Synaphaï: Gene Gaudette's Blog

Jan Swafford, whose Brahms biography proves that a rigorous scholarly study can indeed be a compelling page-turner, has an interesting piece over at Slate about the surprising recent popularity of Bach's Die Kunst der Fuge thanks to the formidable Pierre-Laurent Aimard's recent recording for Deutsche Grammophon. I would only add that there are parallels between Aimard's achievement and the remarkable recording debut of Glenn Gould over half a century ago – through which he turned Bach's Goldberg Variations, then regarded as a similarly "esoteric" work of more interest to the musicology set than a broader listening public, into a chart-topping hit.

It's been a while since I've heard the Barbirolli/Hallé Dvo?ák Symphony No.7 — recorded in 1957, originally issued on Pye and most recently available in an ultra-budget 3-fer from Disky. In some respects it was much as I remembered: the sound was both overmiked and very congested, and the playing was sometimes a bit too out of tune. The performance, however, was more satisfying than I had recalled: enormously energetic, strongly dramatic, and filled with more than the requisite number of “goosebump” moments. I'm very glad I gave this one another listen.

Sound: 5
Performance: 8

Over at Standpoint, Jessica Duchen interviews formidable violinist Philippe Quint about his new recording of the Korngold Violin Concerto for Naxos.