New Releases

[Mandryka]

Almost every piece contains narration or spoken word. I try to keep an open mind, but any piece of music where I can understand the text is not something I want to listen to under any circumstances. For everyone else who likes avant-garde or experimental music, this is obviously a major addition to the discography and merits close attention.

I think it must be must be weird if you can't understand French. He does interesting thing with the words though.

[Symphonic Addict]

Coming out early next month:



Without question, this is most definitely a must-buy for me as I've enjoyed the other installments of this series.

Mandatory listen to me as well!

[amw]

I think it must be must be weird if you can't understand French. He does interesting thing with the words though.

I can understand French; if I couldn't I might be able to just listen to the words as sounds and therefore might find it more enjoyable.

(I do make an exception for Luc Ferrari in terms of pieces involving understandable spoken/sung word, but he's so far the only one. That said I haven't yet got through all 16 discs of this Dufour set so maybe I'll find something more enjoyable in there as time goes on.)

[Mirror Image]

Mandatory listen to me as well!

[kyjo]

Walton 1 for 2 pianos?? I'm skeptical!

[Mirror Image]

Walton 1 for 2 pianos?? I'm skeptical!

Me, too. I'll gladly skip this release.

[Symphonic Addict]

Walton 1 for 2 pianos?? I'm skeptical!

Me, too. I'll gladly skip this release.

Being an extremely huge fan of this work, I can't miss this. This kind of rarities is always welcome to be tasted. I'm not sure about Jeffrey, but I do have a hunch.

[kyjo]

Me, too. I'll gladly skip this release.

Yeah, I don't really see the appeal of recording piano reductions of orchestral works. Oh well, better than another Beethoven symphony recording I guess!

[Mirror Image]

Yeah, I don't really see the appeal of recording piano reductions of orchestral works. Oh well, better than another Beethoven symphony recording I guess!

The only appeal I can hear in these types of reductions is being able to hear how it all pieces together, but that's about it.

[Madiel]

Yeah, I don't really see the appeal of recording piano reductions of orchestral works. Oh well, better than another Beethoven symphony recording I guess!

Neither do I, in general.

However, having said that, the 2-piano version of Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances, as played by Ashkenazy and Previn, is one of the most brilliant things I own so never say never.

[Holden]

The only appeal I can hear in these types of reductions is being able to hear how it all pieces together, but that's about it.

It was the Liszt piano reduction that really opened up Beethoven's 8th symphony for me.

[Spotted Horses]

Yeah, I don't really see the appeal of recording piano reductions of orchestral works. Oh well, better than another Beethoven symphony recording I guess!

This statement is too general to make any sense. Some piano "reductions" are simply a practical measure to enable a person to hear music that would otherwise be inaccessible to them. Others are a reimagining of the orchestral work which qualify as a works of art in their own right. The two piano version of Brahms' Haydn variations is magnificent. The two piano versions of the Debussy orchestral works made me understand that the "color" I was hearing was mostly harmony, and not orchestration, as I had previously believed. I can think of numerous piano reductions which are at least as interesting as the orchestral versions of the same piece.

[Brian]

Neither do I, in general.

However, having said that, the 2-piano version of Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances, as played by Ashkenazy and Previn, is one of the most brilliant things I own so never say never.

That is one of my favorite performances of anything ever. It's like they're on fire.

[Mirror Image]

That is one of my favorite performances of anything ever. It's like they're on fire.

A damn fine performance, indeed.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

That is one of my favorite performances of anything ever. It's like they're on fire.

Interesting!  When did they record it?  I'll have to see if I can find it to listen to. 

PD

[Karl Henning]

This statement is too general to make any sense. Some piano "reductions" are simply a practical measure to enable a person to hear music that would otherwise be inaccessible to them. Others are a reimagining of the orchestral work which qualify as a works of art in their own right. The two piano version of Brahms' Haydn variations is magnificent. The two piano versions of the Debussy orchestral works made me understand that the "color" I was hearing was mostly harmony, and not orchestration, as I had previously believed. I can think of numerous piano reductions which are at least as interesting as the orchestral versions of the same piece.

Thanks for pointing this out!

[VonStupp]

Yeah, I don't really see the appeal of recording piano reductions of orchestral works. Oh well, better than another Beethoven symphony recording I guess!

Luckily, Franz Liszt transcribed all of Beethoven's symphonies for the piano, the 9th I believe for two pianos. So you can have the best of both worlds! 

[ritter]

Coming in January (82 CDs, plus 4 Blu-ray Discs for the "Centennial Ring"—also given in its audio only version on CD):



https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/pierre-boulez-the-conductor-complete-recordings-on-deutsche-grammophon-philips/hnum/10705227

[JBS]

Neither do I, in general.

However, having said that, the 2-piano version of Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances, as played by Ashkenazy and Previn, is one of the most brilliant things I own so never say never.

Bear in mind that the 2 piano version came into being along side the orchestral version

Rachmaninoff wrote an arrangement for two pianos concurrently with the orchestral version. This arrangement was first performed by the composer with Vladimir Horowitz at a private party in Beverly Hills, California in August 1942.
......
Two organs   
There exists a transcription of the entire piece by French composer/performer Jean Guillou, written for two organs.

Piano solo
There exists an unpublished transcription of the entire piece by the late Israeli pianist/composer/arranger Yahli Wagman, written between 1982-1986, for piano solo.[citation needed] There also exists a recording of Rachmaninoff playing through the piano reduction for Eugene Ormandy, during which he sings, whistles and talks about how he thinks the Dances should be performed. Rachmaninoff played the first movement coda differently to the score; these minor changes were reproduced by the pianist Stephen Kovacevich when he performed the work with Martha Argerich at his 75th birthday concert at Wigmore Hall.

(From Wikipedia)

[Symphonic Addict]

This statement is too general to make any sense. Some piano "reductions" are simply a practical measure to enable a person to hear music that would otherwise be inaccessible to them. Others are a reimagining of the orchestral work which qualify as a works of art in their own right. The two piano version of Brahms' Haydn variations is magnificent. The two piano versions of the Debussy orchestral works made me understand that the "color" I was hearing was mostly harmony, and not orchestration, as I had previously believed. I can think of numerous piano reductions which are at least as interesting as the orchestral versions of the same piece.

Amen to this.