What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Lethevich]

I guess I missed the boat :c

np:


Highly undesirable sound quality all-round. The Cowell sounds like something I'd expect from a Toscanini recording. The music isn't too hot either - the Dello Joio is three times longer than it should be, the Moore has quite a nice sweep (and it's shorter!) but is nothing major. The Cowell symphony is quite good, but with such a miserable (broadcast?) performance, it's hard to judge.

Basically, glad that I downloaded rather than bought this.

[SonicMan46]

Beethoven - String Quartets, Op. 18 No. 1 - well, this afternoon I compared a couple of the first movements of the first SQ of Beethoven of the works that I now own, including the most recent purchase, i.e. Alexander SQ.

All sound pretty good to me!    But, I've 'culled' these works for so many years that I may have just narrowed the choices down to those I like (emphasis here on a subjective listening choice since there are SO many recordings of these works!) - not much of a comparison, but I plan to keep all of these interpretations - 

   

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD7 - Polonaises from this set ...

[Antoine Marchand]

This afternoon:



I own another three versions of this opera -Curtis, Hickox & Jacobs-, but this one has grown on me. I know it's probably not the most spectacular or immediately appealing version  (probably Jacobs would win those laurels), but Vartolo has got to capture certain "ancient taste" -more intimate, less overworked- that works out perfectly in this early opera. The 4-CD set includes a 72-pages booklet in English, with excellent notes by Vartolo and a libretto in Italian/English version. Strongly recommended (not less than Vartolo's version of Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria).   

[Coopmv]

Now playing this CD that arrived from MDT midweek last week ...

[Franco]

[DavidW]

I've been thinking about buying that Franco, is it good?

[Franco]

I'm listening to the Clarinet Concerto right now and like it a lot.

[listener]

ARENSKY   Egyptian Nights  Ballet Suite
   Piano Concerto          Alexei Cherkasson, piano 
IPPOLITOV-IVANOV    Caucasian Sketches  op 10

USSR Radio Symphony O.    various conductors
oboe and horns with vibrato!  (not offensive, just distinctive)
wide soundstage,  played with feeling.

Hélène Grimaud:
CHOPIN Ballade 1, LISZT: Après une lecture de Dante,  SCHUMANN: Piano Sonata in f#  op.11
lovely Denon sound, tiny, tiny type for the booklet, but index numbers within tracks (which my old player could access)

[Wanderer]

[Harry]

This afternoon:



I own another three versions of this opera -Curtis, Hickox & Jacobs-, but this one has grown on me. I know it's probably not the most spectacular or immediately appealing version  (probably Jacobs would win those laurels), but Vartolo has got to capture certain "ancient taste" -more intimate, less overworked- that works out perfectly in this early opera. The 4-CD set includes a 72-pages booklet in English, with excellent notes by Vartolo and a libretto in Italian/English version. Strongly recommended (not less than Vartolo's version of Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria).   

I totally agree with you Antoine!

[The new erato]

This afternoon:



I own another three versions of this opera -Curtis, Hickox & Jacobs-, but this one has grown on me. I know it's probably not the most spectacular or immediately appealing version  (probably Jacobs would win those laurels), but Vartolo has got to capture certain "ancient taste" -more intimate, less overworked- that works out perfectly in this early opera. The 4-CD set includes a 72-pages booklet in English, with excellent notes by Vartolo and a libretto in Italian/English version. Strongly recommended (not less than Vartolo's version of Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria).   

Interesting. I only have Gardiner but I'm planning to buy the new Glossa recording pretty soon. I do agree, intimacy is the magic word in early Venetian opera and one of the reasons I like it so much!

[Que]

Now playing this CD from my Bach collection.  This has to be the best recording of this work with Elly Ameling and Gustav Leonhardt ...

I think Q will wholeheartedly agree ...     

Absolutely!

Listening:



Good morning.

Q

[val]

PURCELL:     Music for a while & other Songs         / Alfred Deller, William Christie

I think this was the last recording of Alfred Deller. Very well supported by William Christie and Wieland Kuijken, this is perhaps Deller's best performance, even superior to his interpretations of John Dowland.
The best version of this songs, in special, the sublime "O Solitude".

[Sergeant Rock]

I've owned recordings of the Meistersinger Prelude for 43 years. I did not think I'd ever again hear it with fresh ears, without expectations. Celibidache has just made it sound brand new, shockingly new and with unrestrained power and majesty. The old wizards (Wagner and Celi) have once again worked their magic on me.


Sarge

[bhodges]

Britten: Peter Grimes, Act III (Anthony Dean Griffey, Patricia Racette, Donald Runnicles, Met Orchestra, DVD) - The singing and orchestral playing are just sensational.

--Bruce

[listener]

MOZART  Serenade no.10 for 13 wind instruments
     members of the Bavarian Radio Symphony O.    Eugen Jochum, cond.
    ***  one of my favourites

MENDELSSOHN   Concerto for Piano and Strings in a minor
    2-Piano Concerto in E
    John Ogdon, Brenda Lucas  piano     ASMF, Marriner
   amazingly delicate playing.

Wind Quintets by DANZI (op.56/2), Kurt BOßLER (1911 - 1976), KLUGHARDT (in C op. 79)

[jhar26]

Sonatas K.309, 310 & 311

[Elgarian]

Over in the Elgar's Hillside thread, there was some talk about the need to discuss Elgar's Violin Sonata, and I've been listening to each of the versions I have - currently Lydia Mordkovitch's version on this CD, which is simply fabulous. The violin is played with the delicacy of a butterfly's wing at one end of the spectrum, and with power and conviction at the other. Probably the best version I have of this haunting sonata.

[Scarpia]

Sonatas K.309, 310 & 311

How anyone can listen to any recording by Uchida is beyond me.