Past Purchases (CLOSED)

[Harry]

I've been collecting this cycle CD by CD,  and am waiting for two more to come in (Overtures and Symphonies 3/4)
Be aware that Zinman and the Zurichers recorded not only the Symphonies, but the Overtures, the Piano Concertos and Choral Fantasy (with Yefim Bronfman), the Violin Concerto and Romances (Tetzlaff),  the Triple Concerto coupled with members of the Tonhalle performing the Septet, and the Missa Solemnis (but not, as far as I know, the Mass in C).

There's also a 2 CD set on Arte Nova of the Schumann symphonies.

For me this is the best Beethoven set on the market! Regarding the Schumann I am a little more skeptical. The first two symphonies are topnotch, good tempi and beautiful phrasing. The third and fourth Symphonies is a different kettle of fish. Some movements are too slow, not all of them, phrasing is still fine, but I rather have Gardiner in this. But its still a fine set anyday.

[Harry]

Ordered from prestoclassical from a batch of former L'Oiseau-Lyre recordings reissued on Australian Eloquence. Tons of discs with a young Emma Kirkby for Harry to enjoy!

Were it not that I bought all of these already in their original guise. 

[Sergeant Rock]

In today's mail: Shostakovich and Wagner.

Brian persuaded me, against all reason, that I needed another Shostakovich Fifth. Well, Hurwitz helped convince me too:

"Kreizberg, like Sanderling, is absolutely convinced that the finale does not represent a "happy" ending. After an impressively portentous opening and a brooding central interlude, he grinds out the coda with as much relentless menace as the music can take, and then some. By the time the movement heaves its lacerated carcass through the final bars, the cessation of sound comes as a positive relief."





I've been waiting as long as twenty-five years for certain opera recordings to come down to mid-price. They finally have    The first arrived today:





Another Tannhäuser and a Salome (both conducted by Sinopoli) are on the way to me.

Sarge

[Drasko]

Salome (conducted by Sinopoli)

Sarge

My neighbors simply adore Terfel's du bist verflucht and following tutti from Sinopoli.  0:)

[Sergeant Rock]

My neighbors simply adore Terfel's du bist verflucht and following tutti from Sinopoli.  0:)

I would say I can't wait to hear it...but of course I have waited, a very long time. I suppose I really should have bought this at full-price years ago.

Sarge

[prémont]

Cambridge Audio DacMagic Digital-to-Analog Converter with USB, Black






Harry's recommendation.

Excuse me, how much did you pay for the HI-FI gear. I suspect a recommendation from Harry may cost "the white out of the eyes" as we say in Denmark.

Zinman´s Beethoven cycle is rather good, the Concertos being the cream of it IMO, but since I acquired the Symphony cycles of MacKerras (both sets) and Harnoncourt, I very seldom listen to Zinman´s Beethoven symphonies.

[not edward]

Sorry, Edward, but the image is not showing.

I do agree with the rationale, whatever it was you got

Let's see if this one works:



Not greatly impressed with the music on first listening (it doesn't seem remotely as deep as the best of the symphonies and the quintets) but will give it another few tries.

[Scarpia]

Excuse me, how much did you pay for the HI-FI gear. I suspect a recommendation from Harry to be "the white out of the eyes" as we say in Denmark.

I am trying to determine what that could possibly mean.

[prémont]

I am trying to determine what that could possibly mean.

You are welcome. I have made a small edit to the text to make things easier for you.

[Antoine Marchand]

Excuse me, how much did you pay for the HI-FI gear. I suspect a recommendation from Harry may cost "the white out of the eyes" as we say in Denmark.

Hi, Premont. Harry's recommendation was just about Zinmann (our dear Harry doesn't need these humble devices); therefore, the DAC Magic is my entire responsability.

I paid about US $700.- directly in Chile, but on Amazon it costs US $429.- I am using it with one of my two CD players (NAD 542C) and the results were immediate: now the sound is warmer and, I would say, with more air among the instruments. So far a very nice acquisition.   

[Antoine Marchand]

I have one of those, fed from CD transport and Squeezebox.  I have yet to discover what the difference is between the filter settings, and would be interested in your impressions.

I will comment my impressions in the future, SM.

Are you satisfied with the DAC Magic?

[Mirror Image]

I will comment my impressions in the future, SM.

Are you satisfied with the DAC Magic?

I use a Pioneer RG Dynamic Processor RG-9 and it's fantastic. Really warms the tone and gives much more clarity:

Here's the front:



Here's the back:

[Drasko]

I would say I can't wait to hear it...but of course I have waited, a very long time. I suppose I really should have bought this at full-price years ago.

Sarge

Terfel is superb and so is Sinopoli, Studer is good, the rest of the cast doesn't leave much of impression. The one I've waited too long to hear (and get) is Welitsch, what a voice!

[Mirror Image]

One more on the way...



This will be my first Pettersson recording and I had read that his 7th is one of his masterpieces.

[George]

With thanks to Franco!

[Mirror Image]

With thanks to Franco!

You're such a copycat.

[Antoine Marchand]

With thanks to Franco!

That was fast! Ten minutes between the moment when you knew about this recording and the purchase. Sometimes this forum is very comforting. I mean, I am not so crazy or, at least, I am not alone. 

[Sergeant Rock]

Terfel is superb and so is Sinopoli, Studer is good, the rest of the cast doesn't leave much of impression. The one I've waited too long to hear (and get) is Welitsch, what a voice!

Welitsch was my first Salome, on record and on CD....the final scene anyway. Magnificent.

Sarge

[George]

That was fast! Ten minutes between the moment when you knew about this recording and the purchase. Sometimes this forum is very comforting. I mean, I am not so crazy or, at least, I am not alone. 

Well, in the past I have waited a few hours or days and a few times ended up not being able to get something or paying a ton more for it. Those days are gone. 

[kishnevi]

Or he could just buy this box set and be done with it



This set collects most of Zinman's Beethoven orchestral recordings (symphonies, overtures, concerti).

EDIT: I'm shocked to find out that this great set is now out-of-print. I was lucky enough to have bought it a few years ago for $30! 

Even at Arte Nova prices, $30 is perilously close to felony.

Thread duty:
The Halle recording of Gotterdammerung (Elder conducting).  Now to find four and three quarter hours of time to actually listen to it, which isn't easy for me.  I may have to do it act by act.