Recordings That You Are Considering

[71 dB]

Yeah, I've already decided to stop buying for at least a month. I am doing it 'cause I have overspent by almost $300.   

Auts! How did that happen? 

[George]

Auts! How did that happen? 

Over the past two or three months, I bought a few CD's a week, sometimes one a day. It just piled up.  I can pay it off in a few months, but the compulsive nature of it scared me the most. Plus, I am leaving work at the end off the month and have no new job lined up yet. 

[karlhenning]

I have 3 Rodrigo discs, 2 Granados discs and 1 Lully disc still in plastic wrapping.

That never happens to Elgar, I'm guessing 

[71 dB]

That never happens to Elgar, I'm guessing 

Yes Karl, it doesn't happen with Elgar. 

[George]

No Karl, it doesn't happen with Elgar. 

Perhaps you can take me under your wing? 

[71 dB]

Perhaps you can take me under your wing? 

I don't have wings George, I am human. 

[Don Giovanni]

That recital was entirely Chopin Nocturnes, which TBH didn't seem all that inspired (or inspiring) to me.  He seems firmly stuck in a Chopin groove at the moment:  his next recital here (next month) is once again Chopin, this time alternating with Liszt. It seems a very long time since he gave us anything later than Debussy - yet he's on record as saying that he values the London audience particularly for their response to 20thC music - so why he doesn't give us any, I really don't know.  His technical mastery seems undiminished.

I have a recording of him playing some Nono which is really very good. What's Pollini like in Schubert?

Also, in which other composer's works would you recommend him?

[karlhenning]

. . . It seems a very long time since he gave us anything later than Debussy - yet he's on record as saying that he values the London audience particularly for their response to 20thC music - so why he doesn't give us any, I really don't know.

I have a recording of him playing some Nono which is really very good.

When had he recorded that, Don G?

[George]

I don't have wings George, I am human. 

Sorry, its an American saying I guess. It means "to teach one what one knows."

[Drasko]

I have a recording of him playing some Nono which is really very good.

When had he recorded that

http://www.amazon.com/Luigi-Nono-sofferte-Contrapunto-dialettico/dp/B00000E3Z2

[karlhenning]

http://www.amazon.com/Luigi-Nono-sofferte-Contrapunto-dialettico/dp/B00000E3Z2

Exactly!  The CD reissue dates from 1988 (te cover alone looks like those vintage DGG CD re-packagings!)

I expect it's a good recording, though, to be sure.

[Choo Choo]

I have a recording of him playing some Nono which is really very good. What's Pollini like in Schubert?

Also, in which other composer's works would you recommend him?

Yes, I also have that Nono disk (if it's the DG one with the snazzy red cover.)  Recorded in the 1970's.  I also have his Schubert Wanderer-Fantasie and Sonata D845 (also from the '70s) and D958/959 (from the '80s) - none of which I've heard recently, so I can't really say much except I recall enjoying them well enough.

I like his Debussy:  he's recorded the Etudes (coupled with Berg's Sonata #1) and Preludes BkI for DG (and gave us a splendid BkII in recital one year, which never made it to disk AFAIK)

His Beethoven I find a bit uneven.  His disk of 13/14/15 is a great favourite, likewise the live Appassionata.  Some others less so.

I also enjoy his Schumann - particularly Kreisleriana - but was roundly derided for this opinion when I last posted it, so do feel free to ignore it.

[George]

His Beethoven I find a bit uneven.  His disk of 13/14/15 is a great favourite, likewise the live Appassionata.  Some others less so.

Yeah, the live Waldstein is great, as are the late sonatas!

[MishaK]

I like his late Beethoven sonatas on DG. I found the Beethoven PCs with Abbado/BPO on DG beautifully clear, but ultimately unengaging. I heard him perform Chopin and Debussy in recital, as well as Schumann with Abbado/BPO and Brahms 2 with Cleveland/Dohnyani and was not really moved by any of those occasions.

[71 dB]

Sorry, its an American saying I guess. It means "to teach one what one knows."

Okay. So, you have trouble getting the plastic wrapping away from your Elgar CDs? 

[Choo Choo]

Yeah, the live Waldstein is great, as are the late sonatas!

Yes, agree on both those.  It was his recent disk of earlier LvB sonatas which I was less taken with.  The Pathetique particularly struck me as rather brittle - and seemed even more so in recital.  But that's just my opinion - the friend who was with me thought them all great.

[Don]

I also enjoy his Schumann - particularly Kreisleriana - but was roundly derided for this opinion when I last posted it, so do feel free to ignore it.

I found Pollini's Kreisleriana a very good version - excellent Florestan portrayal, but a little low on poignancy in the Eusebius music.

[George]

Okay. So, you have trouble getting the plastic wrapping away from your Elgar CDs? 

Sorry, I don't you are going to work out as my mentor. 

[George]

Yes, agree on both those.  It was his recent disk of earlier LvB sonatas which I was less taken with.  The Pathetique particularly struck me as rather brittle - and seemed even more so in recital.  But that's just my opinion - the friend who was with me thought them all great.

Yeah, Pollini's Beethoven is frustratingly uneven IMO. 

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Thanks, Don! One of the sellers is on the continent and I've had good service from him before. I placed my order just now. 

Sarge

Great to hear, Sarge!

Glad to be of help...

So I feel I've evened the score, then, just a bit. I've been harbouring a secret debt for a while - ever since taking advantage of a worthwhile link you posted on the old board leading to a great deal on a Dohnanyi Bruckner 5th (at Amazon USA).

Snapped it up on the spot.

Didn't mention it at the time so, well, a belated thanks!