What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[The new erato]

Who is paulb?

Dead man walking.

[Sergeant Rock]

Who is paulb?

Sorry, it's an inside joke only the old-timers here will get. He was a regular in almost every classical forum (I met him at the Gramophone...he directed me here) but he never stayed long in any one place. He was an extraordinarily eccentric personality...as opinionated as any human being I've ever encountered. Everything with him was black or white...usually black    He was famous for judging new works, unknown performances, by the 30 second clips at Amazon. He claimed that was all he needed to know about the music. You couldn't reason with him   He hated most music (he only liked Beethoven 6th, for example...and only in the Bruno Walter performance...every other performance was crap, according to paul). His true loves were late Wagner (only performaces from the 50s), Schnittke, Pettersson and Vaughan Williams (only the Thomson cycle), plus a few other composers. He collected 500 recordings and then announced that he was finished: he had all he'd ever need. Then he disappeared. You can read his posts most readily in the Pettersson and Schnittke threads (although his true classics were in the older forum).

I only bring him up because you mentioned the Thomson cycle...which I want but I'm waiting for the price to come down. In vain? In the meantime, I have Previn, Handley, Bakels, Haitink and Boult EMI (the last two my desert island choices) plus many individual CDs.

Sarge

[Mirror Image]

Sorry, it's an inside joke only the old-timers here will get. He was a regular in almost every classical forum (I met him at the Gramophone...he directed me here) but he never stayed long in any one place. He was an extraordinarily eccentric personality...as opinionated as any human being I've ever encountered. Everything with him was black or white...usually black    He was famous for judging new works, unknown performances, by the 30 second clips at Amazon. He claimed that was all he needed to know about the music. You couldn't reason with him   He hated most music (he only liked Beethoven 6th, for example...and only in the Bruno Walter performance...every other performance was crap, according to paul). His true loves were late Wagner (only performaces from the 50s), Schnittke, Pettersson and Vaughan Williams (only the Thomson cycle), plus a few other composers. He collected 500 recordings and then announced that he was finished: he had all he'd ever need. Then he disappeared. You can read his posts most readily in the Pettersson and Schnittke threads (although his true classics were in the older forum).

I only bring him up because you mentioned the Thomson cycle...which I want but I'm waiting for the price to come down. In vain? In the meantime, I have Previn, Handley, Bakels, Haitink and Boult EMI (the last two my desert island choices) plus many individual CDs.

Sarge

Thanks for the detailed explanation, Sarge. I think I've read a few reviews of his on Amazon. I'm assuming his name is Paul Best. Your description fits this Amazon reviewer perfectly. My experience with paulb on Amazon is that he is very erratic in his likes/dislikes. One week he'll praise, for example, Boulez's Ravel recordings, then the next week, he'll completely hate them and only accepting Jean Martinon's recordings as the golden performances. His attitude and overall demeanor are definitely those of a paranoid schizophrenic.

This aside, I hope you are able to pick-up the Thomson RVW cycle soon. It's one of my favorites.

[Sergeant Rock]

Thanks for the detailed explanation, Sarge. I think I've read a few reviews of his on Amazon. I'm assuming his name is Paul Best. Your description fits this Amazon reviewer perfectly. My experience with paulb on Amazon is that he is very erratic in his likes/dislikes. One week he'll praise, for example, Boulez's Ravel recordings, then the next week, he'll completely hate them and only accepting Jean Martinon's recordings as the golden performances. His attitude and overall demeanor are definitely those of a paranoid schizophrenic.

This aside, I hope are able to pick-up the Thomson RVW cycle soon. It's one of my favorites.

Yes, Paul Best...that's him.

I'm not the only one here lusting after the Thomson cycle. Paul could be persuasive, actually 

Sarge

[Sergeant Rock]

An outstanding collection right there. Some of my favorite Delius recordings right there.

Mine too...my single favorite Delius discs actually. Mack de-mist-tifies the music    Not that I mind the usual hazy Delius style of performance but I think the music is tougher than that, and Mack shows us.

Sarge

[SonicMan46]

I have this excellent 5-CD set.  In some way, the SMP in this set is better than the version recently released on SACD.

Stuart - loved the SJP - planning to play the 3-CD SMP this weekend on Sunday - great so far and expect the same in a few days - wish the packaging had been 'smaller' -    Dave

[not edward]

And, because there's no good reason why so long has passed since I listened to this last:

Roussel
Symphony № 4 in A, Opus 53
Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire
André Cluytens

Roussel – Symphonies &c. – Prêtre/Cluytens/Dervaux

There's never a bad time for Roussel's 4th, a work I feel most unfairly left in the shade by its predecessor.

And talking of unjustify neglected works, some more late Stravinsky!



I'm liking Gielen's Requiem Canticles even more than Knussen's, but there's really no major rivals I can think of to all the other works on this disc.

[Mirror Image]

Mine too...my single favorite Delius discs actually. Mack de-mist-tifies the music    Not that I mind the usual hazy Delius style of performance but I think the music is tougher than that, and Mack shows us.

Sarge

Sarge, that's a good way to put it. Mackerras gives Delius' music a much needed backbone recalling Barbirolli and Beecham who, as you know, were major supporters of Delius.

[Coopmv]

For a first listen, now playing this CD, which arrived from MDT a few weeks ago ...

[listener]

continuing the TAUSIG  playlist   (Michael Ponti will come later)
Nouvelles soirées de Vienne - 5 Valses-Caprices after J. Strauss II
3 Concert arrangements of Schubert: Rondeau Brillant, Polonaise mélancolque, Marche Militaire
Dennis Hennig, piano
HOLST: The Planets    conducted by Holst in 1926   London Symphony O.
LULLY: Bruits de Trompettes,  Sinfonies pour les pâtres
Jean-Louis Petit Chamber O.   Jean-Claude Malgoire, oboe
LÜBECK  Prelude-&-Fugues in c, E
Cantatas: Hilf deinen Volk Gott, wie dein Name
Eva Hölderlin, organ             Stuttgart Choral Soc.     Hans Grischkat, cond.

[Coopmv]

continuing the TAUSIG  playlist   (Michael Ponti will come later)
Nouvelles soirées de Vienne - 5 Valses-Caprices after J. Strauss II
3 Concert arrangements of Schubert: Rondeau Brillant, Polonaise mélancolque, Marche Militaire
Dennis Hennig, piano
HOLST: The Planets    conducted by Holst in 1926   London Symphony O.
LULLY: Bruits de Trompettes,  Sinfonies pour les pâtres
Jean-Louis Petit Chamber O.
LÜBECK  Prelude-&-Fugues in c, E
Cantatas: Hilf deinen Volk Gott, wie dein Name
Eva Hölderlin, organ             Stuttgart Choral Soc.     Hans Grischkat, cond.

Too bad we cannot have a CD-set of Richard Wagner conducting Tannhauser or one of his many dramatic operas ...

[bhodges]

Just returned from part 2 of the Varèse-a-thon at Lincoln Center, tonight with Alan Gilbert and the New York Philharmonic in the following program.  It was sensational.

Varèse: Ionisation       
Varèse: Octandre       
Varèse: Tuning Up   
Varèse: Arcana       
*intermission*   
Varèse: Nocturnal       
Varèse: Amériques

--Bruce

[Mirror Image]

Now:



Listening to Symphony No. 7 right now. Got to love the whole Tubin/Jarvi series!

[Que]

Breakfast listening.

Q

[Harry]

What a pleasant surprised when I inserted this disc into the player. The Nicholaus Damm Harpsichord after Trasuntino sounds smashing, and is played with great aplomb. A composer that was wholly unknown to me, and by what I hear this disc is fully justified. The music is enjoyable and life affirming. The melodious twists and turns brings you in a good mood. The Organ pieces played on a equally fine instrument "Baldassarre Di Paola & Ignazio Faraci, 1751" are great fun, and on a whole this is a worthwhile investment. Budget price on JPCde.

[Harry]

Giovanni Battista Vitali born in 1632, was a expert player of the "Violone" a large bass violin, well sometimes bass, and also on the "Violoncino" which apparently was a alternative for the Violoncello. Viatali is known for having establish a regular musical dynasty including the last four members over three generations. On this disc are ten Suites of variable length, crowned by a austere Sinfonia a sei in D minor. All in all the music is of prime interest for it represents the best Italy had to offer. Semperconsort was a unknown ensemble to me. They play on authentic instruments and the pitch is A=415hz. From what I hear, their quality is excellent, they are well integrated in the idiom, and play this with much gusto. Fine recording, and really worthwhile the modest asking price. Recommended.

[val]

J S BACH:        Passacaglia & Fugue in C minor            / Marie-Claire Alain  (1981)

Powerful and dynamic, this is one of the best versions I ever heard of this masterpiece.

[Lethevich]

Hehe, what odd timing - I put no.7 on before reading this (with no.6 to play afterwards). I wish I liked Tubin more, maybe things will change this time.

[jlaurson]

Hehe, what odd timing - I put no.7 on before reading this (with no.6 to play afterwards). I wish I liked Tubin more, maybe things will change this time.

It really needs to be heard live. I heard N.Jaervi with one of the symphonies, the Fifth, and that was awesome. But the same effect cannot quite be recreated from those discs. Some music, more than other types of music, seems more dependent on the live experience or at least an initial live experience to come across. For questions and remedies seek out the Tubin-performing orchestra nearest you.

[Harry]

In all respects this unknown composer made quite a impression, his music is colorful, inventive, well scored, and well performed, a little slowish but that doesn't hide the quality of the music.