What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Keemun]

Mahler: Symphony No. 1 (Sinopoli/RAI National SO, Live: 1997)

[marvinbrown]

Yester even, Maria and I listened together to:

Dmitri Dmitriyevich
String Quartet No. 1 in C Major, Opus 49
The Emersons

Great little piece;  Maria hadn't heard it before, and she was particularly dleighted with the 'discovery'.

Secondly, an excellent performance.  I find no occasion to be somehow 'disappointed' that the Emersons are not the Borodins.

  Well Karl   I just hope that you have this set in your collection as well because it is not to be missed! :



  marvin

[karlhenning]

Vaughan Williams
Symphony No. 8
London Phil
Haitink

Wholesome Vaughan Williams goodness, and Hurwitz-bane, all in one!

[karlhenning]

  Well Karl   I just hope that you have this set in your collection as well because it is not to be missed!

I do, Marvin, thanks!

The Emersons do an excellent job, too.  And (* gasp *) it is illuminating to have more than one excellent set 

[Sergeant Rock]

Wholesome Vaughan Williams goodness, and Hurwitz-bane, all in one!

[marvinbrown]

I do, Marvin, thanks!

The Emersons do an excellent job, too.  And (* gasp *) it is illuminating to have more than one excellent set 

  I have not heard the Emerson set  . Last week I picked up (at HMV on sale for £23) the Borodin set 1-15 that I displayed in my previous post to you.  It is a superb set, I had a religious experience with that 2nd string quartet  0:).  The slow movements of practically all the quartets are lyrical, emotionally poignant and heavenly!   The liner notes are also a pleasure to read.  I especially like how Shostakovich would put his ear to the wall when a quartet gathered at his neighbors' place to play the chamber music of Mozart, Haydn , Beethoven, Borodin and Tchaikovsky.  Furthermore, Shosty writes "to hear their playing better I stole into the corridor and sat there for hours..."   0:)

  Happy Listening !

  marvin

[PaulR]

Shostakovich: 2nd String Quartet Emerson String Quartet

Never really gave it a real listen.  Fixing that now  0:)

[Sergeant Rock]

Shostakovich: 2nd String Quartet Emerson String Quartet

Never really gave it a real listen.  Fixing that now  0:)

Good idea. I tend to listen far more often to the middle and late quartets. I can't remember the last time I listened to the Second, and never to the Rubio performance. I'll put that on now.

Sarge

[Opus106]

Helikopter-Streichquartett (1992-1993) for string quartet & 4 helicopters (30'55)

Wha...

[Keemun]

Haydn: The Seven Last Words of Christ (arr. for String Quartet) (Emerson SQ)

[Catison]

Good idea. I tend to listen far more often to the middle and late quartets. I can't remember the last time I listened to the Second, and never to the Rubio performance. I'll put that on now.

Sarge

I think the 2nd is usually considered a hard nut to crack, but I think the Borodin's do it best.

[karlhenning]

Shostakovich: 2nd String Quartet Emerson String Quartet

Never really gave it a real listen.  Fixing that now

Good idea. I tend to listen far more often to the middle and late quartets. I can't remember the last time I listened to the Second, and never to the Rubio performance. I'll put that on now.

The Second opens one of the discs in the Virgin two-fer of the Borodins playing five of the quartets . . . so that's actually one I know, and which wears familiarity well.

[Sergeant Rock]

I think the 2nd is usually considered a hard nut to crack, but I think the Borodin's do it best.

I couldn't find my Rubio box so put on the Fitzwilliam while I continued to hunt. Halfway throught the first movement, I found the Rubio and switched. I was quite startled how different the Rubio's opening sounded!...the rhythm interpreted in a wholly different way. I need to find a score.

I wish I could hear the Borodin now too but I only have their cycle on LP...and my Thorens is ailing (must get it fixed). For now I can't dispute your contention, Catison    But I do love them Fitzwilliams.

Sarge

[Harry]

The whole review is actually fun, compulsory reading (especially because I tend to agree with it  ). To quote some more:

To summarize, this music never has been so poorly interpreted--ever, anywhere, anytime, anyplace. And we've still another symphony to go.

What we have, though, is simply a boring, unidiomatic, colorless, flaccid, witless, tasteless, tiresome run-through at rehearsal tempos. Faced with what Haitink has done here and elsewhere in this worst-ever cycle of Vaughan Williams symphonies with none other than THE orchestra most associated with this composer's music, the shades of RVW and Sir Adrian Boult must be spinning in their graves.

The complete review at Classicstoday: http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=3272

I completely agree with this statement!

[Harry]

The 1970's Karajan take on Tchaikovsky, the second of three cycles I think.  (60's, 70's and 80's).
The sound quality here is impressive, and Mr. Karajan is his usual self with the fantastic BPO.  Most distinctive.  Plenty of rich Brass and Strings augments the classic Tchaikovsky soundscape, and we are driven along in each symphony sometimes at breakneck speed (not really, but Karajan could make you think that.)  Fast or not, the result is superb, not something you want to switch off in a hurry and swap for some Borodin.  The sixth is a little, just a little faster than one might expect for 'Pathetique' - 'Pathetique' on steroids, but luscious it is, full and eminently satisfying.   
I also have the Jansons set which is fairly boisterous  -  I love that just as much, but for different reasons.
A real nutcracker.

Karajan knows how to make this composer sensational! 

[Harry]

Vaughan Williams: The Pilgrim's Progress (Noble/London PO & Chorus/Boult).

Here's a review, Harry. Skalkottas is a very favourite composer of mine. His violin concerto is a dodecaphonic work but it doesn't sound academic or sterile (as the usual argument against the style goes, anyway). After a lengthy orchestral introduction (a common trait in all Skalkottas' concertos) the violin enters, weaving in and out of proceedings, lithe and sombre at the same time.

Thanks Tasos.

[karlhenning]

Vaughan Williams
Symphony No. 9
London Phil
Haitink

Thanks, Harry!

[Opus106]

Paganini
Violin Concerto No. 2 'La Campanella', Op. 7
Accardo/LPO/Dutoit

[Harry]

Vaughan Williams
Symphony No. 9
London Phil
Haitink

Thanks, Harry!

I celebrate the fact my friend that you like these performances, and that is my pleasure.

[Harry]

Paganini
Violin Concerto No. 2 'La Campanella', Op. 7
Accardo/LPO/Dutoit

My absolute favorite recordings of the complete Violin concertos.