What are you listening to now?

[Karl Henning]

I definitely see what you mean and it crossed my mind as well while listening to Become Ocean a few days ago. However, similarly to John (MI), I didn't really seem to care where it falls as far as categorizing is concerned. I liked it. I like Feldman better, but I hold Feldman in some of the highest regards so that doesn't really say much.

Indeed, liking Feldman better is nothing against Jn Luther A.  (I have yet to take the plunge and listen to an entire work of the latter, but I am fixin' to, ere long.)

[Harry]

She definitely is good, but I loathe all that middle age carnival stuff around her, that entire theatrical staging and marketing.

I have bought a lot of her recordings, for no doubt she is a good musician, but after listening to an average of 12 cd's of her I came to the conclusion that she is a interpreter that changes a lot in her playing of what is written down by composers, motivating this practice out of her notion that composers did this on a regular basis. That may be true, but it started to irritate me quickly. Another exponent of this practice  is Pluhar and her band, and that also started to get on my nerves but less as Perl.

[Harry]

Another disc from Alessandrini...

http://walboi.blogspot.nl/2014/12/per-la-vergine-maria-third-rerun.html?spref=tw

[North Star]

Another disc from Alessandrini...

http://walboi.blogspot.nl/2014/12/per-la-vergine-maria-third-rerun.html?spref=tw

That one needs more press in these parts as I don't recall seeing anyone else beside me listen or even mention it, a great disc.

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

These are delightfully played here, leaner and cleaner than is typical.  Refreshing, actually.

[asin]B000092R3P[/asin]

[North Star]

https://www.youtube.com/v/ENvrUEuMLUY

[The new erato]

These are delightfully played here, leaner and cleaner than is typical.  Refreshing, actually.

[asin]B000092R3P[/asin]

How extremely strange that they are using a picture of the riverside at my hometown of Trondheim (though in a slightly newer color scheme):



I should have thought the waterfront of Hamburg would have provided many similar, and more relevant, illustrations.

[Wakefield]

I have bought a lot of her recordings, for no doubt she is a good musician, but after listening to an average of 12 cd's of her I came to the conclusion that she is a interpreter that changes a lot in her playing of what is written down by composers, motivating this practice out of her notion that composers did this on a regular basis. That may be true, but it started to irritate me quickly. Another exponent of this practice  is Pluhar and her band, and that also started to get on my nerves but less as Perl.

I don't agree very much with this, Harry. Probably she has some projects more "creative" in the vein of Pluhar, but usually it's easy to know when she is in that vein. For instance, the disk recently posted by me is perfectly "orthodox" and -of the top off my head- also are her Gamba Sonatas on Hänssler and with Schornsheim.

That said, the gamba is an instrument calling for a lot of freedom...

[king ubu]

I have bought a lot of her recordings, for no doubt she is a good musician, but after listening to an average of 12 cd's of her I came to the conclusion that she is a interpreter that changes a lot in her playing of what is written down by composers, motivating this practice out of her notion that composers did this on a regular basis. That may be true, but it started to irritate me quickly. Another exponent of this practice  is Pluhar and her band, and that also started to get on my nerves but less as Perl.

Don't know her well enough to enter that discussion - saw her play continuo with Koopman doing Bach's St John - and that was pretty darn great! On disc, I only know that Dowland one (love Dorothee Mields, though I don't know much by her yet, either). I played samples of others once, but didn't follow up. As for Pluhar, I mostly like what she does, though the Mediterraneo project was a bit of a letdown (I *love* that kind of stuff, but mostly when it goes via jazz - she should have had Gianluigi Trovesi on that one!), and the Purcell was also not my favourite (though seing it live wasn't all that bad, after all - again, more Trovesi would have been good in concert).

Anyway, just finished disc four (Massenet, and one piece by Hahn at the end) of this:

[Harry]

I don't agree very much with this, Harry. Probably she has some projects more "creative" in the vein of Pluhar, but usually it's easy to know when she is in that vein. For instance, the disk recently posted by me is perfectly "orthodox" and -of the top off my head- also are her Gamba Sonatas on Hänssler and with Schornsheim.

That said, the gamba is an instrument calling for a lot of freedom...

Sure my friend I did not expecting anyone to agree with me on this one, its a highly personal opinion, but factual is that she changes a lot in the scores in the discs I have heard.

[Harry]

Don't know her well enough to enter that discussion - saw her play continuo with Koopman doing Bach's St John - and that was pretty darn great! On disc, I only know that Dowland one (love Dorothee Mields, though I don't know much by her yet, either). I played samples of others once, but didn't follow up. As for Pluhar, I mostly like what she does, though the Mediterraneo project was a bit of a letdown (I *love* that kind of stuff, but mostly when it goes via jazz - she should have had Gianluigi Trovesi on that one!), and the Purcell was also not my favourite (though seing it live wasn't all that bad, after all - again, more Trovesi would have been good in concert).

Anyway, just finished disc four (Massenet, and one piece by Hahn at the end) of this:

Not much of a discussion here just some exchange of my irritation about certain ways of performance. I can agree with the fact that on some discs, especially with performers outside her normal band, her playing practice is exemplary, but as for instance with the Dowland disc, that is one of them that got on my nerves, Mields singing wasn't that good either, while normally I am a great admirer of her.

[TheGSMoeller]

Noticed King Ubu had purchased this disc, De Profundis is my favorite work by Pärt. Think I'll give it a listen, been too long.

[asin]B0000007FL[/asin]

[king ubu]

@Harry's: sure, I just meant that I didn't know Perl well enough to build my own opinion regarding the points you (and Gordo) make!

@TheGSMoeller: my very first Pärt disc, recently recommended by someone who gave me some good hints in the past. Looking forward to hearing it! But despite the pile of new arrivals (which will grow considerably in the next few days), I felt like finally giving a first listen to this one, after watching the weirdo mockumentary (well, somehow it is, involuntarily) on Anna Magdalena Bach:

[asin]B000001GRZ[/asin]
(actually discs 33 & 34 of the All-Baroque Box from DG)

[J.A.W.]

Händel: Harpsichord works from 1720: Suites 1 in A major; 2 in F major; 3 in D minor; 4 in E minor; 5 in E major - Sophie Yates - Chandos

[Mirror Image]

Actually I applaused John's intention to listen music he just likes. And I hope he will investigate the great, classic composers once and the composers I like the most. John has very different preferences in classical music than me. He spend time listening to composers which I would consider a waste of time. What can I say, I can offend him, but on the other hand it's interesting to see where his musical journey will lead to.

I like "Become Ocean" however. It really give an ocean feeling, and that's a great achievement. Maybe only "new age" music can? This is new age music with depth. Somewhat soft as well I have to admit. But a lot better than the latest Pink Floyd (as well new age).

A question: do you consider composers like Ravel, Bartok, Stravinsky, Schoenberg, Berg, or Debussy wastes of time? If no, then we like many of the same composers. John Luther Adams is just a composer I recently discovered who I ended up liking his music. I prefer the afore mentioned composers to him but this doesn't mean of course that I can't expand and continue to grow as a listener and explore new things.

[Henk]

A question: do you consider composers like Ravel, Bartok, Stravinsky, Schoenberg, Berg, or Debussy wastes of time? If no, then we like many of the same composers. John Luther Adams is just a composer I recently discovered who I ended up liking his music. I prefer the afore mentioned composers to him but this doesn't mean of course that I can't expand and continue to grow as a listener and explore new things.

I only like Stravinsky of these.

[Mirror Image]

I only like Stravinsky of these.

It's okay we can still be friends.

[North Star]

@TheGSMoeller: my very first Pärt disc, recently recommended by someone who gave me some good hints in the past. Looking forward to hearing it! But despite the pile of new arrivals (which will grow considerably in the next few days), I felt like finally giving a first listen to this one, after watching the weirdo mockumentary (well, somehow it is, involuntarily) on Anna Magdalena Bach:

I thought it was settled that the two best Pärt discs are the ECM releases Tabula Rasa & Arbos (this has De Profundis, and Stabat Mater, which is surely among the very best works of Pärt.)  0:)

Thread duty

Bach
'Preise, Jerusalem, den Herrn,' BWV 119
Deborah York (S), Ingermar Danz (A), Mark Padmore (T), Peter Kooy (B)
Collegium Vocale Gent
Philippe Herreweghe
[asin]B003122HBE[/asin]

[Henk]

It's okay we can still be friends.

Ok, it wasn't intented as an attack (An attack in the sense of defriend again on FB asap ).

What are your plans for the future, John. I'm curious about that, I'm curious how your musical journey will develop. Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Handel, Corelli (I think you dig him particulary), Rossini, Schubert, Mendelssohn. Or more contemporary composers as Donatoni, Pécou, Parra, Aperghis (my favorites!). A lot more to discover, John! And I'm curious about your evaluation of your musical listening development!

[Ken B]

Ok, it wasn't intented as an attack (An attack in the sense of defriend again on FB asap ).

What are your plans for the future, John. I'm curious about that, I'm curious how your musical journey will develop. Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Handel, Corelli (I think you dig him particulary), Rossini, Schubert, Mendelssohn. Or more contemporary composers as Donatoni, Pécou, Parra, Aperghis (my favorites!). A lot more to discover, John! And I'm curious about your evaluation of your musical listening development!

Personally I think it is important to allow a bit of randomness into how I choose what to listen to. There's a lot of stuff I explore, but sometimes literally buy or select something I have never heard of.