What are you listening to now?

[Wakefield]

When I purchased this set some months ago, I listened to seven discs (until the Op. 17) and I abandoned it totally demoralized by the style of playing; basically a soloist violin surrounded by other three instruments. 

[asin][B001QBXFTA[/asin]

Now I have tried again, this time with the gorgeous Op. 20; but the result has been exactly the same. To be sure the less favorite among all the string quartets on my shelves. 

[HIPster]

Another spin of this recent purchase:

[asin]B00005K20T[/asin]

This is a wonderful disc!

Dave - I've been eyeing that Handel Chamber Music box for some time now.  Looks amazing.

[Mirror Image]

Now:



Listening to Symphony No. 8. Such a haunting work. Fantastic performance.

[kishnevi]

When I purchased this set some months ago, I listened to seven discs (until the Op. 17) and I abandoned it totally demoralized by the style of playing; basically a soloist violin surrounded by other three instruments. 

[asin][B001QBXFTA[/asin]

Now I have tried again, this time with the gorgeous Op. 20; but the result has been exactly the same. To be sure the less favorite among all the string quartets on my shelves. 

How ears can differ!  I'm listening to the same exact CD and enjoying it.  The instrumental balance does sometimes seem off, but to me it sounds more an issue of microphone placement than playing style.

[Mirror Image]

Now:

[asin]B0007ORDXQ[/asin]

Listening to Piano Concerto No. 1. So far, so good. Lots of energy from the soloist/conductor/orchestra.

[Lisztianwagner]

Camargo Guarnieri
Symphony No.6

http://www.youtube.com/v/n08372pbw9Y

[Karl Henning]

I swear, if I wasn't such a conscientious reviewer, I'd have turned this stupid thing off. There's one more track of this harmlessly cheery, utterly soulless, three-decades-behind-its-time drivel, and the thought of subjecting myself to it makes me want to put on freaking Pettersson because misery's a whole hell of a lot more fun than this 1820s call-center Muzak garbage.

Wow. I'm amazed I feel this strongly about music that really doesn't matter at all.

Very tickled to read this off-the-record blurb!

. . . even as a little voice tells me, somewhere, there's probably someone who thinks that music is great . . . .

[Karl Henning]

JSB
The Musical Offering, BWV 1079
Leonhardt & al.

[Wakefield]

How ears can differ!  I'm listening to the same exact CD and enjoying it.  The instrumental balance does sometimes seem off, but to me it sounds more an issue of microphone placement than playing style.

Yes, I'm aware that several members have highly enjoyed this set; but to me it has been imposible... And I'm sure: it's a thing of performance. When you compare these interpretations (Op. 20), say, to the Mosaïques, the point is crystal clear. Things like vibrato and the lack of sense of inner complicity and intimacy have been scarcely tolerable to me. And it's not just a thing of MI v/s PI because I consider ensembles like the Tátrai, the Kodály, the Amadeus and the Lindsays enjoyable on different levels.

[Wakefield]

JSB
The Musical Offering, BWV 1079
Leonhardt & al.

It's still a great version after 40 years.

[Karl Henning]

brahms | trio for clarinet, cello and piano in a minor, op. 114
steven isserlis, michael collins, stephen hough

Mmm, nice!

[Fafner]

A few more more Puccini clips:

Elena Obraztsova (a mezzo) singing both Lauretta and Tosca in concert

http://www.youtube.com/v/-rE4amquEYA

http://www.youtube.com/v/AUzXt6EbDJM

[jlaurson]

Last night and this morning:

Lost romantic cello sonatas:


Percy Sherwood (Dresden, 1866-1939 London)
Complete Works for Cello and Piano
Joseph Spooner / D.O.Norris
Toccata Classics
German link - UK link
All world premiere recordings

Now

Jean Sibelius
Finlandia*, Swan of Tuonela, Valse Triste, En Saga
Symphony No.1
Ormandy / Philadelphia
RCA Pickwick
German link - UK link
*in English with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir

[Karl Henning]

A few more more Puccini clips:

Elena Obraztsova (a mezzo) singing both Lauretta and Tosca in concert

Incidentally, it is Obraztsova who sings in the well-liked Abbado recording of Aleksandr Nevsky.

[Karl Henning]

Thready Duty:

"Papa"
Symphony № 1 in D (H.I/1)
Heidelberger Sinfoniker
Thos Boffin-Fey

[Karl Henning]

No surprise:

“Papa”
Symphony № 4 in D (H.I/4)
Heidelberger Sinfoniker
Thos Boffin-Fey

[Sadko]

Mahler

Symphony No 5

Czech PO
Václav Neumann

[asin]B000025L3Z[/asin]

[Karl Henning]

Still, no surprise:

“Papa”
Symphony № 5 in A (H.I/5)
Heidelberger Sinfoniker
Thos Boffin-Fey

[Karl Henning]

(I mean, in my listening pattern; the recording is delicious, and the element of surprise is irrelevant.)

[Mirror Image]

Camargo Guarnieri
Symphony No.6

http://www.youtube.com/v/n08372pbw9Y

Nice! Tell me what you think about it when you have time, Ilaria.