What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[George]

Tchaikovsky
Piano Concerto 1
Rubinstein/Barbirolli

[Scarpia]

Op 38
I. 11:59
II. 5:39
III. 6:36

Op. 99
I. 6:41
II. 7:46
III.7:21
IV. 4:32

Interesting.  Every current edition in print (that I've been able to find) has the 9'03 timing on the first movement of Opus 99, so apparently those recordings you are listening to which seem to be so unique are not available.  No matter.  After becoming so annoyed with the Tortelier edition I managed to find the EMI complete du Pre edition, 17 discs for 15 pounds, so I'll soon have all three editions of Opus 99 to choose from.  Now, do I need that Fournier as well?   

[George]

[bhodges]

Handel: Keyboard Suites, Nos. 1-4 (Philip Edward Fisher, piano)
Hensel: Solo Piano Pieces (Joanne Polk, piano)

--Bruce

[not edward]

These two fine Ives reissues:

[George]

Handel: Keyboard Suites, Nos. 1-4 (Philip Edward Fisher, piano)
Hensel: Solo Piano Pieces (Joanne Polk, piano)

--Bruce

Working through your collection in alphabetical order, Bruce? 

[bhodges]

Working through your collection in alphabetical order, Bruce? 

Just a bit coincidental!  I'm actually using them in an article I'm writing.  (But I suspect after these I will be hungering to revisit that Salome I was listening to the other day from the Verbier Festival.)

--Bruce

[Antoine Marchand]

[listener]

ALBINONI  Oboe Concertos  op. 7 nos 4, 6, 12  for 2 oboes op.7 nos. 5, 11, op.  no.12
The London Virtuosi,   John Georgiadis, cond
Anthony Camden, Alison Alty  oboes
MUSSORGSKY    Pictures at an Exhibition               Chicago S.O., Reiner
BACH  Orchestra Suites 3 & 4 from the English Chamber Orch. box,  Leppard cond.

[CD]

(Disc 1: Flute and Orchestra, Cello and Orchestra)

and a first listen!



(Disc 2: Symphony Nos. 2 and 7)

[Coopmv]

Now playing this CD, which arrived late last week ...

[greg]

(Disc 1: Flute and Orchestra, Cello and Orchestra)

and a first listen!



(Disc 2: Symphony Nos. 2 and 7)

All excellent listening! 
No one beats Ozawa's 2nd, and I think Feldman's concertos are some of his better stuff.

[Mirror Image]

It's Tchaikovsky night:

Now:



Earlier:

[DavidRoss]

The other day I happened on a thread in which another poster voiced disapproval of Anne-Sophie Mutter's musicianship and described her performances in terms like "harsh," "distant," and "cold."  The characterization seemed unfathomably bizarre, since from my perspective she errs--if she errs--on the side of excessive emotional warmth verging on sentimentality.  Verging.  (Though her recent LvB concerto recording with Previn may have crossed the line.  )

Anyway, his comments reminded me that I had recently heard a couple of complete movements from the Mozart concerto set pictured below and (as is often the case with her recordings) liked them far more than my prejudices had anticipated.  So I bought the record...and having heard it once through, I am still surprisingly pleased by it and especially by Ms Mutter's sweet, singing, nuanced tone.  It's no gritty period instrument performance like Ms Hugget's, nor will it supplant the recent Abbado/Carmignolo set that I like so much, but neither is it the schmaltzy over-romanticized big band Mozart that my prejudices might have forecast.



Yet another poster here savaged Ms Mutter a couple of years ago for the cover and booklet photographs accompanying this recording, claiming that Mutter portrayed herself as the object of some sort of sado-masochistic bondage fetishist's fantasies.  Having seen all of the photos in question, I am happy to report that whatever bondage fantasies that contributor imagined must have originated entirely within her own consciousness, for there is nothing of the sort even hinted at in the album art. 

[Brian]

The Ninth, not the Fifth. I hadn't heard Shosty's Ninth since May 25, and listening again made me remember just how much I love it, just how much it feels these days like it's coming from inside me, not from the mind of somebody else. Had the feeling that I could listen to this performance (and this recording) every day and love it all the same*. Maybe I'll try that this week.

(*Which is more than can be said for Petrenko's near-miss Fifth.)

[Harry]

I picked up a disc of Kalman highlights a year or so ago, because Kalman seemed like someone I would like. Well, I have finally gotten around to giving the disc a proper listen and what a discovery! Lovely tunes, wonderful singing and great panache!

Yes agreed its a good performance, but what has always wondered me why they used Mijjakovic in the cast and in many other recordings. This woman is screaming instead of singing.

[Harry]

Good morning to all!

Marc Roger Normand Couperin.

Livre de Tablature de Clavecin. (1695)

David Moroney, Harpsichord, Italian Virginal.

I ave sung its praises many times, and after some time putting it again in my player it overwhelms me again by its geniality. The recording is lifelike, and very present.

[The new erato]

Highly personal music.

[SonicMan46]

Good morning to all!

Marc Roger Normand Couperin.

Livre de Tablature de Clavecin. (1695)

David Moroney, Harpsichord, Italian Virginal.

I ave sung its praises many times, and after some time putting it again in my player it overwhelms me again by its geniality. The recording is lifelike, and very present.

Harry - I've had that one for a while too!  The Couperin Dynasty - the French version of the German Bach family - Dave 

[Franco]

The other day I happened on a thread in which another poster voiced disapproval of Anne-Sophie Mutter's musicianship and described her performances in terms like "harsh," "distant," and "cold."  The characterization seemed unfathomably bizarre, since from my perspective she errs--if she errs--on the side of excessive emotional warmth verging on sentimentality.  Verging.  (Though her recent LvB concerto recording with Previn may have crossed the line.  )

Anyway, his comments reminded me that I had recently heard a couple of complete movements from the Mozart concerto set pictured below and (as is often the case with her recordings) liked them far more than my prejudices had anticipated.  So I bought the record...and having heard it once through, I am still surprisingly pleased by it and especially by Ms Mutter's sweet, singing, nuanced tone.  It's no gritty period instrument performance like Ms Hugget's, nor will it supplant the recent Abbado/Carmignolo set that I like so much, but neither is it the schmaltzy over-romanticized big band Mozart that my prejudices might have forecast.

I agree, I have this set and have enjoyed her playing and the entire ensemble's performance.  I have probably 5 or 6 complete sets of these works, some HIP others not and really cannot say I have a strong preference, although the Gidon Kremer set may be it.  The works strike me as immune to a bad performance, IMO.