Camille Saint-Saëns

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Quote from: mc ukrneal on October 11, 2012, 07:21:05 AM
He actually wrote 5 symphonies, which can are nicely packaged together on EMI with Martinon conducting. They are not as famous as #3 but they do have a lot of the same qualities. S-S is always quite melodic and the pieces, though perhaps not as deep (or quite as personnel) as Mahler, have a wonderful atmosphere to them. I highly recommend the set.

Yes, that is a good set, so I endorse this message. :)

madaboutmahler

Thank you for the feedback on the recordings and the symphonies everyone! I shall definitely look into getting the Martinon set, and also the Levine SS3 (and the Karajan too, Ilaria! ;) )

And which is everyone's favourite set of the piano concerti? I own the Roge/Dutoit which I am very happy with. Really wonderful performances!
"Music is ... A higher revelation than all Wisdom & Philosophy"
— Ludwig van Beethoven

mc ukrneal

Quote from: madaboutmahler on October 11, 2012, 10:21:42 AM
Thank you for the feedback on the recordings and the symphonies everyone! I shall definitely look into getting the Martinon set, and also the Levine SS3 (and the Karajan too, Ilaria! ;) )

And which is everyone's favourite set of the piano concerti? I own the Roge/Dutoit which I am very happy with. Really wonderful performances!
That one for me too, so far. I haven't heard the Collard, which I may pick up one of these days.
Be kind to your fellow posters!!

Sergeant Rock

#103
Quote from: madaboutmahler on October 10, 2012, 01:05:28 PM
Out of interest, which is everyone's favourite Organ Symphony?

Barenboim. It's one of those rare performances, so perfect, that I no longer listen to anyone else.



Sarge
the phone rings and somebody says,
"hey, they made a movie about
Mahler, you ought to go see it.
he was as f*cked-up as you are."
                               --Charles Bukowski, "Mahler"

Sergeant Rock

Quote from: madaboutmahler on October 11, 2012, 10:21:42 AM
And which is everyone's favourite set of the piano concerti? I own the Roge/Dutoit which I am very happy with. Really wonderful performances!

The Audite cycle with Malikova and Sanderling.

Sarge
the phone rings and somebody says,
"hey, they made a movie about
Mahler, you ought to go see it.
he was as f*cked-up as you are."
                               --Charles Bukowski, "Mahler"

Lisztianwagner

Quote from: madaboutmahler on October 11, 2012, 10:21:42 AM
Thank you for the feedback on the recordings and the symphonies everyone! I shall definitely look into getting the Martinon set, and also the Levine SS3 (and the Karajan too, Ilaria! ;) )

And which is everyone's favourite set of the piano concerti? I own the Roge/Dutoit which I am very happy with. Really wonderful performances!

So glad to hear that, Daniel. ;) Although I haven't listened to it yet, I think the Martinon set should be very good; Martinon is an excellent interpreter of French music.
About the piano concerti, I've heard only Collard' set, which is very beautiful.
"Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire." - Gustav Mahler

madaboutmahler

Thanks for all the feedback everyone! The Collard set of the concerti is certainly one I'd love to hear. The piano concerti are such exquisite works! :)

And thanks for more of the SS 3 feedback, the Barenboim and Pretre will also have to be ones I look into. I'd certainly love to own all these recordings of the symphony!

Yes, I can certainly imagine the Martinon being excellent, Ilaria! :)
"Music is ... A higher revelation than all Wisdom & Philosophy"
— Ludwig van Beethoven

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#107
For the piano concerti, I do like Roge/Dutoit a lot, but I think the new winner is this set:



For me, it doesn't get any better than this: incredible pianism from Malikova, assertive accompaniment from Sanderling, and exquisite playing from the Cologne Radio Symphony (one of my all-time favorite orchestras). The audio quality is also top-notch. Crystal clear dynamics. I don't want you to not go for the Collard, which is a good, reliable set by any standard, but just letting you know this: why drive a rough Honda when you could drive a Cadillac? The only difference here is you're not paying the Cadillac tag price. ;) :D

Mirror Image

I still stand by my comments about these performances. Absolutely first-rate performances. The only set of PCs that I don't own is Hough's, which I heard isn't nowhere near as accomplished as the sets I already own: Malikova, Collard, and Roge.

mc ukrneal

Quote from: Mirror Image on November 21, 2012, 08:21:16 PM
I still stand by my comments about these performances. Absolutely first-rate performances. The only set of PCs that I don't own is Hough's, which I heard isn't nowhere near as accomplished as the sets I already own: Malikova, Collard, and Roge.
Having heard the Hough (and still owning it), I would say the problem is the sound, not the playing. It is the only Hyperion disc that I can think of that has disappointed me on the technical side (and I have a ton), though it is perhaps a personal preference. It always sounds to me as if the sound is dampened and not allowed to bloom. The Roge/Dutoit sounds much more open and warm in comparison (to me).

A lot of people rave about the playing of the Hough (it won various awards after all), and I would agree that it is quite accomplished and assured. 
Be kind to your fellow posters!!

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Quote from: mc ukrneal on November 21, 2012, 08:37:02 PM
Having heard the Hough (and still owning it), I would say the problem is the sound, not the playing. It is the only Hyperion disc that I can think of that has disappointed me on the technical side (and I have a ton), though it is perhaps a personal preference. It always sounds to me as if the sound is dampened and not allowed to bloom. The Roge/Dutoit sounds much more open and warm in comparison (to me).

A lot of people rave about the playing of the Hough (it won various awards after all), and I would agree that it is quite accomplished and assured.

Thanks for your feedback, Neal. This is what I've heard about the Hough set. For these concerti, it's absolutely vital that the recording quality is not only consistent, but like you said open. This could very well be the reason why I haven't bought the set already and your comments have definitely reassured some suspicions I've had about the audio quality. I already own three outstanding sets anyway. This Malikova is my favorite of the three I own. For years, Roge/Dutoit were my standbys, but it seems this newer set gave these concerti a much needed sonic boost. It also helps if the soloist/conductor are on the same page and it's a true collaborative effort which I believe these performances are. Have you heard the Malikova/Sanderling?

mc ukrneal

Quote from: Mirror Image on November 21, 2012, 09:01:24 PM
Thanks for your feedback, Neal. This is what I've heard about the Hough set. For these concerti, it's absolutely vital that the recording quality is not only consistent, but like you said open. This could very well be the reason why I haven't bought the set already and your comments have definitely reassured some suspicions I've had about the audio quality. I already own three outstanding sets anyway. This Malikova is my favorite of the three I own. For years, Roge/Dutoit were my standbys, but it seems this newer set gave these concerti a much needed sonic boost. It also helps if the soloist/conductor are on the same page and it's a true collaborative effort which I believe these performances are. Have you heard the Malikova/Sanderling?
Not yet. One day...
Be kind to your fellow posters!!

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lescamil

I have both the Hough and the Malikova and the Hough is great aside from the sound. I alternate between Malikova and Hough. Hough's problem is the sound, and Malikova's problem is that her playing can seem too safe on occasion, especially in comparison to Hough, who can really push the envelope. Both do bring a new life to the overplayed second concerto. Malikova's recording of the third concerto is just insufferably boring for me, though. Hough is really head and shoulders above her on that one, but they are competitive on the others.
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#114
Quote from: lescamil on November 21, 2012, 09:33:55 PM
I have both the Hough and the Malikova and the Hough is great aside from the sound. I alternate between Malikova and Hough. Hough's problem is the sound, and Malikova's problem is that her playing can seem too safe on occasion, especially in comparison to Hough, who can really push the envelope. Both do bring a new life to the overplayed second concerto. Malikova's recording of the third concerto is just insufferably boring for me, though. Hough is really head and shoulders above her on that one, but they are competitive on the others.

I liked Malikova's performance of the 3rd, but I always thought of this work as a dreamy type of sound-world. I'll have to go and listen to Roge's performance of it. I also don't think Malikova's playing is 'safe.' I'm not looking for a Martha Argerich performance in these concerti. For me, these types of performances are out-of-character in these works. These concerti require not only an ear for the inner details, but they also demand a lightness of touch. But it shouldn't be surprising that you and I disagree about recordings, because we disagree about about many composers as well.

snyprrr

I enjoy S-S's Late Sonatas, and especially the two String Quartets. He got just that little extra bit of gravitas at the end.

Dancing Divertimentian

Quote from: Lethevich on October 09, 2009, 10:56:25 AM
.....(although I don't rate his chamber music quite as highly as some...).

Old post, but sort of slim pickings on this thread. Just wanted to say I've recently gotten to know SS's first cello sonata. It's the performance below. Either the work is intentionally written with an ear towards depth or the performers dig deeply into the score to fatten it up. Either way it's an astounding piece. (But that's as far as I've gotten with SS and his chamber output).



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The rest of the disc is equally fascinating.


Veit Bach-a baker who found his greatest pleasure in a little cittern which he took with him even into the mill and played while the grinding was going on. In this way he had a chance to have the rhythm drilled into him. And this was the beginning of a musical inclination in his descendants. JS Bach

Dancing Divertimentian

As far as the Organ symphony, samples of the Barenboim recording sound enticing. But samples of this Nézet-Séguin recording sound equally enticing. Anyone heard it?



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Veit Bach-a baker who found his greatest pleasure in a little cittern which he took with him even into the mill and played while the grinding was going on. In this way he had a chance to have the rhythm drilled into him. And this was the beginning of a musical inclination in his descendants. JS Bach

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Quote from: Dancing Divertimentian on November 22, 2012, 08:41:13 AM
Old post, but sort of slim pickings on this thread. Just wanted to say I've recently gotten to know SS's first cello sonata. It's the performance below. Either the work is intentionally written with an ear towards depth or the performers dig deeply into the score to fatten it up. Either way it's an astounding piece. (But that's as far as I've gotten with SS and his chamber output).



[asin]B0000245TC[/asin]


The rest of the disc is equally fascinating.

Can't say I've heard the Cello Concerto No. 1 nor the Cello Sonata No. 1, but I imagine them being beautiful, melodic works. I've heard his Cello Concerto No. 2, which is just a gorgeous work. His music for violin is just as inspired. Saint-Saens is one of the few composers who I like their orchestral and chamber works. It's usually one or the other. He's such an amazing composer that whose star seems to have faded in recent decades. Not sure why. During his lifetime, he was highly praised and rightfully so.

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Quote from: Dancing Divertimentian on November 22, 2012, 09:32:56 AM
As far as the Organ symphony, samples of the Barenboim recording sound enticing. But samples of this Nézet-Séguin recording sound equally enticing. Anyone heard it?



[asin]B000F7MJDE[/asin]

I wouldn't mind picking it up but it appears to be out-of-print. Do you have a current favorite Organ Symphony, DD?