What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Opus106]

You've heard the wind quintet?

Not yet, but it's on my 'To Listen' list. I've read that it's one of Nielsen's more famous works.

[Opus106]

The exploration continues...

Carl Nielsen
String Quartet in G minor, Op. 13, FS 4
Oslo String Quartet

This man definitely had a thing for writing lovely slow movements.

[George]

Prokofiev
Piano Concerto 1 and 2
Ashkenazy/Previn
Decca

I can understand the lack of enthusiasm for this set already. A lukewarm performance.  

[Opus106]

Prokofiev
Piano Concerto 1 and 2
Ashkenazy/Previn
Decca

I can understand the lack of enthusiasm for this set already. A lukewarm performance.  

Hm... two pianist-conductors.

[jwinter]

First spin. First impression: excellent!




Q

Agreed!  Picked it up on a whim with a Borders coupon a while back, I've quite enjoyed it.

Currently:  Bach St. Matthews Passion, Klemperer.  Still on disc one, but this may be my favorite version so far (yeah, I know, I like old-school Bach).

[jwinter]

Prokofiev
Piano Concerto 1 and 2
Ashkenazy/Previn
Decca

I can understand the lack of enthusiasm for this set already. A lukewarm performance.  

Yeah, I have their way-too-hyped Rachmaninov, and I can imagine what the Prokofiev is like... personally I still like the first set I ever heard, Beroff/Masur, those these aren't among my favorite works I have to admit

[DavidRoss]

PC #2--dark and luscious and lovely, with a grand romantic sweep that's intoxicating.

[George]

Yeah, I have their way-too-hyped Rachmaninov, and I can imagine what the Prokofiev is like... personally I still like the first set I ever heard, Beroff/Masur, those these aren't among my favorite works I have to admit

Good point. I should have been able to image it myself. Oh well. Live and learn. After hearing a few of Ashy's Prokofiev Concerti, I realize how much I love my set with Paik on Naxos.

[DavidRoss]

Slower than Podger--more thoughtful than dancing, but not as distant or stately as the pre-HIP standards (i.e. Grumiaux, Milstein, Szeryng).  Monica's 1618 Amati has a lovely dark tone and it's recorded close-in without reverb--very clean and full sound.

[Brian]

Good point. I should have been able to image it myself. Oh well. Live and learn. After hearing a few of Ashy's Prokofiev Concerti, I realize how much I love my set with Paik on Naxos.

Paik goes through the Third like a bullet train - it's dazzling! I feel like the sound quality goes a little weird in the last few seconds of the outer movements, but that might be my low-quality mp3s failing to capture the climaxes, rather than any failing of engineering.

[SonicMan46]

Well, this afternoon, doing some comparisons of 'new & older' recordings - stimulated by Don's posts (and a review) in the 'purchasing thread' -  

Gottschalk - Philip Martin on Hyperion & Cecile Licad on Naxos (a live recording); now, I already own 7 of the 8 Martin discs (so pretty committed!), all were purchased from BRO for $7 each (5 are THERE NOW, if interested) - must first state that I do enjoy both performances; Licad is more robust w/ plenty of verve & rhythm to her playing, possibly capturing the way these works may have been played by Gottschalk, himself, before his untimely death at 40 y/o.  If one wants just ONE disc of this composer's works, then the Naxos offering is certainly a recommendation - discrepant reviews on Amazon, although most are 5*!  

JS Bach - Goldberg Variations w/ Christophe Rousset on the harpsichord & Gwendolyn Toth on the lute harpsichord (i.e. strung w/ gut strings) - listening to Rousset now which I enjoy - Toth up next!  


 

 

[Opus106]

A Mozart serenade to end the day. The only thing I would ask for is a slightly colder temperature, and it would be perfect.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Serenade in D, K. 250, 'Haffner'
Oldrich Vlcek/Prague Chamber Orchestra/Charles Mackerras

[Benji]

Benji - I've had that Ashkenazy set for years - can't say that I love it but stopped looking and have not heard other options - so my interest is peeked! 

So, looked briefly on Amazon just to see what other sets might be of interest - inserted a couple above in your quote that seemed to be well recommended; would appreciate any comments from all who might have heard these recordings - thanks! 

Out of those you posted I only know the Beroff set, which brilliantly emphasises everything I like in Prokofiev - the quick wit, the acerbic humour, and doesn't get bogged down in any kind of weighty romanticism. For those reasons, the 2nd on this set is especially fantastic, and deliciously...slick!

The Chandos set with Jarvi conducting is being re-released next month at budget price, in the UK at least (not checked Amazon.com), so if you intend to get that you might want to wait a few weeks. I think I will pick it up for the sake of £10. I can just do without lunch for two days. 

Yeah, I have their way-too-hyped Rachmaninov, and I can imagine what the Prokofiev is like... personally I still like the first set I ever heard, Beroff/Masur, those these aren't among my favorite works I have to admit

Another vote for Beroff I see!

PC #2--dark and luscious and lovely, with a grand romantic sweep that's intoxicating.

Dark, check. Intoxicating, check. Lovely and luscious though? It's not exactly what I would look for in a peformance of the 2nd. It is the 2nd I particularly dislike about that Ashkenazy/Previn set, being so weighty and plodding. The 3rd movement in particular suffers most from this treacle treatment I feel. Compare Beroff's agile 5:49 timing to Ashkenazy's pondersome 6:28. In fairness to Ashkenazy, I think it's Previn and the LSO that bother me more, suffocating the music with unduly thickly laid-on accompaniement.

I believe you would like the Beroff set, David, since you seem to share my love of transparency in music. I'm prepared to do some hat-eating if not!

[FideLeo]

Jan Vermeulen plays the Imprompti on an original Streicher fortepiano.

[DavidRoss]

I believe you would like the Beroff set, David, since you seem to share my love of transparency in music. I'm prepared to do some hat-eating if not!

Yes, Ben, it's a good un.

[Benji]

Yes, Ben, it's a good un.

What a relief. I don't own a hat.



Lindberg - Clarinet Concerto. Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra - Sakari Oramo, Kari Kriikku (clarinet)

Too anyone who thinks they know Magnus Lindberg and don't like him, or anyone who thinks the 21st Century holds no hope for classical music, please try to hear this. The future is bright.

[Brian]

My first listen to this piece.

[Benji]

Miklos Rózsa - Choral Suites, from Ben-Hur and Quo Vadis.

Beautiful, genre-defining music from the Golden Age of film scoring, by Rózsa.

As one Amazon reviewer of this disc wrote, "We do not know what the music the Roman Army marched to sounded like but I suspect that if they heard Rozsa's they would ditch whatever they were using."

Couldn't have put it better myself!

[Brian]

My first listen to this piece.

37 minutes in and I'm kind of wondering why this piece couldn't have been a whole lot shorter.

[Brian]

37 minutes in and I'm kind of wondering why this piece couldn't have been a whole lot shorter.

Whoa! Never mind. The opening of Section VI just totally shook things up.