The 2023 ALDA (Avoid Like Death Awards) Are Here, Featuring The Year's 10 Worst Recordings!

[@kristian6566]

This was my first time seeing the ALDA's: I was rolling on the floor laughing! Thanks so much for all the great reviews and other videos this year Dave!

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@dennischiapello7243]

"Bursting the bonds of the merely audible and transgressing into the olfactory!" My first hearty laugh of the day (after my Far Side daily calendar.)

[@leestamm3187]

When my notification popped up for this year's ALDA's, I automatically expected something from Thielemann and/or Rattle in the list. You did not disappoint.

[@dmntuba]

Idea for possibly fun, entertaining video...The retro ALDA awards. ALDA based on recordings from different eras, 1953,1958, 1963,etc 😊

[@davekeyes5589]

I was going to make kabobs for NYE, but the stores are all out of skewers. That’s okay, for you used them splendidly. Happy New Year, good sir.

[@janektreiber9457]

26:42 Yes, please do a separate ALDAs for Bruckner; I think a lot of people would like it.

[@foreignwindow]

"Surely, you're exaggerating Dave", I thought to myself as you described Mehta's Beethoven cycle; nope, you weren't exaggerating. It is horrible. You are performing an important service in exposing this mess. No one should spend a dime on this cycle and go away thinking that this is what Beethoven should sound like. Bravo, Mr. Hurwitz, bravo.

[@kostastopouzis7479]

First time I hear a prayer beginning with the word "Dude..."

[@violamateo-on8pc]

With all the proliferation of "historically informed" performances on instruments playing at 415 (instead of 440), gut strings, "natural" horns, etc., etc., my dream is that Händel would time travel into the present day and would choose as his favorite "Water" and "Royal Fireworks" recordings, those done of the Hamilton Harty version!

[@ycloon]

Thanks, Dave. A most entertaining takedown! Happy New Year!

[@petertaplin4365]

I love 'the Scarlet Scarf of Shame!' As a record producer, I long to one day have the honour of producing something worthy of this exultant award. I'm pretty sure I already have, haha!

[@morrigambist]

For my money the high point of Mehta's (very impressive) career was the white-hot Schmidt 4. There was also a great Bruckner 9. It's too bad he had to go out with a whimper.

[@leestamm3187]

Agreed. Most conductors don't have much left in them at 87. They all can't be like Blomstedt, though he took a fall recently that may slow him down.

[@kevinm6790]

Yes, this made me sad, as Mehta has been my favorite conductor since he became music director of the NYP.

[@rafaszczepkowski4340]

For my next year Christmas Gift I would love to receive a book with all your dialogues with Evil God Cancrizams, your prays, his answer and all arguments and other adventures. It would be superb :) Thanks for talking to him and negotiating also on our behalf! And all the best for you for New Year!!! We will keep on listening, you keep talking!

[@bigg2988]

Well, for one, Erato and Norrington seem to go together nicely, even if that was unintended! For me, at least, this is the "Errata by Norrington". And he sure made his share. :) P. S.: Sad about Mehta. The man I choose to remember as the "fourth member" of the Three Tenors; or the "fifth member" of the Trout Quintet (you know which). Or even that great Mahler 2 with Vienna Phil. Not this...

[@stevemcclue5759]

Happy New Year, Dave! Lang may yer lum reek!

[@markgibson6654]

All the best for 2024 to you as well David!

[@francis-808]

Scarves. Gotta love the scarves. 😂🎉

[@jdeeside]

I drank way too much Sherry this afternoon and actually bowed my head and prayed😂

[@kt13968]

I had been looking forward to the ALDAs, not because I'm more interested in what's horrible than what's great, but to hear Dave talk about them! I don't know any critics as enthusiastic as Dave, even when he's talking about the bad stuff. Witty, hilarious, and critical without being unfair.

[@sgamartin47]

I was there when Rattle did Bruckner 7, totally agree, was god awful. Though I then saw Zubin Mehta do Bruckner 7 in Munich a few months later and he was absolutely phenemenal.

[@tarakb7606]

The scarlet scarf of shame. 🤣🤣 At the very least I shall be checking out the Beethoven/Mehta set. It sounds like an absolute car crash. Ps: I quite agree about Capuçon.

[@HD-su9sq]

This was my first exposure to the ALDAs, and it is valuable to know. I only came here first because of the KZbin algorithm; I’m a positive person really 😅. Now off to see KOLA.

[@MrRuplenas]

I sang the B9 under Mehta with the NY Phil back in the 80's. Not only did he seem completely disinterested but the New Yorkers were a bunch of musical hacks just going through the motions.

[@kevinm6790]

How unfortunate

[@kevinm6790]

“Norrington...intellectual bullshit!” I thought I was the only one who feels this way about his work.

[@victormanteca7395]

I won't extend myself with explanations, but IMHO, Savall is one of the most self-adoring, conceited individuals I've ever seen on a stage, and that explains much of his late endeavours, full of know-it-all complacence. Pity, because I really think he is an extremely important agent of the viola and 17th century music revival in the late 20th century. But he's become too full of himself to go on with obscure repertoire, he wants to redo things we all know and like, and he's doing a very lousy work with all of it.

[@joncheskin]

One of my personal goals is to never get arrogant enough to merit a White Scarf of Irredeemable Chutzpah.

[@heatherharrison264]

Perhaps I should have waited until later in the day before watching this video, so I could have consumed some booze first to get myself into the right frame of mind. I have been looking forward to this. Of course, the KOLA awards should be seen as more valuable and useful, as they lead to recordings that are worth buying, but negative reviews are always a lot of fun, though that sense of fun is always moderated by a sense of tragedy when good people produce spectacular failures. I guess Currentzis must have been quiet this year (probably because of his ties to Russia), or he surely would have turned up on this list. Still, it seems like 2023 was a productive year for bad recordings, and I think morbid curiosity will drive me to give some of these a listen in case I encounter something that is so bad that it is funny. I've also been watching the worst of the year lists from video game reviewers; some of these people are as talented as Dave at inserting the knife and twisting it when it is richly deserved, and this year had a bumper crop of truly miserable, scarf-worthy video games, which gave these reviewers plenty of juicy material. I suppose I must be thankful for the existence of bad art, as it provides its own unique entertainment, and it provides a useful contrast with the good stuff that I truly value.

[@HoraceInExile]

Savall's recordings of music of the Spanish Baroque were a revelation to me when I came across them an eon ago. What a marvelous swim lane; I have no idea why he would cross over and not realize he was out of his depth. Sadly, he's not the only early music hero of mine to make that mistake. Thank you as always. A wonderful New Year to you and the entire Classics Today family.

[@jefolson6989]

The description if Thuleman was so apt. The dull kapelmeister. But I'm not as charitable about his opera conducting. Better than his Bruckner, but still dull. Some of these recording, like the Water music are hard to screw up unless they really work at it.

[@nicolaswiernsperger6242]

Being the luck guy having enjoyed several of his baroque music conerts live, I totally share your judgement. TO me Savall has been one of the greatest pioneers in ancien music and deserves a statue...for it only. ON the other hand, I can understand that Dealing only with ancien/baroque music for decades and despite a huge repertoire, becomes a bit boring, therefore tempting to proceed towards romantism. Herreweghe, Pichon and others do the same, for their own pleasure.

[@IanKnight40]

David... Top notch video!. Ive got to agree about John Wilson. I heard a performance of Waltons symphony no.1 at the BBC proms recently which sent me to sleep in my armchair. This guy is a joke. I then went and investigated his "award winning" recordings of Respighi, Rachmaninov et el..... Why are we being subjected to this banal music making? . In general I find the Chandos recordings of these life draining derges, vague at best. Another case of "Gramophonitas" sadly. Cheers Ian, Leicester. UK.

[@tatoarg9508]

The KOLA and the ALDA are slowly becoming a classic. The ALDA make my day like few things. I still listen to Currentzis' Tschaikovsky Violin Concerto whenever I feel like laughing out loud.

[@mancal5829]

Mr. Hurwitz, have you thought of doing a "Party record" series? Records so bad they're good. Just a thought.

[@markdecker2112]

I have to admit, I do tend to listen first to the ALDA winners over the KOLA winners just to see if I agree with your assessments - perhaps its easier to agree on something bad, vs. something good. Love the video and your approach using the 4 scarves.

[@abendrotfernweh2843]

Dave's sense of humor is at another level. Fantastic.

[@davidmathews4524]

David should have been a Comedian what do you people think?

[@francoisjoubert6867]

Are they more “interested in the horror” or the “entertainment value of the presentation of the horror”? For me it is a package deal, which might say some nasty things about me! I look forward to these - I could only guess 1 - the Ravel. But when I saw the list, it was “agree, yup, yes etc.”. Thanks for all the eruditeness about music, music history, interesting repertoire and the entertainment. Happy new year, good health and more glorious recordings!

[@anthropocentrus]

getting cozy for this one 🍵😌

[@mrmrosullivan]

Excellent as ever. The Missa Solemnis from Savall should have been in this list for sure. So very, very bad and wrong. And the continuing Mahler desecrations from Roth. Horrible. Also, I just went to listen to the Mehta Beethoven. Such a tragedy they were released. Only took 20 seconds across the cycle to hear how embarrassing they are.

[@BeammeupSpotty]

well, i enjoy watching your show and you've turned me onto a lot of new good music. thanks!!! so when you said that the zubin mehta beethoven symphony cycle was bad I had to of course check it out for myself, and as i've admitted many times before, you were right. yikes. Beethoven is probably my favorite and to listen to those renditions was surprising. i would not grade those as top notch. So your ALDA was correct for this one. Thanks!!!!!!

[@james.1970.o2e]

Dear Dave, you wrote a book on Shostakovich, would that be "Symphonies and concertos, an owners guide" ? Happy New Year 🎉

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Yes, more or less.

[@james.1970.o2e]

I found it on Amazon and thinking of getting it

[@kellyrichardson3665]

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

[@sjc1204]

I actually avoided the Daphnis et Chloé after your review. It's among my favorite works ever so I cannot taint it in any way. Also, I think we need a two to three year moratorium on recording and releasing Bruckner symphonies. There are two many and I don't understand why we are seeing so many releases. If Klaus Mäkelä releases a Bruckner cycle, I'm going to lose faith completely.

[@robhaynes4410]

I seem to recall Harding stating years ago that he was unsympathetic to English music & it wouldn't be part of his repertoire. Now, The Planets gets treated as if it's not English music. People who wouldn't record a single note of English music recorded The Planets, sometimes to great effect (sometimes not). But it really is an extremely English work. And if you've announced your hostility to English music, chances are, your Planets is going to suck.

[@josepholeary3286]

what could be more English than “I vow to thee my country”?

[@sansumida]

That's an after arrangement 😊

[@marlenemeldrum7382]

WONDERFUL, GRAND, JUST WICKED GOOD!!!😊🎉

[@williamfredscott6904]

What? No Makelä? Were those Sibelius and Sacre CDs not in 2023? I'll go back and see if they got some ALDAs last year...happy new year to you.

[@dmntuba]

Been waiting all year for this 👍🤣

[@joonaa2751]

How about a review of the complete Fitzwilliam Virginal Book boxed together on Brilliant Classics, performed by Pieter-Jan Belder?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Already done.

[@Richard-b5r9v]

Actor Alan ALDA would be proud of David s choices of worst ever recordings

[@baldrbraa]

Any prayer should start with «Dude! Listen!».

[@averageclassicalmusicenjoyer]

But aside from this album, generally, what do you think about John Wilson and the Sinfonia of London? I personally really liked their vaughan williams album and their fuchs album, what do you think?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Read reviews on ClassicsToday.com and watch videos where I discuss their recordings.

[@mickeysteward9859]

Thanks!

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Thank you very much!

[@eugenebraig413]

Savall is the antithesis of Manze. I almost universally liked Savall's early-music efforts: the Marais series, Ortiz, early recordings of Hesperion XX (especially that series of Spanish Renaissance and early Baroque music), Tout les Matins du Monde, etc. However, where Manze's art became more intriguing as he moved from early music to orchestral conducting, I've almost completely lost interest in Savall because of his similar efforts.

[@barryguerrero6480]

These are the greatest music awards in the entire universe. The Pop and Urban music genres need an equivalent awards ceremony each, but where would you begin?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Thanks Barry! Happy New Year!

[@jg2977]

I looked all of these up on my streaming app so that I could torture myself later.

[@nicolaswiernsperger6242]

YOu produce many and excellent videos, but it's quite time consuming to listen to all entirely. May I suggest to show again (pics) for example the worst and the best of your selection, so if time is not given to watch all, we could at least have a summary of it. In other terms, a recapitulation of your analysis. Thank you and hope you proceed next year, with my best wishes!

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

No, I don't plan to do that. There's no reason anyone has to watch everything all at once. Enjoy them when you have time.

[@nicolaswiernsperger6242]

OK, will do my best ! May I ask another question: with the production of about 3 videos/d, where do you find time to listen to all these recordings ??? EVen if listening only to selected excerpts, it is a lot every dya...@@DavesClassicalGuide

[@tacizettinkocabulluk]

good list. and by good, I mean ABSOLUTELY PUTRID!!

[@francoisjoubert6867]

A new category for 2024: the putrid scarf of irrelevance!

[@ModusVivendiMedia]

I could guess that the Argerich/Capucon sonatas would be on this list. For a more committed and interesting version (of those which most everyone probably has not heard), try Mikyung Sung and Jaemin Shin. Definitely not sleepwalking! (For me, another entirely uninteresting violinist who is hyped up the wazoo for whatever reason is Rachel Podger, whose ""Tutta Sola" Bach album which won all those "Album of the Year" awards from the fawning British press was one of the most boring albums I've ever heard. I really could not listen to it, even as background, aside from the inventively-arranged Toccata and Fugue that it opens with.)

[@stevenchen7701]

The most pompous man in existence! This video alone deserves all four ridiculous awards. Never has anyone ever looked up to the clown "Dave Hurwitz", unlike any other artist you have undeservingly criticized. For shame!

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Thank you!

[@paullewis2413]

“Dressed up as artistic music making”. Love it. In other words boring and as bland as you can get. 😁

[@bertkarlsson1421]

Dave, who are your top 20 favorite composers of all time?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

I don't have lists like that.

[@philippecassagne3192]

@@DavesClassicalGuide If the criterium was the number of videos per composer, your order of preference, Dave, would be : 1. Beethoven, 2. Haydn, 3. Mahler ... But it is probably not the only relevant criterium ...

[@ruramikael]

Norrington's complete erratic recordings?

[@colinmaynard2879]

Possibly could gain the first lifetime achievement award 🚕

[@distributorovkvlt-points5481]

"John Wilson"............is there any chance you meant "John Williams"? Never heard of a maestro John Wilson.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Nope.

[@distributorovkvlt-points5481]

@@DavesClassicalGuide ​Well Dave thanks for setting me straight on the matter. John Wilson is for real after all and wields a magical baton. Taupe's my favourite colour. _Hail_ _Kankrazaz!_ 🎵

[@kevinm6790]

Wilson doesn’t hold a candle to Williams.