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[AnotherSpin]

Op. 106

[Harry]

Alessandro Melani 1639-1703.
Mottetti.
Litanie per la beata vergine; Ave regina coelorum; Clamemus ante deum; O voces formidandae; De necessitatibus; Laudate pueri; Vivere sine te; Salve regina; Ad arma, cor meum; Magnificat.

Concerto Italiano.
Sopranos, Alena Dantcheva, Monica Piccinini, Anna Simboli.
Contralto, Gabriella Martellacci, Alto Andrea Arrivabene.
Tenors, Luca Dordolo, Raffaele Giordani, Basses Matteo Bellotto, Sergio Foresti.
Theorbo Craig Marchitelli, Michael Leopold.
Rinaldo Alessandrini, Organ and Conductor.
Recorded in October 2006 in Rome (Italy).
OOP.

Top shelf performances. It is how I like to hear this music. Rare sacred repertoire of the highest artistry, interpreted with masterly clarity and devotion. Superb sound. A CD hard to get, but with some effort you might find a copy.

[Que]

For me a mixed bag... As soon as the drums and bagpipes appear, I'm out. But the solo songs and a capella pieces of very rare early Franco-Flemish repertoire are sufficient compensation.

[Harry]

Johann Sebastiani. (1622-1683) Music.
Lieder nach Texten von Gertraud Möller (1641-1705) "Parnass-Blumen".

Gott lob, die Nacht ist nun vergangen; Was geht es Zoile dich an; Güldner Licht-Gott, dessen Schein; Gott, bey dir steht aller Menschen Leben; Als Philosoph an einem Ufer saß; Du alte teutsche Treu; Du Apffel sage mir; Stolzier, du siehst mich an; Ich, grosser Gott, der Welt-Regierer; Ich bin ein Seygerhaus; Und so sol ich gleichwol freyen; Habt ihr nicht gehört davon; Stellt nur das Trauren ein; Gellia du Schöne; Mein Oblivisca hat mich gar vergessen; Schäfer-Gespräch; Der dieser Erden schönes Hauß; So geht es, liebster Jesu, dir; Heilge Striemen; O Hertzens-Angst; Nun ist meiner Schiffahrt Ziel geendet; Gegrüsset seyst du, liebe Stehte; Der müde Tag geht nun zur Ruh
H. Albrecht: Mirtillis gieng in tieffen Schmertzen.
.
AElbgut, Wunderkammer.
Recorded: Andreas Kirche, Berlin, Wannsee, February 2022.

Another fine recording with vocal works, by a composer virtually unknown to me, but a great surprise due to the quality of the compositions, and the more than excellent singing, and beautiful instrumental contributions. Worth the effort and time.

[Que]

Top shelf performances. It is how I like to hear this music. Rare sacred repertoire of the highest artistry, interpreted with masterly clarity and devotion. Superb sound. A CD hard to get, but with some effort you might find a copy.

Following your lead. Hadn't heard that truly wonderful recording for ages! 

[Mookalafalas]

Been skipping around in this set. So far, uniformly excellent.

[Harry]

Ludwig van Beethoven.
Symphonies Nr.1 & 2.
Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan.
Recorded: 1961-1962, Jesus Christus Kirche, Berlin.
SACD recordings.

I bought these CD's in 2005, and actually never played them. I became more critical over the years about the artistry and personality and his role as a conductor. Of all the recordings he made of Beethoven's symphonies I like the recordings of the sixties best. But to say, that they fire my admiration, no, not by an inch. You get what you expect from the likes of Karajan, big boned extravaganza's. Is there merit in them for me I ask myself when listening, which I must answer with a weak yes. I admire the grandeur, how he elaborates sections in the music with more pomp as he should, his meticulous attention to tempi and details, the last often obscured by to loud playing of all desks. But I will keep them, as I kept his complete set of the Bruckner symphonies. I have some admiration for his Sibelius and Honegger recordings, but apart from that I gave all my Karajan recordings away. The SACD sound is quite a few steps up in the sonics.

[Traverso]

Hans Werner Henze

Undine



part of this box

[Harry]

Erkki Melartin.
Violin concert & other Orchestral works.
See back cover for details.
Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, Leif Segerstam. 
John Storgards, Violin.
Recorded in 1998.

Respect is earned by the Finnish violinist John Storgards not only for the excavation of this concerto, but also and above all for this technically demanding and contrasting balancing act on the strings. With his elegant warm violin tone and the sonorous violin tone plus the powerful support of the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, a colorful sound painting emerges, that presents Nordic landscapes  in all its colours. And that goes for all the orchestral works on this CD. Frankly I am blown away by Melartin's music, and it all started with his wonderful symphonies. Very good sound, it could have been recorded yesterday.

[Traverso]

Ludwig van Beethoven.
Symphonies Nr.1 & 2.
Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan.
Recorded: 1961-1962, Jesus Christus Kirche, Berlin.
SACD recordings.

I bought these CD's in 2005, and actually never played them. I became more critical over the years about the artistry and personality and his role as a conductor. Of all the recordings he made of Beethoven's symphonies I like the recordings of the sixties best. But to say, that they fire my admiration, no, not by an inch. You get what you expect from the likes of Karajan, big boned extravaganza's. Is there merit in them for me I ask myself when listening, which I must answer with a weak yes. I admire the grandeur, how he elaborates sections in the music with more pomp as he should, his meticulous attention to tempi and details, the last often obscured by to loud playing of all desks. But I will keep them, as I kept his complete set of the Bruckner symphonies. I have some admiration for his Sibelius and Honegger recordings, but apart from that I gave all my Karajan recordings away. The SACD sound is quite a few steps up in the sonics.

I largely agree with you. In the field of opera there are a number of very successful recordings, and not to forget his recordings of Richard Strauss and Debussy. His Beethoven symphonies, I have the SACD box which indeed sounds a bit better but I rarely listen to it, although I like the fourth symphony.
Das wunder Karajan 



Frans Brüggen said about Karajan's Bach recordings, "he does everything wrong but it still has quality"
I can agree with that but many recordings are unlistenabl  because he sticks everything together with his overcooked spaghetti legato.Articulation is the spice of  music. His Wagner, I prefer it to Solti's.
This is of course just my opinion.

[nico1616]

I like this one more than I remembered, everything except the last movement is first rate Tchaikovsky.

[Harry]

I largely agree with you. In the field of opera there are a number of very successful recordings, and not to forget his recordings of Richard Strauss and Debussy. His Beethoven symphonies, I have the SACD box which indeed sounds a bit better but I rarely listen to it, although I like the fourth symphony.
Das wunder Karajan 



Frans Brüggen said about Karajan's Bach recordings, "he does everything wrong but it still has quality"
I can agree with that but many recordings are unlistenabl  because he sticks everything together with his overcooked spaghetti legato.Articulation is the spice of  music. His Wagner, I prefer it to Solti's.
This is of course just my opinion.

Well on this I also agree with you and Frans Bruggen.

[Harry]

Orchestral Music by:
Vaughan Williams, Hubert Parry, York Bowen, William Alwyn.
BBC Concert Orchestra, John Wilson.
See back cover for all details.
Recorded: 2009 at the Colosseum, Town Hall Watford

No complaints here, all is well that sounds well, and it certainly does. Some of my most admired British composers. The performance under Wilson sounds polished with a warm glow, and he rarely puts a foot wrong. But then again, I admire his skills as a conductor too. Some pretty unknown music on this disc, and some would say of a lesser quality, but that is not my impression. But I was always the odd one out, so no surprises there either.

[Linz]

Marin Marais Fantaisie champêtre, Pieces in trio, Ensemble Rebel

[DavidW]

Bruckner's 8th Haitink/RCO. I don't know if this was the same one Andre was talking about because, honestly, navigating Haitink Bruckner releases is a confusing mess. There are many different recordings, and on top of that, there are remasters and reissues of the same ones as well. It looks like Haitink has recorded the 8th at least four times. Anyway, this is a terrific recording!

[Spotted Horses]

Bruckner's 8th Haitink/RCO. I don't know if this was the same one Andre was talking about because, honestly, navigating Haitink Bruckner releases is a confusing mess. There are many different recordings, and on top of that, there are remasters and reissues of the same ones as well. It looks like Haitink has recorded the 8th at least four times. Anyway, this is a terrific recording!

If that's the same as this, then it's the 1969 recording, part of Haitink's original cycle, and what people seem to be talking about (at least it is what I was talking about).

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8543925--bruckner-the-symphonies

[Todd]

[Brian]

I like this one more than I remembered, everything except the last movement is first rate Tchaikovsky.

And arguably everything except the amateurish fugue.

[Harry]

Music of the Four Countries.

See back cover for details.
Recorded in 1968, Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Scotland.

Isn't that something! Look what I discovered in the huge pile of music Qobuz is offering, with four composers I admire, Starting with Ethel Smyth's composition "The Wreckers", a most glorious piece, and the Charming "With the Wild Geese" from Hamilton Harty, followed by MacCunn and German. Well what I can say is, you get "SOTA" sound, yes indeed recorded in 1968,  they knew a thing or two at EMI about sound. The Orchestra conducted by Gibson delivers marvelous performances of all works. High Fidelity no less. I am bathing in luxurious sound. Recommended.

[Harry]

And arguably everything except the amateurish fugue.

I could not find any blemish or amateurish in the whole set, sorry. I have listened to most sets of T's symphonies that are available, and this one ranks in my top 10.