Last night, Debbie and I attended the Philadelphia Orchestra concert (we subscribe). The program was interesting — a selection from Brahms's 11 Choral Preludes, three orchestrated, four on the organ, followed by an early Bach cantata. After intermission, there was the Brahms Symphony No. 4.
I thought it the worst performance I have ever heard. It was certainly the loudest. If you like your Brahms full of bombast and devoid of nuance, this was the Brahms for you. In all fairness, the audience seemed pleased.
On second thought:
My friend and former Inquirer colleague David Stearns assures me that the problem lies with the acoustics of Verizon Hall. He reminds me that we had a similar discussion awhile back regarding a performance of the Rachmaninoff second symphony. As David put it in an email, "we aren't having a difference of taste. We heard very different mixtures of soundwaves."
Here's David's review: High-concept Philadelphia Orchestra concert renews Brahms.
Post bumped.
On second thought:
My friend and former Inquirer colleague David Stearns assures me that the problem lies with the acoustics of Verizon Hall. He reminds me that we had a similar discussion awhile back regarding a performance of the Rachmaninoff second symphony. As David put it in an email, "we aren't having a difference of taste. We heard very different mixtures of soundwaves."
Here's David's review: High-concept Philadelphia Orchestra concert renews Brahms.
Post bumped.
I guess you miss Eugene Ormandy.
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