What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Antoine Marchand]

Well, I guess you showed me ...

Well, dear Leon, I supposse this time you are with the majority. Most of Amazon reviews, for instance, are highly favorable to this set.

[Brahmsian]

For the Schubert string quartets - I don't see myself ever parting with the Melos Qt. set.  Superb!

[Antoine Marchand]

For the Schubert string quartets - I don't see myself ever parting with the Melos Qt. set.  Superb!

An interesting effect of this forum/thread is the permanent invitation to re-listen to some discs.

For instance, when I was writing my previous post to Sara, I thought to recommend my oldest favorite in the Schubert late string quartets: the Quartetto Italiano. But then I thought that I needed to re-listen to that old Philips twofer in order to give an update suggestion.

Then ChamberNut mentions the Melos Quartet and I recalled that I always enjoyed their performances, but I was never satisfied with the sound quality of their cycle. Probably I need to re-listen to some discs here too.

Now I am listening to another old favorite, recalled in past days by Sadko: John McCabe playing Haydn. Just perfect in these ears, even played on a modern instrument:

[asin]B0000041KC[/asin]

[CD1: Hob. 16:8, 16:7, 16:9, 16:G1, 16:11, 16:10, 17:D1 (possibly spurious), 16:5 (doubtful), 16:4, 16:4, 17:7 (attrib. Haydn)]

[Brahmsian]

Then ChamberNut mentions the Melos Quartet and I recalled that I always enjoyed their performances, but I was never satisfied with the sound quality of their cycle. Probably I need to re-listen to some discs here too.

I personally don't understand this, but that's just me.  I know Scarpia had problems with the sound on this set as well.  Where the heck is he anyways? 

[Gurn Blanston]

An interesting effect of this forum/thread is the permanent invitation to re-listen to some discs.

Now I am listening to another old favorite, recalled in past days by Sadko: John McCabe playing Haydn. Just perfect in these ears, even played on a modern instrument:

[asin]B0000041KC[/asin]

I have always enjoyed that box too. It was my first ever Haydn keyboard works, and one thing I noticed the first time through was that somehow McCabe was able to restrain the piano from sounding huge and resonant as modern pianos tend to do. I'm sure it is some basic technique which any player knows (not being a player, I don't!), but unfortunately, not enough of them use it in Haydn (or Mozart, for that matter). In any case, I have gotten dozens of excellent Haydn keyboard recordings since then, but I still pull that one out for a listen from time to time.



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Now playing:
Tafelmusik / Bruno Weil - Hob 01 052 Symphony in c 1st mvmt - Allegro assai con brio

[Antoine Marchand]

... I know Scarpia had problems with the sound on this set as well.  Where the heck is he anyways?

Yes, but Scarpia has problems with sound quality of every recording around. 

... Where the heck is he anyways? 

Yes, he has not been very active these last... weeks? I hope he will come back soon to give us some dose of "disagreement" regarding every possible opinion. 

[Antoine Marchand]

... one thing I noticed the first time through was that somehow McCabe was able to restrain the piano from sounding huge and resonant as modern pianos tend to do.

As usual, it's a very clever comment, Gurn. That's one of the most pleasant things of this cycle. Besides McCabe seems to have a natural instinct for the right tempo. Another very enjoyable feature.

[Mirror Image]

Yes I think so too, when I bought it, there was little enthusiasm on GMG, but I am glad you at least picked it up, and hear the value of it.

I see the value in Lambert's music in general. I think he's one of those composers that has slipped between the cracks who lived in the shadows of other composers throughout his life. I think his music owes a lot to Stravinsky, but Lambert was always his own man I think.

[listener]

PROKOFIEV    Betrothal in a Monastery / Les Fiançailles au Couvent   op. 86 (not 68 as given in the notes)
based on The Duenna by Richard Brinsley Sheridan
not to be confused with The Fiery Angel, and not similar to Penderecki's Devils of Loudon or Poulenc's Dialogue des Carmelites, apart from similar settings. 
Stanislawski theatre Chorus and Orch.    Kemal Abdoullaiev, cond.

[TheGSMoeller]

Hello, friends...

[asin]B001JNCOFG[/asin]

I am in love with the String Quintet In F Major

[Brahmsian]

[asin]B001JNCOFG[/asin]

I am in love with the String Quintet In F Major

Tremendously under-rated piece.  The Scherzo immediately reminds me of his wonderful symphonic scherzos. 

[TheGSMoeller]

Tremendously under-rated piece.  The Scherzo immediately reminds me of his wonderful symphonic scherzos. 

Very much so, to me the piece is a mini-symphony, even the ending bars of the finale resemble his symphonies. Glad to hear some praise from other GMG'rs 

[Brahmsian]

Very much so, to me the piece is a mini-symphony, even the ending bars of the finale resemble his symphonies. Glad to hear some praise from other GMG'rs 

His symphonies are so great, they just overshadow all his other compositions (even though he did not have that many).  Well, his masses are highly regarded, among a handful of other compositions.

[TheGSMoeller]

His symphonies are so great, they just overshadow all his other compositions (even though he did not have that many).  Well, his masses are highly regarded, among a handful of other compositions.

I know this may not be the most ideal or recommended recording, but I love this Naxos disc of Bruckner: Motets. Very soul-soothing music.

[asin]B000001415[/asin]

[kishnevi]

I never connected with the Emerson Bartok as well. So I've never collected them extensively; however their Prokofiev disv and the Grieg/sibelius referred to earlier seem quite good to me.

I seem to be in the minority that likes their Shostakovich cycle; I'd call their recording of the Art of Fugue the best of the dozen or so recordings I have in various instrumentations of that work; and their Mendelssohn has some very good moments, especially the Octet (in which they play all the parts).  I don't dislike what I have of their Beethoven or Schubert (late quartets for both composers), but I'm not enamored of it either (although the Schubert Quintet with Rostropovich is an excellent recording, come to think of it.)

Oh, yes,  they recorded Edgar Meyer's quintet with the composer on double bass,  which I think is an outstanding work,  coupled with a string quartet by Rorem which I'd call eminently forgettable. 

I think that's everything I have of them.

[Mirror Image]

they recorded Edgar Meyer's quintet with the composer on double bass,  which I think is an outstanding work

I've only heard Meyer's Violin Concerto and it was coupled with Barber's Violin Concerto on the Hilary Hahn recording with Hugh Wolff conducting the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. I recall this work being quite nice, but I need to refresh my memory of it. Kudos to Hahn for recording it.

[Que]

The package from France arrived yesterday. So, I'm starting the day with this.

I'm planning to get more into the details on this composer. But for now it's interesting to note that he was London based and that this very collection of harpsichord suites is said to have been the inspiration for Bach's English Suites.

Huguette Grémy-Chauliac, who once taught Scott Ross, plays a harpsichord by William Dowd after Pascal Taskin 1770.

Q

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

CD IV of this wonderful box, that delights me after every listening. Its a undiscovered treasure for many, and I can only urge all to try this series that Brilliant put on the market. Doesn't happen often, that it is given to us mortals, a heavily bliss. 

[mc ukrneal]

CD IV of this wonderful box, that delights me after every listening. Its a undiscovered treasure for many, and I can only urge all to try this series that Brilliant put on the market. Doesn't happen often, that it is given to us mortals, a heavily bliss. 

Is this only choral music? Is the type of thing you can listen to all in a row, or do you think some breaks are needed (I am thinking here on each disc, not 5 discs in a row, which I wouldn't do)? JPC has only samples from one of the discs, so I am not sure how representative it is.  And how are the rest of the sets in the series?

[The new erato]

I think there's an instrumental basso continuo of varying complexity on most discs in this particular box.

I have three of the sets in the series and find them of somewhat variable quality, never less than pretty good, sometimes very fine, but anyway; Schutz is such a wonderful composer, and much of his music isn't easy to find on recordings, that taking the very low price in account, I find this series easy to recommend. Though I don't think this set is all you need of Schutz, there are individual discs and sets on HM and other labels that are "necessary" as well.