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luis de orueta   16/1/2003	Subject: Hans Stadlmair version of Raff´s Symphony #2 Message: I read with great interest the reviews by Mark Thomas of each new recording and can only praise his great insight. Mark invites us to comment and I take this opportunity to share my views with you and even reach Hans Stadlmair if he ever reads the Forum messages. My remark concerns his rendering of the first movement in Raff´s Second Symphony. Admittedly, the movement beguins in a "jolly" mood, but it seems wrong to me to make this mood pervade the whole section. As I hear the music I cannot help feeling that his version doesn´t "separate enough" the many different "moods" which can be traced down within the movement :happy,persuasive,contemplative,impatient,exhausted, resigned,pastoral,apologetic, etc. Probably that means that the tempo ought to be a little bit slower to allow more space between those psycological almost subliminal, mood changes. Easier said than done,I know, with limited rehearsing.In any case a vast improvement over the alternative available. For the rest of the symphony I agree entirely with Mark Thomas, and thank Hans Stadlmair for a wonderful experience... and look forward with impatience to his coming next recording. luis.
Mark   18/1/2003	RE: Hans Stadlmair version of Raff´s Symphony #2 IP: Logged Message: Thanks for the vote of confidence, Luis! I can see what you mean and I guess that I only disagree to the extent that too many dynamic changes would run the risk of losing the momentum which is so important in a Raff first movement. This is amongst his most genial symphonic movements and thus the contrast with the almost religeous second movement needs to be preserved. If you're happy with the idea, I'd like to add your comment to the review pages for the update-after-next (20 February) all being well - this month's is ready and I have no time to add it this time. BTW the next Tudor Stadlmair symphony CD seems likely to be the 4th. (it'll be the third version of that work available, mirabile dictu!) - but it's quite a few months off yet and I don't know the coupling yet. It may be that the promised "La fée d'amour" and the Suite for violin and orchestra op. 180 coupling will precede it. Cheers,
luis de orueta   20/1/2003	RE: Hans Stadlmair version of Raff´s Symphony #2 IP: Logged Message: Thank you Mark for your comments. I still think that it is possible to give individual expression to the elements that make up for the first movement of the 2# symphony, without jeopardizing the unity of the section, regardless of the content of the next movement. How else should one play the 1# movement of "Im Walde", which contains even more dramatic contrast in itself, with a subsequent slow movement, just like in the 2 # symphony? You are too good. luis
Mark   21/1/2003	RE: Hans Stadlmair version of Raff´s Symphony #2 IP: Logged Message: I think that I was just in a rather combative mood the other day and I guess therefor that my response was rather dismissive. Sorry about that. I didn't mean to be. My comment was really only meant to illustrate something one should be wary of (the wider picture of all four movements) when considering how to interpret an individual movement. It would be great to have someone else other than Stadlmair and Schneider try their hand at it...