Back after a long absence

[Andra]

I used to post here a couple of years ago (under a different name) but my classical music obsession waned somewhat and I stopped visiting.  Needing more classical music in my life again recently so I decided to return. 

I'm very fond of Anton Bruckner (discovered thanks to this very forum), have what some might term 'too many recordings' and what I would term 'not nearly enough'.   

I'm also a frequent listener to (in last.fm profile order): Béla Bartók, Robert Simpson (also discovered here), Krzysztof Penderecki, Sofia Gubaidulina, Jean Sibelius, Arvo Pärt, Franz Schubert, Gustav Mahler and Ralph Vaughan Williams, Paul Hindemith, Antonín Dvořák, Hector Berlioz and Dmitri Shostakovich

I'm also a fan of non-classical music, that which might be broadly termed 'pop'.  Anything from Cocteau Twins (a recent discovery) to Converge really; specific artists rather than genres tend to grab me.  Have had an obsession for Electric Light Orchestra for a long long time.

I have a fairly modest 6.1 setup and an SACD player.  I don't really have the money at the moment to feed my obsession for hi-res music but I do enjoy the few SACDs that I have very much.  Can also play DVD-As via my PC and have a turntable.  Cheap second-hand vinyl was my weapon of choice when first getting into classical music and discovering what I like.

[greg]

Welcome!

btw, what was your previous name?

[Andra]

Welcome!

btw, what was your previous name?

mandel was my old username.  Don't expect anybody to remember me, I was never the most prolific of posters.

[ChamberNut]

Welcome back, Andra!

I'm happy to hear you discovered the wonderful music of Bruckner!   

Do you have any particular favorite symphonies?  Recordings?

[Andra]

Welcome back, Andra!

I'm happy to hear you discovered the wonderful music of Bruckner!   

Do you have any particular favorite symphonies?  Recordings?

My favourites are 3, 4, 7 and 9, though they're all outstanding works (except maybe the Study Symphony which is still a very nice piece of music).  I seem to play 2 a lot too, even though it doesn't grab me emotionally as deeply as the others I like its structure (at least not in the two recordings I own, Tintner and Young).

I most like the Celibidache/MPO 3, 4, 6 and 7 and 9.  I really should give the Celibidache/MPO 8 another go when I'm in a patient enough mood; likewise the Celibidache recordings of the 5th.  I didn't really appreciate 5 until I heard the Thielemann/MPO recording, but I can't remember why now.  I have the Haitink/RSO 8th on SACD and listen to that a lot, I like the Celibidache/Stuttgart RSO recording too.  I listen to the Georg Tintner recordings of the earlier symphonies a lot though I find the brass a bit overpowering in places (I think this is at least in part due to the use of piston-valve rather than rotary-valve trumpets?).  The recording of the 3rd by Kurt Sanderling and the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra is a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine, its fast, dramatic and feels like the orchestra is about to fall over itself in places, not how I normally like to listen to Bruckner but an enjoyable alternate interpretation from time to time.

I've been strongly tempted to buy the Eugen Jochum box set for a long time, but keep resisting due to lack of spare cash.

[SonicMan46]

Hi Andra - welcome back to the GMG Forum! 

Hope that you'll stay around for a while & enjoy - looking foward to your posting - 

[Kullervo]

You wouldn't happen to be spod_mandel on Last.Fm would you?

[Hollywood]

Welcome back to the fold Andra. 

[Andra]

You wouldn't happen to be spod_mandel on Last.Fm would you?

Indeed I would.  Nice detective work 

[Kullervo]

Indeed I would.  Nice detective work 

Thought so. Nice to see you here.

— wie_ein_kind

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Welcome (back), Andra!

[karlhenning]

I used to post here a couple of years ago (under a different name) but my classical music obsession waned somewhat and I stopped visiting.  Needing more classical music in my life again recently so I decided to return.

Welcome back!

I'm also a frequent listener to (in last.fm profile order): Béla Bartók, Robert Simpson (also discovered here), Krzysztof Penderecki, Sofia Gubaidulina, Jean Sibelius, Arvo Pärt, Franz Schubert, Gustav Mahler and Ralph Vaughan Williams, Paul Hindemith, Antonín Dvořák, Hector Berlioz and Dmitri Shostakovich.

Splendid!  I'm trending towards a Bartók listening binge presently 

[Harry]

Welcome back Mandel (Andra)