Recordings That You Are Considering

[Lethevich]

I haven't heard that recording, but can vouch for the works themselves (which I heard via the Koch recordings). They are extremely fine - a mix of typical mid-century rugged tonality (Kodály and co.) and Hollywood melodic tonality, with good tunes and composition.

[Mandryka]

One of the few Pogorelich recordings I never got around to, I think I'll try it in its newest guise when it becomes available.

It is one of the few Pogorelich recordings which seems to me to be pretty uninteresting I'm adraid.

But there is a DVD of him playing an earlier Beethoven sonata which is very good.

[Henk]

Is this recommended by anyone? Other suggestions for Beethoven's VC?

[Brian]

Can't see the picture, Henk.

[jlaurson]

Is this recommended by anyone? Other suggestions for Beethoven's VC?

It is, by some colleague of mine whom I don't know. (And therefore not trust.  )  http://www.klassikinfo.de/Kopatchinskaja.815.0.html

So much I can tell you, though: Her first attempt on gut strings... overdub with herself in the cadenza (this would be in duet with the concertmaster in a live performance??)... the Beethoven-Schneiderhahn Cadenza, btw., which is a plus in my book. Uses an original score, not a modern Urfassung... thus some slight notable differences... chipping some of the lacquer off LvB.

If you are interested and can wait a few days, I was planning to pop that CD into the player in the next few days, anyway.

[Henk]

I listened to some samples and I think her sound is very thin.

I haven't found a B. VC recording which I think is of high quality. Any recommendations?

[jlaurson]

I listened to some samples and I think her sound is very thin.

I haven't found a B. VC recording which I think is of high quality. Any recommendations?

Oh, yes!

http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2006/01/dip-your-ears-no-50_25.html

[Brian]

I'd like a supercharged, romantic Sibelius Symphony No 2. I'm looking for a performance with a first movement that clocks in around the 8 minute mark. Any such performances in existence?

[Peregrine]

I'd like a supercharged, romantic Sibelius Symphony No 2. I'm looking for a performance with a first movement that clocks in around the 8 minute mark. Any such performances in existence?

Beecham/BBCSO - BBC Legends

1st Movement - 8'52

It's a classic

[Novi]

Barbirolli, NYPO (1940)
8'22 12'31 5'41 12'25

It's on Dutton with the excellent Neveu concerto.

(I should add that I prefer Barbirolli's (slower) recording with the Royal Philharmonic).

[Antoine Marchand]

GUIDE TO PERIOD INSTRUMENTS

200 page full colour book + 8 CD's in a magnificent Box

The soloists: Patrick Beuckels, Danny Bond, Bruno Cocset, Patrick Cohen, Patrick Cohën-Akenine, Jocelyne Cuiller, Stéphanie de Failly, Patrick Denecker, Frédéric de Roos, Christophe Deslignes,Thomas Deserranno, Jean Lou Descamps, Vincent Dumestre, Hannelore Devaere, Luc Devos, Jan de Winne, Olivier Féraud, François Fernandez, Julien Ferrando, Jean Ferrard, Claude Flagel, Elsa Frank, Reinhold Friedrich, Céline Frisch, Bernard Foccroulle, Michel Godart,Thierry Gomar, Siebe Henstra, Eric Hoeprich, Denis James, Konrad Junghänel, Robert Kohnen, Barthold Kuijken, Sigiswald Kuijken,Wieland Kuijken, François Lazarevitch, Gustav Leonhardt, Rolf Lislevand, Jean-François Madeuf, Philippe Malfeyt, Frédéric Martin, Carles Mas, Eric Mathot, Claude Maury, Marc Minkowski, José Miguel Moreno, Jérémie Papasergio, Guy Penson, Isabelle Perrin, Marie Ange Petit, Philippe Pierlot, Peter Pieters, Christina Pluhar, Marcel Ponseele, Denis Raisin-Dadre, Gilles Rapin, Crispian Steele-Perkins, Hidemi Suzuki, Xavier Terrasa, Jean Tubéry, Edward van Marsenille, Guy Van Waas, Joris Verdin, Sophie Watillon, Aline Zylberajch

The Ensembles: Les Agrémens, La Caccia, Continens Paradisi, Capilla Flamenca, Ensemble Millenarium, Ensemble Clematis,
Ensemble Doulce Mémoire, Flanders Recorder Quartet, La Fenice, Ricercar Consort, Ricercar Academy, Syntagma Amici, Les Flûtes d'Alleman,Wiener Akademie

This Guide to Period Instruments endeavours to answer the questions that every lover of early music has about the instruments used in these periods of music history. Text and recorded excerpts describe the origin and the development of every musical instrument from the Middle Ages to the end of the 18th century and place them in their historical context. There is a completely new presentation booklet, over 200 pages long and abundantly illustrated, as well as eight CDs of recorded examples of the instruments that shed new light upon major periods of music history. These excerpts have been drawn from the Ricercar catalogue for the most part and are completed by new recordings made for the purpose as well as by material made available to us by other specialist recording labels. This Guide to Period Instruments is a perfect synthesis of the music lover's thirst for knowledge with the sheer pleasure of hearing these historical instruments.

Ricercar 8cds RIC100

[SonicMan46]

GUIDE TO PERIOD INSTRUMENTS

200 page full colour book + 8 CD's in a magnificent Box........................

Antoine - this offering really interests me!    Availability & pricing?   Dave 

[Antoine Marchand]

Antoine - this offering really interests me!    Availability & pricing?   Dave  

This set is in my shopping cart on JPC for $62.05 (they disccount taxes).

Also available for pre-order on MDT for $79.83 (ex. vat).

It would be great for the "Old Instruments Thread"!  

[SonicMan46]

This set is in my shopping cart on JPC for $62.05 (they disccount taxes).

Also available for pre-order on MDT for $79.83 (ex. vat).  It would be great for the "Old Instruments Thread"!  

Antoine - thanks for the information above - this really interests me.  I was vacationing in NYC recently (we met Bruce Hodges - a wonderful experience!) - spent a half-day at the Met and my first priority was to visit the Instrument Section; well, it was being remodeled - what a SHOCK for me!  Well, the Met is indeed LARGE, so plenty of other 'things' to see -    Dave

[SonicMan46]

I'm currently reading a book on the life of Felix Mendelssohn (described in the reading thread, if interested), so I'm planning to assess and cull my recordings as I read - just getting into his teenage years @ the moment, including some chamber works and string symphonies (among many other compositions).

Also, reviewing the most recent issue of the American Record Guide in which a discussion on a 4-CD set of Felix's String Quartets is reviewed. Now, I already own the set w/ the Emersons (bought cheaply from BMG Music Club a while back) - these are good performances and include the Octet - do I need to obtain and/or exchange this for another box? 

The new recommendation is on NCA performed by the Gewandhaus Quartet - not sure 'how available' this offering may be and at what price? The reviewer, Elaine Fine, starts out by stating that she had been listening to 6 'complete' and 8 'partial' sets of these works before giving this set a spin!  However, her comparison notes are in a brief paragraph of little value w/ the conclusion that this 2008 goes to the top of her list, along w/ sets by the Leipzig Quartet (MDG), the New Zealand Quartet on Naxos, & the Bartholdy Quartet on Arts; no mention of whether she listened to the Emerson offering, and if so 'how' she would rate their performance.

So, now curious - any thoughts?  Thanks - 

 

[Bogey]

I haven't heard that recording, but can vouch for the works themselves (which I heard via the Koch recordings). They are extremely fine - a mix of typical mid-century rugged tonality (Kodály and co.) and Hollywood melodic tonality, with good tunes and composition.

Thanks! That was all I needed.

[Brian]

Also, reviewing the most recent issue of the American Record Guide in which a discussion on a 4-CD set of Felix's String Quartets is reviewed. Now, I already own the set w/ the Emersons (bought cheaply from BMG Music Club a while back) - these are good performances and include the Octet - do I need to obtain and/or exchange this for another box?  

MusicWeb has a great comprehensive review, though they leave a few notable offerings off the list, notably the Eroicas on Harmonia Mundia and the I-forget-whos (Henschel?) on Arte Nova.

[jlaurson]

MusicWeb has a great comprehensive review, though they leave a few notable offerings off the list, notably the Eroicas on Harmonia Mundia and the I-forget-whos (Henschel?) on Arte Nova.

Try this MusicWeb review, also: http://www.musicweb-international.com/classRev/2009/Sept09/Mendelssohn_SQ_MDG3071571.htm

It hasn't been that long that Felix Mendelssohn's String Quartets suffered from neglect in the recording catalog and the Melos Quartet (DG) seemed the only game in town. But my word, has that been remedied over the last ten, fifteen years. Now there are superb cycles from the Pacifica Quartet (Cedille), Talich (Calliope), Ysaÿe (Decca), Henschel (Arte Nova), and Eroica Quartets (Harmonia Mundi). Additionally available are cycles from the Emersons (DG, including the Octet), the Coull (Hyperion), Cherubini (EMI), and Bartholdy String Quartets (old, but re-issued recently by Arts Music). The Leipzig Gewandhaus Quartet (NCA) has thrown its hat into the ring most recently...

For one it includes links to all other MusicWeb Mendelssohn SQ4t reviews.

I also feel compelled to point out that I find the conclusions of the other review very much in contrast to my tastes.

The Henschel Quartet as top choice? They're fine, ok... but top-notch??? And the Emersoners--"Mendelssohn-minus-the-emotion"--as second? It's almost the inverse of my list, which looks something like this:

1.) Talich

2.) Pacifica

3.) Eroica (oop!)

4.) Ysaÿe

[jlaurson]

I'm currently reading a book on the life of Felix Mendelssohn (described in the reading thread, if interested), so I'm planning to assess and cull my recordings as I read - just getting into his teenage years @ the moment, including some chamber works and string symphonies (among many other compositions).

This might be of peripheral interest, too: http://www.weta.org/fmblog/?p=476

A (very much) condensed biography with recommended recordings of pertinent works throughout his life.

[Wanderer]

Oh, yes!

http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2006/01/dip-your-ears-no-50_25.html

Thanks for mentioning this, samples sound very promising. And it's about to be reissued by Decca in mid-price. I'm going to order this.