What are you listening to now?

[SonicMan46]

Hahaha, well, you got me there! Maybe I should revisit this album in 50 years, then. Let's hope this thread has long been scrubbed from the internet. 

Congratulations on that amazing anniversary, by the way. And raise a glass of pinot to many more.

Hi Brian - just kidding - sorry, but I put the wrong name in my post (already corrected but still shows up in your quote -  ) - guess my age is showing! Dave 

[Ken B]

MusicWeb sent me this. I don't know who Einaudi is and don't know what to expect, but Lavinia Meijer is a great harp player, so.

Einaudi is minimalism gone bad. He is the André Rieu of minimalism.

[Todd]

Speed isn't everything.

[Brian]

Einaudi is minimalism gone bad. He is the André Rieu of minimalism.

This is the most fun I've had writing a review all year long. I feel like I'm bringing a bazooka to a plastic knife fight.

[Que]

Hi Que - the label is Koramant Records (website HERE) - not much available and new to me - Dave

New to me as well. Much obliged, Dave.

This morning:

[asin]B005UU06D6[/asin]

Q

[Mandryka]

Es ist das heil uns kommen hier (Weckmann) played by Hans Davidsson on the Arp Schnitger organ ar Ludgerikirche, Norden.

I  prefer this to his second recording -- the first one has more extended tempos, it's more inward sometimes, there are sometimes more imaginative registrations (eg in v 5.)  I prefer the pukka Schnitger organ at Norden to the neo baroque Swedish organ in Gothenburg that he used for the second set -- it's not just a matter of tone, but I think there are slight tuning differences which make the Ludgerikirche make a more juicy dissonance (though my ears could be fooling me about that.) Having said that, the Swedish organ really does sound a bit like a real baroque organ by Arp Schnitger.

I think probably the Loft recording has better sound -- but it's not a big deal for me.

Anyway all of this is pretty academic because the music of Es ist das heil uns kommen hier is so amazing.

[The new erato]

New to me as well. Much obliged, Dave.

This morning:

[asin]B005UU06D6[/asin]

Q

The de la Rue set (3CDs) is currently very cheap at mdt, around 9 £.

[Que]

Es ist das heil uns kommen hier (Weckmann) played by Hans Davidsson on the Arp Schitger organ ar Ludgerikirche, Norden.

I  prefer this to his second recording -- the first one has more extended tempos, it's more inward sometimes, there are sometimes more imaginative registrations (eg in v 5.)  I prefer the pukka Schnitger organ at Norden to the neo baroque Swedish organ in Gothenburg that he used for the second set -- it's not just a matter of tone, but I think there are slight tuning differences which make the Ludgerikirche make a more juicy dissonance (though my ears could be fooling me about that.) Having said that, the Swedish organ really does sound a bit like a real baroque organ by Arp Schnitger.

I think probably the Loft recording has better sound -- but it's not a big deal for me.

Anyway all of this is pretty academic because the music of Es ist das heil uns kommen hier is so amazing.

I had a hunch that the organ would be a decisive difference between the two recordings.  I hugely enjoyed the sound of the Schnitger organ in Norden.
I like Davidsson's historically informormed playing, but found him - at some moments, not overall - a bit cautious,  a tad academic. Is this something you recognize and is the Loft recording different (more "free") in that respect? 

Q

[Mandryka]

I had a hunch that the organ would be a decisive difference between the two recordings.  I hugely enjoyed the sound of the Schnitger organ in Norden.
I like Davidsson's historically informormed playing, but found him - at some moments, not overall - a bit cautious,  a tad academic. Is this something you recognize and is the Loft recording different (more "free") in that respect? 

Q

Not quite that, I don't think. A test for caution, academia,  is going to be the 6th verse of Es ist das heil uns kommen hier. I'm not sure that anyone does it better than  Davidsson at Norden -- though even there I don't feel totally satisfied -- in my imagination I have a performance with more drive, sweep, energy, inevitable forward thrust. I think I've heard every performance of it that has ever been recorded -- Davidsson x2, Kelemen, Zerer, Rampe, Flamme. I'll give it some more attention later and post any thoughts. 

[Mookalafalas]

I bought this quite a while back for $17. Then I never played it. Obviously for that price it's bargain basement junk, right?
   While I wait for Fischer and Hogwood to arrive, however, I've begun spinning it, and it's really rock solid--nice performances, playing, sound.  I remember reading that the applause at the end of each piece was "canned" and added to make it sound live when it really isn't. However, I see no reason to believe this to be the case.  I don't know if I love the harpsichord continuo, but I like it.

[asin]B001NBS5NE[/asin]

[EigenUser]

I bought this quite a while back for $17. Then I never played it. Obviously for that price it's bargain basement junk, right?
   While I wait for Fischer and Hogwood to arrive, however, I've begun spinning it, and it's really rock solid--nice performances, playing, sound.  I remember reading that the applause at the end of each piece was "canned" and added to make it sound live when it really isn't. However, I see no reason to believe this to be the case.  I don't know if I love the harpsichord continuo, but I like it.

[asin]B001NBS5NE[/asin]

I almost got that box last month, but I heard about the applause. That kind of thing annoys me.

I've heard the some of the earlier symphonies with and without harpsichord continuo. It definitely makes it sound more baroque, but I certainly don't mind it. I prefer without, though.

[Karl Henning]

. . . minimalism gone bad.

Never more than a baby step away . . . .

[Lisztianwagner]

Leos Janacek
In the mist

[asin]B0001Y4JH0[/asin]

[Bogey]

Wonderful way to start a sunny morning near the foothills:

[Que]

Jiri (Georg) Benda, one of my favourite composers of the "transitional" (early Classical) era....



Q

[Karl Henning]

Brahms
Horn Trio in E^b, Op.40
Members of the Nash Ensemble

[The new erato]

Disc 6 from this set, containing Milhaud's cello concerto 1, "Noctis Equi" from Hoddinott under Kent Nagano with the LSO and Penderecki's second cello concerto under the composers baton with the Philharmonia.

[asin]B0013D8JDS[/asin]

[Mandryka]

Gilbert Rowland plays Rameau's Nouvelles Suites.

Right, this is absolutely delightful. I love the naturelness of his harpsichord sound, I love the sheer organic inevitableness of his ornaments, I love the relaxed tempos, I love the the way he plays left hand, and I love the way he plays the right hand. Extremely eloquent, it's like there's Rameau here in my house holding forth about interesting and important things. The exact polar opposite of Scott Ross and Christophe Rousset . . .

. . . and all the better for it.

[Que]

[asin]B009EJSU32[/asin]

I've had some mixed feelings about the concerto recordings in this set right from the start....
Paradoxically, it is actually good, quite good. But more if you want a perfectly straight run-through on period instruments.
But we don't want just that, we want inspired performances. This is too straight faced IMO, with tension dropping in several instances.
After Schoonderwoerd in the piano concertos and Zehetmair/Brüggen in the violin concerto, this is yesterday's news...

Q

[SonicMan46]

Novak, Vitezslav (1870-1949) - Serenades w/ Mogrelia & Ukrainian CO - quite pleasant, post-Romantic in the Dvorak manner, especially the earlier work; Novak (along w/ Suk) studied under Dvorak, so not a surprise.

Dussek, Franz Xaver (1731-1799) - Symphonies w/ Aapo Hakkinen & Helsinki Baroque Orchestra - well done, pleasant, and in a second tier compared to the major symphonists of the day - enjoyed.  Dave