tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post7694351713568396201..comments2024-03-26T07:58:59.761+00:00Comments on I'll think of something later: Trio for the end of plentyDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-62882868950046236062010-11-02T13:11:34.134+00:002010-11-02T13:11:34.134+00:00The answer to that last question is no, certainly ...The answer to that last question is no, certainly not in my experience of stage performances. We've been watching the Glyndebourne DVD in the six classes I'm running on Makropulos, and some of the students were breathless to realise that though they'd thought Roocroft and Barker very good, this was a whole different ballgame.<br /> <br />I'd love to have seen Soderstrom in the role, though. Her inflections on the Decca recording are the most consummate of all. Anja did tend to make up some of the words and notes...but she's a goddess and so most of us forgive her that.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-44039835508360182372010-11-02T13:08:54.704+00:002010-11-02T13:08:54.704+00:00Yes Christoph Dohnanyi is the son of Hans and it m...Yes Christoph Dohnanyi is the son of Hans and it may also be of interest that he (Christoph) was at one time married to Anja Silja. Quite a family.<br /><br />Has anyone been as convincing as Anja Silja in the Makropulos Affair?David Damantnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-25439181334198427032010-11-02T07:45:47.083+00:002010-11-02T07:45:47.083+00:00Good point about Beethoven, Howard - I'd say t...Good point about Beethoven, Howard - I'd say the same was true about the Liszt sonata, a crazy piece in the first place, so demonic excess was in order.<br /><br />I have a recording of In C, but I haven't heard it for some years. Must give it a listen. Your recommendations always taken to heart.<br /><br />David, points taken. Wasn't Hans the father or uncle of Christoph the conductor? He has often spoken about it in interview.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-48056569065658571622010-10-25T21:24:28.319+01:002010-10-25T21:24:28.319+01:00Woah! I was quite exhausted by the Khatia Buniatis...Woah! I was quite exhausted by the Khatia Buniatishvili Appassionata performance - truly remarkable. At the end I thought of Prokofiev's "hands of steel". The great thing about Beethoven is he was so musically over the top himself that no performer can ever out-extreme him.<br /><br />On a completely different note I was knocked out by the BBC CO's In C by Terry Riley on Discovering Music yesterday. I suspect this is not your thing but I will be i-playering it again if I get the chance.Howard Lanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-50238937723374902572010-10-24T12:01:53.906+01:002010-10-24T12:01:53.906+01:00This is not the place to sort out the complex argu...This is not the place to sort out the complex arguments taking place about the best way to correct the economic problems facing the country, but perhaps in view of the comments in the blog I could mention one factual matter<br /><br />The crisis was not caused by the banks, though they exacerbated it by their irresponsible lending and unwise investments. It was caused by governments, central banks and the regulators. All those parties believed that the good times would last ("I have abolished boom and bust", said Gordon Brown, repeatedly, in one of the clearest signals that he too was gripped by the mad consensus). In this environment governments overspent ( I wonder if the grocer's daughter would have done so?); central banks did not control the money supply by putting up interest rates, so that house prices rocketed; and the regulators allowed absolutely hopeless balance sheets like that at Northern Rock to chunter along happily, lending too much. It is hardly surprising that the bankers also thought that the good times were here to stay. <br /><br />It is interesting to speculate what would have happened if a revived Mrs Thatcher had in (say) 2002 cut out the rise in welfare<br />payments and forced the imposition of higher interest rates and the tough regulation of banks. I suggest that she (or any government which did that) would have been vilified for preventing people from buying houses and from providing more help to the disadvantaged, as she was vilified in the 1980s. But she would have been right, and the financial crisis would have been much less serious. Economic reality is there and cannot be over-ridden by those who want reality to be different so that they can do kinder and nicer things.David Damantnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-48000553583559281722010-10-24T10:56:24.577+01:002010-10-24T10:56:24.577+01:00Hans Dohnanyi, son of Erno, was one of the brave a...Hans Dohnanyi, son of Erno, was one of the brave aristocrats ( the Dohnanyis were a noble Hungarian family) who took part in the resistance to Hitler and was executed most horriblyDavid Damantnoreply@blogger.com