- Welcome to GMG Classical Music Forum.
Good Music Guide Classical Music Forum
Recent posts
#1
General Classical Music Discussion / Re: What are you listening 2 n...
Last post by Todd - Today at 10:25:30 AM
#2
The Diner / Re: What TV series are you cur...
Last post by Karl Henning - Today at 10:19:41 AMQuote from: Pohjolas Daughter on Today at 10:09:05 AM@Karl Henning Are you watching them in chronological order?I am, so I started from when it was largely crime drama.
PD
#3
Great Recordings and Reviews / Re: Beethoven piano sonata sho...
Last post by Todd - Today at 10:19:01 AMMatch 5: Yu Kosuge vs Yusuke Kikuchi
Oh, why not? Ms Kosuge, who belongs to the zero ugly notes school of Beethoven playing, and who is aided by Sony's premium recorded sound, launches 10/3 with a Presto with oodles of energy and nuanced dynamic contrasts. It's not just the forte playing that catches the ear, but also the delicate diminuendos. Golly, it sounds nice. The rubato exhibits mucho taste and refinement. She takes the Largo at a slow pace, but imbues it with enough energy and tension to satisfy. And again, the small pauses, the touch, the lack of hardness all work splendidly, and the build-up to the climax is superb, but it is the coda where the best stuff is to be heard. The Menuetto and Rondo both display a degree of tonal beauty absent from most other cycles, yet they have the snap and energy where needed. Good stuff. Mr Kikuchi, all swift, classical, and muscular, delivers a reading that's all, well, swift, classical, and muscular. The playing at times sounds nearly nutso fast – past Prestissimo in the opening Presto, that's for sure – but the control is absolute and the tone never sounds hard, only appealingly metallic here and there. His dynamic contrasts rock, too. That becomes more evident in the crashing forte playing in the taut Largo, and those bracing arpeggios smack the listener upside the head. And the fast playing in the last two movements beguiles. There can be no doubt that Kikuchi offers much excitement in his reading, but Kosuge offers just that teeny tiny bit more enjoyment.
Kosuge starts 31/3 slow and quiet, and though her overall timing is a healthy 8'47", the opening Allegro chugs along nicely, with steady accompaniment and laughing melodies. The clarity of voices Kosuge brings also just really works wonders, or at least sounds nice, depending on one's praise preference. The Scherzo has nifty sforzandi, and what it cedes in ultimate speed, it more than makes up for in tiny little touches. (To be clear, it ain't slow, either.) Kosuge goes for slow and gorgeous in the outer sections of the Menuetto, and slow and punchy in the middle, while the Presto con fuoco remains just a bit broad, but the subdued but clear left hand playing bubbling under the right hand works well indeed, as does the slowish and loud playing. (I do enjoy me some of that.) Kikuchi shaves a minute off the Allegro, and the almost slow opening displays tension, things speed up and remain tense, and then things speed up even more, but doesn't sound pressed at all. The Scherzo revs up further, has ear catching sforzandi, and gobs of energy. The Menuetto sounds lovely and taut, and that Presto con fuoco, it just zips and rocks along, I tell you what. As far as straight-ahead takes go, it's one of the best or maybe the best. But Kosuge essentially matches it.
Winner: Kosuge, in an upset
Oh, why not? Ms Kosuge, who belongs to the zero ugly notes school of Beethoven playing, and who is aided by Sony's premium recorded sound, launches 10/3 with a Presto with oodles of energy and nuanced dynamic contrasts. It's not just the forte playing that catches the ear, but also the delicate diminuendos. Golly, it sounds nice. The rubato exhibits mucho taste and refinement. She takes the Largo at a slow pace, but imbues it with enough energy and tension to satisfy. And again, the small pauses, the touch, the lack of hardness all work splendidly, and the build-up to the climax is superb, but it is the coda where the best stuff is to be heard. The Menuetto and Rondo both display a degree of tonal beauty absent from most other cycles, yet they have the snap and energy where needed. Good stuff. Mr Kikuchi, all swift, classical, and muscular, delivers a reading that's all, well, swift, classical, and muscular. The playing at times sounds nearly nutso fast – past Prestissimo in the opening Presto, that's for sure – but the control is absolute and the tone never sounds hard, only appealingly metallic here and there. His dynamic contrasts rock, too. That becomes more evident in the crashing forte playing in the taut Largo, and those bracing arpeggios smack the listener upside the head. And the fast playing in the last two movements beguiles. There can be no doubt that Kikuchi offers much excitement in his reading, but Kosuge offers just that teeny tiny bit more enjoyment.
Kosuge starts 31/3 slow and quiet, and though her overall timing is a healthy 8'47", the opening Allegro chugs along nicely, with steady accompaniment and laughing melodies. The clarity of voices Kosuge brings also just really works wonders, or at least sounds nice, depending on one's praise preference. The Scherzo has nifty sforzandi, and what it cedes in ultimate speed, it more than makes up for in tiny little touches. (To be clear, it ain't slow, either.) Kosuge goes for slow and gorgeous in the outer sections of the Menuetto, and slow and punchy in the middle, while the Presto con fuoco remains just a bit broad, but the subdued but clear left hand playing bubbling under the right hand works well indeed, as does the slowish and loud playing. (I do enjoy me some of that.) Kikuchi shaves a minute off the Allegro, and the almost slow opening displays tension, things speed up and remain tense, and then things speed up even more, but doesn't sound pressed at all. The Scherzo revs up further, has ear catching sforzandi, and gobs of energy. The Menuetto sounds lovely and taut, and that Presto con fuoco, it just zips and rocks along, I tell you what. As far as straight-ahead takes go, it's one of the best or maybe the best. But Kosuge essentially matches it.
Winner: Kosuge, in an upset
#4
The Diner / Re: What TV series are you cur...
Last post by Pohjolas Daughter - Today at 10:09:05 AM #5
General Classical Music Discussion / Re: What are you listening 2 n...
Last post by Pohjolas Daughter - Today at 10:07:12 AMQuote from: Mandryka on Today at 09:37:45 AMYes, those. A friend of mine in Switzerland wanted to sell me a pair, but the import duty into the UK made it prohibitive. There was one pair on eBay, but at the last minute he decided to keep them for himself.I saw that in the article (about the lining)! A pop of color is always a good thing too. Is there a particular model number that you know of re the stands? I do like the fluting on them and the nice-looking bases. And, no, I'm not trying to buy them out from under you!
Nice article that! I was happy to learn that I have speaker cabinets with assymetrical insides!
The cabinet is made from 22mm medium-density fiberboard, then a "high-density lining" is poured in and allowed to set asymmetrically so that the internal surfaces are not parallel. This both damps the cabinet walls and spreads out the air-space resonances in frequency.
They're so heavy I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the lining is concrete!
The cat litter is indeed unscented. And thanks for the complement about the fireplace and shelves. Green is good - lucky because the leprechauns like it.
Was also interested to see that AE is a British company, but their address is listed as being in Indiana. Were/are they designed by British engineers but are now based in the US? Or did someone buy them out? Just curious.
PD
#6
Buy, Swap and Sell / Re: 2ND HAND classical music s...
Last post by lunar22 - Today at 10:05:14 AMQuote from: Roasted Swan on August 24, 2023, 04:36:38 AMIt is a joke that the capital city of the UK does not have one serious/good music/CD shop any more
I lived in London over three decades ago. In those days there was the likes of Harold Moores, Farringdons and huge HMV's as well as the above mentioned Record and Tape Exchange I'm amazed is still going. I haven't been back since 2000 and it's no real surprise that all the great shops have gone. Scotland hasn't had a record shop worth the name since my friend closed his (Matheson McAllister music). Stuttgart where I now lived until recently had a quite good classical store but they have now stopped selling CD's and only do musical instruments. Likewise the main source of sheet music closed just weeks ago. Munich still has Beck's -- the 5th floor of a department store which, although the selection is rather reduced from 20 years ago is still not that far short of the fine record shops of old.
Is there anywhere in the UK with a proper classical record shop still? Of course there's Presto but I don't think that's particularly designed for visits from the public.
#7
The Diner / Re: What TV series are you cur...
Last post by George - Today at 10:01:23 AMWatching old KILL TONY episodes on YouTube.
#8
The Diner / Re: What TV series are you cur...
Last post by Karl Henning - Today at 09:59:24 AMQuote from: Pohjolas Daughter on April 17, 2024, 02:00:52 PMAnd don't read this if you don't want a spoiler alert.I'm skipping at present as this episode still lies ahead in my survey.
A couple of things stuck out for me: the head of the studio saying negative things about her going from 32 to 38 years old and no longer being sellable (in so many words).
Her royalties and records and ownership being abused by people that she trusted and pacts/double-dealings behind her back (and her losing income as a result of it).
And some other things....including good for people bringing these things up.
PD
#9
General Classical Music Discussion / Re: What are you listening 2 n...
Last post by Mandryka - Today at 09:37:45 AMQuote from: Pohjolas Daughter on Today at 09:18:57 AM@Mandryka Are these the stands that you are trying to get ahold of?
https://www.stereophile.com/standloudspeakers/526/index.html
PD
Yes, those. A friend of mine in Switzerland wanted to sell me a pair, but the import duty into the UK made it prohibitive. There was one pair on eBay, but at the last minute he decided to keep them for himself.
Nice article that! I was happy to learn that I have speaker cabinets with assymetrical insides!
The cabinet is made from 22mm medium-density fiberboard, then a "high-density lining" is poured in and allowed to set asymmetrically so that the internal surfaces are not parallel. This both damps the cabinet walls and spreads out the air-space resonances in frequency.
They're so heavy I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the lining is concrete!
The cat litter is indeed unscented. And thanks for the complement about the fireplace and shelves. Green is good - lucky because the leprechauns like it.
#10
General Classical Music Discussion / Re: What are you listening 2 n...
Last post by Linz - Today at 09:27:25 AMBruckner Symphony No. 7 in E Major, 1885 Version. Ed.Leopold Nowak, Georg Solti, Wiener Philharmoniker