What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Keemun]

I feel differrently.  To me, Karajan is the Anti-Bach and Stokowski a complete abortion.  If old-time Bach is wanted, Klemperer is the way to go.

I have the Klemperer and enjoy it as well.  I needed a change from the excellent HIP performance by Suzuki/Bach Collegium Japan that I've been listening to lately.  I figured either Karajan or Klemperer would fit the bill, and I went with Karajan. 

[MN Dave]

[Mark]

Sibelius - Symphonies 1 & 2 (Maazel/VPO)

Listening to these is frustrating. In my mind, Sibelius should never be anything less than mind-blowing, and these just aren't for me. Compared even with works made around the same time they pale. Since I am not a "recordings" person, I have yet to get another set of the symphonies. Perhaps another recording would change my impression of these two?

Vanska conducting the Lahti Symphony Orchestra on BIS will change your mind, for sure. Especially in the Second Symphony.

[Marcel]

Sibelius - Symphonies 1 & 2 (Maazel/VPO)

Listening to these is frustrating. In my mind, Sibelius should never be anything less than mind-blowing, and these just aren't for me. Compared even with works made around the same time they pale. Since I am not a "recordings" person, I have yet to get another set of the symphonies. Perhaps another recording would change my impression of these two?

Yes, I hope so ! Try C. Davis cycle with Boston Symphony Orchestra or anything as good or better. These symphonies are great works.

[Peregrine]

Swan Lake, Tchaikovsky/Rozhdestvensky

No idea to label or orchestra - it's all in Russian!

[Harry]

Mozart.

Le Nozze di Figaro.
Opera Buffa in quattro atti, KV 492.
Libretto di Lorenzo da Ponte

Il Conte di Almaviva: Huub Claessens.
La Contessa: Patricia Biccire.
Figaro, cameriera del Conte: Werner van Mechelen.
Susanna, cameriera della contessa, Christiane Oelze.
Cherubino, paggio: Monika Groop.
Marzellina, governante: Beatrice Cramoix.
Bartolo, medico: Harry van der Kamp.
Basilio, meastro di musica: Yves Saelens.
Don Curzio, giudice: Philip Defrancq.
Antonio, giardiniere del Conte: Jean-Guy Devienne.
Barbarina, figlia di Antonio: Marie Kuijken.

Choeur de Chambre de Namur
La Petite Bande/Sigiswald Kuijken.

Recorded June 1998, live at the Palacio de Congresos y Auditios. La Coruna, Spain. The recording is superb.
Licensed from Accent.

I think I keep this one! Having played it now several times, this one has staying power. It has all to do with the very intimite performance. It is done without the normal pomp and circumstance normally attached. Voices are all fine, story is brought about effectively, and aided by a good Choir and Orchestra.
Of all the operas by Mozart this one I like best. Only two operas, well that's a bad score I say....
Pity he did not write operettas.

[wintersway]

Good morning/day to all!

[Que]

Q

[Que]

Q

[Harry]

Q

That one would interest me Que!
So if you please tell me something about it.
Date recording, sound, tempi, etc etc, as Yul Brynner said in the King of Siam.......

[Que]

That one would interest me Que!
So if you please tell me something about it.
Date recording, sound, tempi, etc etc, as Yul Brynner said in the King of Siam.......

Well, it's a ghost from Christmas-past, Harry!
Recordings are 1929 - 1940, in excellent transfers. Unfortunately this music isn't played like this anymore. Best Strauss waltzes disc I have.

Q

[ChamberNut]

Brahms: String Quartet in C minor op. 51 No. 1

Dave, love that C minor quartet!  The coda of the 1st mvt. almost has a 'heavy metal' riff at the end.    However the 3rd mvt is the one that really blows me away every time.

I'm listening to Brahms also.  The Sextet Op. 18 and Op. 36, by Amadeus Quartet w/Aronowitz in Viola II and Pleeth on Cello II.

[Harry]

Well, it's a ghost from Christmas-past, Harry!
Recordings are 1929 - 1940, in excellent transfers. Unfortunately this music isn't played like this anymore. Best Strauss waltzes disc I have.

Q

Well if you say so....than its worth a try I guess.

[karlhenning]

How do you like it?

[karlhenning]

Don't know if I'd call it "soul", but I listened again and, dang! it's still a favorite of mine.

I'll follow the trend;  I've got this a-playing now.

[Harry]

Mozart.

Le Nozze di Figaro.
Opera Buffa in quattro atti, KV 492.
Libretto di Lorenzo da Ponte

Il Conte di Almaviva: Huub Claessens.
La Contessa: Patricia Biccire.
Figaro, cameriera del Conte: Werner van Mechelen.
Susanna, cameriera della contessa, Christiane Oelze.
Cherubino, paggio: Monika Groop.
Marzellina, governante: Beatrice Cramoix.
Bartolo, medico: Harry van der Kamp.
Basilio, meastro di musica: Yves Saelens.
Don Curzio, giudice: Philip Defrancq.
Antonio, giardiniere del Conte: Jean-Guy Devienne.
Barbarina, figlia di Antonio: Marie Kuijken.

Choeur de Chambre de Namur
La Petite Bande/Sigiswald Kuijken.

Recorded June 1998, live at the Palacio de Congresos y Auditios. La Coruna, Spain. The recording is superb.
Licensed from Accent.

Played it today for the second time, and am happy to say, that I really like this opera very much.
Hmmmmmmm...

[johnQpublic]

LPs

Auber - Overture to "Black Domino" (Wolff/London)
Kalkbrenner - Grand Quintet, Op. 81 (Boehm et al/Turnabout)
Wagner - Dawn & Siegfried's Rhine Journey (Steinberg/Command)

[Bogey]

Another spin:



Good morning folks.

[karlhenning]

Good morning, Bill!

The Carter Second Quartet is some of the coolest first-thing-in-the-morning music I have grooved to in many a day 

[karlhenning]

And it may seem musicological blasphemy, but the Bach Magnificat is one of the models for my own, admittedly much modester, setting of that Canticle.