What are you listening to now?

[Todd]

First listen to this recent purchase:

[asin]B004Z3C1MS[/asin]

How is it?  Ms Chen has caught my eye.

[Todd]

[North Star]

Fresh from the mail for Maiden-listen Monday
Ars Subtilis Ytalica
Mala Punica
Cd 1 from "Vertu Contra Furore - Musical Languages in Late Medieval Italy, 1380-1420"
[asin] B00H9KERSA[/asin]

[aligreto]

Kodaly: Harry Janos Suite [Schuchter]....

[eljr]

Rachel Barton Pine
Bel Canto Paganini: 24 Caprices and other works for solo violin

Release Date May 19, 2017
Duration02:02:21
Genre
Classical
Styles
Chamber Music
Recording Date
Recording Location
St. Pauls United Church of Christ, Chicago

[Mahlerian]

Webern: Six Pieces for Orchestra Op. 6, Symphony Op. 21
London Symphony Orchestra, cond. Boulez
[asin]B0000263PF[/asin]

Mozart: Symphony No. 39 in E-flat
Prague Chamber Orchestra, cond. Mackerras
[asin]B001FWRYVA[/asin]

Britten: Spring Symphony
Sheila Armstrong, Robert Tear, London Symphony Orchestra, cond. Previn
[asin]B00C68FJCI[/asin]

[aligreto]

JS Bach: Violin Concerto BWV 1043 [Standage/Pinnock]

[Wakefield]

JS Bach: Violin Concerto BWV 1043 [Standage/Pinnock]

I detect a financially worrying (new?) love for vinyls!!! 

[HIPster]

Disc 2

[asin]B0006BAUIA[/asin]

[andolink]

Gabriel Fauré: Nine Préludes Op. 103
Paul Crossley, piano

[cilgwyn]

This has been on for a few hours here. Malcolm Sargent's recordings of the G & S operettas have been the butt of a good deal of criticism,over the years,from G & S groupies for their supposed lack of humour and funereal pacing. I can hear what they mean,but the singing is often so good,I can overlook these failings;and,let's face it,they have ,presumably,remained in the catalogue for a good reason?! This set is probably the best of the lot. Sargent's 'operatic' approach is just right for this most serious and operatic of the Savoy operas. The singing here is a vocal feast,imho. Geraint evans,often criticised for his performances in the,so called,patter roles is simply superb as Jack Point. His rendition of "Oh! a private buffoon is a light hearted loon",is an absolute delight. I've got the earlier 'fat box' set,here;but slimline versions are available!!

[aligreto]

Vivaldi: Concerto for Oboe & Violin RV 576 and Concerto For Violin RV 582....


   

[aligreto]

I detect a financially worrying (new?) love for vinyls!!! 

Financially worrying yes but new, no; it has been a long term affliction 

[cilgwyn]

I detect a financially worrying (new?) love for vinyls!!! 

You can always buck the trend! I'm going to have to dig out some of my cute looking musicassettes! I think I've got around forty to fifty,now,including some box sets. I keep picking them up s/h. An eccentric hobby of mine! I have a cassette jam now and again,just for something different. Unlike vinyl,you can't just look at them first to see if they're okay. I have bought ones that sound good,and then part way through,you get to the chewed up bit. Others that don't even play!! I have also been quite shocked by some of the shoddy transfers by major labels. For example. The cassette version of Boult's recording of Holst's Choral Symphony sounds like it's being performed in a hail storm. I'm told that recording companies looked on them as just something people just listened to in a car or a low-fi ghetto blaster type unit. On the plus side, you get musicassettes from small labels like Chandos and Hyperion which were very good indeed.



Remember these?!!

[Brian]

This seems like an inspired pairing of composers.

[North Star]

Enescu
Piano Sonata Op. 24 No. 1 in F-sharp minor (1924)
Raluca Stirbat
[asin]B014ESS0JG[/asin]

[Todd]

The last disc of the Maisky box, Vocalise contains twenty-three brief Russian tunes, including a couple by composers new to me (Dargomizhsky and Gurilyov).  It's like the Meditation disc, but all of the selections are even more heart on sleeve romantic, perhaps to the point of excess.  It's not as successful overall as the earlier disc, but it works quite well.  The more modern sound reveals Gililov to be an even more sensitive pianist with a very fine touch.  I would very much like it if he recorded some Debussy. 

[SonicMan46]

Just arrived - a small order (6 CDs) from BRO - first two up for a listen - see attachment for multiple reviews for those interested.  Dave

Mahon - Bach - Hook - English Clarinet Works w/ Colin Lawson on a period copy clarinet & Peter Holman at the fortepiano - delightful playing and sound recording.

Castello & Co. - Venetian Sonatas for Winds & Strings w/ Caecilia-Concert - recommended here, I believe - found 3 of their Challenge Records recordings for $6 each, so ordered all - this one about to start. 

   

[Florestan]

The last disc of the Maisky box, Vocalise contains twenty-three brief Russian tunes, including a couple by composers new to me (Dargomizhsky and Gurilyov).  It's like the Meditation disc, but all of the selections are even more heart on sleeve romantic, perhaps to the point of excess.  It's not as successful overall as the earlier disc, but it works quite well.  The more modern sound reveals Gililov to be an even more sensitive pianist with a very fine touch.  I would very much like it if he recorded some Debussy.

If you haven't heard it already, this is a must:

[The new erato]

Op 59/1 by the Prazaks given away by jpc (Thanks Harry!) and it is just as great as I was led to believe. Marvellous SACD sound.