What are you listening to now?

[Mirror Image]

Sarge, have you heard the BBC Radio Philharmonic Bartok cycle with Bavouzet? How does this recording compare with what you posted? I can't quite decide if I like the Anda/Fricsay or BBC/Bavouzet. I'm not usually too picky with recordings, but these are the Bartok PCs and I take this very seriously .

I'm not Sarge, but I would pick Anda/Fricsay any day of the week over Bavouzet/Noseda. Not because I think the Bavouzet are downright horrible performances, but because I think Anda/Fricsay are more versed and attuned to Bartok's sound-world. The edginess, barbarism, and primitivism in Anda's playing is just what is needed IMHO for these concerti to be pulled off convincing. Only in Piano Concerto No. 3 can a more lightness of touch benefit the performance and I think this is where Bavouzet shines the brightest. Other than this, like I said, I prefer Anda by a very large margin.

[Mirror Image]

Another recording question, this time to MirrorImage: How's the Ligeti Violin Concerto on here? I have yet to hear anything come close to the DG "Clear or Cloudy" set. For me, this is the only set that seems to make the string mis-tunings not only work, but actually sound beautiful in parts (especially the first movement). And the whip-crack in the 5th movement is terrifyingly loud (the one in the Ligeti Project set was, well, weak  )!

I wish I could tell you, but I haven't ventured that far into this recording yet. I'll let you know next weekend as this is when I'll give the Ligeti a spin. BTW, have you heard the newer Schmid/Lintu recording on Ondine? It's pretty damn good.

[Ken B]

I'm not Sarge, but I would pick Anda/Fricsay any day of the week over Bavouzet/Noseda. Not because I think the Bavouzet are downright horrible performances, but because I think Anda/Fricsay are more versed and attuned to Bartok's sound-world. The edginess, barbarism, and primitivism in Anda's playing is just what is needed IMHO for these concerti to be pulled off convincing. Only in Piano Concerto No. 3 can a more lightness of touch benefit the performance and I think this is where Bavouzet shines the brightest. Other than this, like I said, I prefer Anda by a very large margin.

Glad to hear it. We discussed second Bartok recordings. A/F 2&3 was my second. Deleted, half price. Some would say beginner's luck but I say unerring instinct.

[EigenUser]

I wish I could tell you, but I haven't ventured that far into this recording yet. I'll let you know next weekend as this is when I'll give the Ligeti a spin. BTW, have you heard the newer Schmid/Lintu recording on Ondine? It's pretty damn good.

No, but I need to get this. Plus, it has "Lontano" and "San Francisco Polyphony", which I love as well.

[Mirror Image]

Glad to hear it. We discussed second Bartok recordings. A/F 2&3 was my second. Deleted, half price. Some would say beginner's luck but I say unerring instinct.

Well it's just hard to beat those performances. In fact, all of this talk about the Anda/Fricsay is getting me into the mood to listen to at least one performance from the disc and I think I'll listen to Piano Concerto No. 2.

[Mirror Image]

No, but I need to get this. Plus, it has "Lontano" and "San Francisco Polyphony", which I love as well.

I think it's a fine disc, but it doesn't seem to have garnered much attention for whatever reasons.

[Ken B]

Well it's just hard to beat those performances. In fact, all of this talk about the Anda/Fricsay is getting me into the mood to listen to at least one performance from the disc and I think I'll listen to Piano Concerto No. 2.

Fricsay like Dorati is a natural for this but Anda was usually much more feminine a player. More a fit for 3 than 2 yet his 2 is ferpect. I loved his Mozart but like a little more firmness now. Anyway 2 is my favourite and this is my favourite 2.
Update. No longer own. Part of the great vinyl sell off. 

[Mirror Image]

Fricsay like Dorati is a natural for this but Anda was usually much more feminine a player. More a fit for 3 than 2 yet his 2 is ferpect. I loved his Mozart but like a little more firmness now. Anyway 2 is my favourite and this is my favourite 2.
Update. No longer own. Part of the great vinyl sell off. 

I'm not familiar with Anda's work outside of his Bartok performances so I can't judge how his playing is in other composer's music. This said, I'm still quite partial to Ashkenazy/Solti in the PCs.

[Mirror Image]

Now:



Listening to Poulenc's Gloria and I've just got to say this performance is imbalanced sonically. It should've been mixed with more of an emphasis on the chorus. They're simply too recessed here to project any kind of dramatic impact. There's no question that the orchestral playing is very good, but it's over-prominence ruins what, otherwise, would have been a good performance.

[Harry]

First listen. A milestone in musical history. See concluding review.

http://walboi.blogspot.nl/2014/03/balkan-cycles-of-life-cd-iii.html?spref=tw

[Harry]

First listen. A fine set of SQ. See review.

http://walboi.blogspot.nl/2014/03/haydn-joseph-string-quartets-cd-ii.html?spref=tw

[Harry]

First listen. A very pleasant get together. See review.

http://walboi.blogspot.nl/2014/03/tcherepnin-alexander-nikolayevich-1899.html?spref=tw

[Harry]

First listen. Some Henze magic, invigorating music. See review. For more Henze, simply type it into my search box, and it will pop up.

http://walboi.blogspot.nl/2014/03/henze-hans-werner-1926-2012-orchestral.html?spref=tw

[Harry]

First listen. A composer that has a lot to say. See review.

http://walboi.blogspot.nl/2014/03/goossens-eugene-1893-1962-orchestral.html?spref=tw

[Karl Henning]

Good morning/day, all!

Schoenberg
Pelleas und Melisande, Op.5
London Phil
Robt Craft

[Tom 1960]

From the 60 cd Living Stereo box set. Disc 27

[Harry]

Second listen. Essential Holmboe. See review.

http://walboi.blogspot.nl/2014/03/holmboe-vagn-1909-1996-complete-string.html?spref=tw

[Madiel]

Mahler's Totenfeier movement (Symphony No.2). Three times in the last hour.

I won't be able to tell you who's conducting for about a month...

[Karl Henning]

Second listen. Essential Holmboe. See review.

http://walboi.blogspot.nl/2014/03/holmboe-vagn-1909-1996-complete-string.html?spref=tw

Glad to see this, mijn vriend!  I had an idea, somehow, that you hadn't especially enjoyed the quartets on your first listen . . . but maybe that was a mistaken notion that lodged somewhere in my mind. At any rate, heartily pleased that the quartets are giving pleasure!

[Harry]

Glad to see this, mijn vriend!  I had an idea, somehow, that you hadn't especially enjoyed the quartets on your first listen . . . but maybe that was a mistaken notion that lodged somewhere in my mind. At any rate, heartily pleased that the quartets are giving pleasure!

O, they do Karl, my first review of the first CD already said that much. I may have had in the beginning a few hiccups, but like with the Weinberg SQ, one can adapt.