What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD11 from this set - better get cracking before the Pinnock's Mozart set arrives next week ...

[Coopmv]

There was a big sale of Analekta recordings around Xmas time, so I went for stuff I'd normally not make a priority of. A generous colleciton of excerpts from Handel's Alcina and Agrippina with Tafelmusik (Jeann Lamon), with soprano Karina Gauvin in 9 of the 22 numbers. I like the concept of interspersing the arias with a few instrumental/orchestral items.

Much to my surprise, Gauvin turns out with the best version I've ever heard of my favourite Handel aria 'Tornarmi a vagheggiar". She is breathtakingly virtuosic and beautiful of tone. Dozens of sopranos have sung this, from Sutherland to Price, to Dessay, de Niese, Sills, Gencer etc. Gauvin's singing alone is worth the price of the disc. It helps that Lamon and Tafelmusik are the perfect partners.

I much prefer Karina Gauvin over Renee Fleming for Handel oratorios/operas ...

[bhodges]

Earlier, some of the rebroadcast of the Vienna Philharmonic's 2010 New Year's Concert.  This year, Georges Prêtre was the conductor, and from the selections I saw, he and the orchestra were getting along swimmingly.  The Fledermaus was terrific: lots of detail and taken very fast.

Johann Strauss: Overture to Die Fledermaus
Johann Strauss: Viennese Bonbons
Johann Strauss: Champagne Polka

--Bruce

[jlaurson]

Frederic Rzewski The People United Will Never Be Defeated! 36 Variations on "¡El Pueblo Unido Jamás Será Vencido!" & "Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues" Ralph van RaatNaxos

Not quite as good as Hamelin (esp. in the Cotton Mill Blues), but an excellent introduction to these works all the same.

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD4 from this set ...

[Que]

Oh, how I wish BIS would release the whole series conveniently housed in a sturdy box with cardboard sleeves for maximum space-saving. It's been bewildering and frustrating trying to sort out purchasing priorities within these issues. There are two different series, the solo keyboard and the concerto ones. How many discs would that make - over 30?

Yes, I'm eagerly awaiting that moment as well! Till that moment I content myself with some haphazard bargains that have come my way.

As to the total number of discs for the two series (concertos & solo works), we are indeed well past the 30 mark (17 & 18 respectively) - see HERE.

Q

[The new erato]

Continuing the UK theme:

[The new erato]

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD5, the last CD from this set ...

[Christo]

A great, atmospheric concerto `Over the Water' for recorder and strings from 2004, by Elis Pehkonen (b. 1942) on a disc filled to the brim with wonderful music:

                             

[Coopmv]

Now playing this CD from my Boyce collection.  Lousy image on Amazon but the Cantilena under Adrian Shepherd put in an excellent performance on modern instruments ...

[CD]

[SonicMan46]

Not quite as good as Hamelin (esp. in the Cotton Mill Blues), but an excellent introduction to these works all the same.

Jens - I don't know this composer at all!    But, the Winnsboro Cotton Mills Blues interests me - thus, not sure 'where' to start - any recommendations on several discs that may be representative of his output and in excellent performances?  Thanks - Dave 

[Coopmv]

CD3 from this set - Arias from operas by Wagner and Strauss ...

[SonicMan46]

Albrechtsberger, Johann Georg (1736-1809) - String Trios w/ the Belvedere Trio Wien; famous Viennese teacher & composer (also includes a Trio by Sperger) - close friend of Haydn & Mozart, and teacher of so many, including Beethoven!

String Quartets, same composer w/ Authentic Quartet on 'period instruments' - this guy wrote a LOT of music but little is published; these two discs are quite enjoyable, just wished other CDs of his works might have been recorded - 

 

[CD]

[Coopmv]

Now playing this CD ...

[Conor71]

Tchaikovsky: Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66

[Que]

A new arrival and sofar it sounds very impressive!



Q

[Brian]

Good morning Que! It is 12:42 am here, and Atterberg's Eighth Symphony just finished, but I was so caught up in it and how wonderfully I was enjoying it that it kept playing in my head and ... well ... I put it on again. A late night then! 

ATTERBERG | Symphony No 8
Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart
Ari Rasilainen