What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[DavidRoss]

Really, I love the byplay that comes from evaluating Annie Fischer's contribution to the Beethoven recorded legacy. A lot of people have opinions, many of them are people whose opinions I respect and am interested in, and yet they are so wildly differing that one scarcely knows what to make of it. As it happens, I have Annie too. I like all of my pianoforte versions better, just because that's what I like. But of my modern piano versions, she falls more or less in the middle. So I can fairly say that I don't have a strong opinion either way. Guess I'm the only one.   

Nah, I'm with you here.  Her vaunted cycle isn't awful, but in general I find it a bit...precious...and I'm somewhat mystified by the high praise heaped upon it by some.  I keep listening, however.  Lightning can't strike if I won't venture into the storm.

So apparently  you don't like Annie, Dave? Not problem at all: tastes are like colors... This morning I am listening to the first disc of the cycle and I would say exactly the opposite: rhythmically compelling (f.i., the Scherzo of the sonata N°12); a bit clinical, but overall very intelligent approach; nice piano and sound quality (although a very slight hiss is audible). Specially I like some sense of mad genius at work that I feel from her performances, like sometimes occurs with the best Gould.     

Anyway, I think we have some similar tastes in Beethoven at some degree, with liking for unpretentious performances (avoiding eccentricities, although I know Annie is not probably the best example) . IIRC you like Brüggen (symphonies) and these days I have known that you also like the Alexander Quartet. Coincidently, I ordered one week ago the complete cycle of Beethoven sonatas by Goode (it's crazy, I am waiting for two new complete cycles, being Pommier the other one). 

I'm just not wowed by Annie as some here are.  That's fine.  They're not wowed by Kovacevich or Goode or Kempff like me (the three cycles that get the most play at Dave's house).   And I love Brüggen's Beethoven...another taste few around here share, consistent with our respective responses to Kovacevich I think.  (Though, as with the ASQ, I can't help but wonder just how well the sneerers really know the recordings...?)

[bhodges]

Really?  Must give a try, then, especially since I love the cover!  Have you heard Eric Whitacre's new disc?

Oh yes, the Warland Singers are terrific--now defunct, unfortunately, although Dale Warland still guest-conducts here and there.  But their recordings--the handful they made--are marvelous.  Warland likes a very clean, "pure" timbre with not much vibrato, which very much suits most of the music they do.  Some other faves on December Stillness: "The Rune of Hospitality" by Alf Houkom, and "Corpus Christi Carol" by Trond Kverno, and both composers were new to me until I heard this disc.

I just got Whitacre's new CD a few weeks ago (I assume you mean Light and Gold), but haven't listened to it yet.  Looks good, though!

--Bruce

[DavidRoss]

Wow.  Tetzlaff & co trick out the Sibelius "Intimate Voices" quartet with plush upholstery and a multi-coat hand-rubbed paint job.  It's a head turner, reminding me of Segerstam's way with the symphonies.  Haven't heard the Schoenberg yet--should be equally interesting.  If so, then this disc will probably move to the heavy rotation pile.

[bhodges]

PS, just browsed YouTube to see what Warland tracks are there, and found this quite beautiful version of Morten Lauridsen's O magnum mysterium (with not-bad Hubble footage  ):

http://www.youtube.com/v/Oj9-2RgM6p4

--Bruce

[bhodges]

Wow.  Tetzlaff & co trick out the Sibelius "Intimate Voices" quartet with plush upholstery and a multi-coat hand-rubbed paint job.  It's a head turner, reminding me of Segerstam's way with the symphonies.  Haven't heard the Schoenberg yet--should be equally interesting.  If so, then this disc will probably move to the heavy rotation pile.

This looks great!

I *just* heard Christian Tetzlaff last weekend in the Ligeti Violin Concerto, which he knows about as well as anyone alive, with Rattle and the Ensemble ACJW.   Then he returned for a surprise appearance leading the strings in a lovely, passionate performance of Richard Strauss's Metamorphosen.

--Bruce

[DavidRoss]

PS, just browsed YouTube to see what Warland tracks are there, and found this quite beautiful version of Morten Lauridsen's O magnum mysterium (with not-bad Hubble footage  ):

http://www.youtube.com/v/Oj9-2RgM6p4

Cool--I'll check it out!

and thanks, Sara--I was just having a hard time imagining Klemp and P Diddy Tchaik. 

[Lethevich]

I shouldn't complain, I loved the composition itself.

NP:



Now this one I do know and love - it's my favourite recording of the piece, and seems to get everything right. Tremendous weight, measured pace but never too slow.

[DavidRoss]

I shouldn't complain, I loved the composition itself.


Now this one I do know and love - it's my favourite recording of the piece, and seems to get everything right. Tremendous weight, measured pace but never too slow.

Giulini for the symphony, then?  Though your description sounds like the best of Sir John in Mahler and Elgar.  Never heard this one but Gatti's recent 4th, 5th, & 6th with the RPO might be right up your alley.

[Mirror Image]

Now:





Listening to String Quartet No. 4 right now.

[Lethevich]

@DavisRoss: Indeedie, Barbirolli's Francesca is no dud either. I have Gatti in my to-listen queue, as I'm looking for a modern set that satisfies (I consider the classics like Jansens and Haitink to be a little aging, but still sound great) - Eschenbach/Philadelphia didn't live up to expectations, although there was nothing bad about them, and I've seen nothing but praise for Gatti. I wonder whether he's considering doing Manfred, as I enjoyed the very hyped Petrenko/RLPO, but it wasn't as perfect as some reviews claimed.

[listener]

taking the tone down another notch
"I'm Walking Backwards for Christmas"    from the Goons - Unchained Melodies
to go with  SCHUBERT The Trout   played on a contrabasoon
with other bassoon sonatas by BERTOLI, SPEER, FASCH BOISMRTIER (2 bassoons), DEVIENNE
and ELGAR Romance op.62
Frances Eustache with Andrew Watts on a variety of instruments

[DavidRoss]

Okay, Bruce, just heard the youtube link you posted and liked it enough to go for this one, too:
http://www.youtube.com/v/d8OFvhrZT1c

Nice!  But now on to Tetzlaff, Mrs. Tetzlaff, and two very cute fiddlers (okay, one's a violist!) playing Schoenberg's d minor quartet.  (Are you listening, Sarge?  )

[Drasko]

Schnittke - Choir Concerto

[Lethevich]

The Variationen zur Gesundung von Arinuschka is a super impressive piece. I've don't think I've heard more made of such outrageously simple material. It's at once a disposable trifle, but also really brilliant.

[Antoine Marchand]

CD6: Mozart - Early Sonatas and Variations
[KV 279, 179, 280, 180 & 281]
Fortepiano: Anonymous, Vienna ca. 1785, Collection Edwin Beunk
Rec.: 26-27 October 2004


Interpretation, instrument and sound quality are just perfect. Ten Antoines!   

[Drasko]

The Variationen zur Gesundung von Arinuschka is a super impressive piece. I've don't think I've heard more made of such outrageously simple material. It's at once a disposable trifle, but also really brilliant.

Seconded!

Alas you are right: no theremin in this recording.  And listening to the violin part it's only too easy to imagine how that might go.  If you did happen to dig out that Salonen recording then I would be very interested in that.

Will get to it right now.

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD2 - works of Tchaikovsky, Franck and Liszt from this set for a first listen ...

[Lethevich]

No.1

Edit: Brilliant symphony - the first movement actually feels slightly too short rather than too long, and the slow movement has a stunning elegiac brass theme towards the end. I wonder why I never listen to this. Actually, I wonder why the supposed professionals so often shun the first three all together.

[Drasko]

Alas you are right: no theremin in this recording.  And listening to the violin part it's only too easy to imagine how that might go.  If you did happen to dig out that Salonen recording then I would be very interested in that.

Will get to it right now.

Got to it. Symphonic Suite No.1 plus Iron Foundry, from LAPO Salonen Broadcast, not the best imaginable sound quality, and I haven't written down the names of the soloist. For information/comparison purposes should be good enough though:

http://www.mediafire.com/?i0qzqtigtqrb5dx

[Daverz]

I shouldn't complain, I loved the composition itself.

NP:



Now this one I do know and love - it's my favourite recording of the piece, and seems to get everything right. Tremendous weight, measured pace but never too slow.

That's been one of my favorite recordings of the 6th since Lp days.  It's avaiable on a Gemini twofer now, but the remastering is the same.  I believe the EMI Toshiba issue is a new remastering, though.