Purchases Today

[JBS]

Looks like my cultural Russophobia is over (the political one, though, is stronger and more intransigent than ever). 

Anyone any idea why the Stewart-Medtner series stopped at the 2nd volume only?

The Shostakovich was one of the first ventures into DSCH I made, 2 decades or so ago. I still have yet to hear any recording of the First Violin Concerto that outdoes Mullova.

[Mirror Image]

Just bought:



Also bought:

[Mirror Image]

Also bought:



These are the older issues of the Neumann cycle before noise reduction was applied, which appears in the later box set.

[Pizzicato-Polka]

Bought via the BIS store and I'm sure I'll be receiving a message from Robert von Bahr in due course:

I love Molto Vivace from Urbs Roma in that Kantorow recording! It was included on the Diapason d'or CD from January 2022 & was the first time I heard this piece.

Also I finally made a new purchase: Janusz Wawrowski, a Polish virtuoso, playing the violin concerto op. 70 by Ludomir Różycki in a new orchestration (and on a Stradivarius). The CD also includes Concerto for violin & orch. op. 35 by Tchaikovsky.



There's a very interesting story behind that Różycki piece and this recording of it, to read here.
A sneak peak from the article: For years, the elements of the score lay buried in a suitcase in the garden of Różycki‌'s deserted and ruined house in Warsaw. With the help of a researcher and much scouring of archives, he (Wawrowski) managed‌ ‌to‌ ‌find‌ ‌the‌ ‌manuscript‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌piano‌ ‌reduction‌ of the concerto and, crucially, the first 87 ‌bars ‌of‌ ‌the‌ orchestrated full score. Other musicians had already made completions of the concerto based solely on the piano reduction, but Wawrowski, working with the pianist and composer ‌Ryszard‌ ‌Bryła, set about recreating the work, taking a crucial lead from the orchestrated fragment.

I bought the CD directly from the violinist's online shop, as it offered a limited edition with a signed card - the description didn't specify if that means a hand-written autograph, or just a printed on signature, so I assumed print - and a sticker. (Un)fortunately, the order took a longer while to complete, as it turned out that the first time it was sent, the package was lost. I wrote "(un)", because the 2nd shipment, which arrived today, included a card with a personalized hand-written autograph, in which mr. Wawrowski thanked me "for patience and understanding". I found that gesture very lovely! I also got 2 stickers instead of one.


(the front of the card is the same photo as on the CD cover)

For my opinion about the music, as always I must warn I'm not good at reviews, but I really like both pieces! The word that I find most fitting for the Różycki concerto is "sweet". However, it's also punctuated by rising tension, making me think of the atmosphere of the 20s. I find it very romantic. And the Tchaikovsky concerto is a really good companion piece to it, in my opinion, even if it's more melancholic.

[Mirror Image]

I love Molto Vivace from Urbs Roma in that Kantorow recording! It was included on the Diapason d'or CD from January 2022 & was the first time I heard this piece.

Hopefully, the rest of the performance is just as good as that particular movement.

[Mirror Image]

Just bought on the strength of Jeffrey's recommendation:



Two of my favorite RVW symphonies with one of my favorite conductors of British music.

[vandermolen]

Just bought on the strength of Jeffrey's recommendation:



Two of my favorite RVW symphonies with one of my favorite conductors of British music.

I don't think that you'll be disappointed John.

[Mirror Image]

I don't think that you'll be disappointed John.

If it's as good as you say, I have no doubts about that, Jeffrey.

[Maestro267]

Dvorak: Symphony No. 1
Slovak PO/Gunzenhauser

Dvorak: Symphony No. 2
RSNO/N. Järvi

[Operafreak]

[classicalgeek]

Finally picked up the Genzmer box (and a Beethoven string quartet cycle) directly from Membran. I don't know anyone who's ordered from them before, so we'll see how it goes!

[DavidW]

Gewandhaus Quartet's lvB set is excellent, hope you enjoy!

[André]

Gewandhaus Quartet's lvB set is excellent, hope you enjoy!

+1. Great musicianship indeed.

[prémont]

Gewandhaus Quartet's lvB set is excellent, hope you enjoy!

+2.

[classicalgeek]

Gewandhaus Quartet's lvB set is excellent, hope you enjoy!

+1. Great musicianship indeed.

+2.

Sounds like I have quite a treat in store, then! What amazes me is that I got 20 discs, including postage to the U.S., for about $34 USD!

[Daverz]

Finally picked up the Genzmer box (and a Beethoven string quartet cycle) directly from Membran. I don't know anyone who's ordered from them before, so we'll see how it goes!

The Genzmer set looks really interesting.  Can you report on the sound quality when you get a chance?

[Florestan]

[Spotted Horses]

I decided I wanted to have all of Kocsis' recordings of Mozart Piano Concerti. There are four I know of. I already have the Harmonia Mundi recording, I will have the Philips recording when the Kocsis complete Philips box arrives. Today I've ordered a used copy of the Hungaroton release including PC27.



There is another Hungaroton release with including PC23, which is a bit harder to find. Last resort is lossless download from Presto, but there is a question of whether this release from about 1990 was mastered with pre-emphasis, and I've experienced instances when lossless downloads had uncompensated pre-emphasis.

[kyjo]

Hmmmm....not to discourage you, Andrei, but Weinberg may be a bit too "doom and gloom" for your tastes. That said, I'm not familiar with his violin sonatas....

[JBS]

Decided to give the "new" Arkivmusic a test run, including one new jazz release.