What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Drasko]

[ChamberNut]

Haydn

String Quartet in B flat major, Op. 76/4

String Quartet in D major, Op. 76/5

String Quartet in E flat major, Op. 76/6

Kodaly Quartet
Naxos

With each listen, these along with Op. 76 (1-3) just keep climbing the ladder.

[MN Dave]

Lots of LvB sonatas. Schnabel and Gulda.

[MN Dave]

[Todd]

Piotr Anderszewski's latest: the Op 126 Bagatelles and C Major Concerto.  It snuck up on me - I had no idea it was coming.  Four listens in relatively rapid succession convinces me of its superior quality, with some caveats.  First of all, Anderszewski indulges in all his standard mannerisms.  If you don't care for his style, I think you probably won't like this disc.  I love his flexibility with respect to tempo and dynamics, and his dexterity is, as always, high grade.  The Bagatelles benefit greatly from his approach, and his take surpasses Brendel (yes, Brendel), who was my previous favorite here. 

The concerto is a little less successful.  Full of pep and power where needed, Andersewski's indulgences make the first two movements sound a bit less like early Beethoven than normal.  The finale is fine enough.  I heard him play this in concert a few years ago teamed with Yakov Kreizberg, and then, if memory serves, he was less indulgent and snappier, though not by orders of magnitude or anything.  Perhaps he should work with conductors more in such repertoire?  Nah.

Sound is excellent except that the timpani are a bit too prominent for my liking.

[MN Dave]

[AnthonyAthletic]

Anyone in the UK willing to have a dabble, won't be disappointed with this set.

7cds of Glorious Choral Music.  Choral Set Amazon UK....And the price £0.93p for 7cds....

I bought this after being in the market for Stainer's Crucifixion.  This set had that and much more.

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750)
Saint Matthew Passion, BWV 244
Conductor:     Sir David Willcocks : 
Performers:     Stephen Roberts (Bass/Bar); Felicity Lott (Soprano)
      Alfreda Hodgson (Alto); Neil Jenkins (Tenor)
      Date Written:     c1727
      Thames Chamber Orchestra, Bach Choir & Boys of St Pauls Cathedral Choir

George Frideric Handel (1685 - 1759)
Messiah, HWV 56
Conductor:   Sir Charles Mackerras
Performers:   Felicity Palmer (Alto); Philip Langridge (Tenor)
      Robert Lloyd (Bass); Felicity Lott (Soprano)
      Date Written:  1742
      Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Huddersfield Choral Society

John Stainer (1840 - 1901)
The Crucifixion
Conductor:     Stanley Vann
Performers:     James Griffett (Tenor); Michael George (Bass)
      Andrew Newberry (Organ)
      Date Written:  1887
      Peterborough Cathedral Choir

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791)
Requiem in D minor, K 626
Conductor:   Jane Glover
Performers:   Maldwyn Davies (Tenor); Stephen Roberts (Baritone)
      Diana Montague (Mezzo Soprano); Judith Howarth (Soprano)
      Roger Brenner (Trombone)
      Date Written:  1791
      London Mozart Players, The BBC Singers

[Haffner]

Brahms Symphony No. 1
HvK/BPO
DG (1978? or was '77)

I still don't have that one (translated: being that is my favorite Brahms symphony, and my favorite conductor I am very dumb!).


CRANKING the Hvk Bruckner 8th (VPO) dvd and very much JAH-min'!

[Haffner]

Bartok
SQ's 1 and 2
Takacs QT



On the way to work this morning I listened to these. I must say they are incredible!!

Hardly surprising, given both the composer and the Takacs QT. I'll have to check that recording out!

[Haffner]

Haydn

String Quartet in B flat major, Op. 76/4

String Quartet in D major, Op. 76/5

String Quartet in E flat major, Op. 76/6

Kodaly Quartet
Naxos

With each listen, these along with Op. 76 (1-3) just keep climbing the ladder.

The D major flattens me. The slow movement, but also the 3rd and 4th as well. Real masterpieces.

[ChamberNut]

I still don't have that one (translated: being that is my favorite Brahms symphony, and my favorite conductor I am very dumb!).


CRANKING the Hvk Bruckner 8th (VPO) dvd and very much JAH-min'!

Enjoying it, eh?    How is the 2nd mvt. Scherzo?  And the 3rd mvt. Adagio?

[Brian]

My first Grieg in about a month!

[ChamberNut]

Bartok

String Quartet # 3 and String Quartet # 5

Emerson String Quartet
DG

So harsh at times these quartets are.....yet irresistable if in the right mood.  Yet even in these works some great moments of beauty (eg. SQ 5, 2nd mvt Adagio molto)

So harsh.....yet irresistable (think of being really hungry, and eating very seedy crusty bread). 

[Haffner]

Enjoying it, eh?    How is the 2nd mvt. Scherzo?  And the 3rd mvt. Adagio?

I was floored by the first two movements of the 8th and couldn't listen to much more...fantastically inspiring. I'm replaying the adagio after I recover. I cannot believe this was filmed/recorded back in the '70's. Anyone into Bruckner and/or Karajan cannot afford to wait on this dvd.

[Haffner]

My first Grieg in about a month!

A month! Too long! Enjoy, Brian, now you commence to Jah-min'.

[karlhenning]

Anyone in the UK willing to have a dabble, won't be disappointed with this set.

Tony! 

[Renfield]

I was floored by the first two movements of the 8th and couldn't listen to much more...fantastically inspiring. I'm replaying the adagio after I recover. I cannot believe this was filmed/recorded back in the '70's. Anyone into Bruckner and/or Karajan cannot afford to wait on this dvd.

Good to hear you like it.

[Brian]

A month! Too long! Enjoy, Brian, now you commence to Jah-min'.

Indeed! The nice thing about returning to an old friend after a long time is that the jamfest is all the more splendiferous  ! Mmmm ... yes indeed, I am falling in love again!

[Haffner]

Good to hear you like it.

It's phenomenal. The setting at die Kirche is completely perfect. Am punishing myself, forcing myself to wait and savor the Adagio and 4th movement. I will completely torment myself by not watching the 9th until tomorrow. This is like Christmas!

[Renfield]

It's phenomenal. The setting at die Kirche is completely perfect. Am punishing myself, forcing myself to wait and savor the Adagio and 4th movement. I will completely torment myself by not watching the 9th until tomorrow. This is like Christmas!

That 9th is about the best performance of the work I can recall ever having heard. I've already gone through it twice, and I'm looking for excuses to watch/listen to it again. Edit: In fact, I think I found one. Splendid.

Currently Listening To:

Chopin's 1st Scherzo, by a recording my tall, leggy blonde model neighbour has put on. She's trying to learn how to play the piano, but from her attempts at mimicking the playing - which might be Horowitz, though I can't be certain right now - it's not going too well.