gestures that
>frequently disappear below the eye level of the players.
Ah, I can't say that bothers me all that much. Watching Furtwaengler
conduct (from the videos I've seen) is something like watching a grand mal
seizure - not a pretty sight. Then there's Bernstein - THERE'S an act for
you. I've seen Colin Davis so involved conducting the Dvorak 7th that he
mouthed the drum parts. I am much more irritated by grunts, "ughs" and
other assorted vocalizations, a la Klemperer, or foot-stomping,
Bernstein-hoedown-style.
John Deacon writes:
>Where the jury is *not* out, in so far as Barenboim is concerned, is
>on his abilities as a Wagner conductor. His Bayreuth Tristans are
>unquestionably (or should I say "very widely regarded"?) as great as
>any since Bohm. Nothing, indeed, that he has done at Bayreuth is
>anything less than good, rising to excellent ... and he is
>occasionally magnificent..
I agree wholeheartedly. I prefer his Ring to all others, including
Boehm's. (Maybe Solti's was a landmark event in recording history, but
to me, it is/was the most over-rated Ring ever. And the horses at the
conclusion of Gotterdammerung! Oh, dear....)
Mark
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