What's the work of which you have multiple recordings but don't like?

KevinP · August 22, 2024, 08:21:38 PM

Quote from: Todd on August 21, 2024, 04:51:51 AMThe one that jumps immediately to mind is Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture.

Don't think I have even one. Sitcoms and commercials and cartoons caused me to dislike that work (and much of Sawn Lake) before I ever got into classical music. THat was in the 80s, and I've still not gotten over all the parodies and other uses. Indeed, I've largely, but not totally, avoided Tchaikovsky all together.

Jo498 · August 23, 2024, 12:09:43 AM

Quote from: Spotted Horses on August 22, 2024, 01:58:58 PMAre there some versions where the hymn is sung? Was this the case in the recording with the replacement hymn? Isn't the same hymn used at the beginning and the end of the piece. Did they replace both?

No, it's only the tune at the end and as mentioned above it is also a Tsarist song used in Glinka's opera "A life for the Tsar" (Ivan Susanin). It's not sung but in the brass, similarly to the original version. It's been ages I heard it but it's probably findable on youtube. Konstantin Ivanov cond. the Symphony orchestra of the Soviet Union.
The prayer/hymn at the beginning is unchanged.
This is sung in some versions but that one. I think Karajan and the Don Cosack choir were the first to do this as a novelty (but the choir does not return at the end). In the 50s & 60s Jaroff's choir of Don Cosacks (emigrated already in the early 1920s) was extremely popular, also in Germany. There are several kitschy German 1950s romantic comedies featuring them (cf. the German version of the wikipedia entry below).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serge_Jaroff

ShineyMcShineShine · August 23, 2024, 12:46:03 PM

Quote from: KevinP on August 22, 2024, 08:21:38 PMDon't think I have even one. Sitcoms and commercials and cartoons caused me to dislike that work (and much of Sawn Lake) before I ever got into classical music. THat was in the 80s, and I've still not gotten over all the parodies and other uses. Indeed, I've largely, but not totally, avoided Tchaikovsky all together.

Recently I auditioned Tchaikovsky's piano concerto no. 1 and discovered to my horror that it had featured in a TV commercial for a LP of classical music's greatest love themes or somesuch that played often when I was a kid. It sounds so incredibly schmaltzy I couldn't listen to it.

KevinP · August 23, 2024, 01:06:45 PM

Quote from: ShineyMcShineShine on August 23, 2024, 12:46:03 PMRecently I auditioned Tchaikovsky's piano concerto no. 1 and discovered to my horror that it had featured in a TV commercial for a LP of classical music's greatest love themes or somesuch that played often when I was a kid. It sounds so incredibly schmaltzy I couldn't listen to it.

This one?

ShineyMcShineShine · August 23, 2024, 01:25:16 PM

Quote from: KevinP on August 23, 2024, 01:06:45 PMThis one?

Ha! That's the one. 1971-1984, no wonder it's etched into my brain: I grew up with that damned commercial.

Karl Henning · August 23, 2024, 01:28:57 PM

Quote from: ShineyMcShineShine on August 23, 2024, 01:25:16 PMHa! That's the one. 1971-1984, no wonder it's etched into my brain: I grew up with that damned commercial.

John Williams! Classic!

KevinP · August 23, 2024, 01:36:40 PM

Quote from: ShineyMcShineShine on August 23, 2024, 01:25:16 PMHa! That's the one. 1971-1984, no wonder it's etched into my brain: I grew up with that damned commercial.

Unfortunately for me, I can one-up you. We had it.

Basically they took three not-necessarily related recordings, cut out just a minute or less (the 'hook'), then smashed them together. Each such track was very short, maybe around three or four minutes.

ShineyMcShineShine · August 23, 2024, 01:55:23 PM

Quote from: KevinP on August 23, 2024, 01:36:40 PMUnfortunately for me, I can one-up you. We had it.

Basically they took three not-necessarily related recordings, cut out just a minute or less (the 'hook'), then smashed them together. Each such track was very short, maybe around three or four minutes.

Classical music's greatest hits! Is this it? https://open.spotify.com/album/2AajDN2ulnrmfBxtGPpNh3

Karl Henning · August 23, 2024, 02:21:24 PM

Quote from: KevinP on August 23, 2024, 01:36:40 PMUnfortunately for me, I can one-up you. We had it.

And the inspiration (if that's the word) for:

JBS · August 23, 2024, 04:01:16 PM

Quote from: ShineyMcShineShine on August 23, 2024, 12:46:03 PMRecently I auditioned Tchaikovsky's piano concerto no. 1 and discovered to my horror that it had featured in a TV commercial for a LP of classical music's greatest love themes or somesuch that played often when I was a kid. It sounds so incredibly schmaltzy I couldn't listen to it.

Do remember that the incredibly schmalzy (and famous) opening theme appears only in the opening, and then vanishes forever as Tchaikovsky turns to other less schmalzy musical material. So you can start playing the recording, putter around in the next room for two minutes or so, then come back and listen to the rest safe from schmalz.

KevinP · August 23, 2024, 05:46:35 PM

Quote from: ShineyMcShineShine on August 23, 2024, 01:55:23 PMClassical music's greatest hits! Is this it? https://open.spotify.com/album/2AajDN2ulnrmfBxtGPpNh3

That could VERY well be it.

JBS · August 23, 2024, 08:08:16 PM

Quote from: JBS on August 23, 2024, 04:01:16 PMDo remember that the incredibly schmalzy (and famous) opening theme appears only in the opening, and then vanishes forever as Tchaikovsky turns to other less schmalzy musical material. So you can start playing the recording, putter around in the next room for two minutes or so, then come back and listen to the rest safe from schmalz.

And after listening to the opening on Youtube, I realized my memory was badly off.

It's the series of chords pounded out by the soloist which Tchaikovsky discarded, but the melodic material is very much kept around for further use.

BTW, why do so many German orchestras have at least one member with a drastically bad haircut sitting in the front row?

André · August 27, 2024, 04:03:00 PM

It jut dawned on me that I have 5 recordings of Parsifal, an opera I never listen to and consider a snoozefest on an epic scale. One was given to me by a friend, and 4 others are buried in big boxes of 'important' or 'complete' Wagner operas on various labels.

I'm a huge fan of the Ring, a fan of Lohengrin and a sometimes fan of Tristan and Flying Dutchman. I could live happily without listening to Parsifal, Tannhäuser or Meistersinger ever again though. It just so happens I was able to buy these big boxes quite cheaply, so I'm saddled with 5 Parsifals, 4 Tannhaüsers and 4 Meistersingers I'll probably never listen to again. I did give them a dutiful spin when buying the discs, but that's all the exposure they'll get, thank you very much.

JBS · August 27, 2024, 06:34:01 PM

Quote from: André on August 27, 2024, 04:03:00 PMIt jut dawned on me that I have 5 recordings of Parsifal, an opera I never listen to and consider a snoozefest on an epic scale. One was given to me by a friend, and 4 others are buried in big boxes of 'important' or 'complete' Wagner operas on various labels.

I'm a huge fan of the Ring, a fan of Lohengrin and a sometimes fan of Tristan and Flying Dutchman. I could live happily without listening to Parsifal, Tannhäuser or Meistersinger ever again though. It just so happens I was able to buy these big boxes quite cheaply, so I'm saddled with 5 Parsifals, 4 Tannhaüsers and 4 Meistersingers I'll probably never listen to again. I did give them a dutiful spin when buying the discs, but that's all the exposure they'll get, thank you very much.

Meistersinger? Oh dear! You're missing one of the greatest half hours of music (starting with the Quintet).
Of course it helps that it's the one opera Wagner didn't borrow somebody's myth or medieval legend for the storyline.