Re: Zemlinsky Lyric Symphony Recommendations?

Date: Sun, 6 Jul 2003 10:16:59 +0100
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical.recordings
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David Hurwitz <email-address-deleted> writes:
>I never said that the versions I recommended were definitive--that's
>you once again putting words in my mouth--merely that they were
>superior to the Chandos version, an opinion with which you at least
>partially agree, incidentally.
Personally I'm as wary of "superior" as I am of "definitive"; though
it's a trap we all fall into occasionally and it shifts copy. It's more
useful and interesting to define differences and let readers decide for
themselves. However, if I were to be pushed into making a
recommendation, Beaumont's absorption with Zemlinsky over the last
decade or so as a musicologist makes what he has to say about the Lyric
Symphony (in the liner notes as well as his performance) specially worth
hearing.
His new Chandos CD would be right at the top of my list for people who
already know the work, if depth, subtlety, musicality and sonic clarity
are your benchmarks. Conlon (EMI) would be runner-up. The direct but
comparatively unsubtle Gielen 2 (Arte Nova) would be a good place to
start that process if you're on a budget. But now I'm repeating exactly
what I said in my original, pre-savaged posting, so it's time to stop!
--
Christopher Webber, Blackheath, London, UK
http://www.zarzuela.net
"ZARZUELA!" The Spanish Music Site