Posted by js on September 15, 2001 at 20:07:25:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Best recording of Till Eulenspiegel? posted by Richard on September 15, 2001 at 19:37:51:
Here's your "break":
a very well-mic'ed studio recording of the Schumann - "Adagio & Allegro", Hindemith - "Sonate", movements of a Mozart concerto, plus several other pieces in the horn standard repertoire. It is quite revealing as far as some of the problems that existed in the Cleveland sound for many years.
An orchestral player who does not sound great as a soloist is not a great orchestral player in my view (nor in audition committees' views obviously, as rounds 1, 2, and most of round 3 in orchestral auditions are almost always as a soloist), and not everyone who is prolific is sublime. One can only contribute in a positive way with tonal and musical sublimity - the obvious goals of orchestral performance. As my recreational time is limited, I do not care to listen to those performing who make apparent in their sound the struggle of what they are accomplishing, even when I greatly respect and appreciate the struggle.
The Cleveland sound problems, including some serious ones in the double reeds, are being solved one by one. Thus the city and recording buffs everywhere benefit.
Joe "who makes critical observations about celebrated players, and who quite certainly does so without costing those players any of their celebrity" S.