Purchases Today

[Pohjolas Daughter]

After a solid week of sampling, ordered today.

it looks like 2021 will be even more French for me 

Courtesy of a Presto Christmas Gift card :

   

And some used cheap copies from Ebay:

      


There probably will be another couple of Debussy lined up soon (and another Saint-Saens), I might ask for those for my forthcoming birthday  0:)

I'll post some thoughts about this order in the French thread in due course.

Somebody knew what would make you happy on Christmas! 

[Florestan]

After a solid week of sampling, ordered today.

it looks like 2021 will be even more French for me 

Courtesy of a Presto Christmas Gift card :

   

And some used cheap copies from Ebay:

      


There probably will be another couple of Debussy lined up soon (and another Saint-Saens), I might ask for those for my forthcoming birthday  0:)

I'll post some thoughts about this order in the French thread in due course.

I have the Bavouzet and the Stott sets. Enjoy!

[Papy Oli]

Somebody knew what would make you happy on Christmas! 

Somebody asked, so me, being polite and all, I gladly advised 

I have the Bavouzet and the Stott sets. Enjoy!

The samples surely sounded like they could easily convert me 

[Florestan]

Somebody asked, so me, being polite and all, I gladly advised 

For grown-ups, this is the Christmas spirit in a nuthsell. 

The samples surely sounded like they could easily convert me 

Convert you to what? Did you not like Faure and Debussy? 

[Papy Oli]

Convert you to what? Did you not like Faure and Debussy? 

Always struggled with most of Ravel & Debussy. I always had a mental block on those when I picked up Martinon off the shelf for instance. Never had much "success" either with the Fauré I owned. That was the main reason for starting that little French exploration of mine too, to get to those big three with "new ears" down the line. Judging by my (very positive) response to the samples of those purchases, that will be a rewarding few weeks ahead.     

Edit: I think this year's events also made me seek for more "soothing" or "melodic" music hence my connection with composers like Saint-Saens, Krommer, Massenet, Ibert, Spohr, Ries, Reicha, etc... A style I wouldn't have necessarily sought otherwise for my own tastes. Those purchases seem a natural progression from there.

[Florestan]

Always struggled with most of Ravel & Debussy. I always had a mental block on those when I picked up Martinon off the shelf for instance. Never had much "success" either with the Fauré I owned. That was the main reason for starting that little French exploration of mine too, to get to those big three with "new ears" down the line. Judging by my (very positive) response to the samples of those purchases, that will be a rewarding few weeks ahead.   

I see. Well, keep us informed about your progress. Personally, I love Faure and like Debussy.

[Papy Oli]

I see. Well, keep us informed about your progress. Personally, I love Faure and like Debussy.

I will Andrei.

(I edited my previous post with an additional explanation while you were posting)

[Florestan]

Edit: I think this year's events also made me seek for more "soothing" or "melodic" music hence my connection with composers like Saint-Saens, Krommer, Massenet, Ibert, Spohr, Ries, Reicha, etc... A style I wouldn't have necessarily sought otherwise for my own tastes. Those purchases seem a natural progression from there.

Excellent! 

Well, if anything 2020 seems to have reminded many people the oft-neglected value of good cheer, good clean fun and good ol'melody! 

[Brass Hole]

JPC had an unexpected Glossa sales:

Que, would it take too long for you to list a sort of 10 desert island Glossas within an appropriate thread?

[Que]

Que, would it take too long for you to list a sort of 10 desert island Glossas within an appropriate thread?

Sure, it'll be my pleasure... 

Think we had a designated thread many years ago.

Q

[Mirror Image]

Always struggled with most of Ravel & Debussy. I always had a mental block on those when I picked up Martinon off the shelf for instance. Never had much "success" either with the Fauré I owned. That was the main reason for starting that little French exploration of mine too, to get to those big three with "new ears" down the line. Judging by my (very positive) response to the samples of those purchases, that will be a rewarding few weeks ahead.     

Edit: I think this year's events also made me seek for more "soothing" or "melodic" music hence my connection with composers like Saint-Saens, Krommer, Massenet, Ibert, Spohr, Ries, Reicha, etc... A style I wouldn't have necessarily sought otherwise for my own tastes. Those purchases seem a natural progression from there.

In my own experience, Fauré and Debussy were the toughest nuts to crack. Ravel came rather easily to me and this is probably due to his style more than anything --- it's quite clear and direct. Of course, whenever I hear Ravel even now, I'm still in awe of his music even if I've heard the work a hundred times. With Debussy, I liked some works like the chamber and orchestral works, but back then I wasn't exactly into solo piano music and this genre is vital in understanding Debussy's music, IMHO. Once I started to enjoy solo piano music more and more, my liking for Debussy turned into love and I was able to listen to so much of his other music anew. Fauré I simply didn't understand because I didn't exactly know why he wrote in this manner and his style remained elusive to me. I couldn't exactly grip what the music is expressing, but then suddenly years later, it just clicked for me. I also think when I started listening to solo piano music that I understood this composer more and more. I will say that these three composers are quite important to me, but none of them are as important to me as Debussy. He is my favorite composer bar none and the reason I hold French music in such high esteem. Debussy is sometimes referred to as a 'quiet revolutionary' and I think this is fitting as he didn't shock audiences with in-your-face atonality, but an approach to structure and freer sonorities that opened the door for many others to follow. This quote from him is what has always stuck out in my mind: "I love music passionately. And because I love it, I try to free it from barren traditions that stifle it." And I think he achieved this beyond a doubt.

[Papy Oli]

In my own experience, Fauré and Debussy were the toughest nuts to crack. Ravel came rather easily to me and this is probably due to his style more than anything --- it's quite clear and direct. Of course, whenever I hear Ravel even now, I'm still in awe of his music even if I've heard the work a hundred times. With Debussy, I liked some works like the chamber and orchestral works, but back then I wasn't exactly into solo piano music and this genre is vital in understanding Debussy's music, IMHO. Once I started to enjoy solo piano music more and more, my liking for Debussy turned into love and I was able to listen to so much of his other music anew. Fauré I simply didn't understand because I didn't exactly know why he wrote in this manner and his style remained elusive to me. I couldn't exactly grip what the music is expressing, but then suddenly years later, it just clicked for me. I also think when I started listening to solo piano music that I understood this composer more and more. I will say that these three composers are quite important to me, but none of them are as important to me as Debussy. He is my favorite composer bar none and the reason I hold French music in such high esteem. Debussy is sometimes referred to as a 'quiet revolutionary' and I think this is fitting as he didn't shock audiences with in-your-face atonality, but an approach to structure and freer sonorities that opened the door for many others to follow. This quote from him is what has always stuck out in my mind: "I love music passionately. And because I love it, I try to free it from barren traditions that stifle it." And I think he achieved this beyond a doubt.

Thank you for your perspective, John.

[Mirror Image]

Thank you for your perspective, John.

No problem, Olivier.

[Papy Oli]

A bargain from the Qobuz winter sale (£12.79 FLAC) :

[Madiel]

A bargain from the Qobuz winter sale (£12.79 FLAC) :

Gateway drug. 

[Artem]

First purchases of the new year

[The new erato]

Received these from the Glossa offer on jpc (thanks Que):






The first two are already listened to and seem really excellent.

[André]

[André]

[vandermolen]

I purchased all three before Christmas but I have listened to them all now - with great pleasure in every case: