What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Scarpia]

Gahhhh how comments like this make me wish the Ancerl Shostakovich Tenth was still in print, somehow, somewhere!

I had that recording and sold it after listening to it once.  It had lousy sound and the interpretation was nothing out of the ordinary, or at least that was my impression at the time.  Sometimes I wish I had kept it for the Stravinsky.

[karlhenning]

Nothing out of the ordinary? Then you sold it before listening to the Scherzo ; )

Here you puzzle me again, Scarps;  I find it a riveting account of a miraculously tight symphony.

[Mirror Image]

Glad you like this account of the Fifth, too.

Haitink handles the outer movements beautifully. The Romanza section of this performance is also quite good. The Scherzo isn't as clear as Previn/Telarc, but it's still fine.

[Scarpia]

Nothing out of the ordinary? Then you sold it before listening to the Scherzo ; )

Here you puzzle me again, Scarps;  I find it a riveting account of a miraculously tight symphony.

I think I have ten recordings of that symphony.  It riveted me less than the others, and I couldn't justify keeping it because the audio engineering was far below satisfactory.

[Mirror Image]

Now:



Listening to Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra. This is an especially fine performance. Too bad this recording is out-of-print now.

The performance of the 5th on this recording was quite good if I remember correctly. It's been awhile since I heard it.

[Sergeant Rock]

Now:



Listening to Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra. This is an especially fine performance. Too bad this recording is out-of-print now.

The performance of the 5th on this recording was quite good if I remember correctly. It's been awhile since I heard it.

After hearing many, many other versions of the Fifth without becoming a convert (for decades it was my least favorite of the nine), Menhuin's performance finally sold me.  Now I hear the greatness of the music in every version I own but Menhuin's remains special to me. And I bought it only for the concerto! I had no idea his Fifth would be so convincing, so transcendent.

Sarge

[karlhenning]

I think I have ten recordings of that symphony.  It riveted me less than the others, and I couldn't justify keeping it because the audio engineering was far below satisfactory.

All right.

Which are your favorite three recordings?

[Brahmsian]

You a commie, o' something? ................................

Actually, I like some of the ideas of communism.  Yes, this is coming from a Canadian.

I know that it just does not work, however.  Even under ideal conditions.

I use to be a Conservative.

[jlaurson]

Actually, I like some of the ideas of communism.  Yes, this is coming from a Canadian.

I know that it just does not work, however.  Even under ideal conditions.

I use to be a Conservative.

We're all free to like some of the ideas of communism.
As long as we fight to our last against anyone who would ever try to actually implement them.
Freedom sucks never so hard that it isn't better than the ideals of others imposed upon me.

Thread Duty:

G. Mahler &
Mahlerized Bach
Symphony No.3 (last two movements)
"Bach Suite"
Riccardo Chailly / RCO
Decca SACD

[Mirror Image]

After hearing many, many other versions of the Fifth without becoming a convert (for decades it was my least favorite of the nine), Menhuin's performance finally sold me.  Now I hear the greatness of the music in every version I own but Menhuin's remains special to me. And I bought it only for the concerto! I had no idea his Fifth would be so convincing, so transcendent.

Sarge

I bought it a year or so ago used, and, like you, I bought it for the concerto, but that performance of the 5th is fantastic. If I remember correctly, it had a very passionate Romanza that just melted my heart. I still feel, however, that Previn's 5th recording on Telarc is one of the best I've heard.

[Mirror Image]

Now:



Now listening to Partita for Double String Orchestra and it's a such a great work. I can't get enough of this 2-CD set. It's really just that good. Too bad Thomson never recorded Flos Campi. I would have loved to hear that.

[Sergeant Rock]

I bought it a year or so ago used, and, like you, I bought it for the concerto, but that performance of the 5th is fantastic. If I remember correctly, it had a very passionate Romanza that just melted my heart. I still feel, however, that Previn's 5th recording on Telarc is one of the best I've heard.

That I don't have (do have his RCA version which has been a favorite of the critics since its initial release). I'll have to check out the Telarc.

Sarge

[Mirror Image]

That I don't have (do have his RCA version which has been a favorite of the critics since its initial release). I'll have to check out the Telarc.

Sarge

Yes, please do Sarge. It's vastily superior to his RCA recording. The audio quality is also some of the best I've heard for this symphony.

[Brahmsian]

Franck - Piano Quintet in F minor

Chausson - String Quartet in C minor, Op.35 (completed by Vincent d'Indy)


Quatuor Ludwig
Michael Levinas, piano

Naxos

[listener]

Re-visiting alphabetically filed shelves is a bit like going through one of those container-size box sets.    I've still got a lot of Bach family to go through before I can start on Dvorak, Elgar, Hummel, Ives, Sibelius, Tchaikowsky,etc.
so  J.Chr .BACH   6 Sinfonias  op.18,  Sinfonia in Eb op.9/2  Sinfonia Concertate in F  for oboe, cello & orch.
Netherlands Chamber O.     David Zinman
I'll break up the FAURÉ piano music, start with vol. 2 of the Grant  Johannesen recordings. It has the Theme and Variaions and Fauré's only Mazurka, 3 Barcarolles, 4 Nocturnes and 2 Valse Caprices

[not edward]

The Scriabin and Prokofiev sonatas from here. The Prokofiev is much better IMO than the Philips recording made late in his life.

[DavidRoss]

Freedom sucks never so hard that it isn't better than the ideals of others imposed upon me.

Just for that, I think I'll spin Chailly's Mahler 3rd, too!

[Lethevich]

Not too terribly impressed with Haitink's RVW cycle, but it does have some strong points. Listening to Symphony No. 5 right now and it's a great performance. Probably one of best I've heard right up there with Previn's RPO/Telarc recording, which is my gold standard for this symphony. Andrew Davis and Bryden Thomson (my two favorite RVW conductors) offer great alternatives as well. Adrian Boult/EMI is also a fine reading.

I absolutely hated the performance of The Lark Ascending in Haitink's cycle. Sarah Chang sounds totally unconvincing to my ears and Haitink's accompiment is almost non-existent. He must have been on lunch in this performance.

I have difficulties with this run-through performance of the Lark as well

Do you know Gibson' 5th (reissued with Berglund's 4th and 6th on an EMI twofer - an absolutely essential RVW purchase)? I found it strong, in the objective Bould/Handley manner. I was probably subconsciously influenced by rehearing and enjoying Gibson's Sibelius cycle on Chandos prior to listening to the RVW, but I did pick up a few Sibelian vibes from that performance, although I am probably talking nonsense

[The new erato]

THIS disc, however... Best Senfl disc I know of:


L. Senfl
Missa L'homme Arme
Suspicious Cheese Lords [sic!]

I have now heard it a couple of times, and while it may be the best Senfl disc around (the repertory is very different from the secular songs, so comparisons arent necessarily very relevant), I'm not entirely convinced. It sounds very attractive, with a large amount of reverbaration making for a very big sound, but I find it focusing on surface beauty while the structure of the music isn't made very clear, and I suspect that the reverberation hides singing (particularly in the upper voices) that aren't up to the best professional ensembles in this repertoire. Kudos for what they are doing and for doing this repertoire at all, but I would very much have liked to hear this music in alternate performances form the likes of the Clerks, The Tallis or the Brabant Ensemble.

[jlaurson]

..., but I would very much have liked to hear this music in alternate performances form the likes of the Clerks, The Tallis or the Brabant Ensemble.

I just heard the Tallis live (Gesualdo, at the S'burg Festival)... believe me, you don't want to hear them perform Senfl, or anything else.
I don't know how they have recorded what they have and sounded so good doing it... in any case, now they're awful, awful, awful. The orchestra musicians next to me (they were up next, after the Gesualdo) just looked at each other aghast...