Recordings That You Are Considering

[Drasko]

How many quids does it sell for?

That is new DG mid series. Should be in price range of The Originals or EMI GROC.

[Bogey]

I heard that it isn't worth getting, if that's any help. 

The samples did not grab me, so with your review that is STRIKE TWO.

[rubio]

Anybody got comments on this one? How does it compare to Rozhdestvensky on Brilliant Classics?

[Harry]

Anybody got comments on this one? How does it compare to Rozhdestvensky on Brilliant Classics?

First the price, to begin with. I don't know the Kleiber, but the Chandos recording you have there released on Brilliant is very good, and worth the modest outlay. With Borodin however you cannot have enough interpretations.

[beclemund]

I need to wrest myself from Bruckner binges as of late and go in another direction for a time... I think I will pick this lovely pair up in the next few days. I have had my eye on them:

[Drasko]

http://www.amazon.com/Legendary-Period-Lps-Janos-Starker/dp/B000QUU53Q

Does anyone have a clue what is this Essential Media Grp label? LP rips or proper mastering?

[Bunny]

http://www.amazon.com/Legendary-Period-Lps-Janos-Starker/dp/B000QUU53Q

Does anyone have a clue what is this Essential Media Grp label? LP rips or proper mastering?

GRP was a jazz label founded by composer/keyboardist Dave Grusin and producer Larry Rosen.  It was part of the Arista imprint (RCA -- part of Sony BMG), but it was later acquired by MCA which became Universal Records -- also the parent of Mercury, which was one of Starker's labels.

Essential Media GRP still is an active jazz label, but they also were specialists in mixing and mastering from analog tapes as well as one of the first digital labels.  I suspect that this may be a new commemorative issue of the Mercury recordings.  I don't know if these are the 3 channel Mercury Living Presence recordings in a new downmix to 2 channels, but it looks like a new package of those Mercury recordings.  It would be nice if the mono recordings were included, but without more information it's impossible to tell exactly what will be included in future issues.  What I suspect will not be included are the RCA recordings (his late work) because those are still owned by Sony-BMG.

[Drasko]

Essential Media GRP still is an active jazz label, but they also were specialists in mixing and mastering from analog tapes as well as one of the first digital labels.  I suspect that this may be a new commemorative issue of the Mercury recordings. 

Thanks! That probably means transfers should be good. Don't really know too much about Starker, what caught my eye is Kodaly solo sonata since I seem to recal reading somewhere that his first recording from 1950 was released on Period label on LP and never transfered to CD.
But don't quote me on that, it's pretty hazy recolection.

[sidoze]

Don't really know too much about Starker

You only need to know 2 things about Starker, Mr. Drasko.

1) Dan Koren can't stand him

2) Starker thought Gyorgy Sebok was the greatest pianist who ever lived: `Firsthand, second-hand or in recordings, Gyorgy Sebok is the greatest pianist who ever lived.'

(there's a wonderful Youtube vid of Sebok, by the way).

(he could be right you know. I once had a rare 4CD Erato set of Sebok's recordings. His Liszt sonata is amazing).

[orbital]

Maybe that was to promote their Mercury release of Brahms + Mendelssohn Sonatas. (which is quite enjoyable BTW)

[sidoze]

So cynical! Some of Sebok's pupils have reiterated Starker's words (albeit with less authority). But then you can't trust them either 

[Tancata]

I would like to choose ONE of these. I'm a fan of Jacobs, but I have read that this recording is very eccentric, lots of changes to the score, sound effects and so on. I'm also a fan of David Daniels (of course...) but I'm not TOO excited about Bartoli.

Thoughts?

[Florestan]

I would like to choose ONE of these. I'm a fan of Jacobs, but I have read that this recording is very eccentric, lots of changes to the score, sound effects and so on. I'm also a fan of David Daniels (of course...) but I'm not TOO excited about Bartoli.

Thoughts?

I have the Hogwood and to my ears it's very good. Crystal-clear voices, very thin yet resounding orchestra and a Lascia ch'io pianga to die for... And it follows the original score to minute detail, such as birds chirping, thunders, lightnings and cannon shots.

Don't have the Jacobs though so I can't compare, sorry.

[Daverz]

Yes, excellent performances of all 3 concertos.

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

http://www.amazon.com/Legendary-Period-Lps-Janos-Starker/dp/B000QUU53Q

Does anyone have a clue what is this Essential Media Grp label? LP rips or proper mastering?

I have no idea how good these transfers are but as someone who owns several of Starker's recordings on early Period LPs, I will say that they represent the pinnacle of music-making and sound quality. I will put his first Period pressing (early 1950s) of the Kodaly sonata up against ANY CD ever made (and the CD will lose).

His recordings of the Bach Suites are even better than those he recorded on Mercury. 

Now, I must find these for myself! Thanks for mentioning them!

[Kullervo]

Alexander Tcherepnin - Piano Works (Bennett Lerner)



I don't know much about Tcherepnin, other than his "Enchanted Kingdom." Anyone familiar with his piano pieces?

[Expresso]

Does anyone have any opinion on these?

http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/7113543/a/Wagner:+Parsifal+(Complete).htm

[Harry]

You have a way of choosing unknow recordings, I saw all of them, and listen to all of them, and have nothing to add beyond the remark, if you are not to critical these may do.

[MishaK]

Does anyone have any opinion on these?

Erevos, who's performing on that Japanese edition of the Vespro della Beata Vergine? I Can highly recommend William Christie/Les Arts florissants for that work.

[Expresso]

Erevos, who's performing on that Japanese edition of the Vespro della Beata Vergine? I Can highly recommend William Christie/Les Arts florissants for that work.

The performers are...Santini Kammerorchester und Kammerchor Münster conducted by Rudolf Ewerhart 

OK, i'll probably go for something non-budget since most of these performers are unknown