Topic: Ivan Moravec

[Coopmv]

Nope. And I just read an amazon.uk review that claims that they removed the hiss. I don't like what noise reduction does to the piano tone (the Nocturnes were recorded in 1965, on analog tape that inherently has hiss), so I won't be getting the Supraphon.

The same here.  The Nonesuch box is fine.

[Brian]

Here's a nocturne from the Supraphon remastering - Op 48/1. It's an Apple Lossless file (m4a), hope you can play it; you may need to right-click save-as. Otherwise I'll have to go to a 320 MP3.

[George]

Here's a nocturne from the Supraphon remastering - Op 48/1. It's an Apple Lossless file (m4a), hope you can play it; you may need to right-click save-as. Otherwise I'll have to go to a 320 MP3.

Thanks, Brian. The amazon reviewer was wrong, they each have pretty much the same amount of hiss, so no noise reduction. They sound close, the Nonesuch has more bass, producing an overall warmer sound. As to which is closer to Moravec's actual tone, I can't say, as I have never heard him live. If you wish to compare (and if you do, I'd love to hear your thoughts), here's the same track from the Nonesuch set, in WAV format:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/9cktdm

[Coopmv]

Thanks, Brian. The amazon reviewer was wrong, they each have pretty much the same amount of hiss, so no noise reduction. They sound close, the Nonesuch has more bass, producing an overall warmer sound. As to which is closer to Moravec's actual tone, I can't say, as I have never heard him live. If you wish to compare (and if you do, I'd love to hear your thoughts), here's the same track from the Nonesuch set, in WAV format:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/9cktdm

The Nonesuch set sounds fine to me.  When I first saw the new Supraphon set, I thought for a moment it was a second recording of the Chopin Nocturnes by Moravec ...

[Octo_Russ]

I have this disc,



Doesn't seem to be mentioned here, on some strange label i've never heard of before, it's great to have his Images / Estampes complete, he comes across to me as someone who has a tendency to record bits of things rather than whole works, i don't own much Moravec at all, but i want to get his Supraphon Nocturnes next.

[George]

Ivan Moravec passed away today, at the age of 84.

http://www.gramophone.co.uk/classical-music-news/pianist-ivan-moravec-has-died

In memory of this great pianist, I am listening to this CD:

[Holden]

I just listened to his Chopin Nocturnes

[Bogey]

Sad to hear of his passing.  He is one of my all time favorites and I was most fortunate to have seen him perform.

[Bogey]

http://www.npr.org/sections/deceptivecadence/2015/07/28/427048566/unassuming-czech-pianist-ivan-moravec-dies-at-84

[Oldnslow]

Supraphon needs to release a big box of this great pianist's recordings, especially since they appear to have the rights of his Connoisseur Society albums.

[George]

It's my lucky day! I finally found a reasonably priced copy of this OOP 2CD set. (The other sellers on amazon have this priced starting at $178) Hopefully it arrives fast and in the condition stated.

[Daverz]

It's my lucky day! I finally found a reasonably priced copy of this OOP 2CD set. (The other sellers on amazon have this priced starting at $178) Hopefully it arrives fast and in the condition stated.

I wonder why I didn't buy this back when it came out.

It seems Supraphon only released some of these recordings.  My track listing is:

Franck: Prélude, Chorale et Fugue (1884) - 1. Prélude. Moderato
Franck: Prélude, Chorale et Fugue (1884) - 2. Chorale. Poco più lento
Franck: Prélude, Chorale et Fugue (1884) - 3. Fugue. Poco allegro
Ravel: Sonatine in F-sharp minor (1903-5) - 1. Modéré
Ravel: Sonatine in F-sharp minor (1903-5) - 2. Mouvement de menuet
Ravel: Sonatine in F-sharp minor (1903-5) - 3. Animé
Debussy: Préludes (1910-3) - Feux d'artifice
Debussy: Préludes (1910-3) - La cathédrale engloutie
Debussy: Préludes (1910-3) - Les collines d'Anacapri
Debussy: Préludes (1910-3) - Les sons et les parfums(...)
Debussy: Préludes (1910-3) - La terrasse des audiences(...)
Debussy: Pour le piano (1894-1901) - 1. Prélude
Debussy: Pour le piano (1894-1901) - 2. Sarabande
Debussy: Pour le piano (1894-1901) - 3. Toccata

And Amazon shows the contents of the VAI set as:

Disc: 1
  1. Prld, Chorale and Fugue, Prld: Moderato/Chorale, Poco piu lento
  2. Prld, Chorale and Fugue: Fugue
  3. Sonatine, 1st movt: (Modere)
  4. Sonatine, 2nd movt: (Menuet)
  5. Sonatine, 3rd movt: (Anime)
  6. Claire de lune
  7. Children's Corner Ste: Docor Gradus ad Parnassum
  8. Children's Corner Ste: Jinbo's Lullaby
  9. Children's Corner Ste: Ser fo the Doll
  10. Children's Corner Ste: Snow is Dancing
  11. Children's Corner Ste: The Little Shepherd
  12. Children's Corner Ste: Golliwog's Cake-walk

Disc: 2
  1. Five Prlds: Feux d'artifice
  2. Five Prlds: La Catherdrale engloutie
  3. Five Prlds: Les Collines d'Anacapri
  4. Five Prlds: Les Sons et les parfumes tournent dans l'air du soir
  5. Five Prlds: La Terasse des audiences du claire de lune
  6. Jardins sous la pluie
  7. La puerta del vino
  8. Ondine
  9. Feuilles mortes
  10. Pour le piano-Ste: Prld
  11. Pour le piano-Ste: Saraband
  12. Pour le piano-Ste: Tocatta

I wonder why Supraphon didn't just release a 2-CD set.

The latest from Supraphon:

[George]

A kind person on another site found this link to Moravec's old website: https://web.archive.org/web/20120213141412/http://www.ivanmoravec.net/albums/al-home.html

It appears to have the complete discography of the pianist.

[George]

NEW RELEASE!

I was surprised and exited to see that Supraphon has added a new CD release to Moravec's far too small discography.  It's not out in the USA, but can be bought from overseas sellers. I ordered mine for only $15.57 shipped from MDT.

[George]

NEW RELEASE!

I was surprised and exited to see that Supraphon has added a new CD release to Moravec's far too small discography.  It's not out in the USA, but can be bought from overseas sellers. I ordered mine for only $15.57 shipped from MDT.

Listening to this now. More gorgeous playing from Moravec, really makes me miss him.

[George]

New Release

I wanted to post this info, regarding the new Moravec 11CD + 1DVD box set, in case it is helpful to others. I believe that I have all the Moravec CDs that have been released and wanted to see which performances in the new box were new to CD. I just checked the Supraphon site and came up with 128 minutes of previously unreleased, on CD, performances:

Beethoven - Op. 28 Pastoral sonata - 1970 (live, Italy. The Brussels performance is better and in better sound)
Schumann - Scenes from childhood and Arabesque, 1984
Brahms - Op. 117, 1-3, Op. 76/2 and Op. 79/2 - 1984
Ravel - Habanera - 1963 (with Saša Večtomov, cello)
Janacek - On an overgrown path (3 selections), In the Mists and the Sonata - 1983
Martinu - Etudes and Polkas (3 selections) - 2001 (short, lighthearted works)

Of these, the Op.28 Pastoral Sonata, Scenes from childhood, Op. 117, No. 2, Op.76/2, Op. 79/2, In The Mists and the Janacek Sonata, have all been released on CD by Moravec, but different performances.

So the only works (total time 34:25) that are new to CD in this set are:
Schumann Arabesque (7:30)
Brahms Op. 117/2 (6:24)
Ravel Habanera (3:27)
Janacek On an Overgrown Path (3 selections) (11:18)
Martinu Etudes and Polkas (3 selections) (5:46)

And of course, a DVD is also included that is new.

I'm still deciding if I will be passing on this set, since I already own so much of these performances and I wasn't happy with the most recent mastering of the Nocturnes by Supraphon.

[Todd]

I just checked the Supraphon site and came up with 97 minutes of previously unreleased, on CD, performances

I love Moravec and have almost all available recordings, so the idea of buying a box for so little music does not entice.

[George]

I love Moravec and have almost all available recordings, so the idea of buying a box for so little music does not entice.

Yeah, especially when the amount of new repertoire is so low. Still it is priced right and has a DVD that I am interested in, and not available elsewhere, so I might get it.

[George]

A teaser video on the new box set:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMlE9xz9UeU

[Daverz]

The Supraphon Portrait set has hit the download sites, and sad to say, the download does not include the Janacek works.
I assume they couldn't get the download license for these recordings (still owned by Nonesuch?). 

By the way, the Schumann concerto in the box is the recording with Mata; I think the recording with Neumann is preferable (why not include both?).  However that Supraphon disc seems to be still in print, as are the Brahms concertos with Belohlavek.  The Connoisseur Society recording of the Chopin Preludes, which I think is preferable to the Supraphon recording,  is also not included.