Well, I'm new here and have read through all the posts - pardon my bad Dutch-English - concerning the re-recording of
Raff Symphonies and other symphonic works. I own them all but must confess from 3 or 4 different labels and many more
conductors. I think the Tudor label has done a great job for Raff's case, which isn't easy. After all he's a second rate
first class composer of which there're many more. That doesn't mean his music doesn't need any attention. Problem with
this music is it only fares well with a first class conductor, recording and responsive orchestra.
Mr. Jarvi isn't an outsider in the recording industry but personally I was surprised to find him having any attention for
Raff's case. As stated before he doesn't excel in this kind of repertoire which needs much love and attention. That's why his Glazunov and Gade recordings - whose music can be compared with Raff's - don't go very well. For me - although he's 75 now - he's King of exaggerated tempos. I had the privilege to follow his conducting for 6 years because he was chief conductor of my very own local Residentie Orkest, The Hague. I remember a very rushed Bruckner 5, an idiotic and chaotically paced Mahler 7, which by the way was recorded by Chandos and has won a Mahler prize somewhere in Austria... a Brahms 4 where the finale was so rushed the players couldn't follow his tempo (he's a very difficult conductor to follow on the
beat, by the way).
Jarvi is THE conductor for more rough hen music like Tubin, you all know he did a very good cycle of his symphonies on BIS, for Alfvén, etc. Over here he never payed attention to any Dutch composer - of which there're many - and so he's not my man. But let's hope the Chandos - Jarvi marriage will last for many more years, they've given us many great things. But Raff............
Raff Symphonies and other symphonic works. I own them all but must confess from 3 or 4 different labels and many more
conductors. I think the Tudor label has done a great job for Raff's case, which isn't easy. After all he's a second rate
first class composer of which there're many more. That doesn't mean his music doesn't need any attention. Problem with
this music is it only fares well with a first class conductor, recording and responsive orchestra.
Mr. Jarvi isn't an outsider in the recording industry but personally I was surprised to find him having any attention for
Raff's case. As stated before he doesn't excel in this kind of repertoire which needs much love and attention. That's why his Glazunov and Gade recordings - whose music can be compared with Raff's - don't go very well. For me - although he's 75 now - he's King of exaggerated tempos. I had the privilege to follow his conducting for 6 years because he was chief conductor of my very own local Residentie Orkest, The Hague. I remember a very rushed Bruckner 5, an idiotic and chaotically paced Mahler 7, which by the way was recorded by Chandos and has won a Mahler prize somewhere in Austria... a Brahms 4 where the finale was so rushed the players couldn't follow his tempo (he's a very difficult conductor to follow on the
beat, by the way).
Jarvi is THE conductor for more rough hen music like Tubin, you all know he did a very good cycle of his symphonies on BIS, for Alfvén, etc. Over here he never payed attention to any Dutch composer - of which there're many - and so he's not my man. But let's hope the Chandos - Jarvi marriage will last for many more years, they've given us many great things. But Raff............