Past Purchases (CLOSED)

[Mirror Image]

Just ordered this:

Very cool, Conor. You'll have to let me know how the performances are. I've heard several of Dorati's Tchaikovsky recordings and have enjoyed them. His Sleeping Beauty and Nutcracker are still some of the best around IMHO.

[mc ukrneal]

Cool, erato. It seems many recommend Peter Grimes and Billy Budd. Will be curious to hear them.

Personally, I love the darkness and psychology of Turn of the Screw. This is one that also benefits from seeing at least once (and there are some good versions available).

[Mirror Image]

Personally, I love the darkness and psychology of Turn of the Screw. This is one that also benefits from seeing at least once (and there are some good versions available).

Yes, Turn of the Screw from what little I've sampled sounded fantastic.

Thread duty -

Just had to have one Porgy & Bess so it was this one:



Hope I chose wisely.

[springrite]

Cool, erato. It seems many recommend Peter Grimes and Billy Budd. Will be curious to hear them.

About Billy Budd, I have heard it but I have trouble with opera without at least one female voice. The only predominantly male voice opera that I love is Palestrina.

And I like Turn of the Screw I guess partly because of my profession (psychology).

[Mirror Image]

About Billy Budd, I have heard it but I have trouble with opera without at least one female voice. The only predominantly male voice opera that I love is Palestrina.

And I like Turn of the Screw I guess partly because of my profession (psychology).

My approach to opera is the Bruckner way: tune the voices out, forget about the plot, and listen to the music.

[jlaurson]

slight edit:

Do you know Britten's operas, erato jens? If yes, what's favorite opera and performance?

My approach to opera is the Bruckner way: tune the voices out, forget about the plot, and listen to the music.

That's how I started out with Opera, too... eventually, you will probably include the vocal bits, too... Which are definitely worth it in Britten. The libretti are ecxcellent... and all the stories are incredibly dense and compelling, psychologically... like Ibsen or Chekov plays. (Well, Midsummer Night's Dream maybe not, but there Britten improved on Shakespeare by cutting it... no mean feat.)
Turn of the Screw is goose-bump inducing stuff... Peter Grimes might be the top-dog, but Billy is a touching story of love, self denial, loyalty... Yumm yumm.

These are at least my favorite non-Britten conducted versions....


Benjamin Britten
Peter Grimes
Langridge, Harrison, Watson, Opie, et al.
Richard Hickox / London Sinfonia
Chandos


Benjamin Britten
Billy Budd (org. 4-act version)
Hampson, Rolfe-Johnson, Halfvarsson et al.
Nagano / Hallé Orchestra
Erato


Benjamin Britten (org. 4-act version)
Billy Budd
Hampson, Rolfe-Johnson, Halfvarsson et al.
Nagano / Hallé Orchestra
Warner Classics re-issue


Benjamin Britten
Turn of the Screw
Ian Bostridge, Joan Rodgers, Jane Henschel et al.
D.Harding / Mahler Chamber Orchestra
Virgin


Benjamin Britten
Midsummer Night's Dream
McNair, Asawa, Llyod et al.
Colin Davis, LSO
Philips/Decca

[springrite]

My approach to opera is the Bruckner way: tune the voices out, forget about the plot, and listen to the music.

I do that, too. But it's like listening to a Bruckner adagio minus the violins.

[Mirror Image]

slight edit:
That's how I started out with Opera, too... eventually, you will probably include the vocal bits, too... Which are definitely worth it in Britten. The libretti are ecxcellent... and all the stories are incredibly dense and compelling, psychologically... like Ibsen or Chekov plays. (Well, Midsummer Night's Dream maybe not, but there Britten improved on Shakespeare by cutting it... no mean feat.)
Turn of the Screw is goose-bump inducing stuff... Peter Grimes might be the top-dog, but Billy is a touching story of love, self denial, loyalty... Yumm yumm.

These are at least my favorite non-Britten conducted versions....


Benjamin Britten
Peter Grimes
Langridge, Harrison, Watson, Opie, et al.
Richard Hickox / London Sinfonia
Chandos


Benjamin Britten
Billy Budd (org. 4-act version)
Hampson, Rolfe-Johnson, Halfvarsson et al.
Nagano / Hallé Orchestra
Erato


Benjamin Britten (org. 4-act version)
Billy Budd
Hampson, Rolfe-Johnson, Halfvarsson et al.
Nagano / Hallé Orchestra
Warner Classics re-issue


Benjamin Britten
Turn of the Screw
Ian Bostridge, Joan Rodgers, Jane Henschel et al.
D.Harding / Mahler Chamber Orchestra
Virgin


Benjamin Britten
Midsummer Night's Dream
McNair, Asawa, Llyod et al.
Colin Davis, LSO
Philips/Decca

Thanks, Jens. I appreciate your reply and help as I'm a total novice to Britten's operas. I am, however, quite familiar with most of his other music.

[TheGSMoeller]

On the subject of Britten operas, one that cannot be overlooked is Death in Venice, I truly consider it to be some of Britten's best music, along with a very emotional plot, some real drama can be found here, this is the Hickox recording...



... Hickox also recorded a delightful Midsummer Night's Dream.

[Karl Henning]

Greg, you remind me that I need to revisit Death in Venice . . . .

[TheGSMoeller]

Greg, you remind me that I need to revisit Death in Venice . . . .

One thing I would like to point out... since everyone now is on a DSCH no.15 high, well I'm always on one...is the haunting finale of Death and it's use of percussion. A definite presence of xylophone, bells, etc. contribute to the grim final minutes. Not that DSCH no.15 ends grim, but it's a nice comparison/contrast to how percussion can offer such a unique emotional layer.

[Mirror Image]

On the subject of Britten operas, one that cannot be overlooked is Death in Venice, I truly consider it to be some of Britten's best music, along with a very emotional plot, some real drama can be found here, this is the Hickox recording...



... Hickox also recorded a delightful Midsummer Night's Dream.

Kudos, Greg. I look forward to hearing the performance in the Britten box. I'll keep an eye out for the Hickox recording, which, judging from his other excellent Britten recordings, it will be right up my alley.

[The new erato]

I ordered this:

[asin]B000QFBW5Q[/asin]

and (even though I have 5 of the 8 discs) this was so ridiculously cheap that I needed the rest of this superb series:

[asin]B007AR7R5C[/asin]

amazon.it

And now off for three weeks of summer vacations; Baden in Germany, Alsace in France and a few days on the south coast of Norway on the return home.

[TheGSMoeller]

8 symphonies, 8 additional orchestral pieces and the violin concerto in the Amazon.com MP3 store for $7.99, that's a killer bargain.

[Mirror Image]

Just bought:



I've been looking at this one for a few years. Glad I finally pulled the trigger. I'm really interested in the Finzi work.

[Coopmv]

Just placed the following small order this evening with an Amazon MP vendor ...

[Mirror Image]

Just bought for $3 + shipping:



Lenny's first go with the Leningrad symphony.

[Conor71]

Just ordered :

[eyeresist]

Just pulled the trigger on:

[ASIN]B0000BX5KD[/ASIN]BRUCKNER Symphony 9 (complete) / Wildner


VAUGHAN WILLIAMS Symphonies 5 & 6 / Marriner

[ASIN]B0000042DF[/ASIN]KHACHATURIAN Symphony 2, violin & piano concertos / Composer et al.

[ASIN]B0030UO9N6[/ASIN]KHACHATURIAN Cello concerto, Concerto-rhapsody / Yablonsky (vc), Fedotov


KHACHATURIAN Symphony 1, Cello concerto-rhapsody / Composer

[Lisztianwagner]

Just ordered :

*pounds the table*