What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Renfield]

Symphony No. 4 - and what a Symphony No. 4!

I listened to the 5th, yesterday, which was mellifluous and impassioned - but the 4th smolders like lava!

[Henk]

[val]

jlaurson

(This is the Juilliard recording that's part of that silver box with orange squares, right? That was my second complete cycle, and the first I truly appreciated. Before that it was the Tokyo/RCA cycle -- but I didn't understand the works at all, then, and they went over my head... )

I've heard many superb, absolutely stunning Razumovsky recordings  that I could list... but I'll limit myself to one I love above all others (I don't know about "the best" - probably not, by any trying-to-be-remote standards):

I have the version of the Vegh. They are very touching in the slow movements, but in general I think they don't seem dynamic enough and the sound and technique are not the best. Perhaps their first version had more qualities, but I never listened to it.
The version of the Italiano Quartet has a superb sound but is a bit artificial and distant.
Regarding recent versions I love the one of the Artemis Quartet in the opus 59/1.

[Renfield]

Listened to these two just earlier, after the Tchaikovsky 4th:






Coincidentally, I found both decidedly uneven: the Chopin disc had a surprisingly, perhaps even refreshingly good 2nd Concerto recorded live with both Lang and the VPO in top form, followed by a rather more staid studio 1st Concerto, albeit with some interesting finger-work.

Whereas the Brahms disc had a very good 3rd Symphony (bordering on excellent), vitally played, well-accented, if a little bit rushed on just a very few occasions, and a dramatically obliterated (NB not obliterating!) 4th Symphony played like a concerto for orchestra.

[karlhenning]

Last night, but before the Bonzos:

Bartók
String Quartet № 5, Sz. 102
Emersons

"Dedicated to Mrs Sprague-Coolidge"

[karlhenning]

Well, half of what's in that guide these days is a "key" recording!

It's rather a funny book to leaf through, isn't it?

[Brian]

Didn't like the recording, or didn't feel like more Mahler 5th?

My first attempt to listen to Mahler 5th. Bear in mind I've only listened to his 1st before. The performance seemed pretty good, though I was inspired rather more by the opening of a YouTube jlaurson posted yesterday.

Well, half of what's in that guide these days is a "key" recording!

It's funny 'cause it's true.

[Harry]

This recording makes me feel so good. Could not wish for better performances.

[springrite]

Mozart Flute Sonatas (Hyperion), composed when Wolfie was slightly older than Kimi is right now.

Most accurate description of the music? How about "too many notes".



(I am sure Leopold had much to do with the end product here)

[Renfield]

It's rather a funny book to leaf through, isn't it?

Decidedly.

My first attempt to listen to Mahler 5th. Bear in mind I've only listened to his 1st before. The performance seemed pretty good, though I was inspired rather more by the opening of a YouTube jlaurson posted yesterday.

The Lucerne 5th (that Jens posted) is quite an oddity, I'd say: there's very few who do the opening as incisively as Abbado. I'll even admit I personally find it a little too "thin", but I'm a Bernstein fan (pam-pam-pam-BRAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOMMM ).

(Though note that Gielen's opening is very characterful, which is my alternative preference to the Bernstein approach.)


Maybe you might enjoy (Bruno) Walter's recording, with the NYPO! If you can stomach the sound, that is.

[Henk]

La Transfiguration de Notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ.

[Bogey]

Vegh Quartet, second recording. Pride of place in my Beethoven cycle collection - even though it'd not be my first recommendation to others (that is: newcomers).

I have the version of the Vegh. They are very touching in the slow movements, but in general I think they don't seem dynamic enough and the sound and technique are not the best. Perhaps their first version had more qualities, but I never listened to it.

Easily my favorite due to that "slowness" of the performances.  In fact, if I only owned one box set of anything, this would probably top the list for me.  I believe my next set will be their earlier effort.  I am very curious to compare the two.

[Bogey]

Let me add one other note about the Végh String Quartet LvB recordings.  Out of all my recordings on the shelf, they are some of the "warmest" sounding.  In fact, sometimes I mistake them for vinyl.

[Harry]

I think this to be a very good performance of the planets.

[Renfield]

Mahler: Symphony No. 5

I put it on to confirm my recommending it to Brian - the reasons for the recommendation, that is - when I made my post, above.

And as is not unusual for Walter's (in my opinion) sublime recordings, I'm still listening.

[Kullervo]

Stravinsky - Pulcinella (Stravinsky/Columbia)
Shostakovich - String Quartets 3 and 4 (Fitzwilliam)

[Henk]

[Harry]

This is a magnificent Symphony, and one of the best performances I heard so far.

[Henk]

disc 1.

[Bogey]

Mozart
Piano Concerto No. 14 K. 449
The Busch Chamber Players with Rudolf Serkin
Pearl 9278
Recorded 1938