Past Purchases (CLOSED)

[Karl Henning]

That's actually less hyperbolic than you might imagine. The Schoenberg/Gould box I own contains two hours of Arnie.

Thanks for the word, Sarge; sure I was thinking on the lines of the piano solo music occupying about a single CD, but even I know from YouTube that there is likely a Pierrot to be had. Is that Schoenberg/Gould box still at large?

[Sergeant Rock]

Thanks for the word, Sarge; sure I was thinking on the lines of the piano solo music occupying about a single CD, but even I know from YouTube that there is likely a Pierrot to be had. Is that Schoenberg/Gould box still at large?

I assume so (used perhaps?) but there is also a cheap 4 CD box that contains even more (hours and hours ), including Lieder and Das Buch der hängenden Gärten (although the truncated Pierrot goes missing).

[asin] B0085MK2F8[/asin]

Sarge

[jlaurson]

Arrived this morning,  the Wolf-Ferrari Violin Concerto played by Benjamin Schmid and the Oviedo Filarmonia, Friedrick Haider conducting. Recommended by Jens, the box coming in at number 2 on his Best of Year list.

"The concerto is a melodic feast for listeners, a rhythmic joyride for violinists, fiendishly difficult, exciting, and rewarding as hell[...]Wolf-Ferrari has a gift for masterly turns of phrases, has you in suspense with just two notes. You'll find touches of Beethoven's Ninth, Sibelius, and playful hints of Italian opera (Boito, Verdi) in them, and bop along. The Farao release comes with exemplary liner notes, in lavish packaging, and with a bonus DVD." --jfl




Sarge

FYI: He talketh about this bit:



http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2013/01/best-recordings-of-2012-2.html

[Karl Henning]

I assume so (used perhaps?) but there is also a cheap 4 CD box that contains even more (hours and hours ), including Lieder and Das Buch der hängenden Gärten (although the truncated Pierrot goes missing).

[asin] B0085MK2F8[/asin]

Thanks, Sarge . . . I should miss the Pierrot, even if incomplete (he was an odd duck, warn't he?)

But that 4-disc box looks available cheap enough, that I shouldn't mind the duplication (and there is always my deserving brother down south . . . .)

[Karl Henning]

Thread Duty

Landed to-day:

[Lisztianwagner]

Thread Duty

Landed to-day:

Excellent choice, the Ovchinnikov is the best interpretation of Liszt's Transcendental Etudes I've ever listened to!!

[Sadko]

Thread Duty

Landed to-day:

And I like this Nose a lot.

[Mirror Image]

Bought three four Martinu recordings I didn't own:

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Bought three four Martinu recordings I didn't own:

Ooo....I have all except the Opening of the Wells disc. When the disc arrives with the oboe concerto give it a spin pronto! It's one of my favorite Martinu pieces.

[Mirror Image]

Ooo....I have all except the Opening of the Wells disc. When the disc arrives with the oboe concerto give it a spin pronto! It's one of my favorite Martinu pieces.

I sure will, DD. What is it about the work that you enjoy so much? Are there any interesting harmonic, melodic, or rhythmic ideas that stand out?

[Mirror Image]

Also bought these two apparently OOP Martinu rarities:

[Dancing Divertimentian]

I sure will, DD. What is it about the work that you enjoy so much? Are there any interesting harmonic, melodic, or rhythmic ideas that stand out?

The main thing for me is its unique character. It's a concerto whose aim isn't to bedazzle the listener with overt displays of "oboe-istic" showmanship or orchestral barnstorming - mainly because the oboe just isn't the type of instrument to pull off a "Lisztian-type" showpiece!

But instead what we get is a work full of witticisms, color and...ingenuity. I think to pull off a concerto like this for a sort of 'diminutive' instrument you better have something up your sleeve to keep the listener hooked. Brevity first of all is probably required since banking on the oboe to keep a listener interested for 30-40 minutes just probably wouldn't happen (but I could be wrong ). So at 18 minutes the work never outlasts its welcome.

And in that 18 minutes the oboe sings and dances with a sparkle and color that never calls attention to itself, coupled with a small-scale orchestral backdrop intent on keeping the mood intimate and quite varied (it's scored for small orchestra). The piano is also present as a sort of continuo accompaniment and provides an interesting element to the scoring, almost at times turning the work into a concertante-type work for oboe and piano!

It's unique touches like these that endear the work to me.

I guess in short it's a work that won't wallop anyone over the head but if it's an 18 minutes of intimacy you're after the work should probably fit the bill. 

[Mirror Image]

The main thing for me is its unique character. It's a concerto whose aim isn't to bedazzle the listener with overt displays of "oboe-istic" showmanship or orchestral barnstorming - mainly because the oboe just isn't the type of instrument to pull off a "Lisztian-type" showpiece!

But instead what we get is a work full of witticisms, color and...ingenuity. I think to pull off a concerto like this for a sort of 'diminutive' instrument you better have something up your sleeve to keep the listener hooked. Brevity first of all is probably required since banking on the oboe to keep a listener interested for 30-40 minutes just probably wouldn't happen (but I could be wrong ). So at 18 minutes the work never outlasts its welcome.

And in that 18 minutes the oboe sings and dances with a sparkle and color that never calls attention to itself, coupled with a small-scale orchestral backdrop intent on keeping the mood intimate and quite varied (it's scored for small orchestra). The piano is also present as a sort of continuo accompaniment and provides an interesting element to the scoring, almost at times turning the work into a concertante-type work for oboe and piano!

It's unique touches like these that endear the work to me.

I guess in short it's a work that won't wallop anyone over the head but if it's an 18 minutes of intimacy you're after the work should probably fit the bill.

Thanks for the feedback, DD. This is pretty much what I've read about it about 15-20 minutes ago. I like the oboe and, no, you're right it's not an instrument that bludgeons you over the head. The fact that Martinu scored it for a small orchestra will help give the oboe more prominence and, like you said, it enables it to sing. Somebody online mentioned that piano obligato part. Sure does sound enticing.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Thanks for the feedback, DD. This is pretty much what I've read about it about 15-20 minutes ago. I like the oboe and, no, you're right it's not an instrument that bludgeons you over the head. The fact that Martinu scored it for a small orchestra will help give the oboe more prominence and, like you said, it enables it to sing. Somebody online mentioned that piano obligato part. Sure does sound enticing.

Awesome!

[Octave]

Excellent choice, the Ovchinnikov is the best interpretation of Liszt's Transcendental Etudes I've ever listened to!!

I am interested in this Ovchinkov recording of the Liszt TRANSCENDENTAL ETUDES now.  Oddly the recording of all 12 of these seems to appear in two box sets that came out the same year, the PIANO COLLECTION 10cd from EMI, and also that THE GREAT PIANO WORKS 10cd from Brilliant Classics.  Perhaps not so odd, but they would seem to be competing editions in some sense.  The Brilliant Classics licensing rep must be an ace party animal.

EDIT: And it seems that same (?) Ovchinkov recordings is also included in the Brilliant LISZT PORTRAIT big-ass box as well.  Why am I mentioning all this: who knows.

[PaulR]

Twas time to spend my $150 amazon gift card I got for X-Mas:
[asin]B0076JSNU2[/asin][asin]B000BUEGEU[/asin][asin]B0044ZQ8J4[/asin][asin]B005OZDXMI[/asin][asin]B00002MXMV[/asin][asin]B0000030EH[/asin][asin]B000026258[/asin][asin]B000F0H3QE[/asin]

[North Star]

Twas time to spend my $150 amazon gift card I got for X-Mas:
[asin]B000BUEGEU[/asin]

That's a superb set.
Nice haul, Paul (poetry just flows from the keyboard...)

So, what do you think of Debussy (and the other French from that period) ?

[PaulR]

That's a superb set.
Nice haul, Paul (poetry just flows from the keyboard...)

So, what do you think of Debussy (and the other French from that period) ?

to be honest, I don't care for Debussy and impressionism in general.  I find it boring and extremely unattractive.  That said, I am hoping this set converts me....so to speak.

[North Star]

to be honest, I don't care for Debussy and impressionism in general.  I find it boring and extremely unattractive.  That said, I am hoping this set converts me....so to speak.

Yes, I remembered reading that kind of thing from you before. Ravel's piano concertos might be worth trying, too.

[PaulR]

Yes, I remembered reading that kind of thing from you before. Ravel's piano concertos might be worth trying, too.

I have recordings of them already