What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[George]

A delight! 

[Franco]

Brahms: Piano Sonata No. 2 in F Sharp Minor, Op. 2
Julius Katchen

[George]

Brahms: Piano Sonata No. 2 in F Sharp Minor, Op. 2
Julius Katchen

Have you any other Brahms solo CDs? How do they compare?

[Catison]

beware of them 

     

Now on to this!

[Franco]

Have you any other Brahms solo CDs? How do they compare?

I have a smattering of Edwin Fischer and Gould, and an almost complete Kempff, but prefer Katchen to all of the others. 

[Lethevich]

Now on to this!

How do you feel about these Dopper symphonies compared to the 7th? I found them all to be somewhat lacking next to the 7th's riot of energy and colour.

[George]

I have a smattering of Edwin Fischer and Gould, and an almost complete Kempff, but prefer Katchen to all of the others.  

Is that the mono Kempff? I just listened to that recently. It had it's moments, but I much prefer Lupu and Richter's Brahms, for very different reasons. Lupu's Brahms is intimate and introspective, Richter's is more powerful and extrovert. I wonder where Katchen falls between these two extremes?  

[DFO]

Superb Alberic Magnard's SQ. IMO one of the best any french composer
ever wrote.

[Franco]

Is that the mono Kempff? I just listened to that recently. It had it's moments, but I much prefer Lupu and Richter's Brahms, for very different reasons. Lupu's Brahms is intimate and introspective, Richter's is more powerful and extrovert. I wonder where Katchen falls between these two extremes?  

This is the Kempff I have:



I would love to hear the Richter - I'd say that Katchen would fall pretty much square in the middle of "intimate and introspective" and "powerful and extrovert" - which is why I much prefer his performances over Kempff's, who sounds strangely stiff in Brahms and not nearly as compelling as his Beethoven.

[DavidRoss]

Per discussion on that thread that won't go away, I'm preparing to give my full attention to the Mahler 8th, Pt.I, from Boulez's recent DGG cycle, on the main PDG (Pretty Darned Good!) hi fi system.  Wish me luck, and if I don't make it back, tell little Timmy that he's the man of the house now. 

[ChamberNut]

Wish me luck, and if I don't make it back, tell little Timmy that he's the man of the house now. 

If you don't make it back, all you have to do is play Symphony No. 2  0:)

[Keemun]

Per discussion on that thread that won't go away, I'm preparing to give my full attention to the Mahler 8th, Pt.I, from Boulez's recent DGG cycle, on the main PDG (Pretty Darned Good!) hi fi system.  Wish me luck, and if I don't make it back, tell little Timmy that he's the man of the house now.  

You are a brave man.  Giving it my divided attention the other day was trying enough for me.  May the Force be with you.  

~~~~~

Now: Symphony No. 7 from this.

[ChamberNut]

Wish me luck, and if I don't make it back

As indicated in David's will, all CDs are to be routed to c/o ChamberNut, Winnipeg, MB  (except Mahler's 8th)

[Christo]

Again and again, my most recent "discovery" in the sphere of "great, yet unknown symphonies", the First Symphony (1947) by the British neoclassicist Arnold Cooke (1906-2005).

I posted a report of my admiration for this composer here before, but cannot suppress the temptation to do so again. I knew his Third (1967), the only one recorded before and released as an LP in the LP era (late 1970s I think) and admired it. The First is of an equal stature, and I do hope to live and hear his other four symphonies, unrecorded and hardly ever played, so far.

The First Symphony [36'40] (1947) is a major statement of its own, vintage Arnold Cooke I would say (he deserves the title, but never earned it). It's contemporary to Vaughan Williams' Sixth for example, but the closes parallels are actually the First (1940) and also Second (1958) symphonies of Lennox Berkeley, the other "great, neglected British neoclassicist".

Arnold Cooke's First is an impressive achievement, particularly the opening movement Allegro moderato [13'00]. Both other pieces in this recording, the mighty Concerto for string orchestra (1948) and also the jolly Suite from the Ballet Jabez and the Devil (1959), previously, on the old Lyrita LP, coupled with the Third Symphony, are of equal interest. A major find! (For me, at least ... 0:)).

All served extremely well by the London Philharmonic Orchestra under Nicholas Braithwaite. Recommended.

                 

[DavidRoss]

As indicated in David's will, all CDs are to be routed to c/o ChamberNut, Winnipeg, MB  (except Mahler's 8th)

 Sorry to disappoint you, Ray, but I survived the ordeal (see debriefing here).

Recovering nicely now, thanks to the ministrations of:

[mahler10th]

As Bill says:
"In the tray..."        (I am adopting that expression, for some reason I really like it).

So...


In the tray...

[mahler10th]

  Sorry to disappoint you, Ray, but I survived the ordeal (see debriefing here).

Recovering nicely now, thanks to the ministrations of:

What a great ministration.  But I would have followed Rays advice and taken a dose of Mahler 2nd instead.

[George]

This is the Kempff I have:



I would love to hear the Richter - I'd say that Katchen would fall pretty much square in the middle of "intimate and introspective" and "powerful and extrovert" - which is why I much prefer his performances over Kempff's, who sounds strangely stiff in Brahms and not nearly as compelling as his Beethoven.

Thanks for the info. That's the Kempff that I have, too.

I am beginning to think that I far prefer Brahms orchestral stuff to his solo piano and chamber stuff. This is the only composer that I can say this about. Strange.

[Christo]

Third (and final  ) time this quiet, Summer evening:

                               

[Lethevich]

I'm going to have to investigate this fellow! Shame that Lyrita discs are expensive and I am a skinflint - but I suppose I could buy the one with the Brian coupling and kill two birds with one stone.