My listening post this morning is in a tiny house in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. If you look really closely at Vincent van Gogh’s painting The Starry Night, just to the right of the steeple, you can see me. I’m wearing a red beret.
Just kidding.
Actually, my listening post this morning is inside a steamer trunk.
It’s hard to see what I’m typing.
But I’ve been putting fingers to keyboard for 45 years. I’ll manage.
Just kidding.
That reminds me of a joke by Groucho Marx.
Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.
Frankly, I don’t have a special listening post this time. I’m just sitting here listening to German conductor Eugen Jochum (1902-1987), the London Symphony Orchestra, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 in A major.
I have encountered Maestro Jochum six times previously, on…
Day 9. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 27. Rating: “Not quite Meh, but not Huzzah! either”
Day 45. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 63. Rating: “HUzzah!”
Day 81. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Day 99. Rating: “Huzzah!”
Five “Huzzah!” ratings and one nearly “Huzzah!”
Thankfully, even in a steamer trunk I can clearly hear how today’s performance rates.
But that’s getting ahead of myself.
Beethoven wrote his symphonies in four parts (except for the Sixth, which is in five). The time breakdown of this particular one (Symphony No. 7 in A major), from this particular conductor (Jochum, at age 76) and this particular orchestra (London Symphony Orchestra), at this particular time in history (October 13, 1978) on this particular record label (Warner Classics) is as follows:
I. Poco sostenuto – Vivace……………………………..15:14
II. Allegretto………………………………………………………9:46
III. Presto – Assai meno presto (trio)……………….10:47
IV. Allegro con brio…………………………………………..9:25
Total running time: 45:13
My Rating:
Recording quality: 5 (crystal clear, only minor tape hiss and ambient noises, lots of top end)
Overall musicianship: 5 (energetic, inspired, magical, lyrical)
CD liner notes: 4 (big booklet with lots of information, except for pertinent key details, and an essay about Jochum in English, German, and French)
How does this make me feel: 5 (“Huzzah!”)
Instant “Huzzah!”
This is a spectacular recording, very well paced, powerful, and fun.
And magical.
I can’t forget that all-important quality.
This performance makes the hair stand up on my arms.
It is magical with a capital M.
Movement II (my favorite) is perfectly paced and emotionally moving as all get out.
Movement III is a delightful romp that’s perfectly juxtaposed against the elegiac second movement. It’s a shock to the system.
Movement IV is a racehorse leaving the gate. Incredibly stirring.
This is a remarkable recording of an equally remarkable performance.
File this one under “M” for Magic.
And shout “Huzzah!” when you you listen to it.
(But not too loudly. If you, like me, live in a tiny house in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, you’ll disturb your neighbors.)