Your Favourite Purchases & Musical Discoveries of 2020

Started by vandermolen, November 27, 2020, 11:35:13 PM

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vandermolen

November 27, 2020, 11:35:13 PM Last Edit: November 28, 2020, 12:11:44 AM by vandermolen
Hopefully something good came musically out of this dreadful year.
My suggestion is for something completely new (like Salmenhaara's 4th symphony in my case) or for an especially fine (not necessarily new) recording of a piece of music with which you are already familiar (like Vajnar's Novak recording on Supraphon). I'm not including a limit - there have been enough rules in 2020:
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

vandermolen

#1
November 27, 2020, 11:49:18 PM Last Edit: November 28, 2020, 12:15:27 AM by vandermolen
Also:

VL: Symphony 2/Vladigerov: Symphony 1

Baltic Sea Youth Philharmonic for Gelgotas 'Never Ignore the Cosmic Ocean' (great fun and very short) and Kalnins's Symphony 4 'Rock Symphony' (1st Movement only on CD although there are other recordings of the complete work on BIS for example).

"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Symphonic Addict

#2
November 28, 2020, 07:18:23 AM
These days I was thinking of this idea. I have a bunch to post.
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

Mirror Image

#3
November 28, 2020, 08:43:20 AM
I haven't really discovered any notable composers this year as I've been more concerned with rediscovering what is already in my collection, but what a marvelous journey it's been thus far.

Roasted Swan

#4
November 28, 2020, 09:45:01 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on November 28, 2020, 08:43:20 AM
I haven't really discovered any notable composers this year as I've been more concerned with rediscovering what is already in my collection, but what a marvelous journey it's been thus far.

Exactly my project for 2021 - to rediscover and re-appreciate MANY of the discs I already own.......

Mirror Image

#5
November 28, 2020, 10:36:00 AM
Quote from: Roasted Swan on November 28, 2020, 09:45:01 AM
Exactly my project for 2021 - to rediscover and re-appreciate MANY of the discs I already own.......

Yes, indeed. I have found, especially nowadays, that I've reached kind of an apex in my collecting and as a result, I've slowed down my buying tremendously.

Symphonic Addict

#6
November 28, 2020, 11:22:28 AM
I took this thread very seriously, so I'll post many different CDs with works I discovered this year and found revelatory or that gave me great pleasure, no matter if the composers are original or 2nd-rate.

Part I










Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

Symphonic Addict

#7
November 28, 2020, 11:23:08 AM
Part II









All the volumes of Weingartner's quartets:



Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

Symphonic Addict

#8
November 28, 2020, 11:23:54 AM Last Edit: November 28, 2020, 11:30:05 AM by Symphonic Addict
Part III


The 2nd disc is for the Mosolov's String Quartet No. 1







Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

Symphonic Addict

#9
November 28, 2020, 11:24:34 AM
Final part








Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

André

#10
November 28, 2020, 12:40:02 PM
Newbies:



A superb disc overall. The symphony is a knockout.



Both works are magnificent.



An excellent production of this enigmatic opera.

...............................

Oldies:



The finest operatic recital I've heard in many a moon.



I bought this one for the symphony by Jan Rääts (and very fine it is) but ended up celebrating one of the best Brahms concerto performances I've heard.



A searing, monumental performance of this masterpiece in excellent mono sound.

vandermolen

#11
November 29, 2020, 12:07:41 AM
Thanks guys for all the thoughtful replies.
Cesar - I should have posted the Eklund in my original list, it was a fine discovery of this year and so thanks for posting it. I have a CD of Lundquist's First Symphony (I think!) which I recall admiring and so I would like to explore more of his music. As for Soderlind, I wish that his wonderful 8th Symphony (In Memory of Sibelius) was on CD, although I have often listened to the version on You Tube.
André, a big thumbs up for Arthur Benjamin's powerful and brooding Symphony (I have all three recordings on Lyrita, Marco Polo and the Barbirolli Society one) and for Peterson-Berger's 2nd Symphony and Violin Concerto.
I take all the other points about familiarising oneself with one's existing CD/LP collection - maybe that will be my aim for 2021!
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

steve ridgway

#12
November 29, 2020, 03:42:06 AM
I've been focusing on composers I was already familiar with but was very pleased to discover a load of Xenakis's non electroacoustic music on archive.org. I'd only found one or two albums on there a couple of years ago but wasn't ready to appreciate it at the time.

vandermolen

#13
November 29, 2020, 09:34:19 AM Last Edit: November 29, 2020, 09:37:51 AM by vandermolen
Quote from: steve ridgway on November 29, 2020, 03:42:06 AM
I've been focusing on composers I was already familiar with but was very pleased to discover a load of Xenakis's non electroacoustic music on archive.org. I'd only found one or two albums on there a couple of years ago but wasn't ready to appreciate it at the time.
Interesting. I've never head any music by this composer, so, I just listened to 'Metastasis' on You Tube. I don't know what to say really - although I will say that it held my attention throughout. It reminded me of Ligeti. I read the comments section below the You Tube video with interest. One commentator (a composer) said that he was very moved by the purity of Xenakis's music, although not in a sentimental way. I can, kind of, understand what he means. Although this music is the antithesis of what I normally listen to, I had a strong sense of something worthwhile going on, and I shall listen to Xenakis again.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

steve ridgway

#14
November 29, 2020, 09:55:47 AM
That's a good result. It is rather alien music but I've just let it wash over me and gradually got sucked in.

vandermolen

#15
November 29, 2020, 10:06:24 AM
Quote from: steve ridgway on November 29, 2020, 09:55:47 AM
That's a good result. It is rather alien music but I've just let it wash over me and gradually got sucked in.
Thanks - you have to surrender to it I think.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Mirror Image

#16
November 29, 2020, 10:09:13 AM
Quote from: steve ridgway on November 29, 2020, 09:55:47 AM
That's a good result. It is rather alien music but I've just let it wash over me and gradually got sucked in.

This is exactly what I did with Boulez's music and it paid off tremendously --- what a composer!

Cato

#17
November 29, 2020, 10:26:56 AM
Quote from: vandermolen on November 29, 2020, 09:34:19 AM
Interesting. I've never head any music by this composer, so, I just listened to 'Metastasis' on You Tube. I don't know what to say really - although I will say that it held my attention throughout. It reminded me of Ligeti. I read the comments section below the You Tube video with interest. One commentator (a composer) said that he was very moved by the purity of Xenakis's music, although not in a sentimental way. I can, kind of, understand what he means. Although this music is the antithesis of what I normally listen to, I had a strong sense of something worthwhile going on, and I shall listen to Xenakis again.

Wow!  You have some great times coming.  Also, you will have some weird times coming!  It will depend on what you choose!  HAve fun!

My favorite discovery this year...

"Meet Miss Ruth Sherwood, from Columbus, Ohio, the Middle of the Universe!"

- Brian Aherne introducing Rosalind Russell in  My Sister Eileen (1942)

vandermolen

#18
November 29, 2020, 10:36:33 AM
Quote from: Cato on November 29, 2020, 10:26:56 AM
Wow!  You have some great times coming.  Also, you will have some weird times coming!  It will depend on what you choose!  HAve fun!

My favorite discovery this year...



Thanks Leo (and John) - of course I have you to thank for my introduction to Tcherepnin's 'Narcisse et Echo'.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Daverz

#19
November 29, 2020, 12:12:28 PM
Some new contemporary composers: Steve Elcock, Rob Keeley, Alexandre Brincken (all Toccata Classics),
Tõnu Kõrvits (Ondine), Jonathan Leshnoff (Naxos).

Pleasant discoveries of older music: The early Schubert quartets; Ginastera's Harp Concerto; Cantaloube's Songs of the Auvergne.

Disappointments: Richard Rodney Bennett.  I've sampled widely and nothing appeals to me.


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