Ivan Moravec

[Dancing Divertimentian]

So, what is available only on lp?

As far as only LP I can think of only one - this rare Janacek recital:

[Bogey]

As far as only LP I can think of only one - this rare Janacek recital:

Ah.  Nice!  Are all of his Debussy performances on cd now?

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Ah.  Nice!  Are all of his Debussy performances on cd now?

I believe so, yes. There's a two-fer from VAI (OOP), another two-fer from Vox, a disc of Supraphon odds and ends, and a single piece on a Praga disc.

[Luke]

This disc of Suk, Smetana and Korte gets quite a bit of playtime round my place, for the Suk above all*



*his 'About Mother', a set of miniatures as exquisitely delicate and personal as Janacek's Overgrown Path, and, as a memorial to his wife, acting as a kind of small-scale, family-album reflection of the monumental Asrael Symphony. A wonderful work, a masterpiece of late Romantic piano music, and Moravec is just perfect in it - Hurwitz's opinion, FWIW: 'This Supraphon reissue conflates a live recital with the pianist's magnificent early 60s reading of Suk's suite About Mother ... one of the most touching pieces of music ever written, and Moravec understands the value of understatement, finding a thousand subtle colors in the work's elegiac lyricism. ...'

[Mandryka]

The VAI preludes were recorded in 1965 and are better than the ones that he recorded later on Supraphon.

Agreed. It is a really nice performance, very nuanced but at all self conscious. Lovely touch, sublime textures.

I don't think he's a top rank Chopinist though -- even though I like this recording.

He's just too calm, too sane, too light, too smooth, not neurotic enough. He can't compete IMO with Cortot or Arrau or even Moiseiewitch for insight.

[aquablob]

Hmm... I can't decide which recording of the Preludes I prefer, Moravec's first or second. Having heard both multiple times, it's still kind of a toss-up for me!

(And I DEFINITELY think that Moravec is a top rank Chopinist... although the others Mandryka named are also top rank Chopinists!)

[Peregrine]

This arrived in the post today, what a beautiful disc. Thanks very much for the rec, Luke

[George]

This arrived in the post today, what a beautiful disc. Thanks very much for the rec, Luke

Cool. Still waiting on mine.

[George]

Do you have Moravec's Janacek -- Overgrown Path?

If so and you're interested in making a fee for a digital transfer -- PM me!

I just got this today.  0:)

It's someone else's transfer, but it sounds nice!

[Josquin des Prez]

I just got this today.  0:)

It's someone else's transfer, but it sounds nice!

Damn, that's an amazing recording.

[EDIT] I get errors when trying to play In a Mist. I demand a new upload plz. 

[Mandryka]

I just got this today.  0:)

It's someone else's transfer, but it sounds nice!

Just for George

[George]

[EDIT] I get errors when trying to play In a Mist. I demand a new upload plz. 

What kind of errors? I will re-upload if other people have problems with it too.

[Drasko]

What kind of errors? I will re-upload if other people have problems with it too.

I'm also getting error trying to play In the Mists, says ERROR_FRAME_CRC_MISMATCH whatever that means.

[George]

I'm also getting error trying to play In the Mists, says ERROR_FRAME_CRC_MISMATCH whatever that means.

OK, I will upload it again.

[George]

OK, I will upload it again.

It's completed and in the same folder as before. Hopefully this remedies the problem.

[Drasko]

It's completed and in the same folder as before. Hopefully this remedies the problem.

Works fine now, thanks.

[George]

Works fine now, thanks.

Great! My pleasure.

[Ahasver]

Some Moravec´s live recordings from recent years:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Ahasver2009

[Bogey]

Playing the Preludes from this 4lp set tonight.  Absolutely gorgeous in all facets.  If you a "vinyl capable", spend the $12-15 to snag this set on Ebay.  You will not be sorry.  Heck, it may be worth your money buying a turntable just to play this.

[dirkronk]

Playing the Preludes from this 4lp set tonight.  Absolutely gorgeous in all facets.  If you a "vinyl capable", spend the $12-15 to snag this set on Ebay.  You will not be sorry.  Heck, it may be worth your money buying a turntable just to play this.

The Beethoven set from the same source is equally fine. BTW, look in thrift stores and used book & record stores, as well. These sets were quite common at one time, since they were used as come-ons for a Book-of-the-Month Club offshoot via magazine ads. Consequently, like Time-Life sets and others, they appear often enough to be VERY cheap in non-internet venues. Obviously, check surfaces carefully, and while stereo is common and generally to be preferred, don't turn up your nose at mono sets...sonics are pretty darn good on those, too. Here in south Texas, the sets show up for $3 to $5 on a regular basis, occasionally higher. Don't get me wrong, though, Bogey. I definitely think you got your money's worth, especially if your copy's surfaces are good...but whatever you're likely to pay, the Moravec sets are undoubtedly one of the biggest (largely unsung or at least unrecognized) bargains out on the used market.

Cheers,

Dirk