Pines of Rome, Movement IV, Pines of the Appian Way

Pines of Rome, Movement IV, The Pines of the Appian Way - performed by The Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra - Conducted by Georges Pretre

Original video title: "O. Respighi - (4/4) Pini di Roma - IV. I pini della Via Appia (Stuttgart RSO, Prêtre)"

This is easily the best version I have ever heard of this movement of Pines of Rome. The account that originally had uploaded it was, sadly, suspended, and I only had this movement downloaded. Please enjoy this movement regardless :)

• Category

  Music

[Will Morgan]

Full of truly silly exhibitionism by the Conductor, unnecessary, bringing nothing to the players, and simply stupid. Reminds me of Mahler symphonies by Simon Rattle where he grins and grimaces in order to the get the musicians to play the notes they already know! Why doesn't this fool dress up like a Caesar since that would surely add to the "mood". All this teeth-gritting as if the musicians don't know what to do with the music! Can't he just keep time? Preposterous!

[sponge917]

If you don't like his conducting I don't like you

[Will Morgan]

OK, you don't like me. Fine. But I suggest you look up the word "Conducting" or Conductor". You might also ask yourself a simple question: Is music a kind of symbolic code for the things we see, or imagine we see in the real world; or is it actually a pure abstraction through which we can learn to fathom the tones themselves, not simply what they purport to symbolize?

[sponge917]

I happen to be a conductor myself, so there's no need to patronize me. A good conductor knows when to keep time and when to lead the orchestra in an expressive manner. In this case, the timpanist's relentless eighth notes is all that is needed to keep time and the conductor's job is to draw out the sound he wants by whatever means necessary. And damn it if he didn't help the musicians create the best performance of this piece that I've ever heard! His conducting is glorious.

[Will Morgan]

Granted: the drums slowly swelling notes in increasing timbre-- as from a distance-- until they pass us on parade-- is a pretty facile notion--- and not very difficult to realize; and---as you say---requires less of the conductor. I simply question whether gritting one's teeth communicates something to the players which they can't find in the score. Simon Rattle also does his sort of thing, an excess of "expressive manner". A great Conductor like Abaddo never over-determines the abstract.

[sponge917]

Well... a performance isn't an abstract thing. The composition is abstract but the performance is an actual interpretation. A conductor who doesn't show expression makes for a mechanical-sounding performance, not an "abstract" performance, whatever that would sound like. Over-expressionism is certainly possible, but I think it's pretty clear from the sound you hear that in this case it helped rather than hurt the performance.

[ayee ALii]

I have no fuckin clue the conductor is even doin

[HeNrYBuTsCh]

The conductor looks hilarious..

[Will Morgan]

I'll concede the entire matter if you will kindly explain what overwhelming significant information the musicians obtained when the conductor gave that split-second grimace at one point in the performance. Did it mean that the Romans really were "mean?" Did they all look up to "get" that? Not at all. This is the difference between mere theatrics and "an expressive manner", which is necessary. To see the difference in action simply watch Abaddo or Aschenbach conduct any composition.

[histechnoangel]

Surely you have not played music. I am BETTING you are not a musician. I am and I have played under my fair share of conductors. Some are more expressive than others. It brings nothing to the players? That statement is simply stupid. When I look up and see my conductor SO into it, it gets me more into it. I feel more free to express MYSELF. He is doing a fantastic job and I would LOVE to play under his leadership!

[Mark Pilkanis]

If you think Pretre is being an "exhibitionist" in this performance, you've never seen Bernstein conduct. I believe Pretre is simply reacting to the emotional content of the piece, which is quite immersive. Oddly, we musicians must learn to keep our emotions in check when we play lest we express those emotions instead of the music itself, where the emotional impetus is located. By the way, a good conductor is much more than a metronome. Conveying emotional intent is good conducting.

[Will Morgan]

I think it hurt the performance. Music IS an "abstract thing" or it would not be made up of very few tones; those who literalize it-- kill it, and mute its inner power. But I won't post again because given the comments here it feels like a bear-baiting pit. Good luck with your conducting.

[pittsburghsteel96]

^^Will, you obviously don't know anything about music and conducting

[GodListensToSlayerr]

shut up you fucking faggot