...from Naxos:
http://www.mdt.co.uk/rode-peter-violin-concertos-nos-philharmonic-orchestra-nicolas-pasquet-naxos.html (http://www.mdt.co.uk/rode-peter-violin-concertos-nos-philharmonic-orchestra-nicolas-pasquet-naxos.html)
Can't get very excited about this, I'm afraid. They're all very samey.
Quite. With so many really good 19thC VCs still to be recorded, I can't see the point of expending all this energy on concertos of marginal musical interest.
Of course, I hope I am proved wrong - and at Naxos' price it doesn't cost much to find out...
I'll keep my card in my wallet until you've road tested this latest offering.
OK. Sigh...
While I agree wholeheartedly with Alan's observation that there are many more worthwhile VCs, especially of the Romantic era, that cry out to be recorded, I must confess to being rather fond of Rode's concertos, even if one does sound very much like another (but then a friend of mine, who had better remain nameless, makes a similar criticism of Bach's cantatas!).
Disagreements can always be civil. I certainly disagree about the Bach. Nothing wrong with recording the Rode, and for myself I prefer seeing that to yet another recording of certain violin concertante works (about some of which I will admit my main complaint is just that they are extraordinarily over-recorded, though at least somewhat good.)
Oh, I disagree with my friend profoundly in his view of the Bach cantatas. I just put that remark in for devilment.
Isn't it great to be able to disagree so profoundly so amicably? ;)
A very civilised difference, where a difference exists, is surely what we, as 'civilised' adults, should exemplify - nice to see a nice positive lead on this from our renowned moderators/seniors.
To (mis)quote a phrase (from WIKI)
"Evelyn Beatrice Hall (1868 – after 1938), who wrote under the pseudonym S. G. Tallentyre, was an English writer best known for her biography of Voltaire entitled The Friends of Voltaire, which she completed in 1906.
In her biography on Voltaire, Hall wrote the phrase: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it" (which is often mis-attributed to Voltaire himself) as an illustration of Voltaire's beliefs. Hall's quotation is often cited to describe the principle of freedom of speech."
Whilst I don't think '...to the death" is required for musical issues but after the somewhat acrimonious posts a year or so ago when Mark and Alan (very reasonably, IMHO) re-defined the UC remit, it is nice to see 'reasoned' arguments prevail once again.
With regard to the Rode VCs, having found the previous ones a very pleasant (if unmemorable) listen, I'll probably invest in these too - whatever (small) encouragement we can give to unknowns/unsungs to get recorded can only be to the long-term good (I hope!)
Cheers
Richard
Thanks for your very kind words, Richard, with none of which I'd disagree (in a very civilised way, of course).
Here are some audio samples:
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Naxos/8572755#listen (http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Naxos/8572755#listen)
Emphatically recommended, especially at the Naxos price. You might not remember much about this music after it's over, but you'll enjoy it immensely while you're hearing it.
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2015/Jul/Rode_VCs_v3_8572755.htm (http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2015/Jul/Rode_VCs_v3_8572755.htm)
A good summary. Now, how about some of the unrecorded 19thC VCs one can remember after listening to them...