Furtwängler Symphony No.2

[Alan Howe]

...from Neeme Järvi/Chandos:
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9769853--wilhelm-furtwangler-symphony-no-2-in-e-minor

[John Boyer]

There can be only one question: will it match Barenboim?

[Justin]

Here is a video of him conducting the work last year. I wonder if it is the same live recording that will be on the album.

[eschiss1]

Ooh.
If it comes close to Barenboim I will be well pleased.

[Alan Howe]

I don't think Barenboim's recording is easily available these days.

A rough calculation suggests that Järvi is about 5-6 minutes quicker than Barenboim overall.

[Alan Howe]

There can be only one question: will it match Barenboim?

I don't think it will, but I sort of feel obliged to buy it anyway. And Järvi père is 87, bless him - 88 on 7th June this year. He's always been an adventurous spirit...

[eschiss1]

Re Barenboim: someone's asking USD 86 for it on ebay so I guess not!

[John Boyer]

The curse of algorithmic pricing.

[Gareth Vaughan]

Available from 3rd party sellers on Amazon UK at prices between £12 and £15. But there was also one offered at the truly ridiculous price of £178!!!
Also just checked ebay and found 2 at around £13 (post free), together with, admittedly, quite a few at silly prices.

[Alan Howe]

Thanks, Gareth. Well worth the reasonable prices you quoted.

[eschiss1]

There were a couple of places where I wished Järvi had applied the sort of tempo articulations that the composer and Barenboim both do, like about 6-6.5 minutes or so into the first movement, but overall it really is a terrific performance.

[Alan Howe]

Agreed, Eric. Definitely worth a punt, I'd say.

[eschiss1]

(I should say I was listening to the May 2024 live performance someone has up on YouTube, which of course may not be the same as the performance that will be released on Chandos, to which I don't have access yet ...)

[Alan Howe]

Understood, Eric. We'll see...