What are you Listening to Right Now? Febus XXII

I think you'll find the Bohm and the Karajan (I know both) quite similar in terms of style and forces used... if you can tell them apart, you've got a fine ear. Their style is very typical of how Mozart was interpreted post-War, thru the 80's; large forces, heavy instrumentation, with a thick, velvety texture. Now don't get me wrong, they are fine interpretations in their own right, but nothing like Mozart envisaged. During this era, there was an idea that you could interpret Mozart and Mahler in a similar vein... well, to a degree you can do that with most Romantic composers such as Brahms, Mendelssohn and Schumann, but when you go back to the Classical era of Mozart & Haydn, who played on older instruments with a smaller orchestra (remember Haydn's Orch was in the pay of the Esterhazy household and even they couldn't have afforded the Berliner!) the sound, how they understood it would have been much lighter, without several heavy layers of varnish?

Gardiner was among the pioneers of what came to be termed 'HIP' or 'Historically Informed Performance' in an attempt to re-create that sound. In many ways he has now been superseded, but his Requiem remains a cornerstone recording and one I'd love you to hear, when considering different versions of a piece you evidently love?

BC, SPO

Generated at awesomeprog.com

Hawkwind live at Lewisham Odeon, 18th December 1980 (disc 2 & 3 of Levitation boxed set)

Incidentally, i worked with them 2 days later at the Taunton Odeon where Ginger Baker threw a drumstick at my head (it hurt.. a lot) and his terrier (it had a name like 'Toe rag' or something)  bit me (it bit everyone, apparently..)

Ridiculous and Full of Blood - Julie Christmas

The name caught my interest in the 2024 albums thread. Big change of pace from Che, but enjoying it atm.