Past Purchases (CLOSED)

[mc ukrneal]

Aren't most of these composers from the 20th Century. I know O'Riada is (I'm still waiting on a recording of his orchestral works from overseas). I'm quite certain Gerald Victory is from this era. I'm not expecting it to be 'Romantic' in the Brahms or Schumann sense. Anyway, thanks for your feedback, Neal.

I think you are right that the composers are from 20th century. A lot of it has folk songs (at least it sounds like it), so maybe I am just thinking of that. O'Riada was definitely the most 20th century sounding, and I think you will like that track for sure. I guess it ranges in terms of how many parts there are romantic period and how many parts modern (if we think about it in that way).

[kishnevi]

A Mirror Image special 


Partly motivated by my current listening (see WAYLT) and partly motivated by researching prices on Arkivmusic's clearance sale, and finalized by seeing that Brendel is the pianist for 10CDs worth of concertos.
Almost all of the music in the Litanies/etc box will be brand new to me, and I'll now have a complete set of the concertos to set next to the Perahia cycle.

[Mirror Image]

A Mirror Image special 

[Bogey]

Two soundtracks:



Nice sample here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dHR8dsiIk4

and of course


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsjEobBOCEI

However, the opening on the cd is 7 minutes.  There is another cd called "Essential" which has more tracks and many of these, but I thought after sampling both that this one captured the show more so.  It also had two tracks that I wanted that the essential one did not.

[TheGSMoeller]

Two soundtracks:



Nice sample here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dHR8dsiIk4

and of course


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsjEobBOCEI

However, the opening on the cd is 7 minutes.  There is another cd called "Essential" which has more tracks and many of these, but I thought after sampling both that this one captured the show more so.  It also had two tracks that I wanted that the essential one did not.

Was just sampling the Downton Abbey soundtrack, might be in my future.

And how cool is "Auto-Rip" from Amazon?

[kishnevi]

Went looking for more Mozart, and found it on Amazon Spain.
  19.80 Euros before VAT was deducted. 
3.04  Euros before VAT was deducted 
and an MI approved purchase to go with them
9.58 Euros before VAT was deducted 
Shipping charge: 14.90   
But I expected the shipping charge.

[Mirror Image]

and an MI approved purchase to go with them

Approved, indeed! A great set right there. I don't own that particular set, I own the OOP blue box:

[Octave]

[asin]B0009SQC5A[/asin]
Beethoven: PIANO WORKS VOL. 11 [Great Pianists: Artur Schnabel series] (Naxos Historical)

Did Schnabel only make one recording of the DIABELLIs?  The Naxos seems to be a recording from ~1937 (hard to read the back cover pic at Amazon).  I wasn't sure this was the same performance as the Philips GREAT PIANISTS OF THE 20th CENTURY 2cd of Schnabel, which I don't own:

[asin]B00000I0LL[/asin]

I thought about going the Pristine Classical route, which would almost certainly be the best sound available, no?  But my cheapskate tendencies interfered as always.  Hopefully Pristine will last another ~10 years at least so I can invest in the good stuff when I am more gainfully employed, if ever.
I was interested to find a short review article that was rather critical of Schnabel's DIABELLI performance:
http://www.classicalcdreview.com/47.html
Not sure what to think of this, though I probably should have read it after and not before hearing the Schnabel.  My points of reference for this piece are still short: two by Rudolf Serkin, Arrau in 1960s, S. Richter (1950s), and that might be it. 

Another item I am happy about, not exactly a "today" purchase, but recent:

[asin]B006KA3510[/asin]

[Octave]

MI, off the top of your head, do you know how much, if any, of the non-symphony extras from the blue EMI box were included in the big RVW "Collector's Edition" box from EMI?  Please don't go to any trouble to check; I am being lazy.  That blue EMI box has become rather expensive, so I was thinking of doing what Jeffrey did, and getting the 2012 symphonies-only box.

Also, I am sure you have given an opinion on the Decca mono recordings by Boult, but could you tell me now what you think of those?  Each set (EMI/stereo and Decca/mono) seems to have its partisans; I have heard the mono at least sounds quite good.

[Mirror Image]

MI, off the top of your head, do you know how much, if any, of the non-symphony extras from the blue EMI box were included in the big RVW "Collector's Edition" box from EMI?  Please don't go to any trouble to check; I am being lazy.  That blue EMI box has become rather expensive, so I was thinking of doing what Jeffrey did, and getting the 2012 symphonies-only box.

Also, I am sure you have given an opinion on the Decca mono recordings by Boult, but could you tell me now what you think of those?  Each set (EMI/stereo and Decca/mono) seems to have its partisans; I have heard the mono at least sounds quite good.

I'm not sure exactly what's in the Vaughan Williams: Collector's Edition, but, if I'm not mistaken, I could be wrong (I'm feeling a bit lazy tonight too ), the symphony and orchestral performances are with Vernon Handley/Royal Liverpool PO. Also, as you may or may not know, Handley's set can be bought separately as well.

I'm not the person to ask about Boult's Decca set, I own it, but haven't really given many of the performances a spin (a work-in-progress). I do know that not all of the performances are in mono. There are several stereo performances. You will need the Sarge's help here if he's so kind to oblige you, which I'm sure he will be. He's a nice guy.

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

A Mirror Image special 


Partly motivated by my current listening (see WAYLT) and partly motivated by researching prices on Arkivmusic's clearance sale, and finalized by seeing that Brendel is the pianist for 10CDs worth of concertos.
Almost all of the music in the Litanies/etc box will be brand new to me, and I'll now have a complete set of the concertos to set next to the Perahia cycle.

Can you believe that I bought the whole series when it was released on CD, and that roughly half of it is still unheard by me. I remember the Mozart Symphonies by Marriner and that I liked them quite well.

[Sergeant Rock]

MI, off the top of your head, do you know how much, if any, of the non-symphony extras from the blue EMI box were included in the big RVW "Collector's Edition" box from EMI?

All the performances conducted by Boult in the blue box are also in the Collector's Edition with the exception of the Tallis Fantasia. Silvestri conducts that work in the Collector's.

Also, I am sure you have given an opinion on the Decca mono recordings by Boult, but could you tell me now what you think of those?  Each set (EMI/stereo and Decca/mono) seems to have its partisans; I have heard the mono at least sounds quite good.

It sounds very good to me. Although the "pastoral" haze of the EMI is attractive, I prefer the clarity of the Decca. Even The Sea Symphony sounds fantastic. As far as performances: the Decca are generally tauter, swifter, more forceful. The older Boult is softer and tends to meander--in a very attractive way (and in a way I associate with the music--having lived with the set for 40 years). I think Decca's 4, 6 and 9 are clearly superior to EMI's. I like John Gielgud's narration in the Decca 7 (the spoken word may count as a liability, depending on your taste) and Culshaw's production pretty impressive for 1953. I prefer EMI's 2 and 8. The EMI Pastoral is a beautiful example of the cowpat school but the Decca brings out the unease, even the agony, of music born in war: an instrumental requiem. Neither of Boult's Fifths do anything for me. Although I grew up with Boult/EMI and put off getting the Decca until just a few years ago, I would now take the Decca box to the desert island.

Sarge

[Octave]

All the performances conducted by Boult in the blue box are also in the Collector's Edition with the exception of the Tallis Fantasia. Silvestri conducts that work in the Collector's.

Thanks very much for this info, Sarge.  And to clarify, in case someone misreads Sarge's comment, I think he means "all the NON-SYMPHONY performances by Boult"...you get the Handley symphony cycle in that big Collector's Edition box.
I am new to RVW, but I know it's for life; thanks for the tip on the Decca/mono.

[Sergeant Rock]

Three CDs arrived this morning. I love Bach but I'm not terribly fond of the organ so these arrangements of the Organ Trio Sonatas played by the Florilegium are ideal for me. While browsing JPC, I noticed the name Francesco Zappa...and no, he isn't related to Frank (damn  ) but apparently Frank actually recorded some of the older (born in the 18th century) Zappa's music. The third disc is one recommended by, and from Jens' Best Recordings of 2012: August de Boeck's Piano Concerto.







Sarge

[Fafner]

This just arrived:   

[asin]B008GAXUYE[/asin]

I am amazed, because I only ordered it three days ago from Germany and I got the dispatch notice today morning. Anyway, I am very happy and I see a lot of Shostakovich on my playlist in the coming days and weeks.

And the Naxos catalogue for 2012 was enclosed with the order. I already have it in my iPad, but it's nice to have a physical copy.

By the way, the new catalog for 2013 is already available on the Naxos website, it was not there a couple of days ago.

UPDATE:

Well, there are two disappointing omissions: The Song of the Forests and The Nose. I guess I'll have to buy those separately. 

[Sergeant Rock]

And to clarify, in case someone misreads Sarge's comment, I think he means "all the NON-SYMPHONY performances by Boult"

Indeed.

Sarge

[Sergeant Rock]

I'm not sure exactly what's in the Vaughan Williams: Collector's Edition, but, if I'm not mistaken, I could be wrong (I'm feeling a bit lazy tonight too ), the symphony and orchestral performances are with Vernon Handley/Royal Liverpool PO.

The non-symphony orchestral performances are divided among several conductors: Handley, Boult, Barbirolli, Hickox, Groves.

Sarge

[Karl Henning]

Landed yesterday:

[mc ukrneal]

Three CDs arrived this morning. I love Bach but I'm not terribly fond of the organ so these arrangements of the Organ Trio Sonatas played by the Florilegium are ideal for me. While browsing JPC, I noticed the name Francesco Zappa...and no, he isn't related to Frank (damn  ) but apparently Frank actually recorded some of the older (born in the 18th century) Zappa's music. The third disc is one recommended by, and from Jens' Best Recordings of 2012: August de Boeck's Piano Concerto.







Sarge

Those look great. I will be waiting to hear what you think of the Bach, as organ is not always my thing either. And I love the cover for that disc.

[springrite]

Landed yesterday:

*pound the table*