What are you listening to?

I recently watched Ivan Fischer conduct his Budapest Festival orchestra in a performance of Beethoven's 5th symphony. I watch a lot of classical music but usually avoid the 5th symphony as it has been popularized and abused so much over time. But Fischer is one of the world's great conductors and I wanted to see what he did with the music. It was stunning, I had forgotten what a great piece of music it is when done right. I particularly like the 2nd movement, to me it seems more musical and less bombastic but Fischer brought a level of excellence to the entire piece that was exceptional.

Anything but the typical generic wand waving conductor, Fischer is deeply involved with the orchestra he developed decades ago and has developed it to one of the world's top ten. You can sense the affection the orchestra and conductor have for each other. He is highly animated and engaged, often smiling at something particularly well done as opposed to the usual stony faced arm wavers. Beethoven done right.
 
iveofione said:
I recently watched Ivan Fischer conduct his Budapest Festival orchestra in a performance of Beethoven's 5th symphony. I watch a lot of classical music but usually avoid the 5th symphony as it has been popularized and abused so much over time. But Fischer is one of the world's great conductors and I wanted to see what he did with the music. It was stunning, I had forgotten what a great piece of music it is when done right. I particularly like the 2nd movement, to me it seems more musical and less bombastic but Fischer brought a level of excellence to the entire piece that was exceptional.

Anything but the typical generic wand waving conductor, Fischer is deeply involved with the orchestra he developed decades ago and has developed it to one of the world's top ten. You can sense the affection the orchestra and conductor have for each other. He is highly animated and engaged, often smiling at something particularly well done as opposed to the usual stony faced arm wavers. Beethoven done right.
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I have always enjoyed Beethoven's 5th symphony (I also like ELO's rock n roll version) but I hear you about "abused" versions.

I was sitting in the car yesterday while my wife was shopping in a market and clicked to SXM 76. Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor was was playing. I don't remember the orchestra or who conducted this particular recording but it was quite haunting. Haunting is the word that came to mind as I listened to the performance - it took me back to a performance my wife and I went to see at Benaroya Hall; a friend's wife invited us to join them at a performance of "Mahler's "haunting" 5th symphony". I didn't care for the symphony and I guess my wife didn't either as she nodded off. Mahler's 5th wasn't that "haunting" for us that evening but I'd sure like to have been at the performance of Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor.

Another performance of Chopin's genius:

 
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