New Releases

[Florestan]

The big box of the year.

[JBS]

Tempting. I've none of his music, and have only heard Hansel & Gretel.
Do you have a link to the listing? Amazon US refuses to show it no matter what I put in the search box.

[Brian]

Tempting. I've none of his music, and have only heard Hansel & Gretel.
Do you have a link to the listing? Amazon US refuses to show it no matter what I put in the search box.

It looks like he found some of these on Amazon Italia. I looked up the Grumiaux box and it's 72 CDs of goodness. Interesting that the Humperdinck album lists two orchestras but no conductors.

The attempt to label Previn's complete EMI recordings "HMV and Teldec" is somewhat contorted, but I am definitely interested in that bad boy too.

[Todd]

It looks like he found some of these on Amazon Italia.

Amazon France today.

The inclusion of Kaufmann and Alpers means that the Humperdinck set will be the reference for the rest of the century.

[Mandryka]

I'm sure Grumiaux would not appreciate this particular gif.

[Que]

The big box of the year.

WOW....and indeed.

Finally, I was beginning to think it would never come....

Q

[ritter]

Tempting. I've none of his music, and have only heard Hansel & Gretel.
Do you have a link to the listing? Amazon US refuses to show it no matter what I put in the search box.

JPC has a detailed content listing here. Seems to be all reissues. Jonas Kaufmann appears in excerpts of a complete recording of the opera Königskinder made in Montpellier in 2005 (and originally released on the Accord label).

[Brian]

Coming on Alpha later this spring:

- Bach WTC book 1 from 25-year-old Austrian pianist Aaron Pilsan, a student of Lars Vogt
- Brahms "viola" trio and sonatas Opp. 114 and 120 (originally for clarinet) - Miguel Da Silva, viola; Xavier Phillips, cello; Francois-Frederic Guy, piano
- Kopatchinskaja does Schoenberg, including Pierrot Lunaire and Phantasy Op. 47
- solo baroque flute from Francois Lazarevitch and "La famille Rameau" on harpsichord with Justin Taylor
- Olga Pashchenko begins a HIP Mozart concerto series with Il Gardellino; no word yet on what keyboard she uses
- another wave of reissues of back catalogue, including Amandine Beyer's Bach sonatas/partitas

[JBS]

JPC has a detailed content listing here. Seems to be all reissues. Jonas Kaufmann appears in excerpts of a complete recording of the opera Königskinder made in Montpellier in 2005 (and originally released on the Accord label).

Dear me. The only three complete works are a piano quartet, the piano work that gives the set its title, and a Wagner transcription. Everything else is just scattered movements and excerpts.

I may still get it, but my interest is much less.

[Mirror Image]

Coming on Alpha later this spring:

- Kopatchinskaja does Schoenberg, including Pierrot Lunaire and Phantasy Op. 47

Hmmm...I'm going to be keeping a lookout for this one, although I'm in no dire need of any of these works, but anything Kopatchinskaja does, especially in regards to 20th Century music, warrants my attention.

[knight66]

Sounds like this is right up my alley, Mike. Thanks for the review. Have you heard Gardner's other Schoenberg recordings?

Yes, but only online. I enjoyed the Gurrelieder, but am happy with the cd versions that I have. The Erwartung and Pelleas disc is  very fine and the Bergan orchestra has been raising its game since Gardner took over.

Mike

[Mirror Image]

Yes, but only online. I enjoyed the Gurrelieder, but am happy with the cd versions that I have. The Erwartung and Pelleas disc is  very fine and the Bergan orchestra has been raising its game since Gardner took over.

Mike

Erwartung is one of my favorite works from Schoenberg (I love his whole 'free atonal' period), but I have mixed feelings about Gardner in general. I think he's done some good things --- that Polish series he did several years ago covering Lutoslawski and Szymanowski was quite good (the Lutoslawski being especially fine, IMHO), but his Bartók, for example, is a misfire. His Janáček, on the other hand, was very good as was his Britten, although I haven't heard his recording of Peter Grimes. I'm debating on whether to buy it or not as I was so disappointed in the Bluebeard's Castle he recorded not too long ago, so I'm kind of finding myself wondering whether it's worth the money to continue to hear him in operas that I hold in high regard and, probably, have an even more acute critical ear when I'm listening. I suppose I should be listening and not judging, but it is difficult to shake those old biases one develops.

[Mirror Image]

I'm sure Grumiaux would not appreciate this particular gif.

Yeah, hell I don't even appreciate it. Uncouth to say the least.

[Brian]

Cover art for a few previously reported items...

[Daverz]

Erwartung is one of my favorite works from Schoenberg (I love his whole 'free atonal' period), but I have mixed feelings about Gardner in general. I think he's done some good things --- that Polish series he did several years ago covering Lutoslawski and Szymanowski was quite good (the Lutoslawski being especially fine, IMHO), but his Bartók, for example, is a misfire. His Janáček, on the other hand, was very good as was his Britten, although I haven't heard his recording of Peter Grimes. I'm debating on whether to buy it or not as I was so disappointed in the Bluebeard's Castle he recorded not too long ago, so I'm kind of finding myself wondering whether it's worth the money to continue to hear him in operas that I hold in high regard and, probably, have an even more acute critical ear when I'm listening. I suppose I should be listening and not judging, but it is difficult to shake those old biases one develops.

Have you heard the Ormandy Bluebeard yet?  Yes, it's in English, and one isn't going to want to listen to it that way very often, but I was very impressed with it, the singing, the diction, and the orchestra, of course.

[Mirror Image]

Have you heard the Ormandy Bluebeard yet?  Yes, it's in English, and one isn't going to want to listen to it that way very often, but I was very impressed with it, the singing, the diction, and the orchestra, of course.

Yep, I have heard it and own it. I bought it when it was reissued several years ago. I think there's a certain magic taken away from this opera when its sung in German, English or another language other than Hungarian. The conducting from Ormandy is top-notch, but I find it odd that Ormandy, a Hungarian, recorded the opera in English. Anyway, performance-wise, yes, it's quite good, but it'll never be a favorite.

The reissue in question:



Special edit: Cross-posted from the Bluebeard thread -

I've acquired many recordings of Bluebeard's Castle over the years. Here are the ones I own:

- Zhidkova/White/Gergiev (LSO Live)
- Ludwig/Berry/Kertész (Decca)
- Otter/Tomlinson/Haitink (EMI)
- DeYoung/Relyea/Gardner (Chandos)
- Norman/Polgár/Boulez (DG)
- Troyanos/Nimsgern/Boulez (Sony)
- DeYoung/Tomlinson/Salonen (Signum Classics)
- Hellwigh/Koréh/Süsskind (Praga Digitals)
- Elias/Hines/Ormandy (Sony)
- Marton/Ramey/A. Fischer (Sony)
- Kasza/Melis/Ferencsik (Hungaroton)
- Szendrenyi/Struckmann/Inbal (Denon)
- Kallisch/Fried/Eötvös (Hänssler)
- Töpper/Fischer-Dieskau/Fricsay (DG)
- Varady/Fischer-Dieskau/Sawallisch (DG)
- Szönyi/Székely/Dorati (Mercury Living Presence)
- Kováts/Sass/Solti (Decca)
- Komlosi/Polgár/I. Fischer (Philips)
- Charbonnet/Tomlinson/Saraste (Warner Classics)

[Mirror Image]

Cover art for a few previously reported items...

Not too large of an image, but it looks pretty cool. I'll probably end up buying this recording just so I can have my Bluebeard Castle collection end on an even number.

[André]

There is an Ormandy Beethoven set available....from Japan.
[Asin]B005J7CTPS[/asin]

It would be nice to have his Beethoven in a white box like his Sibelius, Tchaikovsky or 20th century works. IIRC those cut across label lines, offering the Columbia/Epic as well as RCA recordings.

Also missing from that 120 cd box are the LvB Missa Solemnis (a classic) and Verdi Requiem. Fortunately I have those already.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Yep, I have heard it and own it. I bought it when it was reissued several years ago. I think there's a certain magic taken away from this opera when its sung in German, English or another language other than Hungarian. The conducting from Ormandy is top-notch, but I find it odd that Ormandy, a Hungarian, recorded the opera in English. Anyway, performance-wise, yes, it's quite good, but it'll never be a favorite.

The reissue in question:



Special edit: Cross-posted from the Bluebeard thread -

Wow!  That many?    I don't have even one--at least yet.

[Mirror Image]

Wow!  That many?    I don't have even one--at least yet.

Yeah, I became rather obsessive about this opera earlier on, but it's my favorite piece of music of all-time. Of course, this is nothing compared to all of the Le sacre du printemps and Petrouchka recordings I own for example. Last time I counted the Le sacre recordings in my collection, I counted around 47 (maybe a little bit less). You definitely need a recording of Bluebeard's Castle. I'm actually surprised you don't own one. If you need any recommendations for this opera then don't hesitate to ask.