Best recordings of 2009?

[Drasko]

This was released December 2008, but I've bought just few 2009 releases and haven't even listened to most of them yet.

[Brian]

I just submitted my list to MusicWeb:

Bernstein - Mass - Jubilant Sykes, Baltimore Symphony, Morgan State University Chorus, Marin Alsop, etc. Naxos
Khachaturian - Cello Concerto - Dmitry Yablonsky, Russian Philharmonia, Maxim Fedotov, Naxos
Tchaikovsky - Symphonies Nos 1 and 6 - London Philharmonic, Vladimir Jurowski, LPO

The list is truncated because an improbable five of my choices have not been reviewed on MusicWeb, and are thus ineligible!:
Beethoven - Symphonies 5 and 1 - Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Paavo Jarvi, RCA
Beethoven - Symphonies 6 and 2 - Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Paavo Jarvi, RCA
Beethoven - Complete Cello Music twice over (both HIP and non-HIP performances; 4 discs for the price of 2) - David Hardy and Lambert Orkis, Dorian
Crusell - Clarinet Concertos - Martin Frost, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Okku Kamu, BIS
Shostakovich - Symphonies Nos 5 and 9 - Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Vasily Petrenko, Naxos

[Mandryka]

The Well Tempered Clavier Book 1, Maurizio Pollini

I give this one the thumbs up.

DG has not been so good at piano sound over the past decade or so. And Pollini has never been particularly well served by them sonically. With some other recordings I have felt that the sound is too flat (The Chopin Nocturnes for example). Well, flatness isn't quite the problem here.

There's an urban myth that DG's practice is to place a microphone inside the piano - with the consequence that you hear a fair bit of ugly twang. Well, this Pollini record has made me think that the myth may be reality.

The sound is quite resonant. Pollini's touch inclines more to singing legato than detached. But when he feels it is right he makes a more encapsulated tone. He layers the voices beautifully.

But you don't get this CD for the sound.

The interpretation is energetic and intense. Fire. Brisk. To give you an idea - when it first arrived I listened to the whole of Book 1 in one sitting.

Now - I have a miniscule attention span normally . . .

It's the polar opposite of Hewitt's second recording -- the 2007 one -- which I also love for very different reasons.
Two specifics to give you an idea of the style:

There's a nice equilibrium between romantic and objective. If anything it leans towards the objective I think -- but it is warm. Very good, for example, in the E flat minor prelude, where it's tempting to over sentimentalise (is that a word?)

Also, it's quite virtuosic. The E minor Prelude is taken at breakneck speed, I think very effectively.

[MN Dave]

I've had my eye on that one.

[Bulldog]

The Well Tempered Clavier Book 1, Maurizio Pollini

I give this one the thumbs up.

DG has not been so good at piano sound over the past decade or so. And Pollini has never been particularly well served by them sonically. With some other recordings I have felt that the sound is too flat (The Chopin Nocturnes for example). Well, flatness isn't quite the problem here.

There's an urban myth that DG's practice is to place a microphone inside the piano - with the consequence that you hear a fair bit of ugly twang. Well, this Pollini record has made me think that the myth may be reality.

The sound is quite resonant. Pollini's touch inclines more to singing legato than detached. But when he feels it is right he makes a more encapsulated tone. He layers the voices beautifully.

That "resonant" comment is not attractive, but I guess I'll have to find out for myself.

[Benji]

Vaughan Williams' Piano Concerto, with the Royal Liverpool Phil, cond. James Judd; Ashley Wass (Piano).

My vote goes to this, which only came out just last month. A find for me, flawlessly played by all involved and beautiful recorded. I hope this gets the work a bigger audience, it truly deserves it.

[knight66]

Ben, I heard and enjoyed this piece at last year's London Proms. It seemed an oddly structured work that did not give the pianist all that much to do by way of showing off.

Mike

[jlaurson]

Technically this isn't Best of 2009, since the date range is Summer 08 to Summer 09.
But those are five choices of mine from that period. The 2009 releases will obviously
feature in my actual Best of 2009 list. (WETA)

Want List 2009

DEBUSSY String Quartet. RAVEL String Quartet. FAURÉ String Quartet • Qrt Ebène • VIRGIN 519045
(also in my Best of 2008 List)

HAYDN String Quartets: in G, op. 64/4; in g, op. 74/3, "Rider"; in D, op. 76/5 • Minetti Qrt • HÄNSSLER 98.589

BACH "Nun komm' der Heiden Heiland" • Stern • ZIG-ZAG 90104

KURTÁG'S GHOST • Formenti • KAIROS 12902 (2 CDs)

MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 2, "Lobgesang" • Bernius/Karg, Bernius, Güra/Stuttgart CCh/German CP Bremen • CARUS 83.213 (SACD)

[Benji]

Ben, I heard and enjoyed this piece at last year's London Proms. It seemed an oddly structured work that did not give the pianist all that much to do by way of showing off.

Mike

Showing off? Mike, come on, we're British don't ya know?

But you're probably on to something; it's true that there isn't much in the way of bravura, which maybe explains why it hasn't been picked up into the standard repertoire. I have more thoughts on the piece, but they're gestating and i'll release them onto a more specific thread when they're ready to hatch. 

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Showing off? Mike, come on, we're British don't ya know?

But you're probably on to something; it's true that there isn't much in the way of bravura, which maybe explains why it hasn't been picked up into the standard repertoire.

Interesting as this seems the exact opposite of Britten's piano concerto, which is a zip-along, pyro-technical whirlwind of a piece - yet it too remains in the repertory backwater (I love it). No accounting for neglect it seems no matter what a work's stripes.

[Guido]

Biggest let down for me was the Naxos release of Bernstein's Mass. I absolutely adore the excerpted three meditations for cello and orchestra - really and truly amongst the finest cello works of the last century (get Rostropovich with the composer - miles above the competition).

I was absolutely shocked at what a crap piece this turned out to be - prolix, tawdry, uninspired melodically and rather trite in its message and execution. I am a Bernstein fan when it comes to his compositions, but this is completely overblown and I think people are very misguided when they say it is his masterpiece.

I'll have to think about the best recording...

[jlaurson]

Here's the count-down for 2009.

http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2009/12/best-recordings-of-2009-10.html

http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2009/12/best-recordings-of-2009-9.html

Best of the Year [permanent link]

[The new erato]

I'm pretty sure my topspot will be occupied by the Dacapo disc of Nørgård's symphonies 3&7, but I will need Christmas to tally up.

[jlaurson]

http://tinyurl.com/yzw5sug

Best of 2009 - Part 8

[jlaurson]

http://tinyurl.com/yz7lz3u

Best of 2009 - Part 7

[jlaurson]

http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2009/12/best-recordings-of-2009-6.html

Best of 2009 - Part 6

[jlaurson]

http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2009/12/best-recordings-of-2009-5.html

Best of 2009 - Part 5

[snyprrr]

I was sooooo going to start this thread today!



1) Xenakis Complete SQs/JACK Quartet
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)

9)
10)

Add the Haydn Op.17 on Hyperion.

And, I suppose if I heard it, you could put me on the Ebene bandwagon.

[jlaurson]

http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2009/12/best-recordings-of-2009-4.html

Best of 2009 - Part 4

[jlaurson]

http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2009/12/best-recordings-of-2009-3.html

Best of 2009 - Part 3