Your Favourite Purchases & Musical Discoveries of 2020

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

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Christo

This was one of not too many discoveries, in 2020. I tried some more Rota afterwards, my favourite Italian composer now after Respighi:
... music is not only an 'entertainment', nor a mere luxury, but a necessity of the spiritual if not of the physical life, an opening of those magic casements through which we can catch a glimpse of that country where ultimate reality will be found.    RVW, 1948

Maestro267

I should give Rota a go, really. I know it's a broad comparison to make, but after I utterly fell in love with Korngold's wonderful Symphony in F sharp, I'm interested in hearing the "serious" music of other composers better known for film scores.

Brian

I've yet to post a list in this thread, but agree with aukhawk particularly on the Schnyder Beethoven concertos. They have absolutely renewed my interest in those works. Gotta do some A/B testing with Bronfman/Zinman, not sure any other concerto cycle I know comes close. Gotta find more Schnyder Schtuff.

Mandryka

Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Christo

Quote from: Maestro267 on January 01, 2021, 11:43:43 AM
I should give Rota a go, really. I know it's a broad comparison to make, but after I utterly fell in love with Korngold's wonderful Symphony in F sharp, I'm interested in hearing the "serious" music of other composers better known for film scores.
Korngold's symphony is still waiting to be tried by me, will do so now.
... music is not only an 'entertainment', nor a mere luxury, but a necessity of the spiritual if not of the physical life, an opening of those magic casements through which we can catch a glimpse of that country where ultimate reality will be found.    RVW, 1948

Mandryka

Here's a challenging one that shouldn't be forgotten about - though I forgot about it.

Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

vmartell

Quote from: Brass Hole on December 30, 2020, 07:12:28 AM
That is superficial. If the subject is "taste" you can acquire it, can't you?

Sure you can! But you don't have to - specially if you don't want to! :D

I joke - but this takes us back to the initial idea. Taste. I have nothing I can really support against HIP performances in general - I mean performance analysis aside, just the initial hit of that sound... well.. not to MY taste... so prefer non-HIP even if some of my favourite performances are HIP performances! :D

v

vandermolen

Quote from: Maestro267 on January 01, 2021, 11:43:43 AM
I should give Rota a go, really. I know it's a broad comparison to make, but after I utterly fell in love with Korngold's wonderful Symphony in F sharp, I'm interested in hearing the "serious" music of other composers better known for film scores.
Me too - like Bernard Herrmann's Symphony and 'Moby Dick' and Waxman's 'Song of Terezin'.
"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).

Christo

Quote from: vandermolen on January 05, 2021, 12:17:55 PM
Me too - like Bernard Herrmann's Symphony and 'Moby Dick' and Waxman's 'Song of Terezin'.
His four symphonies show that Nino Rota was a symphonic composer first, and a film composer second - not what I at first expected. Will play Bernard Hermann's Symphony again (never tried really hard enough).  :)
... music is not only an 'entertainment', nor a mere luxury, but a necessity of the spiritual if not of the physical life, an opening of those magic casements through which we can catch a glimpse of that country where ultimate reality will be found.    RVW, 1948

vandermolen

#129
Quote from: Christo on January 06, 2021, 05:13:25 AM
His four symphonies show that Nino Rota was a symphonic composer first, and a film composer second - not what I at first expected. Will play Bernard Hermann's Symphony again (never tried really hard enough).  :)
That Rota CD of symphonies 1 and 2 is on my 'Priority List'. My brother doesn't think much of Herrmann's Symphony but I like it very much (have recordings on Unicorn and Koch - both are good but Unicorn is best IMO).
"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

Quote from: vandermolen on January 06, 2021, 05:24:45 AM
That Rota CD of symphonies 1 and 2 is on my 'Priority List'. My brother doesn't think much of Herrmann's Symphony but I like it very much (have recordings on Unicorn and Koch - both are good but Unicorn is best IMO).

The Unicorn seems to be still (or newly) available from Presto:

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8151595--herrmann-symphony-the-fantasticks

I've also seen some digital versions streaming on Qobuz that look rather dubious in origin.

vandermolen

Quote from: Daverz on January 06, 2021, 05:29:05 AM
The Unicorn seems to be still (or newly) available from Presto:

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8151595--herrmann-symphony-the-fantasticks

I've also seen some digital versions streaming on Qobuz that look rather dubious in origin.
That's good to know - it's a fine CD. Its original appearance on LP made a big impression on me:
"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).

Dry Brett Kavanaugh

#132
Vladigerov, Tsintsadze, etc.

Jeffrey, thank you for recommending many albums, especially those of W. Walton works, last year. I enjoyed all of them.

Mandryka

#133
Quote from: edward on December 13, 2020, 08:35:40 AM


Another composer making huge strides forward in my estimation is Clara Iannotta. Earthing, her disc of string quartets as played by the JACK Quartet, shows this very well: the two earlier quartets are fine essays in sonic exploration in the tradition of the likes of Lachenmann and Schnebel, but the title work and the extraordinary You Crawl over Seas of Granite add something new, a cavernous, doom-laden sound that feels like it's taking up where the best of Nono's late electro-acoustic works left off.

[asin]B08D53GVN1[/asin]


Yes. The quiet sounds give the impression of music far away, space, and that is somehow evocative, as if she's creating vast structures in sound. I much prefer music you can hardly hear to music that's in your face.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

vandermolen

#134
Quote from: Dry Brett Kavanaugh on January 08, 2021, 03:33:26 PM
Vladigerov, Tsintsadze, etc.

Jeffrey, thank you for recommending many albums, especially those of W. Walton works, last year. I enjoyed all of them.

You're most welcome DBK. I'm delighted that you enjoyed them.
:)
"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).

foxandpeng

This is a wonderfully informative thread.

Thank you all!
"A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people ... then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one's neighbour — such is my idea of happiness"

Tolstoy