What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Fafner]

I have the feeling that Anton would have gotten a hearty laugh out of Fafner's description.

I didn't do it. I swear.  0:)

[Fafner]

Now:

Martinů - Piano Concertos Nos. 2 and 4 / Les fresques de Piero della Francesca / Overture
Robert Kolinsky
Basel Symphony Orchestra, Vladimir Ashkenazy

[asin]B002QEXC8U[/asin]

[Mirror Image]

Now:



Listening to Eventyr. My understanding of this complex work is much better thanks to Bo Holten/Aarhus Symphony Orch., so now I'm revisiting the Handley performance.

[kishnevi]

I didn't do it. I swear.  0:)

Apologies to both of you....

[Lisztianwagner]

http://www.youtube.com/v/JKG8ZxEOdwE

Just because I read something about the prelude over here... and to mention the fact that that 'video' is nearly four-and-a-half hours long. Nothing else, really. 0:)

Karajan's recording.....absolutely beautiful!!

[Mirror Image]

Now:

Listening to Hassan from this set now. Really beautiful music.

[Karl Henning]

Karajan's recording.....absolutely beautiful!!

TWU!

[Mirror Image]

Now:

Martinů - Piano Concertos Nos. 2 and 4 / Les fresques de Piero della Francesca / Overture
Robert Kolinsky
Basel Symphony Orchestra, Vladimir Ashkenazy

[asin]B002QEXC8U[/asin]

I wasn't too impressed with this recording. Mackerras' Les fresques de Piereo della Francesca is the one to beat for me. The PCs are still Emil Leichner territory that has yet to be surpassed IMHO. I found Askenazy's conducting here a little drab, but the recording has fine audio quality.

[Fafner]

This is an interesting disc, with Bach's Brandenburg Concertos juxtaposed with pieces by Adams and Reich:

[asin]B0009UBXPC[/asin]

[Fafner]

I wasn't too impressed with this recording. Mackerras' Les fresques de Piereo della Francesca is the one to beat for me. The PCs are still Emil Leichner territory that has yet to be surpassed IMHO. I found Askenazy's conducting here a little drab, but the recording has fine audio quality.

I am not particularly fond of Ashkenazy as a conductor, but I rather liked this one. I have heard neither Leichner's PCs nor the Mackerras yet.

[Karl Henning]

I am not particularly fond of Ashkenazy as a conductor, but I rather liked this one. I have heard neither Leichner's PCs nor the Mackerras yet.

For Les fresques... permit me to suggest: Ancerl.

[Fafner]

For Les fresques... permit me to suggest: Ancerl.

Thanks for the tip. I may get it from Supraphon's digital store as part of the Ančerl Gold Edition, together with Parables and Janáček's Sinfonietta.

[Karl Henning]

Aye, that is one scorching account of the Sinfonietta.

[listener]

continuing a week of lps
Spanish Organ music   FREIXANET, VINYALS, SOLER and ELIES
Montserrat Torrent, Santa-Maria de Mahon (Mao) organ
This was a splendid Erato series (EDO ----) with good recordings and annotation.
BATTEN and DERING    More Tudor Church Music
Choir of Peterborough Cathedral   Stanley Vann, cond.
CONSTANT: 24 Preludes for Orchestra    NIGG: Violin Concerto
Christian Ferras, violin     ORTF Philharmonic Orch.    Charles Bruck, cond.

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

CD 13 from this set of 15.

Jacobus Gallus.

Opus musicum
Missa Super "Sancta Maria".

[Mirror Image]

Now:

Listening to Hassan again. Love this work with each successive listen.

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

From this set CD 10.

Cello Sonata No 1 in E minor, opus 38.
Cello Sonata No 2 in F major, opus 99.

Steven Isserlis, Cello.
Peter Evans, Piano.

Clarinet Sonata in E flat major, opus 120.

Thea King Clarinet.
Clifford Benson, Piano.

[Lisztianwagner]

Richard Wagner
Götterdämmerung, act 3^

[asin]B0000254V8[/asin]

[The new erato]

Superb. And with a long and extremely interesting DVD as well.

[Fafner]

Puccini - Tosca
MET, 2009



I finally mustered the courage to watch the new production that got so massively booed on the opening night. Indeed, the production is rubbish, and especially the entire second act is ridiculous. I was having a "WTF?" moment every five minutes or so.

The singing is decent, but not great. As much as I like Karita Mattila, Tosca was not a good fit for her and she is starting to get a bit matronly. George Gagnidze is a fine baritone, but he sounded rather weak although that may be the stage director's fault. Marcello Alvarez as Cavaradossi was actually pretty good.

Anyway, I guess I'll go happily back to my trusted Callas/Gobbi or Kabaivanska/Domingo/Milnes.