What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[jwinter]

Thanks, JW, this was what I needed to know.

No problem.  An even better option at this point might be the big DG Karajan symphonies box, which includes the 70s set.  Amazon UK has it fairly cheaply these days.  I imagine you'd be looking at some duplication, as was I, but I managed to sell those parts I already had (about half) and ended up making a profit on the whole deal!  Saves lots of shelf space too...

As jlaurson points out, Karajan wouldn't be my top choice for a LvB cycle *overall*, but that's another thread.  I will go out on a limb and say that the '77 Karajan 5th is my clear favorite performance of that symphony, even better than Kleiber (either one) IMO.

[Jay F]

Now I've got Chailly's Mahler 3 on. It's easy to understand why people like this one. It's very atmospheric, the "Summer Marches In" parade of music and color -- lots of color -- in the first movement (I always picture a parade of cartoon characters, some I've seen on TV, some I make up, whenever I hear this bit of music).

And it's very well-recorded. Sounds great.

[prémont]

I think I said the relevant bits here: http://www.weta.org/fmblog/?p=433.

I have not read this, I shall do so.

The Philharmonia cycle I've not heard. I'm not terribly keen on trying it out, I should admit,..

What I know of it (3,6 and 7) is superficial, easygoing, uninteresting. Willy Boskovski would have been able to made a more substantial recording I think.

I was VERY happily surprised by the Third cycle, which I had never considered until it was sent to me. Since I consider the second cycle ('66) a "standard" (which means "very good" but it also means "replaceable" with another excellent set), but the third one of great character, I'd probably recommend the latter over the former to anyone who already has an acceptable first and/or second cycle.

So one must have the second as well as the third cycle?

[Frumaster]

I have been acquiring all of the 'Great Pianists of the 20th Century' CDs.  What is the general consensus on this forum about these?  Its obviously a high task to compile and release such a set...200 CDs!  I have been sampling various discs, and so far my only complaint is that I wanted purely unaccompanied piano......but there are a lot of concertos, dammit.  More sonatas would have been nice in their place.  Thoughts?

[prémont]

No problem.  An even better option at this point might be the big DG Karajan symphonies box, which includes the 70s set.  Amazon UK has it fairly cheaply these days.  I imagine you'd be looking at some duplication, as was I, but I managed to sell those parts I already had (about half) and ended up making a profit on the whole deal!  Saves lots of shelf space too...

Yes, but what about all the other symphonies in that box, which I never would get the impulse to listen to?

As jlaurson points out, Karajan wouldn't be my top choice for a LvB cycle *overall*, but that's another thread.

Neither do I expect it to become mine, but as I wrote earlier, the "all-round orientation" ,and we cannot deny Karajan at least some musical importance, I suppose.

[George]

I have been acquiring all of the 'Great Pianists of the 20th Century' CDs.  What is the general consensus on this forum about these?  Its obviously a high task to compile and release such a set...200 CDs!  I have been sampling various discs, and so far my only complaint is that I wanted purely unaccompanied piano......but there are a lot of concertos, dammit.  More sonatas would have been nice in their place.  Thoughts?

Hey frumaster!

I started a thread on the old forum for that very set. I have been collecting them myself. I think that they are great, love the unique packaging and liner notes.

[Frumaster]

Hey frumaster!

I started a thread on the old forum for that very set. I have been collecting them myself. I think that they are great, love the unique packaging and liner notes.

Thanks, will read.  The packaging and notes are cool.

[George]

Thanks, will read.  The packaging and notes are cool.

As Todd points out in that thread I linked you to, the transfers in the Great Pianist of the Century series were often not the best available.

[Maciek]

Could someone tell me the details of that Gavin Bryars CD mentioned a couple of pages back? The cover is much too small to read (it doesn't seem to contain much writing anyway). I'm afraid I don't know the composer's entire discography (I apologize ) so a cover pic isn't really informative enough. Just curious... 0:)

[aquablob]

for some* reason I don't seem to be able to get enough of the 6th these days.

*For GOOD reason, you mean!

(And I love Böhm here, by the way.)

[jwinter]

Yes, but what about all the other symphonies in that box, which I never would get the impulse to listen to?

True, if you're focusing on Beethoven.  But if you have other needs it's a great bargain.  Much of the Bruckner, at least, is certainly worth hearing, as is some of the Tchaikovsky.

[Que]

Disc 2: D 960 & D 575

Q

[DavidRoss]

Karl Böhm/WP, Beethoven Symphony #6, Pastoral

Plush as an overstuffed club chair, but simply beautiful.  Not so much a walk in the country as being transported in a sedan chair borne by Amazons while lovely nymphs pop fresh fruit into your mouth between alternating hits off an opium pipe. 

This holds up so well that I may just have to listen to the rest of the cycle.  Hope I still have the whole thing on vinyl, as I've only a few of the shiny silvery plastic things.

Yes!  Success!  And while digging out that dusty old box I also found the Guarneri Quartet's Late LvB SQs, including the Big Fugue.  Think maybe 132 will be next, while the Hagens' weird but wonderful take on that is still relatively fresh in my ears!

[jwinter]

Karl Böhm/WP, Beethoven Symphony #6, Pastoral

... This holds up so well that I may just have to listen to the rest of the cycle.  Hope I still have the whole thing on vinyl, as I've only a few of the shiny silvery plastic things....

You might also want to check out Bohm's last Beethoven 9th, the digital one from 1980 (I think).  Now that's a decadent performance, the slowest I've ever encountered clocking in at just shy of 80 minutes, but it flows serenely on without bogging down under it's own weight.  Bohm brings out all sorts of little details -- it's a fascinating reading. 

[Renfield]

Re Karajan,

To use a rather un-British exclamation: whoa! I step away from the computer for a few hours, and everything goes Karajan.

Two things:


1) Regarding Karajan's Beethoven cycles, I only counted (and count, in general, when asked questions like these) CD releases.

If I were to also count DVD releases, I am fairly certain that at least some of the Unitel performances (viz. at least the 5th and 9th) are live, and unique to their video version, as far as official release is concerned; ditto for one of the two 9ths on video from the 1980s.

All in all, there are four - three on DG, one on EMI - integral cycles of the Beethoven symphonies on CD by Karajan, to spell out my answer fully.


2) On Karajan's Beethoven (cf. "Beethoven cycles"), on the other hand, I didn't think the level of specificity required was that which you lot seemed to go into after I left the conversation! And I still don't think it's the right thread for it.

If someone (I could do it if you wanted) made "Karajan Beethoven" thread, I'd be delighted to offer more than a 'context-conditional' sketch of what I think about his cycles, like I did above; likewise for the others who have opinions on Karajan's Beethoven, so we can actually discuss them in a less fleeting and 'by the way' context than the Listening thread. If nothing else, this is a lot of versions we're comparing!


Re Böhm,

I love that Pastoral. In fact, it's prompted me to listen to more of Böhm's Beethoven, at some point; though that point hasn't as of yet come.

[sul G]

Could someone tell me the details of that Gavin Bryars CD mentioned a couple of pages back? The cover is much too small to read (it doesn't seem to contain much writing anyway). I'm afraid I don't know the composer's entire discography (I apologize ) so a cover pic isn't really informative enough. Just curious... 0:)

It's the After The Requiem CD on ECM. The first Bryars I heard, and I'm pleased about that, because I still think it's the best single disc of his music (I speak as one who has about 15 Bryars CDs, I guess). For the title track alone, even, though The Old Tower of Lobenicht is classic Bryars too.

[Lethevich]

Wide-ranging miniatures.

[Kullervo]

(Syms. 3 and 4)

[Maciek]

It's the After The Requiem CD on ECM. The first Bryars I heard, and I'm pleased about that, because I still think it's the best single disc of his music (I speak as one who has about 15 Bryars CDs, I guess). For the title track alone, even, though The Old Tower of Lobenicht is classic Bryars too.

Thanks for the feedback, Luke. Never heard of that disc, will investigate.

[prémont]

(Syms. 3 and 4)

A good set. I prefer this version of the symphonies to Blomstedts later steel-perfect LA version.