Past Purchases (CLOSED)

[DavidRoss]

30 minutes after the the hardest working woman in the Bundespost (yes, she's back on her beat after a few week's holiday), a man from the UPS showed up with a package from an Amazon seller containing the Thomson VW cycle. I recall four or five years ago paulb waxing eloquent (in his inimitable way) in the Gramophone forum about these performances. And recently MI has re-ignited my interest. Surely now that I've paid a small fortune, Chandos will bring out a budget box. Those of you who have been waiting as long as I have can thank me later    The symphonies are distributed between one standard jewel case and a double box:

If that budget box ever gets issued (maybe Chandos will license it to Brilliant!) I might be a candidate for it.  Let us know how you like the set.  I still like Thomson's 5th, but haven't acquired any others by him, and in fact, though I do like RVW, I haven't yet been excited enough by his symphonies to acquire more than one complete set (Handley) and several single issues...though my finger's been on the trigger more than once for Haitink and Previn. [Shrug] 

[Coopmv]

Just ordered this set at a great price from ArkivMusic.  This will be it for me as far as Mahler Symphonies are concerned ...

[Antoine Marchand]

Bach - Das Wohltemperierte Clavier I & II
Daniel Chorzempa (Harpsichord, Clavichord, Organ, Fortepiano)
Philips
Sep 1982 [WTC 1]; Dec 1994 [WTC 2]
4-CD / TT: 275:06
Recorded at Lutherse Kerk, Haarlem, Holland [WTC 1]; Staatlisches Institut für Musikforschung, Berlin, Germany [WTC 2].

[prémont]

Bach - Das Wohltemperierte Clavier I & II
Daniel Chorzempa (Harpsichord, Clavichord, Organ, Fortepiano)

Well, Antoine, I was not fast enough to answer in the Bach on the harpsichord thread, but you got it all the same, I see.  My intention was to revisit at least some of it before answering, as I have not listened to it for maybe four years. My impression then was that the interpretation is scholary, well articulated and at times rather elegant, and generally more searching than Robert Levin´s in-between more superficial reading. They share the choice of different instruments, and I recall that I sometimes understood Levin´s choice better. But if I actually were forced to choose between their set´s,  I would choose Chorzempa´s.

[George]

You found copy!! Great!!!

[Coopmv]

You found copy!! Great!!!

George,  Do you have this set?  I have most of Chorzempa's recordings on both CD and LP, but not the WTC.

[George]

George,  Do you have this set?  I have most of Chorzempa's recordings on both CD and LP, but not the WTC.

No, I don't. The harspichord makes me break out in hives. 

I was just happy for Antoine, as I knew he was after that puppy. 

[Coopmv]

No, I don't. The harspichord makes me break out in hives. 

I was just happy for Antoine, as I knew he was after that puppy.

Of the 10+ versions of WTC I currently have, 2 or 3 of them were performed on harpsichord ...

[karlhenning]

Picked this 2-disc set up for $9 at FYE:

Hindemith – The Complete Sonatas for Brass and Piano Glenn Gould & Members of the Philadelphia Brass Ensemble

[Lethevich]

Is that your first set of the quartets, Karl? Glorious music.

Can you recommend a good modern recording of them? Cheap is preferred but not essential. I have been living with the necro sounding Kolisch Quartet on Archiphon. Lovely performances but only acceptable sound which leaves much to be desired.

[SonicMan46]

Can you recommend a good modern recording of them? Cheap is preferred but not essential. I have been living with the necro sounding Kolisch Quartet on Archiphon. Lovely performances but only acceptable sound which leaves much to be desired.

Sara - assume from your quote that you are referring to the Schoenberg SQs?  The 4-CD set on Brilliant certainly is inexpensive and includes the Vienna Trio; now these recordings date to 1968-70 but the sound is quite good - not sure if this is what may interest you but a great offering from this company - 

[Drasko]

Can you recommend a good modern recording of them? Cheap is preferred but not essential. I have been living with the necro sounding Kolisch Quartet on Archiphon. Lovely performances but only acceptable sound which leaves much to be desired.

I'll second Dave's recommendation for LaSalle Quartet box, it would be even better if you'd stumble upon cheap used copy of original DG release, fat box in slip case with half-inch thick booklet with detailed analysis of the music. Never seen booklet that huge for non opera release (hell, even for opera). 

[Sergeant Rock]

Can you recommend a good modern recording of them? Cheap is preferred but not essential. I have been living with the necro sounding Kolisch Quartet on Archiphon. Lovely performances but only acceptable sound which leaves much to be desired.

I don't have a lot of depth in the quartets: the old Vox Kohon set on LP, the budget Lasalle and, my favorite, the Leipziger Quartet (available on three individual discs, each full price or a box set with Webern and Berg's quartets and chamber music). The Schoenberg Quartet, the New Vienna, and the Arditti I haven't heard but the Arditti (now OOP, I think) seemed to be a favorite of many.

Like Sonic, I think the Lasalle is pretty good, especially for the price.

Sarge

[Lethevich]

Thanks. I somehow ended up with these others as well I had read positive things about all of them on this forum, but the main reason for getting them was that I wanted to hear the music quite badly rather than any concern about a super high quality of performance - the Martucci in particular is a bargain given how hard it is to buy that repertoire cheaply (usually it's relegated to expensive indies on single discs):



I managed to avoid lapsing into gibbering insanity by stopping myself from purchasing a third complete cycle of Dvořák's quartets.

[kishnevi]

Picked this 2-disc set up for $9 at FYE:

Hindemith – The Complete Sonatas for Brass and Piano Glenn Gould & Members of the Philadelphia Brass Ensemble

Hope it's better than Gould's recording of the solo piano sonatas, which I found rather weak--the only Gould recording I have I don't like (albeit most of the others are of Bach)

[George]

Hope it's better than Gould's recording of the solo piano sonatas, which I found rather weak--the only Gould recording I have I don't like (albeit most of the others are of Bach)

Heard his Brahms?

[kishnevi]

Heard his Brahms?

Not yet.  Are you suggesting I might find that one unworthy enough to be placed next to the Hindemith? 

[George]

Not yet.  Are you suggesting I might find that one unworthy enough to be placed next to the Hindemith?

No quite the reverse, actually. His Brahms is wonderfully dark and romantic.

[kishnevi]

No quite the reverse, actually. His Brahms is wonderfully dark and romantic.

Well in that case, if you'll excuse me, I need to make sure that's in the shopping cart.

BTW, thread duty:   Christine Brewer and Eric Owens, Great Strauss Scenes

[Harry]

Thanks. I somehow ended up with these others as well I had read positive things about all of them on this forum, but the main reason for getting them was that I wanted to hear the music quite badly rather than any concern about a super high quality of performance - the Martucci in particular is a bargain given how hard it is to buy that repertoire cheaply (usually it's relegated to expensive indies on single discs):



I managed to avoid lapsing into gibbering insanity by stopping myself from purchasing a third complete cycle of Dvořák's quartets.

Very good choices Sarah!