What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

Started by Maciek, April 06, 2007, 02:22:49 AM

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Valentino

Rules must be breaked every now ad then:

Beethoven: SQ op. 135. Busch Quartet (EMI). Es muß sein all right.


You have a sub-thread going.
When I was buying my first cello suite set I listened to Ma and the Bijlsma Servais, and preferred the Bijlsma. Today I also have the earlier Bijlsma and Starker (on Mercury Living Presence). I think I like the earlier Bijlsma the most, but maybe one of the other two next week. Very good interpretatons all three. None are for sale.
We audiophiles don't really like music, but we sure love the sound it makes;
Audio-Technica | Bokrand | Thorens | Cambridge Audio | Logitech | Yamaha | Topping | MiniDSP | Hypex | ICEpower | Mundorf | SEAS | Beyma

Que

#10061
Quote from: SonicMan on September 13, 2007, 07:49:01 PM
Q - OK, I have 2 sets already, could get a third, but REALLY 4 sets?  :o ;)

So, for the record, what is your current listing of the sets mentioned that you own?  Thanks - Dave  :D

Dave, I would say you're very much OK with the Bijlsma. For many years that was the only set I had - to great satisfaction. I'm very picky and not very much a multiple recordings kind a guy.
Later I bought Casals which is in a special category: great but highly subjective - a unique alchemy of Casals mixed with Bach. And it is historical, which makes it hors concours anyway. Only recently I bought Beschi, which I would not recommend to those starting out with these pieces: adventurous but also very intense and focused. Quite different from Bijlsma and very "fresh" sounding to my ears - therefore an addition I value very much
So there you go: just three and they all have their purpose.

Q

Que

#10062
I did linger a bit in front of my collection in deciding with what music to start the day with
But why not this?  ;D

A very good mornning/day to you all! :)



Q

sidoze

jeez that Beschi is outrageously fast. I don't know, I don't want to judge from 60 second samples, but there needs to be an aristocratic quality in here otherwise it sounds like mere note playing. Sounds fast and focused, not sure about intense. Will give it a shot. Thanks

Que

Quote from: sidoze on September 14, 2007, 01:02:55 AM
jeez that Beschi is outrageously fast. I don't know, I don't want to judge from 60 second samples, but there needs to be an aristocratic quality in here otherwise it sounds like mere note playing. Sounds fast and focused, not sure about intense. Will give it a shot. Thanks

No superficiality, but it's fleet in the quick movements, which makes the suites as whole "dance".
Like I said, this really is for "progresed listening" - close familiarity with these pieces helps to take the "leap" to this take.

Saw this editorial comment on Amazon.com, which I agree with:

By now, we've heard Bach's six cello suites so many times from so many different performers, things are starting to get blurry. Pablo Casals still owns the definitive--and first--recorded cycle, while János Starker felt the need to record the suites four times, and Yo-Yo Ma did 'em twice. But then, out of nowhere, Italian Paolo Beschi comes along on the German upstart label Winter & Winter with a performance that sounds so damn good that Bach suddenly seems fresh all over again. Beschi's bow action is quick, but his playing is exquisite; simply put, he makes the instrument sing. It helps when you consider how few cellists in the history of classical music have been recorded this perfectly. You can literally hear Beschi's deep breathing during the more demanding later suites. And, though period instruments are one thing, this disc even boasts a period studio--a 17th-century Italian villa. Some listeners may consider this mic'ing too close for comfort, but for those already familiar with the cello suites, it's a gorgeous package. With its dark, woodsy, and oh-so-sonically detailed sound, you'll feel like Beschi is in your living room. --Jason Verlinde

BTW I see lots of talk in comments on solo cello recordings of "hearing the cellist breathe". In most cases it's actually the sound of the hand without the bow "sliding" over the strings - which makes a very similar sound!

Q

Valentino

We audiophiles don't really like music, but we sure love the sound it makes;
Audio-Technica | Bokrand | Thorens | Cambridge Audio | Logitech | Yamaha | Topping | MiniDSP | Hypex | ICEpower | Mundorf | SEAS | Beyma

wintersway

"Time is a great teacher; unfortunately it kills all its students". -Berlioz

DavidW

Fantantastic Que!  Beschi might sound fast, but he's not actually as fast as he sounds, he's actually just about right for tempo.  The slower stuff sounds austere when it should, he elevates the rhythmic drive in the faster movements but never loses the smoky, dreamy quality of the cello suites.  This has to go on my to buy list! :)

Que

#10068
Many thanks to Dave (Sonicman) for bringing up the subject of Bach's cello suites! :)
I just had two exciting and very enjoyable hours with Beschi's recording.

Quote from: DavidW on September 14, 2007, 02:28:44 AM
Beschi might sound fast, but he's not actually as fast as he sounds, he's actually just about right for tempo.  ... he elevates the rhythmic drive in the faster movements but never loses the smoky, dreamy quality of the cello suites. 

David, fully agree with those keen observations. He highlights rhythmics contrast - between movements, but also within movements. And like you say: not by playing just faster, but also through phrasing.


Next is María Bayo, superb accompaniment by Skip Skempé.
                                                        repackaging with cardboard slipcase (midprice):
 
[mp3=200,20,0,left]http://www.jpc.de/mp3/899/8995564_01.mp3[/mp3]
[mp3=200,20,0,left]http://www.jpc.de/mp3/899/8995564_02.mp3[/mp3]
[mp3=200,20,0,left]http://www.jpc.de/mp3/899/8995564_03.mp3[/mp3](the famous "Lascia ch'io pianga" from Rinaldo)

Q

karlhenning

Berg
Violin Concerto
Henryk Szeryng
Bavarian Radio Symphony
Kubelik


Again! And actually, for the third time, since we played this at the Museum shop last night, too.

karlhenning

Quote from: Lethe on September 13, 2007, 02:48:50 PM
Now playing: Stravinsky - Violin Concerto (from the Big Cheap Box) -- inspired by someone else in the thread mentioning it earlier. Love those strange notes beginning each movement - a great sound.

Cheers for The Big Cheap Box!  :D

karlhenning

Quote from: D Minor on September 13, 2007, 04:22:34 PM
Sorry, Bogey ......... We know that you meant well by sending Andy a special gift of green mermaid poop .........

Careful, some of that is roe and not poop!  8)

karlhenning

Quote from: Lethe on September 13, 2007, 04:25:11 PM
Peteris Vasks - Concerto for violin & string orchestra, "Distant Light" (Kremer)

Lethe, that sounds toothsome, indeed!

Bogey

There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

longears

I have Casals, Fournier, Ma (2nd), Tortelier, Wispelwey, Meyer and enjoy them all.  Thanks to Que, have ordered Beschi.  BTW, best sound I've ever heard from a clip, Que--how'dja doit?

Now playing:  Brahms Violin Sonatas, Rubinstein/Szeryng

Que

#10075
Quote from: longears on September 14, 2007, 04:42:02 AM
I have Casals, Fournier, Ma (2nd), Tortelier, Wispelwey, Meyer and enjoy them all.  Thanks to Que, have ordered Beschi.

Looking forward to what you make of it!

QuoteBTW, best sound I've ever heard from a clip, Que--how'dja doit?

Well, it needed some practice! ;D
I take the samples from jpc, which has the best quality clips in MP3 format that I know of.
I have to extract the actual links from viewing the "source" of the page on the jpc site with the clips ("view source" - on my Mac it is ctrl+click, would be a "right-click" on Windows I guess.)
Paste the link between the brackets of the code for the GMG embedded audio player:[mp3=200,20,0,center ]link[/mp3 ], and the job is done... (best to change "center" into "left)

QuoteNow playing:  Brahms Violin Sonatas, Rubinstein/Szeryng

Very nice! :)

Q

karlhenning

Dmitri Dmitriyevich
Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Opus 54
Symphony No. 9 in E-flat Major, Opus 70
Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra
Gergiev

Haffner

Quote from: sidoze on September 13, 2007, 12:42:28 PM
Why should I have to disable all signatures just because one selfish person wants to hog space with one of his ugly images? This character has already gotten one of the best members of the board to leave recently, and I've also just about had enough of him. The ironic part is that I try to avoid him, but he posts everywhere and in such huge, pointless quantity that he can't be missed.



I'm al little surprised at this complaint. Both sidoze and Harry seem like kind people; Harry just tends to buy lots of cds (of course I'm envious as all get out of this  ;D). Being that he does buy so much, it's logical that he would post alot. Whom did Harry drive off the board? ???


I really can't validly comment on Harry's signature, because I'm a Roman Catholic, but I do find it very beautiful. I think that for most people, Motherhood is a real Grace, and I really love the depictions of it.


karlhenning

Considering some of the album covers Tony posts at the Non-Classical Music Listening thread, he's got some cheek calling the image in Harry's signature "ugly"  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Haffner

Quote from: karlhenning on September 14, 2007, 05:45:33 AM
Considering some of the album covers Tony posts at the Non-Classical Music Listening thread, he's got some cheek calling the image in Harry's signature "ugly"  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D



:)


Schoenberg SQ no.2 (Arditti)