What are you listening 2 now?

[Madiel]

Earlier tonight I heard 2 segments of piano playing on ABC Classic FM radio station that I was quite taken with. It turns out that both of them were recordings by Grigory Sokolov, so I might have to check out more of him.

[ChamberNut]

You are right, I hardly can.  
The artwork is giving me the creeps too. There is a lot of ignoring involved. A pity because in general I like this ensemble and the composer of course.

I'll take the Beauty Farm covers, awful as they, over the grotesque naked imps playing the violin. 

[Harry]

I'll take the Beauty Farm covers, awful as they, over the grotesque naked imps playing the violin. 

   

[Madiel]

Mozart: Ch'io mi scordi di te? ... Non temer, amato bene, K.505



I find Mozart's concert arias quite interesting at times. In this case, the version I decided to pick from Idagio has Julie Fuchs singing in a most attractive fashion. The downside, though, is that the commitment to period instruments includes a horrible honky-tonk piano with tuning issues (as this aria happens to have a piano part along with the orchestra). If you ever wanted a demonstration that new music technology was invented precisely because the old technology was in need of improvements, this is it.

[Florestan]

If you ever wanted a demonstration that new music technology was invented precisely because the old technology was in need of improvements, this is it.

The funny thing is that some people accept, or even demand, unsatisfactory instruments on the reason that "it's what they played and listened to back then", but when it is pointed out to them that, by the same token, unsatisfactory environments and etiquette should also be accepted, because "it's where and how they listened back then", they strongly disagree.

[Traverso]

Bach

Vol.4 CD 2

[Madiel]

Haydn: Keyboard Sonata no.52 in G



A fine and inventive work (would one expect anything less of Haydn c.1780?). One of its notable features is that it's one of a pair of sonatas where Haydn used the same theme but gave it different treatments. He got the publisher of the first edition to print a statement that this was intentional so that people wouldn't criticise the similarity.

[Madiel]

The funny thing is that some people accept, or even demand, unsatisfactory instruments on the reason that "it's what they played and listened to back then", but when it is pointed out to them that, by the same token, unsatisfactory environments and etiquette should also be accepted, because "it's where and how they listened back then", they strongly disagree.

Let's not spend all night preaching to the choir.

[ritter]

The funny thing is that some people accept, or even demand, unsatisfactory instruments on the reason that "it's what they played and listened to back then", but when it is pointed out to them that, by the same token, unsatisfactory environments and etiquette should also be accepted, because "it's where and how they listened back then", they strongly disagree.

¡Don erre que erre! 

Good day to you, Andrei!

[Florestan]

Good day to you, Andrei!

To you too, Rafael.

[Harry]

BACH, Johann Sebastian (1685–1750)
Complete Organ works.
Volume I.
See for details back cover.
Masaaki Suzuki, Plays on the Schnitger organ, in the Martini Church, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Pitch: a' = 465 Hz & Tuning: after Hinz, Variant of Neidhardt.
July 2014 at the Martinikerk, Groningen, The Netherlands.

A marvelous performance, and SOTA recording, which is no mean feat in the acoustics of the Martini Church. Time and time again I hear this fine instrument, and know full well, it will not get better as the present time and age.

[prémont]

The funny thing is that some people accept, or even demand, unsatisfactory instruments on the reason that "it's what they played and listened to back then", but when it is pointed out to them that, by the same token, unsatisfactory environments and etiquette should also be accepted, because "it's where and how they listened back then", they strongly disagree.

What you don't understand is that there are people - many of them active musicians - who think that the old "imperfect" instruments are the ideal vehicles for the old music written for them. Fortunately for you though, you can still enjoy old music played on "perfect" modern instruments. Each to his own.

[Madiel]

What you don't understand is that there are people - many of them active musicians - who think that the old "imperfect" instruments are the ideal vehicles for the old music written for them. Fortunately for you though, you can still enjoy old music played on "perfect" modern instruments. Each to his own.

In fact I consider there are quite a few cases where the old instruments are the better choice. But honky-tonk piano is not one of them.

[Traverso]

What you don't understand is that there are people - many of them active musicians - who think that the old "imperfect" instruments are the ideal vehicles for the old music written for them. Fortunately for you though, you can still enjoy old music played on "perfect" modern instruments. Each to his own.

Have you listened to the Bach trio sonatas (Bergwerff) and what is your verdict....

[prémont]

In fact I consider there are quite a few cases where the old instruments are the better choice. But honky-tonk piano is not one of them.

I agree with you so far that I don't think all restored or rebuilt fortepianos are a pure joy to listen to.

[prémont]

Have you listened to the Bach trio sonatas (Bergwerff) and what is your verdict....

Yes, I listened to them twice in the weekend, and you will find my comments in the "Bach on the organ" thread.

[vandermolen]

Claudio Santoro:

[Madiel]

Nielsen: Clarinet Concerto



I feel I can appreciate this better after digging into Nielsen's body of work more. It has something in common with the 6th symphony, in that Nielsen uses rather small-scale forces. There's almost a neoclassical tinge to it, although Nielsen's approach to harmony and form is still very Nielsen and the clarinet flies off every which way. Plus the snare drum plays a starring role.

[Traverso]

Yes, I listened to them twice in the weekend, and you will find my comments in the "Bach on the organ" thread.

I look it up...

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker. Utah Symphony & Maurice Abravanel.