Recordings That You Are Considering

[Malx]

Well to say I'm overwhelmed by the response would be an understatement. With such a plethora of recommendations to consider I have started to sample a few and will continue to do so as and when time permits.
One set no one has mentioned so far is the recording by Musica Alchemica with Lina Tur Bonet.
Any thoughts?

[Mandryka]

Well to say I'm overwhelmed by the response would be an understatement. With such a plethora of recommendations to consider I have started to sample a few and will continue to do so as and when time permits.
One set no one has mentioned so far is the recording by Musica Alchemica with Lina Tur Bonet.
Any thoughts?

I'm going to suggest, for others to challenge, that Lina Tur Bonet is a bit expressively simplistic compared with, for example, Egarr and Manze. She expresses simple things - joy and sorrow and such like. With Egarr and Manze things are rather more ambiguous and subtle.

[SurprisedByBeauty]

I'm going to suggest, for others to challenge, that Lina Tur Bonet is a bit expressively simplistic compared with, for example, Egarr and Manze. She expresses simple things - joy and sorrow and such like. With Egarr and Manze things are rather more ambiguous and subtle.

I think that puts it very nicely and courteously. 

[JBS]

I have one recording by Ms. Tur Bonet, which did not overly impress me.  But the CD was devoted to Vivaldi, so what she did or did not do there would not necessarily reflect what she could do with Biber,
(And to be fair to her, I might add that I think Gurn likes that Vivaldi CD.)

[Malx]

I'm going to suggest, for others to challenge, that Lina Tur Bonet is a bit expressively simplistic compared with, for example, Egarr and Manze. She expresses simple things - joy and sorrow and such like. With Egarr and Manze things are rather more ambiguous and subtle.

When I first sampled the set it had an immediate impact - one that made me initially listen up. I used to be impressed by such recordings - as I have gotten older and perhaps a little more experienced I generally have an inbuilt alert to things that sound that way on first hearing. I guess its as if all that's to be said about the piece is there to behold on first encounter then I'll be disappointed long term.
I have listened to a few others and have decided on the Daniel Sepec set as a safe, solid, well recorded introductory set if you will and the Manze recording for a differing approach, and I'll consider the Holloway at some stage in the future.
I could listen to so many more and probably reach different conclusions but being an impatient sole I have made my choice, have ordered and I am awaiting delivery with great anticipation.

Again thanks to all for their comments and suggestions.

[Mandryka]

When I first sampled the set it had an immediate impact - one that made me initially listen up. I used to be impressed by such recordings - as I have gotten older and perhaps a little more experienced I generally have an inbuilt alert to things that sound that way on first hearing. I guess its as if all that's to be said about the piece is there to behold on first encounter then I'll be disappointed long term.
I have listened to a few others and have decided on the Daniel Sepec set as a safe, solid, well recorded introductory set if you will and the Manze recording for a differing approach, and I'll consider the Holloway at some stage in the future.
I could listen to so many more and probably reach different conclusions but being an impatient sole I have made my choice, have ordered and I am awaiting delivery with great anticipation.

Again thanks to all for their comments and suggestions.

Best of luck with it.

[staxomega]

I've been borrowing an LP set of Ramor Quartet playing Bartok's String Quartets. Does anyone know if this Denon release exists on CD or it's download only? There is virtually no information out there on it and the only CD version I can find is from a Swedish label I've never heard of.

https://www.amazon.com/Bartok-Ramor-Quartet-B%C3%A9la-Bart%C3%B3k/dp/B004ZPGTJW

When you click on buy either used or new, Amazon incorrectly takes you to a release by the New Hungarian Quartet.

[mc ukrneal]

I've been borrowing an LP set of Ramor Quartet playing Bartok's String Quartets. Does anyone know if this Denon release exists on CD or it's download only? There is virtually no information out there on it and the only CD version I can find is from a Swedish label I've never heard of.

https://www.amazon.com/Bartok-Ramor-Quartet-B%C3%A9la-Bart%C3%B3k/dp/B004ZPGTJW

When you click on buy either used or new, Amazon incorrectly takes you to a release by the New Hungarian Quartet.

Hate it when that happens. I suppose you could email Amazon and see if they can clear it up. Alternatively, you could download the disc in cd quality FLAC from presto. It is without the booklet this way.

[JBS]

I seem to remember someone (probably Jens) mentioning this, but can't remember if it was mentioned for good or for bad.
[asin]B0741ZGZTN[/asin]

Followup for purposes of clarification
Meister recorded the usual mashup: Part 1 of the original version and Parts 2 and 3 from the revised version.

[Mandryka]

John Khouri Chopin nocturnes. I am NOT going to buy this unless someone says the Chopin is a revelation in a positive way, I'm not interested in Field.

[amw]

It's a revelation in the sense that John Khouri has made an amazing number of recordings of piano music for someone who can't play the piano....

[Mandryka]

It's a revelation in the sense that John Khouri has made an amazing number of recordings of piano music for someone who can't play the piano....

I think he is a quasi-autodidact

Khouri went off to Switzerland as a teenager to study piano, but his music career was sidetracked when he joined the Worldwide Church of God, an international evangelical denomination. For four years, he stopped practicing at all as he was sent on ministerial missions to Canada, England and Hawaii.

In 1974, he left the church and moved with his wife and two small children to the Bay Area. With few friends in the area and little money, Khouri began giving lessons from his Vacaville garage, and started giving recitals throughout the area.

You're in New Zealand aren't you? He's from there I think.

[Madiel]

I've been borrowing an LP set of Ramor Quartet playing Bartok's String Quartets. Does anyone know if this Denon release exists on CD or it's download only? There is virtually no information out there on it and the only CD version I can find is from a Swedish label I've never heard of.

https://www.amazon.com/Bartok-Ramor-Quartet-B%C3%A9la-Bart%C3%B3k/dp/B004ZPGTJW

When you click on buy either used or new, Amazon incorrectly takes you to a release by the New Hungarian Quartet.

Discogs says yes it's on CD.

https://www.discogs.com/B%C3%A9la-Bart%C3%B3k-Ramor-Quartet-The-Six-String-Quartets/release/13078868

Actually it says there were 2 different CD releases, with the Denon being the later one.

Whether you can actually find it in practice might be an entirely different question of course.

[staxomega]

Hate it when that happens. I suppose you could email Amazon and see if they can clear it up. Alternatively, you could download the disc in cd quality FLAC from presto. It is without the booklet this way.

I will consider that, though I strongly prefer ripping my own CDs as I've encountered many downloads that were transcoded from lossy files to lossless.

Discogs says yes it's on CD.

https://www.discogs.com/B%C3%A9la-Bart%C3%B3k-Ramor-Quartet-The-Six-String-Quartets/release/13078868

Actually it says there were 2 different CD releases, with the Denon being the later one.

Whether you can actually find it in practice might be an entirely different question of course.

I created that Discogs page yesterday 

The Tuxedo release is the Swedish CD I was referring to, I've never heard of that label and don't know if they would have used Vox's masters?

[amw]

You're in New Zealand aren't you? He's from there I think.

That makes sense, people here are for some reason particularly prone to the charms of fundamentalist cults

[Madiel]

I created that Discogs page yesterday 

I dunno. Going around answering your own question by creating internet resources. Not helpful!

[Mirror Image]

What does everyone think of the Debussy series released more recently by Harmonia Mundi? Worth picking up or wait until the series gets boxed up?

[SurprisedByBeauty]

What does everyone think of the Debussy series released more recently by Harmonia Mundi? Worth picking up or wait until the series gets boxed up?

I don't think it will necessarily get boxed up, actually. Some very fine recordings among them with some high quality also-ran stuff. I'd pick the chamber box up, probably, and - if you are interested in that sort of thing - the Jazz one.

[Mirror Image]

I don't think it will necessarily get boxed up, actually. Some very fine recordings among them with some high quality also-ran stuff. I'd pick the chamber box up, probably, and - if you are interested in that sort of thing - the Jazz one.

I have zero interest in the jazz one. I want to hear Debussy not a jazz combo.

[JBS]

I have almost all that HM series, except the jazz one (I agree with MI on that) and the Melodies, and I may get that before long.

Most of them would qualify as excellent but not essential, and several qualify for the PI label.

I would suggest getting the works that most interest you, and decide from there if you want the rest.