Posted by Richard on January 21, 2003 at 19:28:01:
In Reply to: Vaughan-Williams Concerto with Jacobs posted by Frank on January 20, 2003 at 21:12:51:
What a thread. Just wait until the recording is issued on CD, probably in the Spring. Then everyone will be able to hear it for themselves. The item to watch for is an anthology 2-fer of solo pieces on DG, probably called CSO Principals, something like that.
My own take on all this. I wish he had done the recording in his prime. I wish in any case he had used a darker sounding horn than the Besson. He wanted to be authentic and use what VW had in mind. I wish the engineers had not stuck the mike so close to him. The VW is not a jingle, but it was miked that way. The miking and mixing on the orchestra is rather appalling too. Barenboim's conducting is grossly insensitive, especially in the second mvt. He is clearly learning the piece on the job. I have heard from well placed sources that DG did not take this assignment seriously. The live performance broadcast led by Henry Mazer would be the one to have for many reasons, but it seems destined to remain in limbo.
Despite all this, for those of us who knew Mr. Jacobs, the DG recording is a momento. However flawed it may be, it conveys Mr. Jacobs sense of style and commitment to the maximum effort, no matter how difficult that may be. Younger listeners who are used to smoother strokes, can learn a great deal from this recording, in which the performer may falter in some of the details, but never loses his focus, his overall concept of the music, or his nerve. How many of us could do as well under the same extremely stressful circumstances?