What are you listening to now?

[NikF]

Gershwin: Piano Concerto In F - Grimaud/Zinman/Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

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[Harry]

I may have asked you before: do you have any of the Cameo Classics series with his music? Those cued me in to his high quality, although I now see I don't have one of them. (Fair warning: I actually liked Brull more, and the Pabst concerto could have safely remained unrecorded.)

No the Cameo recordings are not yet on my lists, but eventually I will order them. The Pabst I once heard and I agree with you, not much of a challenge. Brull is a different kettle of fish altogether, and I have that concerto somewhere....

[Autumn Leaves]

Now playing:



Listening to random Piano Music from the above box-set.
Was listening to Mahler and Shostakovich earlier but now I need to hear something lighter - this collection is excellent.

[GioCar]

Berlioz - Symphonie fantastique



Possibly my favorite Romantic era symphony, alongside Brahms and Mahler in the later era.

It feels really refreshing right now (sigh of relief) 

One of my first CD purchases (back in '80 something) and still my favorite Symphonie Fantastique 


TD

A new acquisition
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It includes the version "Sing and glorify" (I haven't ever heard before) of Spem in Alium.

[Madiel]

Mahler, Das klagende Lied

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[anothername]

Alicia de Larrocha playing : Granados.

[The new erato]

First disc from this. It's good, but perhaps too polished, I like the "living on the edge" feeling that e.g. Savall brings to this.

[Spineur]

I have many versions of Chopin  Nocturnes (Pollini, Rubinstein, Francois, Katsaris).  I am particularly found of this one, which is stripped down to the music.  EMI has done a great job with the remastering

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[Que]

TD

A new acquisition
[asin]B01JNP05BG[/asin]
It includes the version "Sing and glorify" (I haven't ever heard before) of Spem in Alium.

Great ensemble....

Q

[Que]

First disc from this. It's good, but perhaps too polished, I like the "living on the edge" feeling that e.g. Savall brings to this.

I actually agree.... Also a bit cold and mechanical...never got me excited.. .

Q

[Que]

Morning listening:

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Q

[The new erato]

Disc 3. I feel the recorded balance is tilted too much in favor of the harpsichord, though if you are a lover of the instrument this will just your thing. Though a pretty intimate and charming version of the concertos.

[aligreto]

Sallinen: Kamarimusiikki I - A wonderful sound world from the opening bar; music that seems to be in a constant state of flux. When the music does "settle down" there is a definite sense of other worldliness about it. This is most intriguing and interesting music.

[aligreto]

Vivaldi concerti - Cafe Zimmermann

Oh, that looks very intriguing! If Cafe Zimmermann play Vivaldi as well as they play JS Bach I would definitely be very interested in that one 

[prémont]

Disc 3. I feel the recorded balance is tilted too much in favor of the harpsichord, though if you are a lover of the instrument this will just your thing. Though a pretty intimate and charming version of the concertos.

But on the other hand many recordings drown the harpsichords in string sound, which IMO is worse.

[The new erato]

But on the other hand many recordings drown the harpsichords in string sound, which IMO is worse.

Yes, the perfect balance is hard to find. But I'm not completely satisfed with the orchestral recording either, it being slightly "muddy". But not to exaggerate, I found this thoroughly enjoyable, though perhaps not the ultimate word in these concertos.

Now relaxing with some fine french songs. von Otter seems very idiomatic in this repertoire:

[aligreto]

Fasch: Concerto for two Oboes da caccia, two viols, two bassoons & continuo - A hauntingly beautiful work portrayed via a wonderfully textured sound world.

[Que]

Disc 3. I feel the recorded balance is tilted too much in favor of the harpsichord, though if you are a lover of the instrument this will just your thing. Though a pretty intimate and charming version of the concertos.

Definitely an aspect that will divide opinions!  The point of departure here is a primary role for the harpsichord(s), with all other instruments as accompaniment.
(It is not a issue of recording balance). As opposed to music for chamber orchestra  with a "concertante" role for the harpsichords...

Even though it breaks with conventions and takes mental adjustment in case of longtime familiarity with the music, the approach sounds dead right to me because it does more justice to the musical balance and gets the message out in greater clarity and expression.

Q

[Que]

Thread duty:

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Louis XV - Rameau à l'Académie Royale de Musique.  (CD9)

Hippolyte et Aricie (extracts). Marc Minkowski, Les Musiciens du Louvre. Véronique Gens, soprano; Jean-Paul Fouchécourt, haute-contre; Bernarda Fink, mezzo-soprano; Laurent Naouri, bass. (Reissued from DG-Archiv.) 

Les Talens Lyriques ou Les Fêtes d'Hébé (extracts), Hippolyte & Aricie (extracts), Zoroastre (extracts).
Christophe Rousset, Les Talens Lyriques. Véronique Gens, soprano. (2007 live recording.)

[SurprisedByBeauty]

Quail-thanksgiving dinner went excellently well; preceded by Pumpkinparsnipapplesoup, served with Lardowalnutcognacbrusselssprouts and zestyorangecranberries, followed by a surprisingly successful Appleappleapplepie with triplezestwhippedcream.


#morninglistening to #MaxReger w/Bernhard Buttmann, far and away the most attractive Reger... http://ift.tt/2fnEMeR

Love this series! Vol.1 hooked me; v.4 continues the journey; must explore the two between.

I don't think I can write a review without resorting to puerile humor... But Benny, as no one calls Prof. Buttmann, just brings out the inner Bart Simpson in me.