What are you listening 2 now?

[Mandryka]

I  Heck, I consider myself an educated bourgeois.  )

Préparez-vous à vous faire épater!

[Que]

Got it but not yet listened to it. In your opinion what's wrong with it?

Wrong is a big word.

My golden standard in the Mazurkas is Rubinstein (preferably his 1st recording - fresh and brimming with energy) and Yakov Flier (Melodiya). I have 2 recordings on a Pleyel as well: Cor de Groot (pretty good, but rather old fashioned) and Fou Ts'ong (incomplete on one disc a part of "The Real Chopin" edition, also quite good but missing the magic touch).

The Mazurkas should be indeed performed dance-like, with appropriate tempi, rhythm and energy.
This is quirky and quite deconstructed in approach in places, with unnatural changes (lapses) in tempi and rhythm.
The Mazurkas should IMO be played straight with charm, going all philosophical about them is killing their character.

But I'm sure many would disagree! 

Q

[Todd]

Through cans this time.  Fukuma's touch in the p to ppp range entrances.

[Harry]

Backlog 2012. Naxos 2011.

Giovanni Sgambati.
Cola di Rienzo-Overture.
Symphony No. 1 in D major.
Orchestra Sinfonia di Roma, Francesco Vecchia.

Absolute top notch performances and sound. Sgambati is a underrated composer, but at least he gets more attention these days, which was about time.

[Artem]

Absolutely enjoying this. Never thought that I would get so much pleasure from Chopin's music.
[asin]B000001GC8[/asin]

[Que]

Nothing wrong with some old fashioned Mozart! 

Even if the overture starts at a snail's pace...

Q

[Biffo]

Vaughan Williams: Symphony No 5 in D major - BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Martyn Brabbins - beautiful performance, RVW 5 has been very lucky on disc

[Que]

Backlog 2012.

Hi Harry, I was wondering..

Considering the size of your collection there are several options...
Does this mean that you were listening it in 2012 for the last time; you planned to listen to it in 2012; or that this is the first time you are listening to it?

Q

[vandermolen]

Vaughan Williams: Symphony No 5 in D major - BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Martyn Brabbins - beautiful performance, RVW 5 has been very lucky on disc

Good to know. I haven't played it yet.

[Traverso]

Nothing wrong with some old fashioned Mozart! 

Even if the overture starts at a snail's pace...

Q

Certainly not,I listened to this recording a few weeks ago.

[Traverso]

Bach

[André]

Don't forget the unnumbered Sinfonia in memoriam. I'm very fond of it.

I certainly will. It's coupled with the second symphony, so it should be # 2 in the queue  .

[André]

Right now listening to The Rainbow Snake.

[Tom 1960]

Symphonies 1 and 2

[Harry]

Hi Harry, I was wondering..

Considering the size of your collection there are several options...
Does this mean that you were listening it in 2012 for the last time; you planned to listen to it in 2012; or that this is the first time you are listening to it?

Q

It means that I have listened to it once in the year I give, and thereafter no more.

[Mandryka]

A comment someone made about memory in Rihm's Lux made me spontaneously think of Pogorelich's Valses nobles et sentimentales, which do indeed sound like something dimly remembered. I think this was the last recording he made before his crisis, and it is, IMO, right on the cusp of ruinous misjudgement and bold creativity.

[T. D.]

[Sterna]

Nothing wrong with some old fashioned Mozart! 

Even if the overture starts at a snail's pace...

Q

No dialogues and no story teller... that's what's wrong with it.
Still a first class musical performance though, I agree on that.

[André]

Symphonies 1 and 2

Welcome back, Tom ! 

[Que]

No dialogues and no story teller... that's what's wrong with it.
Still a first class musical performance though, I agree on that.

Of course, different times... This is my preferred HIP version:



Q