Past Purchases (CLOSED)

[Scarpia]

Regarding the Brahms' Amadeus set, what about it makes you say it is unctuous and saccharine?  Which set do you like for Brahms' string quartets, et al?

Exaggerated vibrato from which there is no respite, played as though every passing note must be infused with the maximum mawkish sentimentality possible.  Sometimes a B-flat is just a B-flat.  I like Brahms that is expressive without loss of clarity and perhaps gentle without being melodramatic.

For the Sextets and Quintets the Raphael Ensemble is very good, L'Archibudelli is spectacular for the sextets.  I also have a nice recording of Op 18 on Harmonia Mundi with some French people who I can't quite recall.  For the Quartets I enjoy the Takacs and Italiano, although I have never found a recording of the Brahms quartets which seemed entirely ideal.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

...although I have never found a recording of the Brahms quartets which seemed entirely ideal.

For years I had the same problem with Brahms's string quartets. This was my pot of gold at the end of the rainbow:

[George]

Anyone know if:

Is HB Direct a good company?

Do they sell new and used or just new? 

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Anyone know if:

Is HB Direct a good company?

Do they sell new and used or just new? 

I've used them in the past, George, with no problems. And IIRC they sell only new CDs.

[George]

I've used them in the past, George, with no problems. And IIRC they sell only new CDs.

Cool. And they only list stuff they have, I assume? I ask because I am about to order a rare CD from them.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Cool. And they only list stuff they have, I assume? I ask because I am about to order a rare CD from them.

Hmm...that I don't know for certain. But they seem to be on par reliability-wise with the ArkivMusic's and Tower's. At this point I have no fears ordering anything from them.

[George]

Hmm...that I don't know for certain. But they seem to be on par reliability-wise with the ArkivMusic's and Tower's. At this point I have no fears ordering anything from them.

Cool. I just ordered this:

http://www.hbdirect.com/album_detail.php?pid=41440

[Sergeant Rock]

Which set do you like for Brahms' string quartets?

The Mandelring cycle was my breakthrough with the Brahms quartets. The couplings are a plus: each disc comes with a fascinating and little heard quartet by one of Brahms' contemporaries:



Unfortnately each disc is full price, making the whole an expensive proposition.

Sarge

[George]

Cool. I just ordered this:

http://www.hbdirect.com/album_detail.php?pid=41440

Anyone heard this one? Thoughts?

[Harry]

The Mandelring cycle was my breakthrough with the Brahms quartets. The couplings are a plus: each disc comes with a fascinating and little heard quartet by one of Brahms' contemporaries:



Unfortnately each disc is full price, making the whole an expensive proposition.

Sarge

They go on my list! The couplings are fascinating.....

[DavidRoss]

Minkowski's recent HIP Mozart 40 & 41:

[Wanderer]

[Franco]

Brahms, Schumann: Symphony No. 1 / Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra



Brahms, Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3 / Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

[Brian]

Minkowski's recent HIP Mozart 40 & 41:

"Vewwy intewesting."
- Elmer Fudd

[jlaurson]

Minkowski's recent HIP Mozart 40 & 41:

Good stuff, that Minkowski Mozart. But not so recent not to be out of print again, already! (Shockingly.)
Included below (a cat's day of work) just for symmetry's sake. I got my copy when it came out. I liked the green.  

Mozart, Symphonies 40 & 41 Minkowski, LMdL- Archiv

Haydn, Masses Hickox- Chandos

Haydn, String Quartets (selections Amadeus Quartet - DG

Haydn, London Symphonies Jochum - DG

[Elgarian]

Arrived this morning. 11 CDs in a box with a booklet. Listened to three of 'em straight away. Sheer joy. I hummed along. I skipped along. I jiggled about waving my arms at times. I even wept a little bit now and then. If you don't have one already, get one now from the Hyperion website while their July sale is on. You know it makes sense. (£66 sale price with 25% discount = under £50 post free.)

http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/al.asp?al=CDS44171/81&f=vivaldi%20sacred%20music

[DavidW]

Nice buy Elgarian!  I enjoy his vocal music over his concerti, the music is simply sublime.

[Elgarian]

the music is simply sublime.

Yes it is. And sublime in all the best, non-stuffy ways, so that while I stand gaping in awe at the last piece, a new one is beginning that's telling me to put on my dancing shoes, and the one after that will keep me completely immobile, straining to catch every exquisite note.

[Coopmv]

Arrived this morning. 11 CDs in a box with a booklet. Listened to three of 'em straight away. Sheer joy. I hummed along. I skipped along. I jiggled about waving my arms at times. I even wept a little bit now and then. If you don't have one already, get one now from the Hyperion website while their July sale is on. You know it makes sense. (£66 sale price with 25% discount = under £50 post free.)

http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/al.asp?al=CDS44171/81&f=vivaldi%20sacred%20music

Sound very tempting, though I would have to pay over $80 (worthless) dollars for the set plus air mail to my side of the pond ...   

[Elgarian]

Sound very tempting, though I would have to pay over $80 (worthless) dollars for the set plus air mail to my side of the pond ...

Are you sure? Hyperion say the postage is free. Might be worth checking with them.