What are you listening 2 now?

[Que]

[Mirror Image]

That is true John, by the way as far as Das Lied von der Erde is concerned, I also prefer Haitink. I already had the Boulez recording
I am not disappointed in the set, quite the contrary.

Very good to read, Jan.

NP:

Brahms
Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor (Arr. Schoenberg)
Berliner Philharmoniker
Rattle



This is one of the finest recordings Rattle ever made, IMHO. This is also the closest I'll ever come to Brahms who is a composer I never could get into.

[Mirror Image]

Nice! One of my favorite piano works by anyone.

It is gorgeous, indeed.

[Lisztianwagner]

For the record, and this is not the first time I'm saying this, but I'm really loving how much everyone else here on GMG is on the same Mahler binge that I'm on...

Agreed, Mahler deserves all the attention as possible.


Speaking about Mahler, now:
Gustav Mahler
Symphony No.1

[Lisztianwagner]

NP:

Brahms
Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor (Arr. Schoenberg)
Berliner Philharmoniker
Rattle



This is one of the finest recordings Rattle ever made, IMHO. This is also the closest I'll ever come to Brahms who is a composer I never could get into.

Rattle has always been an excellent Schönberg interpreter, the very first recording I listened and that introduced me to Schönberg's music was indeed his version of A Survivor from Warsaw.

[Mirror Image]

Rattle has always been an excellent Schönberg interpreter, the very first recording I listened and that introduced me to Schönberg's music was indeed his version of A Survivor from Warsaw.

Yes, I think he's quite fine in his music, too, but also Berg and Webern. I still hold the opinion that his Szymanowski recordings are his greatest contribution to not only this composer's discography, but in recorded music history in general.

[Todd]

[VonStupp]

Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Violin Concerto in D Major, op. 35
Los Angeles Philharmonic - Alfred Wallenstein (rec. 1953)

Miklós Rózsa
Violin Concerto, op. 24
Dallas SO - Walter Hendl (rec. 1956)

Sinfonia Concertante, op. 29a, 2nd mvt.
Gregor Piatigorsky, cello (rec. 1963)

Franz Waxman
Carmen Fantasy
RCA Victor SO - Donald Voorhees (rec. 1951)

Jascha Heifetz, violin

More a historical recording with Heifetz in the spotlight. The Carmen Fantasy sounds rough.

I am interested in Rózsa's Sinfonia Concertante, here with Piatigorsky, but this recording performs only the Theme & Variations second movement. Has anyone heard more of this work?

VS

[Mirror Image]

More a historical recording with Heifetz in the spotlight. The Carmen Fantasy really sounds rough.

I am interested in Rózsa's Sinfonia Concertante, here with Piatigorsky, and this recording records only the Theme & Variations second movement. Has anyone heard more of this work?

VS

I never understood how this recording of Korngold VC is considered the 'gold standard' when there are much better performances available: Shaham/Previn, Mutter/Previn, Ehnes/Tovey et. al. I owned this recording at one juncture, but I culled it rather soon after I heard it and I'm glad I did.

[VonStupp]

I never understood how this recording of Korngold VC is considered the 'gold standard' when there are much better performances available: Shaham/Previn, Mutter/Previn, Ehnes/Tovey et. al. I owned this recording at one juncture, but I culled it rather soon after I heard it and I'm glad I did.

Yeah, really only for Heifetz die-hards. I think everything here has been done elsewhere, and probably in better sound if nothing else.

VS

[Linz]

I too will listen to Solti's "Titan" Symphony 1

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Shostakovich
String Quartets Nos. 13 & 14
Pacifica Quartet



I seem to be working my way backwards in this particular Shostakovich SQ cycle, but it really doesn't matter what order I go in --- the composer's voice is never in doubt and not to mention the emotion this quartet puts into the music.

[Mirror Image]

Yeah, really only for Heifetz die-hards. I think everything here has been done elsewhere, and probably in better sound if nothing else.

VS

Of which I'm definitely not one. In fact, I can't think of any particular musician whether they be a conductor, violinist, cellist, etc. where I developed some kind of "fan worship" for.

[Lisztianwagner]

Yes, I think he's quite fine in his music, too, but also Berg and Webern. I still hold the opinion that his Szymanowski recordings are his greatest contribution to not only this composer's discography, but in recorded music history in general.

Sure, I talked about his Schönberg since one of his Schönberg recordings was mentioned before, but he's brilliant with the Second Viennese School in general. His Ravel is also very fine, or at least, his versions of L' Enfant et les sortilèges and Ma Mère l'Oye. I don't think I know his Szymanowski recordings, I should check about.

[classicalgeek]

Bruckner Symphony No. 8 in C Minor Gunter Wand

An amazing recording! Listened to this just a couple of days ago and I'm still in awe.

NP:

Shostakovich
String Quartets Nos. 13 & 14
Pacifica Quartet



I seem to be working my way backwards in this particular Shostakovich SQ cycle, but it really doesn't matter what order I go in --- the composer's voice is never in doubt and not to mention the emotion this quartet puts into the music.

I might have to get Pacifica's Shostakovich soon; I've heard nothing but good things about it. I'm glad they preserved the couplings in the complete set!

TD:
Shostakovich
Symphony no. 15
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Mariss Jansons
(on CD)

[VonStupp]

Of which I'm definitely not one. In fact, I can't think of any particular musician whether they be a conductor, violinist, cellist, etc. where I developed some kind of "fan worship" for.

I use specific performers, ensembles, or conductors I trust as an entry point to new music, but I don't think I collect this way either.

VS

[VonStupp]

Gustav Mahler
Symphony 10

Frankfurt RSO - Eliahu Inbal

I'll join in. I believe this is Cooke's first performing version.

VS

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Aram Khachaturian: Dance Suite.

[Mirror Image]

Sure, I talked about his Schönberg since one of his Schönberg recordings was mentioned before, but he's brilliant with the Second Viennese School in general. His Ravel is also very fine, or at least, his versions of L' Enfant et les sortilèges and Ma Mère l'Oye. I don't think I know his Szymanowski recordings, I should check about.

Please give a listen to Szymanowski's Stabat Mater under Rattle first. I think you will enjoy what you hear.

I use specific performers, ensembles, or conductors I trust as an entry point to new music, but I don't think I collect this way either.

VS

Yes, this is my approach as well.

I might have to get Pacifica's Shostakovich soon; I've heard nothing but good things about it. I'm glad they preserved the couplings in the complete set!

TD:
Shostakovich
Symphony no. 15
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Mariss Jansons
(on CD)

I think you'll enjoy the Pacifica cycle. It doesn't displace the Borodin Quartet on Chandos or Melodiya for me, but for a modern cycle they're difficult to beat. By the way, how are you enjoy that Jansons cycle so far?

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Bernstein
Symphony No. 1, "Jeremiah"
Concerto for Orchestra, "Jubilee Games"
Christa Ludwig, mezzo-soprano
Israel Philharmonic
Bernstein

From this marvelous box set -



What's nice about the Deutsche Grammophon set is all the works that you don't get in the Sony set. One member here prefers the Sony performances to these DG remakes and in some instances he is correct there are better recordings found in the Sony catalog of like West Side Story for example. But there's no denying that Lenny brought a certain grandeur to his music later in life that is just as appealing as the brashness and quicker tempi employed in his earlier recordings. We're actually rather fortunate to have three Bernstein box sets available: Sony (Columbia), DG and Naxos (Alsop's recordings).