"Drinking the Kool-Aid"

[Mandryka]

When Hermann Scherchen's recording of the Eroica was first reissued, there were a lot of people who said it was great.  I not only dislike it, I rate it among the worst ever recordings of the work that I've heard.

Which one? One of them, 1958 VSOO, is one of the best recordings of that work the I've ever heard.

[mc ukrneal]

Well, since we are bearing our souls, and no one has freaked out (yet! ), I will admit that I have always found the Furtwangler 9ths (Beethoven) disappointing. I don't own any of them (anymore) and I was sorry I bought the one I did.

[Karl Henning]

Well, since we are bearing our souls, and no one has freaked out (yet! ), I will admit that I have always found the Furtwangler 9ths (Beethoven) disappointing. I don't own any of them (anymore) and I was sorry I bought the one I did.

Thank you.

[The new erato]

I want to beer my soul (it's hot here today).

[eumyang]

A quick consultation with Wikipedia results in the answer "definitely maybe".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vienna_Philharmonic
But Wikipedia doesn't make it clear if new VPO members stay with the VSO, and if so, whether they can leave the VSO later and remain members of the VPO.

One can look at the orchestra rosters:
VSO: http://www.wiener-staatsoper.at/Content.Node/home/kuenstler/orchester/uebersichtsseite-Staatsopernorchester.en.php
VPO: http://www.wienerphilharmoniker.at/orchestra/members
I haven't done a complete comparison, but I haven't found anyone yet who is a member of the VPO but not the VSO.

[kishnevi]

Well, since we are bearing our souls, and no one has freaked out (yet! ), I will admit that I have always found the Furtwangler 9ths (Beethoven) disappointing. I don't own any of them (anymore) and I was sorry I bought the one I did.

I only have the Bayreuth recording,  For many years it was my only recording of the Ninth.  I don't want to say it's disappointing--or actually imply anything negative about it--but I've heard enough since to decide that it's not really as outstanding as its reputation makes it out to be.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Well, since we are bearing our souls, and no one has freaked out (yet! ), I will admit that I have always found the Furtwangler 9ths (Beethoven) disappointing. I don't own any of them (anymore) and I was sorry I bought the one I did.

As long as we're dumping on Furt, I remember finding his much-praised Schubert 9th perverse and unconvincing. It's been ages since I heard it, though.

[Mirror Image]

I remember drinking Kool-Aid as a kid. I believe my favorite flavor was either fruit punch or tropical punch. Both were quite tasty.

[Gurn Blanston]

In 1978 I worked right across the street (Geary Blvd) from the San Francisco People's Temple. Many of the members were at Jonestown, where they 'drank the Kool-Aid'. The remainder were out on the sidewalk in front of my work beating their breasts for a week or so. It was one of the more bizarre images that I've personally encountered.

Well, since we are baring our souls, and no one has freaked out (yet! ), I will admit that I have always found the Furtwangler 9ths (Beethoven) disappointing. I don't own any of them (anymore) and I was sorry I bought the one I did.

And then I ran across Furtwängler....

[Drasko]

Welcome home, Dude. Long time no see.

Sarge

Hey, Sarge, thanks! Yes, took bit of a break, oversaturation and all that.

[Pat B]

Well, since we are bearing our souls, and no one has freaked out (yet! ), I will admit that I have always found the Furtwangler 9ths (Beethoven) disappointing. I don't own any of them (anymore) and I was sorry I bought the one I did.

I'll join this chorus ('42 and '51 are the ones I have), but I think I'm just generally not into Furtwängler's style.

[Tyson]

How about composers instead of recordings?  I submit Ravel and Debussy.  I tried for almost a decade to "get" them.  At last I've given up on them and written them of, and I feel SOOOOOO much better now.

[Bogey]

How about composers instead of recordings?  I submit Ravel and Debussy.  I tried for almost a decade to "get" them.  At last I've given up on them and written them of, and I feel SOOOOOO much better now.

Where abouts are you in Denver, Tyson?

For me, Mahler comes close.  Still drinking though.   

[Tyson]

Where abouts are you in Denver, Tyson?

For me, Mahler comes close.  Still drinking though.   

About 2 blocks south of the new Denver Art Museum.

[Bogey]

About 2 blocks south of the new Denver Art Museum.

Typing from Arvada.

[Tyson]

Typing from Arvada.

Awesome, nice to "meet" you

[modUltralaser]

How about composers instead of recordings?  I submit Ravel and Debussy.  I tried for almost a decade to "get" them.  At last I've given up on them and written them of, and I feel SOOOOOO much better now.

Well what of theirs did you listen to?

[Tyson]

Well what of theirs did you listen to?

I have pretty much everything they ever wrote, in multiple recordings.  Just not for me. 

[Gurn Blanston]

I have pretty much everything they ever wrote, in multiple recordings.  Just not for me.

That's the reason that we don't start doing this with composers. Every time (so far) it turns into something other than 'they just weren't to my taste'.  It is one of the great constants in the universe of classical listening.   

[Sergeant Rock]

I submit Ravel and Debussy.  I tried for almost a decade to "get" them.

I tried for three decades (in the case of Debussy). Finally hearing La Mer live at a concert in Mannheim (Dutoit conducting the O National de France) provided the breakthough moment. It's been love ever since 

Sarge