What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[PaulR]

Amazon cancelled my Dvorak order due to "Lack of availability"   

Oh well.

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[Sergeant Rock]

What is the split between male/female singers in that Hyperion boxset ? Also, is there a particular CD with a female singer in that boxset that you would recommend as a sampler ?

I did a quick count, really quick: I may be off by one or two: 37 male, 25 female. The box is different than the individual CDs (where most discs were devoted to a single singer) in that the songs are presented chronologically, meaning you get a mix of male and female singers on each disc. If you are allergic to the distaff side, you won't be happy with Hyperion. Stick with F-D. On the other hand, if you aren't allergic to the female voice, the Hyperion line-up is breathtaking: Popp, Baker, Ameling, Price, Fassbaender, Argenta, Lott, Mathis, Schäfer etc.

Sarge

[North Star]

I suppose so, Karlo but I always recommend Barshai for newcomers to Shostakovich's symphonies. By the way, the Jansons set of Shostakovich had a defective disc (the performance of the 7th symphony), I hope yours doesn't. Many people have complained about this on Amazon.

No trouble with my set, John.

Continuing with no. 13 'Babi Yar' now.
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[PaulR]

No trouble with my set, John.

Continuing with no. 13 'Babi Yar' now.
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Wonderful reading of that work.

[mc ukrneal]

hmmm.... you're the devil, right ? 

What is the split between male/female singers in that Hyperion boxset ? Also, is there a particular CD with a female singer in that boxset that you would recommend as a sampler ? Reason I am asking is I have one Schubert Lieder CD with Arleen Auger and that never clicked for me (it could be Auger's voice, it could be the particular recording, it could be the schubert/female voice combo, it could be just me, I don't know...) ...whereas I appear to be much more receptive to Schubert Lieder with a male voice (heard Goerne live, DFD on this CD now)...hence my inclination towards the DFD set.

Hmmm. Good question. I've never really sat down to figure that out.
The women can be sampled as follows:
vol1: Janet Baker (wonderful, and I am not really a Baker fan, but the singing is good)
vol3: Anne Murray (beautiful and intimate - outstanding)
5: Elizabeth Connell (a bit shriller voice - not sure how you will like this one, though she sings well)
7: Elly Ameling (tender voice, love how she shapes the lines - oustanding)
8: Sarah Walker (mezzo - excellent, even Erlkonig works well)
9: Arlene Auger (assume this is the one you have)
11: Brigitte Fassbender (does she ever sing badly? Excellent)
13: Marie McLaughlin (excellent)
15: Margaret Price (such a velvety voice - another winner, outstanding)
17: Lucia Popp (again shapes the line well, recorded not long before she passed - excellent)
19: Felicity Lott (tenderly sung with great charm, though not my favorite - ok)
21: Edith Mathis (she makes so much of these - brings out a richness, even though she is not always a voice I enjoy - excellent)
29: Marjana Lipovsek (with Nathan Berg) (rich, dark voice - excellent; and Berg is outstanding too by the way)
31: Christine Brewer (with Chorus) (heartfelt singing - excellent; three with chorus too - about 30 min worth)

The men as follows:
vol2: Stephen Varco
vol4: Phillip Langridge
6: Anthony Rolfe Johnson
10: Martyn Hill
12: Adrian Thompson (the only weak disc for me)
14: Thomas Hampson
16: Thomas Allen
18: Peter Schreier
23: Christoph Pregardien
25: Ian Bostridge
27: Matthias Goerne (with Christine Schafer)
30: Goerne (Winterreise)
37: Mark Ainsley, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, and Michael Schade

Mix:
20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36

So overall, you get about half with women and half with men. You may recognize many of the women, so that may help you decide. In general, I like nearly all of them.  Hyperion provide good samples on their site, so maybe try a few of them to see what you think. I put my thoughts in parentheses, but not sure how much our tastes will align.

I too prefer the male voice for these songs, so I understand the issue. Price may be another factor. DFD box is $88 at Deep Discount (though currently out of stock), that's a great deal, while the Hyperion box is sure to be more. Anyway, perhaps this info helps make the decision. Either way, you can download the booklet from the Hyperion site, which has all the texts.

I see Sarge also responded. The only thing I would add is that the line up of singers in general is top notch as he said.

[Karl Henning]

Continuing with no. 13 'Babi Yar' now.
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Wonderful reading of that work.

(* pounds the table *)

[PaulR]

Wonderful reading of that work.


(* pounds the table *)

You have one sturdy table with all the pounding you do of it

[North Star]

Wonderful reading of that work.

(* pounds the table *)

Certainly sounds wonderful, I'm in the third movement now.

[Karl Henning]

You have one sturdy table with all the pounding you do of it

And true it is, I have frequent occasion!

Sorry about that Dvořák cancellation, Paul!

[kishnevi]

Augustin Hadelich
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Looks interesting, and not very expensive on Amazon MP.  Thank you.  (I have his two Naxos CDs.)

On the topic of Schubert sung by women--you might want to try Fassbaender's performance of Winterreise, which is on EMI, and has nothing to with the Hyperion, and which some people don't like, but I do.

[Sergeant Rock]

After a morning and afternoon of Wagner, something completely different now, beginning with Gershwin's "Swanee."




Sarge

[PaulR]

I guess I am part of the herd mentality:

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String Quartet #2

[Opus106]

I guess I am part of the herd mentality.

I'm sure there's dissent encoded into that statement of yours.

Thread Duty:
La Mer - G4 (!)

[madaboutmahler]

Thread Duty:
La Mer - G4 (!)

That's a great one, Nav! Can't wait for the reveal...

[Opus106]

That's a great one, Nav!

Don't influence my listening!

[pi2000]

Looks interesting, and not very expensive on Amazon MP.  Thank you.  (I have his two Naxos CDs.)

On the topic of Schubert sung by women--you might want to try Fassbaender's performance of Winterreise, which is on EMI, and has nothing to with the Hyperion, and which some people don't like, but I do.

Very interesting violinist,but very tough repertoire!!!After Bartok solo sonata,even Paganini caprices sounded strange 

[madaboutmahler]

Don't influence my listening!

Ooops

[Lisztianwagner]

Thread Duty:
La Mer - G4 (!)

+1

I'm listening to E1 and G4 again; that's rather hard to decide which one is the best, they're both so beautiful!
I will post all my thoughts this evening anyway.

[listener]

The e-mail from amazon that came yesterday confirmed they were shipping the Dvorak, so I need to move some to make room.  Today a couple of re-visits:  DOPPER   Symphony no. 2     and RAFF  piano music vol. 2
and from further back the Giulini set with RAVEL: Daphnis and Chloé Suite 2, Alborada del Gracioso, BRITTEN: 4 Sea Interludes, Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra,  FRANCK: Symphony in d, Psyché et Eros, SCHUMANN Manfred Overture, and TCHAIKOWSKY Symphony no.2
all with the^Philharmonia Orchestra (and all are EMI recordings)

[madaboutmahler]

Just back from:



First listen to this recording which John recommended to me ages ago, it's been on my listening pile for a long time! Absolutely outstanding performance: incredibly moving, thrilling, always engaging! The orchestra is really superb. Definitely a D+C I shall be revisiting very soon! Amazing!

Definitely one of my favourite pieces of all time...