Recordings That You Are Considering

[SonicMan46]

I was just perusing my Villa-Lobos collection after a post in the 'Listening Thread' about his Violin Sonatas, which I do not own - BUT, I have just a few discs of his piano music (by Rubinsky) and just noticed that an 8-CD box of her recordings of these works is now available (guess that I bought these a while ago and lost track?) - any comments, please - Dave

[jlaurson]

Interesting.  I have avoided his classical recordings, although I very much enjoy his jazz records - even with the grunting and wheezing.  Does he do that with Shostokovich?

I can understand that sentiment, although I don't share it... I think his Handel, for example, is exemplary. His Bach is more contentious, and still more his harpsichord playing, in which he can sound a bit like a musical robot.

But the DSCH is the K. Jarrett recording to have for those who don't otherwise respond to his playing.

http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2005/01/dip-your-ears-no-22.html
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2009/June09/Shostakovich_acd22555.htm
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2010/Feb10/Shostakovich24_bigears005_98530.htm

Keith Jarrett brings his no-nonsense, dry and clear pianism as well as his unrivaled rhythmic feeling to these works that have me prefer his account even to the lingering and slower dedicatée Mme. Nikolayeva. Jarrett makes it sound like Bach, Nikolayeva like Schumann. Of the many versions released since or prior to this (Ashkenazy-Decca, Scherbakov-Naxos, Jalbert-Atma Classique, Lin-Hänssler, Stone-Big Ears), none surpass Jarrett in what he does so well with the Preludes & Fugues.

Dedicatee Tatyana Nikolayeva - who had inspired Shostakovich to write them in the first place - was the only game in town (on whichever one of her (now four!) recordings was available at any given point). Then along came Vladimir Ashkenazy (Decca) and, in 2000, Keith Jarrett (ECM) entered the fray. Since then, Preludes and Fugues have been dropping like apples from a tree. Konstantin Scherbakov (Naxos - see review), Caroline Weichert (Accord), Boris Petrushansky (Stradivarius), Mûza Rubackyté (Brilliant Classics), and Kori Bond (Centaur) have pushed the count to a respectable eleven sets. David Jalbert's on Atma Classique makes it a dozen....

...As I don't get tired of re-stating, I am very solidly biased towards Keith Jarrett's unfussy account, which comes so close to Bach. Jarrett's Prelude in C is swift like nobody's business, and while 135 seconds doesn't look that much faster than the average 160 seconds of Jalbert/Lin/Stone, it sounds just about twice as fast. In turn, Jarrett takes the Fugue almost provocatively slow, something he has in common with Jalbert (5:10)...

...In being faster, not just in the Fugues, Jarrett avoids any sense of that "get on with it, already" feeling present with all the rest. Jarrett works through the pieces like an inspired machine; the total lack of wallowing inoculates him against any lingering late-romantic feelings. Perhaps that, more than the gorgeous spacious acoustic and great sound of the ECM recording and more than his great alertness, is the reason why I can listen to his recording over and over without tiring; many of the others — including Nikolayeva — not.

I was just perusing my Villa-Lobos collection after a post in the 'Listening Thread' about his Violin Sonatas, which I do not own - BUT, I have just a few discs of his piano music (by Rubinsky) and just noticed that an 8-CD box of her recordings of these works is now available (guess that I bought these a while ago and lost track?) - any comments, please - Dave

Sounds like a nice find. I love those surprises of "Oh, I totally have that recording. I had no idea!".

[Sammy]

I can understand that sentiment, although I don't share it... I think his Handel, for example, is exemplary. His Bach is more contentious, and still more his harpsichord playing, in which he can sound a bit like a musical robot.

But the DSCH is the K. Jarrett recording to have for those who don't otherwise respond to his playing.

Although I don't find Jarrett's Bach and Handel anything special, it's his Shostakovich that I consider his least compelling classical music performance on record.  In quite a few of the Op. 87 pieces, he's a lost soul.

[Karl Henning]

Melnikov's performance is high quality.  You need not fear on that account.  The question boils down to whether you have enough interest in the P&Fs to warrant getting a second recording, which is something only you can answer for yourself.

By way of context,  I have Scherbakov, Lin and Melnikov, and like all three; it would be very hard for me to say which one is "the best".

I've not done a comparison, but I have both Shcherbakov and Melnikov, and like both very well, indeed.  I've also got the Regis set by Nikolayeva, and I see Jens's point viz. Schumann. So, curiously (while I do not dislike her set at all), the set by the 'historically authoritative' performer has wound up as my least favorite.

I am still absorbing the Mustonen.

[Brian]

[Mirror Image]

I was just perusing my Villa-Lobos collection after a post in the 'Listening Thread' about his Violin Sonatas, which I do not own - BUT, I have just a few discs of his piano music (by Rubinsky) and just noticed that an 8-CD box of her recordings of these works is now available (guess that I bought these a while ago and lost track?) - any comments, please - Dave

Hey Dave, if you go to the Villa-Lobos thread, I made some comments about this box set. In fact, I believe you were the one who inquired me about it. In fact, here's the quote:

Sorry I didn't comment about the piano music set with Rubinsky. Let me say, it's really good. I don't have much to compare it to, because I'm still new to his solo piano music, but I've listened to discs 1-6 so far and have been impressed. The whole series is definitely worth acquiring and yes all of the discs are just the original releases housed in a box. The artwork on the box set is really cool looking:

[SonicMan46]

Hey Dave, if you go to the Villa-Lobos thread, I made some comments about this box set. In fact, I believe you were the one who inquired me about it. In fact, here's the quote:

Thanks again, John - just put an 18 disc box of Clementi's piano sonatas on my wish list, so might as well add the V-L box w/ Rubinsky, too -  Dave

[Todd]

Hmm, should I buy one at a time, or wait until he is done with the cycle?  I'm thinking wait, at least for now.

[Mirror Image]

Thanks again, John - just put an 18 disc box of Clementi's piano sonatas on my wish list, so might as well add the V-L box w/ Rubinsky, too -  Dave

[bluto32]

I'm thinking of buying one of these sets of Mozart's piano concertos:

[asin]B0000041KA[/asin]
[asin]B006XOBFB0[/asin]

If anyone has both, how do they compare?

(I've also heard good things about Uchida, but her cycle is incomplete - I believe it is missing nos. 1,2,3,4,7,10 - which rules it out for me.)

Bluto

[mc ukrneal]

I'm thinking of buying one of these sets of Mozart's piano concertos:

[asin]B0000041KA[/asin]
[asin]B006XOBFB0[/asin]

If anyone has both, how do they compare?

(I've also heard good things about Uchida, but her cycle is incomplete - I believe it is missing nos. 1,2,3,4,7,10 - which rules it out for me.)

Bluto

I have the Ashkenazy (the whole shebang) and love it. It doesn't seem as popular as some others, but I think it is quite fine. I also have several of the Perahia discs from that set and like those as well. You really cannot go wrong with either.

[jlaurson]

I'm thinking of buying one of these sets of Mozart's piano concertos:


W.G.Mozart
Piano Concertos
Ashkenazy / Philharmonia
Decca
German link - UK link

W.G.Mozart
Symphonies 17 & 32
Perahia / COE 
Sony
German link - UK link

If anyone has both, how do they compare?

(I've also heard good things about Uchida, but her cycle is incomplete - I believe it is missing nos. 1,2,3,4,7,10 - which rules it out for me.)

Bluto

1.) Let's get rid of the canard that Uchida's cycle is incomplete. Uchida's cycle is not incomplete. It just doesn't include the sonata orchestrations (1-4) Mozart made of other composers's works.  They should be in every C.P.E.Bach collection, but are hardly mandatory in a set of Mozart Piano Concertos. And it doesn't include the concertos for more than one piano... which is fair, since Uchida only has two arms... and which can be gotten separately and very easily... by way of Perahia/Lupu, for example. (Some, not all, of the incarnations of the Perahia set include those recordings. I assume the one you link to does, too.) András Schiff - in my go-to set, apart from Uchida and Perahia - made the same repertoire choices... so did Brendel (who is not among my favorites. His humor seems subdued), ditto Immerseel and Bilson and probably a few others.


2.) Perahia, if you only choose between him and Ashkenazy... and by a mile. Ashkenazy, as much as I like him in a lot of repertoire, sounds much more in run-through mode, has moments of prettifying, and the orchestra lumbers on many occasion. ECO, meanwhile, must have been in super-Mozart-mode then, and not yet quite tired of it; very alive and sprightly, which Perahia's rich, generous piano-piano tone. Sort of a near ideal match of classical spirit and wee bit romanticized tone.

[mc ukrneal]

2.) Perahia, if you only choose between him and Ashkenazy... and by a mile. Ashkenazy, as much as I like him in a lot of repertoire, sounds much more in run-through mode, has moments of prettifying, and the orchestra lumbers on many occasion. ECO, meanwhile, must have been in super-Mozart-mode then, and not yet quite tired of it; very alive and sprightly, which Perahia's rich, generous piano-piano tone. Sort of a near ideal match of classical spirit and wee bit romanticized tone.

Gotta disagree here. It's Ashkenazy who has the spring in his step compared to Perahia. The Perahia is wonderful, but seems by far to be the more serious/classical (which I don't mind at all). And that is despite the sometimes faster speeds of the Perahia. Just listen to the opening of the third movement of the 18th. Perahia is precise and controlled (for me a bit too restrained), where Ashkenazy let's it rip a little more - gives it a bit of edge/aggressiveness. Perahia doesn't strike me as being romantic here at all, certainly compared to Ashkenazy. And perhaps that is where the biggest difference lies.

[jlaurson]

Just listen to the opening of the third movement of the 18th. Perahia is precise and controlled (for me a bit too restrained), where Ashkenazy let's it rip a little more - gives it a bit of edge/aggressiveness. Perahia doesn't strike me as being romantic here at all, certainly compared to Ashkenazy. And perhaps that is where the biggest difference lies.

With "romantic", I was referring (or meant to refer) to tone. But I'll compare on that concerto right now (Spotify be thanks, saving me the trouble of ripping/comparing), since you've piqued my interest in No.18.

[kishnevi]

A number of years ago, I was comparing Perahia and Uchida to decide which set to purchase.   The three things that made me pick Perahia were the extra concertos he recorded, a somewhat lower price point, and the fact that the Uchida set, at least in the incarnation I was looking at,  split one or more concertos across two CDs--something I try to avoid.  Perahia turned out to be excellent throughout;  I just got around to getting a second cylce (Brendel) a couple of months ago.

I have no idea of how Ashkenazy sounds.  The only reason I was only comparing Perahia and Uchida was that they were the two sets my local Borders had in store.....which tells you how long ago I got the Perahia.

[jlaurson]

A number of years ago, I was comparing Perahia and Uchida to decide which set to purchase.   The three things that made me pick Perahia were the extra concertos he recorded, a somewhat lower price point, and the fact that the Uchida set, at least in the incarnation I was looking at,  split one or more concertos across two CDs--something I try to avoid. ...

That's the one thing that would bother me a little. Fortunately my set (1993, 9 disc) doesn't do that... quite asinine that Decca felt like they had to squeeze that onto 8 discs at the cost of splitting No.16. (The only one thus affected, I reckon?) Ah, pulling that set out just now, to double check, brings back memories...

[NJ Joe]

Hi,

Not sure if this is the right place for this, but I'd like to purchase a recording of Tchaikovsky's complete ballets and was wondering if someone could make a recommendation. A single set would be great, but not a requirement. Thanks,

Joe

PS- If it's not the right place, please let me know.

[Sergeant Rock]

Uchida's cycle is not incomplete. It just doesn't include the sonata orchestrations (1-4) Mozart made of other composers's works. And it doesn't include the concertos for more than one piano...ditto Immerseel and Bilson...

Bilson's cycle did include the concertos for two and three pianos. Melvyn Tan and Robert Levine are the other fortepianists. I don't know if they were included in the box (I have single discs of the cycle).




Sarge

[The new erato]

Hi,

Not sure if this is the right place for this, but I'd like to purchase a recording of Tchaikovsky's complete ballets and was wondering if someone could make a recommendation. A single set would be great, but not a requirement. Thanks,

Joe

PS- If it's not the right place, please let me know.

Ansermet on Brilliant (IIRC) is very good end very cheap.

[Florestan]

Not sure if this is the right place for this, but I'd like to purchase a recording of Tchaikovsky's complete ballets and was wondering if someone could make a recommendation. A single set would be great, but not a requirement. Thanks,

If you don't mind older recordings with less than perfect sound, this is a bargain:



I see The new erato beat me to it.

PS- If it's not the right place, please let me know.

Don't worry, this is exactly the place for it.