3/20 Sir Georg Solti on B's 9th and Bartok

Sir Georg Solti is one of those conductors who interprets Beethoven at a somewhat more measured pace - especially compared to the newer, smaller orchestras.  He's also one of the few conductors I like who do it this way (Konwitschny would be another).  What is it that makes a slower performance exciting - yet not drag? I don't exactly know, but Solti surely does.

Here's the great Hungarian conductor Sir Georg Solti doing a commentary on Beethoven's 9th Symphony, shared on Youtube by archivist davidhertzberg:
"In this 1972 recording (made available only to members of the Chicago Symphony Society), Sir Georg Solti comments on, and conducts, Beethoven's 9th Symphony. From the LP shown above, issued in 1973 on the London label." (39 min)

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The Solti Beethoven Decca CD box also includes a bonus disc of Sir Georg talking about each of the 9 symphonies - great listening.

And here's a couple short documentaries with Sir Georg Solti - both very entertaining - tho no Beethoven-related stuff. (54 min total)
1-3: - Dudley Moore and Sir Georg talking about how the orchestra works.  Moore actually plays a little Bartok here.
4-6: - Sir Georg with Murray Perahia and Evelyn Glennie recording Bartok's Sonata for 2 Pianos and Percussion

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12/22 Keeping Score with Beethoven on Youtube

Following along to the score adds immensely to the experience of listening to Beethoven (or any classical music, really).  For most pop or rock music I can just put it on and bop around while doing some household chores (and you can happily do that to the 2nd movement of the 9th as well) but in B.'s music it's also quite cool to see the wheels and cogs at work in these things.  I've posted a couple times before (here and here) about some methods to throw on some Midi files and follow then through software, but for really low maintenance, casual score-following, these Youtube vids are very handy.  Also they are performed by real people on real pianos, that never hurts....Saturday I already posted one of these "Sonata-scores" (Pathetique by Annie Fischer) so here's a few more....

11 Bagatelles, Opus 119 (various composition dates) by Alfred Brendel (13 min)
(except No.8)

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Bagatelles 7-11 (performed by Roland Pöntinen at Stockholm Konserthaus, since Bagatelle 8 was missing in "Big Al's set")


Piano Sonata No. 2 Op. 2 No. 2 (Murray Perahia, pt 1-4)

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Of course nowadays there's Mario Paint, I suppose to get the kids interested?
"Moonlight Sonata"