Ulysses61 (July 13, 2008 at 6:55 pm)

The greatest piece of music ever written. Richard Wagner = GOD!

tonedeaf99 (April 29, 2008 at 10:42 am)

rew0691, have you ever played under Rattle? Do you have the first inkling as to what makes a great, as opposed to horrible, conductor? It seems to me you don't like his interpretation of this slice of Wagner, and that's fine. Just keep your lavish praise of him to yourself, unless of course you can do better?

tonedeaf99 (April 29, 2008 at 10:26 am)

edcassells I take that personally, and on this rare occasion I feel the need to defend myself. I don't for one minute doubt your 'extensive classical training and performance experience', which is why you spotted Blake Richardson's excellent efforts. I simply don't agree with rew0691's opinion that Rattle on this occasion is 'just flailing his arms', or that the BPO embarrassed themselves here. So I stand by my comments, and will ignore your 'uninformed neophyte' quip.

edcassells (April 21, 2008 at 4:50 pm)

That's how you determine a favorite conductor? God help the future of classical music.

edcassells (April 21, 2008 at 4:48 pm)

On the contrary, I have the ability to appreciate music more than most due to my extensive classical training and performance experience. It's the uninformed neophytes who can't discern between what is good and what is not who think valid criticism is sour grapes. Based on your user name, I believe you fall into that category. You don't know what 'good' is. If you did, you would retract your statement that this is 'great music-making' and the orchestra has an 'impeccable sense of ensemble'.

rew0691 (April 19, 2008 at 3:05 am)

Great music-making happens with a great conductor. This conductor is NOT. Therefore, as clearly heard by their horrible tempo and togetherness problems, dosen't qualify even remotely to be appreciated as great music-making. I think your username is quite fitting. Either way, the musicians themselves are marvelous. They all sound gorgeous, but the song is simply terrible due to a horrible conductor. edcassells is right, Richardson, a college kid is better a million-times-over than Rattle.

tonedeaf99 (April 15, 2008 at 12:27 am)

Superlative. I feel sorry for those unable to appreciate great music-making, bent on criticising a conductor's 'beat'. This orchestra needs no such thing, and doesn't rely on guess work for their impeccable sense of ensemble.

edcassells (April 9, 2008 at 5:52 am)

You are 100% correct. This is embarrassing for a premier orchestra and a big name like Rattle. Check out "Prelude and Liebestod, pt. 2 Blake Richardson, conductor" here on YouTube for the best Liebstod I've ever heard. This college kid Richardson and a festival youth orchestra give this performance it's lunch!

beunt (April 1, 2008 at 10:25 pm)

I completely agree. Perhaps the worst performance I ever heard.

rew0691 (March 19, 2008 at 8:35 pm)

I'm sorry, but this man seems to just be flailing his arms, and not even in beat. Especially at the final climax(es.) He isn't giving them ANY indication at all about the beat and you can clearly hear how sloppy they are. None of them are together because they're all trying to guess when to come in on the beat. I would not want to be under his "direction."