What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Karl Henning]

Thread Duty:

Mompou
Variations sur un thème de Chopin
The composer playing.

[Sergeant Rock]

Encore: Beethoven Piano Sonata F minor "Appassionata" played by Gould this time.




Actually, not so much an encore as an entirely different piece    To wit:


             Allegro   Andante con moto    Allegro/Presto
Gulda      8:37            5:52                        4:56
Gould    15:01           11:08                       5:23

Sarge

[mc ukrneal]

Encore: Beethoven Piano Sonata F minor "Appassionata" played by Gould this time.




Actually, not so much an encore as an entirely different piece    To wit:


             Allegro   Andante con moto    Allegro/Presto
Gulda      8:37            5:52                        4:56
Gould    15:01           11:08                       5:23

Sarge

How does Gould play it so slow?!? And yet, both are pretty fast on the back end (3rd movement). Barenboim is my longest at 8 min in the 3rd movement. Based on the first two, you would expect Gould to take a longer view too. But still, those first movements are so...different.

[Sergeant Rock]

How does Gould play it so slow?!? And yet, both are pretty fast on the back end (3rd movement). Barenboim is my longest at 8 min in the 3rd movement. Based on the first two, you would expect Gould to take a longer view too. But still, those first movements are so...different.

I may have a broken internal clock but Gould makes it work for me. If I forget how it's supposed to go, it sounds right this way. Gould was deliberately trying to deflate Beethoven's "egoistic pomposity" (a phrase he used in his liner notes) but I don't think he succeeded. If anything, by showing us that even at half speed Beethoven remains Beethoven, he sabotaged his own argument. In any case it's one of those "wrong" interpretations that I thoroughly enjoy.

Sarge

[Que]

Coincidentally also Beethoven piano sonatas. 

Q

[Conor71]

Bruckner: Symphony No. 5 In Bb Major, WAB 105, "Tragic"

[mc ukrneal]

I may have a broken internal clock but Gould makes it work for me. If I forget how it's supposed to go, it sounds right this way. Gould was deliberately trying to deflate Beethoven's "egoistic pomposity" (a phrase he used in his liner notes) but I don't think he succeeded. If anything, by showing us that even at half speed Beethoven remains Beethoven, he sabotaged his own argument. In any case it's one of those "wrong" interpretations that I thoroughly enjoy.

Sarge

How about #30. I see he is fast and faster. The mp3 version says 7.40 minutes in the third movement (the Variations)!! Is this correct? The fastest of the ones I have is at 11.07 (Kempff). Most are 13-15 minutes!! What does that sound like? I am tempted to get it just to compare.

[Sergeant Rock]

The mp3 version says 7.40 minutes in the third movement (the Variations)!!

Yeah, he really does a job on op.109. He omits some of the Variations' repeats which partially explains the timing. But yeah, he's fast: 7:40. He ignores Beethoven's instructions for cantabile and innermost feeling. Stravinsky liked it....which may tell you everything you need to know about the performance 

Sarge

[North Star]

Visions fugitives

[asin]B004TWOXGC[/asin]

[PaulR]

First listen!

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[Mirror Image]

Now listening:

[asin]B005YD11Q0[/asin]

A new acquisition. Great so far!

[kishnevi]

How about #30. I see he is fast and faster. The mp3 version says 7.40 minutes in the third movement (the Variations)!! Is this correct? The fastest of the ones I have is at 11.07 (Kempff). Most are 13-15 minutes!! What does that sound like? I am tempted to get it just to compare.

My problem with Gould is not the tempi, but the vocals--his humming and singing under his breath are much more noticeable on these recordings, especially the earlieer sonatas, where they are loud enough to actually ruin the music for me. 

I have, btw, the Sony budget box, which does not include all of the sonata recordings (for instance, the Appassionata). 

Thread duty:  Brahms, Piano Quartet No. 1 in g minor Op. 25   Argerich/Kremer/Bashmet/Maisky
from the DG Argerich 3 box.

[listener]

a lot of GRIEG  piano music:
including Holberg Suite op. 40, Poetic Tone Pictures op. 3, Norwegian Dances & Songs op. 17, 4 Pieces op. 1.
Humoresker op. 6, Improvisations on Norwegian Folksongs op. 66   Ballade op. 24
Isabel Mourao, piano

[TheGSMoeller]

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[Lethevich]

.[asin]B000004CW6[/asin]

What's it like?

[TheGSMoeller]

What's it like?

This might be an island pick for me. Both pieces are exceptional, and the recording/performance is tops. Its the only recording of MGV made(which I recommend, it could be Nyman's best piece).

I apologize for the short response but I'm on my iPad and having trouble typing. 

[mc ukrneal]

My problem with Gould is not the tempi, but the vocals--his humming and singing under his breath are much more noticeable on these recordings, especially the earlieer sonatas, where they are loud enough to actually ruin the music for me. 

I have, btw, the Sony budget box, which does not include all of the sonata recordings (for instance, the Appassionata). 

Humming is assumed with him. But how noticeable is it on #30. Average? Louder than usual? If you don;t have this particular sonata in the box, maybe someone who does can comment.

[Que]

.[asin]B00285QBXK[/asin]

First run, but I'm already delighted!

The use of a modest "orchestra" of 5 strings and 2 recorders is a masterstroke. Mouth watering French (Dumont), Flemish (Ruckers), Spanish and Italian harpsichords are used.

Q

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

Good morning to all, some Christmas cheer to ya all.

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

I can always say Que did this to me, and I am holding him chief responsible for making me listen to these performances. If any one is to blame. its him! Well this said, i am glad he did.

CD II

Febus Avanti.
Music at the Court of Gaston Febus. ( 1331-1391)

Simply perfect.

[asin]B00205RKMO[/asin]