i recently got a membership to naxos's online site, which gives me access to every recording they have. so, the question is, what is good on there? recommendations of the highest quality recordings they have would be greatly appreciated. i will make an effort to listen to everything recommended, and report back. and everyone can enjoy sharing their favorite recordings.
i'm on robert levin doing wtc at the moment, i like. :)
http://www.naxosmusiclibrary.com/default.asp
Quote from: facehugger on April 06, 2007, 03:02:20 PM
i recently got a membership to naxos's online site, which gives me access to every recording they have. so, the question is, what is good on there? recommendations of the highest quality recordings they have would be greatly appreciated. i will make an effort to listen to everything recommended, and report back. and everyone can enjoy sharing their favorite recordings.
i'm on robert levin doing wtc at the moment, i like. :)
Yup, Levin's set is a dandy with its instrumental variety.
Check out the Naxos disc having the violin concertos of Weinberg and Myaskovsky. It's my favorite Naxos disc of all.
The first things that come to mind...
On the Naxos label:
-The Tchaikovsky concerti, as performed by pianist Konstantin Scherbakov and violinist Ilya Kaler, are absolutely fantastic.
-In Czech music, Antoni Wit conducts one of the best "Ma Vlast" performances I've ever heard, plus a great "Hussite Overture" (Dvorak) and a pretty good Dvorak piano concerto.
-Jordi Maso is an excellent pianist, and in fact everything from the Spanish Classics series is very good, a highlight being the Rodrigo Piano Music disc.
-Einar Steen-Nokleberg's traversal of all Grieg's piano music
-Nearly anything involving the Kodaly Quartet
On BIS:
-Osmo Vanska's Beethoven symphonies
On Hungaroton:
-Hubay's Violin Concerti for some romantic Hungarian fun (my favorite portion is No. 3 - the scherzo mvt.)
-Antal Szalai and His Gypsy Band
On Naxos WORLD:
-Chen Jun: Erhu Classics. A revelation!
oh this miaskovsky slow movement is lush!
Ginastera - Panambi & Estancia conducted by Gisele ben Dor
Tchaikovsky - Serenade, Souvenir - Entremont/Vienna Chamber Orchestra
Stravinsky - Craft series
Roslavets - Violin sonatas
Janacek - String Quartets by Vlach Quartet Prague
Satie - Orchestral music conducted by Kaltenbach
Myaskovsky - Sinfonieta op.68/2 Melia/Dalgat String Ensemble
Bruckner - 2nd Symphony - Tintner
Weill - 2nd Symphony - Alsop/Bournemouth
and many many more............................Red Army Chorus perhaps
Historical series (can you listen to them in US?)
Talich conducting Dvorak 7 & 8
Josef Lhevinne
Anything with Heifetz (starting with Sibelius and Tchaikovsky)
Anything with Friedman (starting with Mazurkas on vol.3)
Anything with Moiseiwitsch (starting with Kinderszenen)
Rubinstein's early Chopin
Walter's Mahler 4,5 and 9
Casals' Bach cello suites
Busch/Serkin Beethoven Kreutzer sonata
Quote from: Drasko on April 06, 2007, 08:46:40 PM
Historical series
Anything with Heifetz (starting with Sibelius and Tchaikovsky)
A flawless recommendation Drasko!
Quote from: Bill on April 06, 2007, 09:15:18 PM
A flawless recommendation Drasko!
Yes, but just now I realized that he might not be able to listen to that series because of copyright issues in the US.
go to composers- schubert- on the very bottom, there is a biography on him, it's really good, you should definitely check it out.
composers/works to check out on naxosmusiclibrary:
Ding Shande "long march" symphony
Schoenberg's orchestral suite in G major by Robert Craft
Bizet's "Roma" symphony (not the symphony in C major, but another symphony in C major that is more well known in his time)
Mahler's 1st symphony, "Titan" symphonic poem, the earlier version, where blumine movement is included.
historical recordings of Bruno Walter conducting MAhler's symphony No. 5
Schubert's String quartets (all of them)
Schubert's songs (all of them)
complete works of Johann Strauss, jr, Josef Strauss, Lumbye, Komzak.
Quote from: Drasko on April 06, 2007, 09:18:43 PM
Yes, but just now I realized that he might not be able to listen to that series because of copyright issues in the US.
fortunately i'm not in the us ;D
Quote from: Don on April 06, 2007, 03:22:12 PM
Check out the Naxos disc having the violin concertos of Weinberg and Myaskovsky. It's my favorite Naxos disc of all.
check. i liked it, i didn't find it especially memorable though.
Quote from: Drasko on April 06, 2007, 08:46:40 PM
Janacek - String Quartets by Vlach Quartet Prague
love love love.
ESPECIALLY the violin sonata on the disc that i didn't know and was a revelation.
Quote from: Drasko on April 06, 2007, 08:46:40 PM
Tchaikovsky - Serenade, Souvenir - Entremont/Vienna Chamber Orchestra
Anything with Heifetz (starting with Sibelius and Tchaikovsky)
Anything with Moiseiwitsch (starting with Kinderszenen)
Rubinstein's early Chopin
Walter's Mahler 4,5 and 9
Casals' Bach cello suites
Busch/Serkin Beethoven Kreutzer sonata
i have all these on cd already :P
Ones that I consider to be of high quality:
Schnittke - Chamber music
Schnittke/Shostakovich - Piano quintets
Penderecki - Orchestral music (several volumes)
Vaughan Williams - Songs (licenced from Conifer)
Hildegard von Bingen - Heavenly Revelations (cry @ that disc name)
Tallis - Spem in Alium
Szymanowski - Stabat Mater; etc (although I must add that I have not heard the Rattle recording, this is great though)
i was listening to the penderecki third symphony and threnody earlier actually, it's really rather good
okay, this took me a long time, but here is a list of urls that i made from Naxos's website, it's very convenient, in that all you have to do is to click on the file to listen to it, so you can listen music with windows media, or realplayer, instead of using their little window.
http://www.geocities.com/oabmarcus/Naxoslinks.zip
note: anyone can use these links, regardless of whether you have an naxos account or not.
Quote from: mahlertitan on April 07, 2007, 07:50:10 AM
okay, this took me a long time, but here is a list of urls that i made from Naxos's website, it's very convenient, in that all you have to do is to click on the file to listen to it, so you can listen music with windows media, or realplayer, instead of using their little window.
http://www.geocities.com/oabmarcus/links.zip
note: anyone can use these links, regardless of whether you have an naxos account or not.
I am afraid the file is corrupted, I couldn't open it with WinZip.
Quote from: 71 dB on April 07, 2007, 08:11:33 AM
I am afraid the file is corrupted, I couldn't open it with WinZip.
i fixed it, use this:
http://www.geocities.com/oabmarcus/Naxoslinks.zip
Quote from: mahlertitan on April 07, 2007, 08:17:27 AM
i fixed it, use this:
http://www.geocities.com/oabmarcus/Naxoslinks.zip
Thank you very much mahlertitan! Now it works!
How have you got these m3u files?
Quote from: 71 dB on April 07, 2007, 08:24:52 AM
Thank you very much mahlertitan! Now it works!
How have you got these m3u files?
well, that is my secret. ;)
actually, the process of getting these m3u files are quite complicated, so don't worry about it, just enjoy the music.
Quote from: mahlertitan on April 07, 2007, 08:36:28 AM
well, that is my secret. ;)
actually, the process of getting these m3u files are quite complicated, so don't worry about it, just enjoy the music.
Well, now that I know this is possible I can try to find out the secret myself. ;)
I am listening to Bruch's first symphony...
Shostakovich's Seventh Symphony conducted by Yablonsky
Shostakovich and Schnittke's Piano Quintets
off the top of my head here's some good stuff: most of the cds of solo guitar (ponce, lauro, barrios-mangore, their laureate series, giuliani, villa-lobos...) are good, as are beethoven's complete works for cello/piano (kliegel/tichman), gabrieli's complete works for brass, edinger's bach solo violin stuff... imho the naxos releases in the last couple years are generally very good; the older releases are more hit-&-miss.
The Stravinsky series of recordings conducted by Robert Craft.
The Lutoslawski series is mostly good, with some performances that are truly outstanding (Cello Concerto, Livre, Mi-Parti.
The Poulenc chamber music is similarly good: the first volume is a little weak but the rest is uniformly excellent.
Love this disc (and that's an order!):
(http://www.cdconnection.com/covers/529496.jpg)
Some Naxos I've enjoyed:
Bliss: A Colour Symphony.
The Arnold symphonies.
Bewald symphonies.
-CS
I urge the Glass Violin Concerto on any possible victim. A very good performance as far as I can tell.Adele Anthony violin, Ulster Orchestra conducted by Takuo Yuasa.
The disc also has Prelude and dance from Akhnaten and four short pieces entitled Company. Despite all this...it lasts 51 minutes in total, so not a long disc, but a satisfying one.
Mike
I second
Philip Glass' Violin Concerto.
Also:
Buxtehude Organ Music
Charpentier Sacret Music
Clerambault Cantatas
Elgar Symphonies
Elgar String Quartet/Piano Quintet
Elgar Sacret Choral Music
Elgar Falstaff/Elegy/The Sanguine Fan
Haydn Die Schöpfung
Hofmann Violin & Cello Concertos
Lully Grand Motets
Mendelssohn/
Bruch Octets
Vanhal Symphonies/Sacret Music
Weiss Lute Sonatas
The Art of Baroque Trumpet
Quote from: biber fan on April 07, 2007, 04:34:54 PM
imho the naxos releases in the last couple years are generally very good; the older releases are more hit-&-miss.
Naxos is a 20 years old label. The first 5 years were the hit-&-miss period, then Naxos started to be a big label and could do things better. The last 10 years did not contain many bad releases (~200 new CDs released every year!) and the overall quality is good.
Holst's The Planets comes to mind - the one with The Mystic Trumpeter on it.
Offenbach's Gaite Parisienne - the Monte Carlo orchestra gives a very fine interpretation, full of wit and bounce
Respighi's Pines and Fountains of Rome - the track listings on the disc I have are incorrect, but I'd imagine they'd've been corrected by now. An outstanding reading.
Philipe Glass: Symphony No. 4, "Heroes" / The Light
Quote from: 71 dB on April 08, 2007, 02:55:12 AM
Elgar Falstaff/Elegy/The Sanguine Fan
Nah. That recording made me think that
Falstaff was a dull piece; and I knew it could not be, so I resented the Naxos disc from the first hearing.
There's 30 other Naxos discs which are unalloyedly excellent. But not this one.
Quote from: karlhenning on April 11, 2007, 04:19:33 AM
Nah. That recording made me think that Falstaff was a dull piece; and I knew it could not be, so I resented the Naxos disc from the first hearing.
There's 30 other Naxos discs which are unalloyedly excellent. But not this one.
Could you tell me a better recording of Falstaff?
(I don't find this performance dull...)
What I've heard of their Vaughan Williams symphony cycle are good - though they used two different conductors to complete it.
The following is a post I made in the old forum:
The Kodaly Qt's recodings of Haydn's string quartets and Tintner's complete set of Bruckner's symphonies have received favorable reviews. Purchasing anything from these two sets would likely be a safe investment.
If you like 20th Century music, you may want to acquire the following discs:
- Solo Piano music of the Second Viennese School (Peter Hill)
- Varese's Arcana, Integrales and Deserts (Christopher Lyndon-Gee)
- Boulez' three piano sonatas (Idil Biret)
Naxos' American Classics series is excellent. If provides an extensive catalog of the music of the following somewhat lesser known composers: David Diamond, Roy Harris, William Schuman, Walter Piston, Ned Rorem and Paul Creston. It also boasts excellent recordings of Barber's orchestral music and John Cage's music for prepared piano.
Finally, Naxos Historical Series is invaluable. It provides an inexpensive means of acquiring classic recordings by the likes of Schnabel, Cortot, Beecham, Furtwangler, etc. Well worth investigating, imo.
Quote from: Classy Guy on April 11, 2007, 02:43:47 PM
If you like 20th Century music, you may want to acquire the following discs:
- Solo Piano music of the Second Viennese School (Peter Hill)
Yes, I can vouch for the excellence of this, as well!
Wolfgang Rubsam's Bach recordings (organ and piano) are top-rate and distinctive; not for the folks who prefer mainstream interpretations.
Koehne - Inflight Entertainment
is a must!!!
I think the Berio Sequenzas were highly rated too, if you like that kind of music. And the Vaughan Williams symphonies under Kee Bakels are absolutely fantastic.
Howard
Quote from: hautbois on April 12, 2007, 05:48:54 AM
. . . And the Vaughan Williams symphonies under Kee Bakels are absolutely fantastic.
Howard, I will entirely agree on the discs with the
Fifth/Ninth and the
Seventh/Eighth.
There was a third disc (I think with the
Pastoral but I am not sure which other) which, when I had listened to a sample of it, didn't 'grab' me (admittedly, a potentially misleading measure).
Quote from: Don on April 11, 2007, 03:19:10 PM
Wolfgang Rubsam's Bach recordings (organ and piano) are top-rate and distinctive; not for the folks who prefer mainstream interpretations.
What instrument(s) on the organ works,
Don?
Quote from: 71 dB on April 11, 2007, 04:22:12 AM
Could you tell me a better recording of Falstaff?
Hallé Orchestra, Mark Elder(http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B0001EMM3S.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_V44208280_AA240_.jpg)
These two are definitely worth one's shelf space:
(http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B00005NUOL.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_AA240_.jpg)(http://)
(http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B00005UO8K.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_V45601129_AA240_.jpg)
Quote from: karlhenning on April 12, 2007, 05:58:16 AM
Hallé Orchestra, Mark Elder
(http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B0001EMM3S.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_V44208280_AA240_.jpg)
Thank you
karlhenning!
I don't have any Elgar by Hallé/Elder.
This CD contains also the short and funny Smoking Cantata. ;D
Quote from: 71 dB on April 11, 2007, 04:22:12 AM
Could you tell me a better recording of Falstaff?
(I don't find this performance dull...)
It's been a while since I've listened to this disc, but I remember liking it and I bought it because of very good reviews it got in Fanfare.
Quote from: edward on April 07, 2007, 06:59:40 PM
The Poulenc chamber music is similarly good: the first volume is a little weak but the rest is uniformly excellent.
I have vols. 2 & 5 and they are excellent indeed, intended to get the rest.
What you didn't like about vol.1?
Quote from: Drasko on April 15, 2007, 12:06:40 AM
I have vols. 2 & 5 and they are excellent indeed, intended to get the rest.
What you didn't like about vol.1?
With volume one, sometimes the performances tend to being a little hesitant: for the most part the wind players are not on the level of Ronald van Spaendonck (love his version of the clarinet sonata in volume 2). I prefer the Decca recordings with Roge (don't know all the other Poulenc chamber music recordings, unfortunately) in all the works in volume 1.
QuoteThe Lutoslawski series is mostly good, with some performances that are truly outstanding (Cello Concerto, Livre, Mi-Parti.
The Poulenc chamber music is similarly good: the first volume is a little weak but the rest is uniformly excellent.
Couldn't agree more with both of these recommendations. Also, I've been enjoying this a lot lately:
(http://www.emusic.com/img/album/109/719/10971952_155_155.jpeg)
The Poulenc series on Naxos is of a constant quality, and hard to beat in sound and musicians.
It was a great joy to listen through it! :)
And on a different level, I have to add, that if I think about it, I have a enormous collection of Naxos cd's. And with good reason.
For lets be honest, there is no Classical label that gives us so much for so little right!
If I go through the list many names crop up as being frontrunners in recording and interpretation.
Sure there are duds, they are everywhere, but in the last 5 years or so, almost all are fine, wether you like the interpretation or not.
I recall the latest issues, Tartini, violin concertos, Alfven 5th symphony, Martinu piano works, Arnold SQ, Glazunov, Noveletten and String Quintet, De Falla, piano works, Symanowski chamberworks, Pavlova, symphony No. 5, and I could go on a long time.
I for one, am grateful for this label. It brought me many times great pleasure. :)
Quote from: Harry on April 16, 2007, 01:45:31 AM
The Poulenc series on Naxos is of a constant quality, and hard to beat in sound and musicians.
It was a great joy to listen through it! :)
Those Poulenc discs have been on my wishlist for a long time...
Well eventually they will come, as all good things right? :)
A good day to you, and happy listening.
May I point out to you the very inexpensive Haydn SQ of high quality, and for 4,99 euro's, two cd's the opus 71 & 74.
Brilliant Classics!
Quote from: Harry on April 16, 2007, 02:13:07 AM
Well eventually they will come, as all good things right? :)
A good day to you, and happy listening.
May I point out to you the very inexpensive Haydn SQ of high quality, and for 4,99 euro's, two cd's the opus 71 & 74.
Brilliant Classics!
Good Monday Harry!
I'm calming down from the Bruhns thing...
Well, I don't know anything about Poulanc's music but I "sense" it's interesting.
Not planning buying Haydn SQs but if I do buy I'll pick Op. 76. Thanks anyway Harry!
There are many, many discs in the Naxos Historical series worth getting, in particular:
Toscanini's Beethoven from the 30's
Schnabel's Beethoven from the 30's
Milstein and Heifetz playing Tchaikovsky's VC
Reiner's Tristan and Isolde from 36 in Covent Garden with Flagstad and Melchoir
Leinsdorf's Die Walkure from the Met in 41.
From the non-historical series:
John Cage's Piano Music
Brahms Hungarian Dances
Tinter's Bruckner
John Field's piano music
Shostakovich Soundtrack to Gadfly
Hayasaka Piano Concerto (my best Naxos discovery)
Klauss Egge String Quartet No 1 (in "Norwegian 20th Century String Quartets"), a lovely work.
Quote from: Captain Haddock on April 16, 2007, 03:12:20 AM
Hayasaka Piano Concerto (my best Naxos discovery)
Klauss Egge String Quartet No 1 (in "Norwegian 20th Century String Quartets"), a lovely work.
The Japanese series is a fascinating area! :)
Quote from: edward on April 15, 2007, 04:50:32 AM
With volume one, sometimes the performances tend to being a little hesitant: for the most part the wind players are not on the level of Ronald van Spaendonck (love his version of the clarinet sonata in volume 2). I prefer the Decca recordings with Roge (don't know all the other Poulenc chamber music recordings, unfortunately) in all the works in volume 1.
Thanks, Van Spaendonck was really a find.
OT - have you received Munch's Deliciae Basiliensis? How is it? I still have it in my shopping basket but haven't got around to place the order yet.
Quote from: Drasko on April 16, 2007, 06:11:15 AM
Thanks, Van Spaendonck was really a find.
OT - have you received Munch's Deliciae Basiliensis? How is it? I still have it in my shopping basket but haven't got around to place the order yet.
I don't have it yet. I'll review it when it shows up.
I have been sadly disappointed most of the time by Naxos recordings of operas, with one exception: Bellini's La Sonnambula that they have is just awesome (IMO, of course). I love it. Other than that, I tend to not like their operas. Also:
Krommer, Wind Partitas (Naxos 8.553498). My favourite wind music ever.
Krommer, Clarinet Concertos (Naxos 8.553178). Ohhh, hot mama, this is great stuff
Carl Stamitz, Cello Concertos (Naxos 8.550865). Sweet, sweet slow movements, brilliant and gorgeous
A recent Naxos set I can't recommend is Bach's WTC Bk. 1 played by Luc Beausejour on harpsichord. The interpretations are okay but nothing special - too mainstream and not interesting. The harpsichord sound is the major negative as it is very thin with weak bass response.
Quote from: JoshLilly on April 16, 2007, 07:59:06 AM
I have been sadly disappointed most of the time by Naxos recordings of operas, with one exception: Bellini's La Sonnambula that they have is just awesome (IMO, of course). I love it. Other than that, I tend to not like their operas. Also:
Carl Stamitz, Cello Concertos (Naxos 8.550865). Sweet, sweet slow movements, brilliant and gorgeous
Opera is Naxos' well-known weak point. Carl Stamitz's Cello Concertos are gorgeous indeed. I have that disc.
Quote from: 71 dB on April 16, 2007, 08:22:50 AM
Opera is Naxos' well-known weak point.
Since you admit to not listening to opera how would you know?
Quote from: PerfectWagnerite on April 16, 2007, 08:28:43 AM
Since you admit to not listening to opera how would you know?
I do listen to opera but not all composers. I have 2 operas on Naxos (Wagner & Puccini)
Naxos operas get always bad reviews. That's how I know.
Quote from: 71 dB on April 16, 2007, 08:41:39 AM
I do listen to opera but not all composers. I have 2 operas on Naxos (Wagner & Puccini)
Naxos operas get always bad reviews. That's how I know.
Always? Hardly. A quick search at classicstoday.com will show that many Naxos opera recordings get 8 or 9 for performance. So I am not sure where the bad reviews you are refer to come from. I don't own too many Naxos operas but the ones I own: Britten's
Albert Herring and
Turn of the Screw, are as good as anything.
Magic Flute, Flying Dutchman, Tancredi, Fidelio. Off the top of my head these were all very well thought of indeed.
Mike
Does Naxos have a Ring Cycle?
Quote from: Steve on April 16, 2007, 09:35:46 AM
Does Naxos have a Ring Cycle?
Of course:
(http://ec2.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000L42JDQ.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_V42762754_AA240_.jpg)
(http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000EBEH0E.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_V45434447_AA240_.jpg)
(http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000H4VZEO.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_V44925091_AA240_.jpg)
(http://ec2.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000NOIWUI.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_V24535555_AA240_.jpg)
if you have naxosmusiclibrary, you might as well listen to the rare stuff, light music of Ziehrer, Suppe, Lehar, Komzak
Quote from: MahlerTitan on April 16, 2007, 11:55:04 AM
if you have naxosmusiclibrary, you might as well listen to the rare stuff, light music of Ziehrer, Suppe, Lehar, Komzak
Doesn't that cost about 150.00 a year??? :'(
Quote from: Robert on April 16, 2007, 12:14:24 PM
Doesn't that cost about 150.00 a year??? :'(
Whatever the cost, I had a terrible experience trying to subscribe to the Naxos music library. My credit card company didn't like the Hong Kong source and promptly discontinued my card. Not knowing this, I went to my auto mechanic to use the card for over $1000 of repairs. The card bounced and I had to use my checking account card. That left me with nothing.
Yes, I changed credit card companies. Maybe the whole thing was god's way of telling me to keep my music purchases restricted to REAL PLASTIC. :D
Quote from: 71 dB on April 16, 2007, 08:41:39 AM
I do listen to opera but not all composers. I have 2 operas on Naxos (Wagner & Puccini)
Naxos operas get always bad reviews. That's how I know.
Magic Flute and Flying Dutchman are
excellent. :)
By the way naxos.com is only $20 a year, but you don't get to hear CPO, Vox, Chandos, etc.
Quote from: Robert on April 16, 2007, 12:14:24 PM
Doesn't that cost about 150.00 a year??? :'(
maybe, but i get it for free.
Quote from: James on April 16, 2007, 02:19:20 PM
shostakovich cello concertos /kliegel
Young master Mark would at least love the Kliegel! ;D
Has anyone mentioned the excellent series, now completed, of all of Hugo Alfvén's symphonies, with Niklas Willén conducting various orchestras. The most recent, of the stunning Fifth Symphony (and the beautiful Andante religioso), is reviewed here:
http://www.amazon.com/Alfv%C3%A9n-Symphony-No-Andante-religioso/dp/B000M2DNS2/ (http://www.amazon.com/Alfv%C3%A9n-Symphony-No-Andante-religioso/dp/B000M2DNS2/)
Quote from: Scott on April 17, 2007, 05:47:08 AM
Has anyone mentioned the excellent series, now completed, of all of Hugo Alfvén's symphonies, with Niklas Willén conducting various orchestras. The most recent, of the stunning Fifth Symphony (and the beautiful Andante religioso), is reviewed here:
http://www.amazon.com/Alfv%C3%A9n-Symphony-No-Andante-religioso/dp/B000M2DNS2/ (http://www.amazon.com/Alfv%C3%A9n-Symphony-No-Andante-religioso/dp/B000M2DNS2/)
Yes I have, also in the Scandinavian and Finnish composers thread.
The fifth I reviewed also, and can recommend it, for it is very fine, as all the Naxos recordings are with Alfven.
Quote from: Scott on April 17, 2007, 05:47:08 AM
Has anyone mentioned the excellent series, now completed, of all of Hugo Alfvén's symphonies, with Niklas Willén conducting various orchestras. The most recent, of the stunning Fifth Symphony (and the beautiful Andante religioso), is reviewed here:
http://www.amazon.com/Alfv%C3%A9n-Symphony-No-Andante-religioso/dp/B000M2DNS2/ (http://www.amazon.com/Alfv%C3%A9n-Symphony-No-Andante-religioso/dp/B000M2DNS2/)
And by the way you should write these fine reviews on the board too!
Quote from: knight on April 16, 2007, 09:17:32 AM
Magic Flute, Flying Dutchman, Tancredi, Fidelio. Off the top of my head these were all very well thought of indeed.
Mike
They were as was the Humburg conducted Barber of Seville.
Last year I found myself buying a Naxos, at least, a month. Mainly the British series under Lloyd-Jones but there is some great stuff under Sakari, Willen, Samuel Wong and Tintner's much admired Bruckner cycle.
I don't recall whether we have this time round praised Wit and his Mahler 8, which is really first class or his version of Alpine Symphony.
I wrote a long review of the Mahler, but cannot find it. Never mind. They are both worthwhile recordings.
Mike
Quote from: PerfectWagnerite on April 16, 2007, 09:14:11 AM
Always? Hardly. A quick search at classicstoday.com will show that many Naxos opera recordings get 8 or 9 for performance. So I am not sure where the bad reviews you are refer to come from. I don't own too many Naxos operas but the ones I own: Britten's Albert Herring and Turn of the Screw, are as good as anything.
BALADA - Hangman! Hangman! 7/8
BERG - Wozzeck 7/5
DONIZETTI - La figlia del reggimento 5/7
GLUCK - Orfeo ed Euridice 5/7
MASSENET - Werther 6/8
MEYERBEER - Semiramide 6/7
PUCCINI - Turandot 3/8
"so poorly sung that there should be a skull-and-crossbones on the cover."ROSSINI - La pietra del paragone 5/6
ROSSINI - Maometto II (1822 Venice version) 7/7
VERDI - Don Carlos 6/8
WAGNER - Scenes from Tristan und Isolde and Götterdämmerung 7/8
WAGNER - Tristan und Isolde 6/7
WEBER - Die drei Pintos 7/7
I mean if only some of the releases are good Naxos can hardly be called a significant opera label. Naxos' strengths are elsewhere.
You won't leave it alone, will you....poor point you are trying to make. A lot of those are perfectly respectable ratings. Also you have omitted all the ones people have specified as being good. If you took the operatic output of EMI or Phillips, you might come to a similar spread of scorings. People get the chance to experiment without a large outlay. I have been very expensively stung now and again by the majors.
I don't know of anyone who suggests that Naxos specialise in Opera....they have a wider range of issues than any other label at the moment.
Mike
Quote from: 71 dB on April 17, 2007, 07:45:42 AM
BALADA - Hangman! Hangman! 7/8
BERG - Wozzeck 7/5
DONIZETTI - La figlia del reggimento 5/7
GLUCK - Orfeo ed Euridice 5/7
MASSENET - Werther 6/8
MEYERBEER - Semiramide 6/7
PUCCINI - Turandot 3/8 "so poorly sung that there should be a skull-and-crossbones on the cover."
ROSSINI - La pietra del paragone 5/6
ROSSINI - Maometto II (1822 Venice version) 7/7
VERDI - Don Carlos 6/8
WAGNER - Scenes from Tristan und Isolde and Götterdämmerung 7/8
WAGNER - Tristan und Isolde 6/7
WEBER - Die drei Pintos 7/7
I mean if only some of the releases are good Naxos can hardly be called a significant opera label. Naxos' strengths are elsewhere.
C'mon ! Do the same search for ANY OTHER RECORD LABEL you will get the same results. BTW a 7 is a good recording already.
Quote from: PerfectWagnerite on April 17, 2007, 07:59:38 AM
C'mon ! Do the same search for ANY OTHER RECORD LABEL you will get the same results. BTW a 7 is a good recording already.
I have to disagree. ClassicsToday is very generous in its ratings; a (7) is not good at all. But 71dB has "selected" those ratings that further his argument. Therefore, his argument is not advanced.
Quote from: PerfectWagnerite on April 17, 2007, 07:59:38 AM
C'mon ! Do the same search for ANY OTHER RECORD LABEL you will get the same results. BTW a 7 is a good recording already.
Why choose a 6/7
Tristan und Isolde when Pappano's version on EMI is 9/9? In operas the competition is hard. Naxos rules in less recorded repertoire were 'the old giants' do not have anything to offer.
Quote from: 71 dB on April 17, 2007, 08:25:48 AM
Why choose a 6/7 Tristan und Isolde when Pappano's version on EMI is 9/9? In operas the competition is hard. Naxos rules in less recorded repertoire were 'the old giants' do not have anything to offer.
Because the 6/7 cost half as much as the 9/9? It matters to some people.
The same clowns there gave the Kleiber/DG
Tristan a 8/7 which is a total disgrace. There is no way in hell the Papano is a better recording.
Quote from: 71 dB on April 17, 2007, 08:25:48 AM
Why choose a 6/7 Tristan und Isolde when Pappano's version on EMI is 9/9?
Let's keep in mind that these ratings represent the opinion of one person. I'm sure that there are folks who consider Pappano's version much less worthy than 9/9.
Quote from: PerfectWagnerite on April 17, 2007, 08:28:13 AM
Because the 6/7 cost half as much as the 9/9? It matters to some people.
According to this logic Naxos should always be the first choise as it is a "budget label". I paid £12.24 delivered for the Pappano. Not much. I doubt I could get the Naxos under £10 delivered.
Quote from: PerfectWagnerite on April 17, 2007, 08:28:13 AMThe same clowns there gave the Kleiber/DG Tristan a 8/7 which is a total disgrace. There is no way in hell the Papano is a better recording.
I haven't heard Kleiber/DG so I can't comment.
Quote from: Harry on April 17, 2007, 05:52:07 AM
Yes I have, also in the Scandinavian and Finnish composers thread.
The fifth I reviewed also, and can recommend it, for it is very fine, as all the Naxos recordings are with Alfven.
Harry, where is your review of the Alfvén Fifth? I couldn't find it.
Quote from: Scott on April 17, 2007, 10:48:04 AM
Harry, where is your review of the Alfvén Fifth? I couldn't find it.
Somewhere far away on the listening thread my friend, I will try to locate it for you!
RE: Naxos web site....Not to change the subject. But after a year I decided to subscribe. $19.95, I filled out the necessary form and submitted it....It was approved. The only problem is I do not get full recordings...I have emailed them for two days, they answer me an inane response..and it still has not been resolved.....Anyone have any similar problems.....
Quote from: Robert on April 17, 2007, 11:14:17 AM
RE: Naxos web site....Not to change the subject. But after a year I decided to subscribe. $19.95, I filled out the necessary form and submitted it....It was approved. The only problem is I do not get full recordings...I have emailed them for two days, they answer me an inane response..and it still has not been resolved.....Anyone have any similar problems.....
Really? I've never heard of that before. Do you mean the music stops playing part of the way through?
Quote from: brianrein on April 17, 2007, 05:43:46 PM
Really? I've never heard of that before. Do you mean the music stops playing part of the way through?
No. If you join but do not subscribe you get to hear 25% of each disc in their catalog....Once you pay the $19.95 you get to hear all the catalog complete...Now the Naxos library is with a lot of different labels and to have access to that is about 150.00 a year...So after a year I decided to subscribe. I was approved and they sent me a receipt...but still I only hear 25%. I have emailed them for the past two days but they email back the usual mumbo jumbo. I told them in my last email resolve it today or refund my money...period...no reply yet....
Quote from: Robert on April 17, 2007, 11:14:17 AM
RE: Naxos web site....Not to change the subject. But after a year I decided to subscribe. $19.95, I filled out the necessary form and submitted it....It was approved. The only problem is I do not get full recordings...I have emailed them for two days, they answer me an inane response..and it still has not been resolved.....Anyone have any similar problems.....
Did you log out + log in after subscribing? The problem might be related to cookies (solution: clear cookies).
At my parents place I can listen 100 % of the tracks without subscribing. The sound quality is much better too (128 kbps instead of 20 kbps). So, Naxos has bugs on their pages.
Quote from: 71 dB on April 18, 2007, 02:33:19 AM
Did you log out + log in after subscribing? The problem might be related to cookies (solution: clear cookies).
At my parents place I can listen 100 % of the tracks without subscribing. The sound quality is much better too (128 kbps instead of 20 kbps). So, Naxos has bugs on their pages.
the problem was resolved. It seems they decided to add a slash into my sign on and it took me a few days to figure it out....On my receipt I noticed this innocent looking slash, I just copied it and it worked...thanks for your/// help
Quote from: Robert on April 20, 2007, 06:35:28 AM
the problem was resolved. It seems they decided to add a slash into my sign on and it took me a few days to figure it out....On my receipt I noticed this innocent looking slash, I just copied it and it worked...thanks for your/// help
Good! Enjoy! :)
Quote from: Robert on April 20, 2007, 06:35:28 AM
the problem was resolved. It seems they decided to add a slash into my sign on and it took me a few days to figure it out....On my receipt I noticed this innocent looking slash, I just copied it and it worked...thanks for your/// help
enjoy your Naxosmusiclibrary access, i know that i love it (they add like 300 new Cds a month!)
I personally love Naxos and have only ever bought two dudds from them:
1) Fratres - appallingly played, badly recorded, what less could you want!
2) Kliegel Shostakovich Cello Concertos - two of the finest cello concertos of the 20th C. But here they are played rather badly - the first is OK, but a little dull (there are many excellent versions out there), but the second is a trvesty - horrendously slow, dull, unengaging, ad emotionally reserved, which is the absolute opposite of the work - I have heard people say it was a poor work based on this performance - Get Rostropovich instead.
Other than that my purchases have been good to excellent, with many being the finest on record IMO. Not everything is the best of course, but then what label is? I have been very impressed with the Barber series (apart from the piano and violin concertos, and the piano music just isn't as good as Browning's pure and simple. Everything else though is great to stupendous), and English music in particular is usually very good (Walton, Bliss, Britten, Rawsthorne etc.)
I have only heard one Naxos opera - Barber's Vanessa, which is absolutely brilliant in every way.
While the Naxos recommendations have kept piling up, I've gone through some of the earliest releases in the Naxos catalog looking for some good ones. The early years were hit and miss, yes, but there were indeed some wonderful hits. Here are the best recordings from the first three years of Naxos (1987-1990):
BIZET Carmen and L'Arlesienne Suites / Slovak Philharmonic, Anthony Bramall
BEETHOVEN Overtures Vol. 1 / Slovak Philharmonic, Stephen Gunzenhauser
BRAHMS Hungarian Dances / Budapest Festival Orchestra, Istvan Bogar
HAYDN first volumes of the Kodaly string quartet cycle
CHOPIN Piano Concerti / Istvan Szekely, Gyula Nemeth, Budapest SO
A brief look at the first days of the Naxos catalog shows how much the label has changed - this year so far the best Naxos releases have not been of such standard repertoire; they've been discs of Martinu piano music and a saxophone concerto by Keiko Abe. Oh, how things have changed!
Quote from: Guido on April 21, 2007, 07:38:49 AM
I personally love Naxos and have only ever bought two dudds from them:
1) Fratres - appallingly played, badly recorded, what less could you want!
Hehe... their non-vocal Part is crummy indeed.
QuoteA brief look at the first days of the Naxos catalog shows how much the label has changed - this year so far the best Naxos releases have not been of such standard repertoire; they've been discs of Martinu piano music and a saxophone concerto by Keiko Abe. Oh, how things have changed!
Well they've recorded virtually the entire standard repertoire by now surely? Don't they have something like 5000 discs, so one would expect them to be into the nonstandard repertoire by now?!
Quote from: Guido on April 22, 2007, 03:00:27 PM
Well they've recorded virtually the entire standard repertoire by now surely? Don't they have something like 5000 discs, so one would expect them to be into the nonstandard repertoire by now?!
More like 3000+ discs but that's a lot too. ;)
Quote from: Guido on April 22, 2007, 03:00:27 PM
Well they've recorded virtually the entire standard repertoire by now surely? Don't they have something like 5000 discs, so one would expect them to be into the nonstandard repertoire by now?!
I think you make a mistake here my friend!
Naxos recorded some of the standard repertoire, of course, but the non standard outruns them by thousands.
They always ventured in the unknown.
True of late and in the past they tackled some core repertoire, but with little success.
And if you go on a careful way through the catalogue you will notice, that the core repertoire is not as much represented as in other catalogue's!
So to say that they have to go into nonstandard repertoire made me laugh.
They do, and much more so as any other record company. :)
Obsolete
Quote from: 71 dB on April 23, 2007, 01:25:05 AM
What do you mean Harry? ??? Naxos has recorded hundreds of CDs of standard repertoire:
Handel - Messiah (8.550667-668) => not standard repertoire?
Elgar/Dvorak - Cello Concertos (8.550503) => not standard repertoire?
J. S. Bach - French Suites (8.550709+8.550710) => not standard repertoire?
Compare it to the non standard repertoire my friend, that is far greater, and that is what I meant. :)
Of course they have recorded some standard works, but their fixation was as the founder said, on non standard repertoire, and that still holds good!
Quote from: Harry on April 23, 2007, 01:28:23 AM
Compare it to the non standard repertoire my friend, that is far greater, and that is what I meant. :)
Of course they have recorded some standard works, but their fixation was as the founder said, on non standard repertoire, and that still holds good!
Okay Harry. I'd say about 10 % of Naxos catalogue is standard repertoire. Your statement "never recorded" was just too extreme.
Quote from: 71 dB on April 23, 2007, 01:44:20 AM
Okay Harry. I'd say about 10 % of Naxos catalogue is standard repertoire. Your statement "never recorded" was just too extreme.
That was writing error, which I have corrected in the original post, could you do that in your quotings. :)
Quote from: Harry on April 23, 2007, 01:52:51 AM
That was writing error, which I have corrected in the original post, could you do that in your quotings. :)
DONE!
Quote from: Harry on April 22, 2007, 10:34:44 PM
True of late and in the past they tackled some core repertoire, but with little success.
And if you go on a careful way through the catalogue you will notice, that the core repertoire is not as much represented as in other catalogue's!
On the contrary, the core repertoire is very well represented on Naxos, and indeed many of those recordings come highly recommended by critics. The difference is that, with a few exceptions, they don't re-record the same piece like the old majors do, which is why EMI or DG will have dozens of versions of some old warhorse while Naxos only has one.
Well you must have a different catalogue from Naxos! :)
Quote from: Harry on April 23, 2007, 03:39:12 AM
Well you must have a different catalogue from Naxos! :)
What core repertoire pieces have they not recorded? I'm sure there might be some, but from what I've seen, they have most of the bases covered.
Quote from: Harry on April 22, 2007, 10:34:44 PM
I think you make a mistake here my friend!
Naxos recorded some of the standard repertoire, of course, but the non standard outruns them by thousands.
They always ventured in the unknown.
True of late and in the past they tackled some core repertoire, but with little success.
And if you go on a careful way through the catalogue you will notice, that the core repertoire is not as much represented as in other catalogue's!
So to say that they have to go into nonstandard repertoire made me laugh.
They do, and much more so as any other record company. :)
That's why we love 'em!
Just ut of interest what standard rep. have they not recorded then?
Quote from: Guido on April 23, 2007, 05:49:01 PM
That's why we love 'em!
Just ut of interest what standard rep. have they not recorded then?
I said
not as much!
Quote from: Grazioso on April 23, 2007, 03:50:30 AM
What core repertoire pieces have they not recorded? I'm sure there might be some, but from what I've seen, they have most of the bases covered.
This is true and Harry is downplaying a bit the importance of standard repertoire. Naxos is missing few works thou, for example
Mussorsgsky -
Boris Godunov Fauré - most of his chamber music
Mendelssohn's
Octet and
Wagner's operas took amazingly long to record.
Quote from: 71 dB on April 24, 2007, 02:14:35 AM
This is true and Harry is downplaying a bit the importance of standard repertoire. Naxos is missing few works thou, for example
Mussorsgsky - Boris Godunov
Fauré - most of his chamber music
Mendelssohn's Octet and Wagner's operas took amazingly long to record.
nope, all can be found on www.naxosmusiclibrary.com
I recommend this one, a very original arrangement with lots of percussion, great fun.
(http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/417R9V1KK7L._SS500_.jpg)
Mike
knight - hey, sounds neat, thanks! :)
Quote from: 71 dB on April 24, 2007, 02:14:35 AM
This is true and Harry is downplaying a bit the importance of standard repertoire. Naxos is missing few works thou, for example
Mussorsgsky - Boris Godunov
Fauré - most of his chamber music
Mendelssohn's Octet and Wagner's operas took amazingly long to record.
They still haven't done Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess" either.
As for core repertoire, here's my list from the old board, which omits a lot of those mentioned in this thread because I haven't updated it:
Handy Reference Guide:
Outstanding or First-Choice Naxos Recordings of Well-Known Music("first choice")
BRAHMS: Hungarian Dances Istvan Bogar, Budapest SO. "One would rather have this set of dances than any of the other alternative versions." - Penguin Guide Rosette winner; "best set" - at least six people on Amazon.com
BRUCKNER: Symphonies Georg Tintner, various orchestras. "Every so often a recording comes out that is so powerful, so comprehensive in its interpretive vision, that it not only makes the music sound completely new, it forces a complete reappraisal of the music's overall significance. Georg Tintner's Bruckner Third is one such recording." - classicstoday.com; "The performances are beautifully sculpted, spaciously paced, and never dragging." - Jed Distler, Amazon.com
("first choice")
ELGAR: Pomp and Circumstance James Judd, New Zealand SO. "Frankly, you can have your Boults and Barbirollis: compared to Judd they sound far less involved." - classicstoday.com
ENESCU: Romanian Rhapsodies Iosif Conta, Romanian Radio and TV Orchestra (Marco Polo). Don't have a review, but I can assure you that it's absolutely fantastic, and the orchestra is brilliantly, thrillingly alive!
GRIEG: Symphonic and Norwegian Dances Bjarte Engeset, Royal Scottish NO. "an enthusiastic romp...one of the very best performances available" - classicstoday.com
HAYDN: String Quartets Kodaly Quartet. "outstanding in every way and would be highly recommended even without their considerable price advantage."- Penguin Guide
MAHLER: Symphony No. 8 Antoni Wit, Warsaw Philharmonic. "Just when you thought you didn't need yet another Mahler 8, along comes this version, and it just about sweeps the board....if you want to hear a performance that combines the best of just about all of the competing versions and offers the most accurate sense of what the piece really does (or should) sound like live, then this is way to go." - classicstoday.com
MOZART: Piano Concertos Jeno Jando, piano. "Jando, with Concentus Hungaricus under Andras Ligeti, has begun a complete Mozart Piano Concerto cycle, and the first two issues could not be more encouraging." - Gramophone; "...they are wonderful. I've heard numerous performances of some of these concertos, and the Jando performances can stand up to any others I have heard....Jando lets the music talk for itself - and how wonderfully it does just that." - Mervyn Kopinsky, Amazon.com
MUSSORGSKY: Pictures at an Exhibition, Night on Bare Mountain Theodore Kuchar, NSO Ukraine. "This is a quite remarkable CD on all counts - outstandingly fine orchestral playing, vividly exciting and very Russian music-making, and a very tangible sound picture, consistently in the demonstration bracket." - Gramophone
("first choice")
OFFENBACH: Gaite Parisienne Manuel Rosenthal, Monte Carlo Orchestra. Gramophone Editor's Choice; Classicstoday 10/10
("first choice")
PROKOFIEV: Piano Concertos Kun Woo Paik, piano. "first choice" - UK Telegraph
SMETANA: Ma Vlast Antoni Wit, Polish National Radio Symphony. "highly-regarded...how stylish and accomplished these performances are, with their persuasively authentic East European sonority. And how warmly resonant and atmospheric the engineering is! At less than a fiver, this really is an unbeatable bargain!" - Peter Lawson, musicweb-international.com; Penguin Guide ranks it second to the third Kubelik
TCHAIKOVSKY: String Quartets 1 & 3 New Haydn Quartet. "self-recommending" - classicstoday.com 10/10
("first choice")
TCHAIKOVSKY: Sleeping Beauty - Complete Andrew Mogrelia, Czechoslovak State Philharmonic. "quite irrespective of price, this is now a clear first choice among current recordings of the score" - Gramophone
("first choice in digital")
WAGNER: The Flying Dutchman Pinchas Steinberg, Austrian Radio Symphony. Soloists Muff, Haubold, etc. "This super-bargain version enters the lists and - to mix a metaphor - virtually jumps to the top of the pile...[except for Klemperer] it surpasses all other available recordings..." - Gramophone
Brian, Thanks, that is a useful list and there are a couple there I will bare in mind.
Mike
Respighi's Roman Trilogy, Liszt's Anees de Pelerinage, various key Elgar works, and the Mozart, Haydn, Arnold, and Bax symphonies on Naxos have also excited critical praise--to name just a few. The idea, espoused by some, that somehow Naxos's core repertoire recordings are all sub-par and better avoided in favor of their recordings of obscure repertoire is a silly and misleading generalization.
Quote from: Grazioso on April 25, 2007, 02:46:31 AM
The idea, espoused by some, that somehow Naxos's core repertoire recordings are all sub-par and better avoided in favor of their recordings of obscure repertoire is a silly and misleading generalization.
True but the fact is Naxos faces much harder competition with core repertoire. It's a big difference if you have 0-3 other versions to compete or 100!
Quote from: 71 dB on April 25, 2007, 08:03:23 AM
True but the fact is Naxos faces much harder competition with core repertoire. It's a big difference if you have 0-3 other versions to compete or 100!
Of course there's more competition with the core repertoire. However, there is never much competition in the core area for new recordings at super-budget price that one can generally rely on.
Quote from: 71 dB on April 25, 2007, 08:03:23 AM
True but the fact is Naxos faces much harder competition with core repertoire. It's a big difference if you have 0-3 other versions to compete or 100!
The point is that it's wiser to judge recordings individually instead of leaping to assumptions based on the label. It's a blunder to reflexively look to the old majors for a recording of a core repertoire piece.
Quote from: Grazioso on April 26, 2007, 02:51:14 AM
The point is that it's wiser to judge recordings individually instead of leaping to assumptions based on the label. It's a blunder to reflexively look to the old majors for a recording of a core repertoire piece.
Of course!
Some ignorants think all Naxos discs are bad because it's a "budget label".
Can an opinion be dumber than that?
Every release is an individual case.
I've been listening to quite a lot on Naxos lately. Favorite discoveries have been:
Akutagawa - Allora Symphony, etc.
Jones - Roundings; Cello Sonata
Moravec - The Time Gallery, etc
Ifukube - Sinfonia Tapkaara, etc
Higdon - Piano Trio, etc
Ferraro - La Nueva Espana
Yun - Chamber Symphony, etc
Balada - Cello Concerto #2 "New Orleans", etc
Fuchs - An American Place, etc
Yashiro - Symphony; Piano Concerto
All these are very different in style, but every one of them has really impressed me. Since you have access to all recordings, try each of them!
Quote from: facehugger on April 06, 2007, 03:02:20 PM
i recently got a membership to naxos's online site, which gives me access to every recording they have. so, the question is, what is good on there? recommendations of the highest quality recordings they have would be greatly appreciated. i will make an effort to listen to everything recommended, and report back. and everyone can enjoy sharing their favorite recordings.
i'm on robert levin doing wtc at the moment, i like. :)
http://www.naxosmusiclibrary.com/default.asp
Quote from: Don on April 16, 2007, 08:05:28 AM
A recent Naxos set I can't recommend is Bach's WTC Bk. 1 played by Luc Beausejour on harpsichord. The interpretations are okay but nothing special - too mainstream and not interesting. The harpsichord sound is the major negative as it is very thin with weak bass response.
I just listened to this set and I think you're a little harsh on both counts. I'm puzzled by your saying the harpsichord sound is weak. I found it pleasant, not bass-shy and reasonably transparent. And best of all it's not clangy like so many such recordings. As for Beauséjour's interpretation I would agree with you that it is mainstream, albeit tending to be a little fast (or sprightly, if one prefers) without being extreme, and I see nothing wrong with that. He does not indulge in the overdetermined agogics so favored by some. I suppose you might call that stodgy or plain vanilla. I call it sensitive musicianship that doesn't indulge in showboating.
If one takes into consideration the price -- for lots of folks that's a factor in a two CD set -- this one gets a moderate recommendation, not a thumbs down as you've given it.
Chacun à son goût, I guess.
I've just finished listening to a wonderful recording of Wellington's Victory and the Battle Symphony of Beethoven. Really a wonderful piece in their massive catalog. :)
Quote from: Scott on April 28, 2007, 04:41:48 AM
I just listened to this set and I think you're a little harsh on both counts. I'm puzzled by your saying the harpsichord sound is weak. I found it pleasant, not bass-shy and reasonably transparent. And best of all it's not clangy like so many such recordings. As for Beauséjour's interpretation I would agree with you that it is mainstream, albeit tending to be a little fast (or sprightly, if one prefers) without being extreme, and I see nothing wrong with that. He does not indulge in the overdetermined agogics so favored by some. I suppose you might call that stodgy or plain vanilla. I call it sensitive musicianship that doesn't indulge in showboating.
If one takes into consideration the price -- for lots of folks that's a factor in a two CD set -- this one gets a moderate recommendation, not a thumbs down as you've given it.
Chacun à son goût, I guess.
I guess each of us is surprised at the other concerning the bass response. When I started thinking it was very weak, I switched to a different audio system then another then another. Each time, the results were the same (for me).
oh oh oh! they added today a exquiside performance of Bruckner's 7th symphony by Montreal Metropolitan Orchestra / Yannick Nezet-Seguin, conductor
listen to second movement here:
Adagio (http://nonet.naxos.com/naxosdotcom@128k/atm/at2512_02_full_wm_128.wm)
Quote from: MahlerTitan on April 29, 2007, 09:38:19 PM
Carl Maria Von Weber's 2 symphonies, they are not that good, but take a listen anyways.
If it's the disc I'm thinking of (Queensland Orchestra/Georgiadis) I very much enjoy it, and would recommend it.
Can we add to the naxos recommendations the piano music vol.1 to 5 by Mendelssohn recorded by Benjamin frith ? i have vol 1,2 and 3 and i enjoy them
Quote from: MahlerTitan on May 04, 2007, 12:57:13 AM
oh oh oh! they added today a exquiside performance of Bruckner's 7th symphony by Montreal Metropolitan Orchestra / Yannick Nezet-Seguin, conductor
listen to second movement here:
Adagio (http://nonet.naxos.com/naxosdotcom@128k/atm/at2512_02_full_wm_128.wm)
What lovely playing of such lovely music. Thank you.
Quote from: Scott on May 30, 2007, 12:07:31 PM
What lovely playing of such lovely music. Thank you.
i posted links to complete symphonies of bruckner here:
http://washington.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2324844894
Quote from: karlhenning on April 12, 2007, 05:55:02 AM
Howard, I will entirely agree on the discs with the Fifth/Ninth and the Seventh/Eighth.
There was a third disc (I think with the Pastoral but I am not sure which other) which, when I had listened to a sample of it, didn't 'grab' me (admittedly, a potentially misleading measure).
The disc with the Pastoral and the 6th were my introduction to RVW, and that was enough to make me want to purchase his entire orchestral works.
Quote from: samtrb on May 29, 2007, 11:56:20 AM
Can we add to the naxos recommendations the piano music vol.1 to 5 by Mendelssohn recorded by Benjamin frith ?
No, the deadline has passed. :D
Quote from: Don on May 30, 2007, 02:24:08 PM
No, the deadline has passed. :D
lol it seems it has ! you're the only one who responded !
Someone mentioned the Naxos Laureate Series (http://www.naxos.com/series/laureate_series.htm) earlier -- I wonder how much of this series is worth exploring. It seems there is some pretty interesting repertoire, especially a large number of solo guitar CDs (at least 20) with uncommon works.
Does anyone know this series and have specific recommendations?
Quote from: Xantus' Murrelet on June 08, 2007, 01:58:41 PM
Someone mentioned the Naxos Laureate Series (http://www.naxos.com/series/laureate_series.htm) earlier -- I wonder how much of this series is worth exploring. It seems there is some pretty interesting repertoire, especially a large number of solo guitar CDs (at least 20) with uncommon works.
Does anyone know this series and have specific recommendations?
I have the series complete, and what I can say, they are all good, so pick what you find interesting. :)
Hmm, I was afraid you'd say that! :D
I wonder how the Dutilleux piano works CD compares to other recordings.
Quote from: MahlerTitan on April 07, 2007, 08:17:27 AM
i fixed it, use this:
http://www.geocities.com/oabmarcus/Naxoslinks.zip
MT, would you please kindly fix the page again? It says "sorry, page requested is not found".
Quote from: Bonehelm on June 10, 2007, 12:08:55 PM
MT, would you please kindly fix the page again? It says "sorry, page requested is not found".
sure, and since then, i have updated it and added lots of new stuff.
http://xuwubao.googlepages.com/naxoslinks.zip
Quote from: MahlerTitan on June 10, 2007, 04:33:41 PM
sure, and since then, i have updated it and added lots of new stuff.
http://xuwubao.googlepages.com/naxoslinks.zip
Can't thank you enough. Great recordings ;)
P.S. off-topic question, what does xuwubao mean? I know it's chinese
Quote from: Bonehelm on June 10, 2007, 06:26:42 PM
P.S. off-topic question, what does xuwubao mean? I know it's chinese
it's his name ;)
I'd recommend Naxos to use head more. Why change the way the discs look like after 20 years?
(http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/3999/p1000318ru1.th.jpg) (http://img228.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1000318ru1.jpg) click for bigger picture
Look how stupid the blue parts look among the older white backs. ::) I don't have a clue how to create a classical label like Naxos but I would't have made this kind of idiotic mistake...
Quote from: 71 dB on January 10, 2008, 06:02:02 AM
I'd recommend Naxos to use head more. Why change the way the discs look like after 20 years?
(http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/3999/p1000318ru1.th.jpg) (http://img228.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p1000318ru1.jpg) click for bigger picture
Look how stupid the blue parts look among the older white backs. ::) I don't have a clue how to create a classical label like Naxos but I would't have made this kind of idiotic mistake...
I don't like Naxos because the discs are white and don't look good on my shelf. I like Decca/Blue, EMI/red, DG/yellow, Philips/red and smaller labels like CPO, Hyperion, Naive, which are multicolored. I just don't like white, so I sold most of my Naxos discs.
Quote from: PerfectWagnerite on January 10, 2008, 06:05:21 AM
I don't like Naxos because the discs are white and don't look good on my shelf. I like Decca/Blue, EMI/red, DG/yellow, Philips/red and smaller labels like CPO, Hyperion, Naive, which are multicolored. I just don't like white, so I sold most of my Naxos discs.
I suppose you don't like snow? ;D
White is actually among the best colors. The key here is consistency.
The ugliest color is pink. It's hard to make pink look good.
Quote from: 71 dB on January 10, 2008, 06:36:59 AM
I suppose you don't like snow? ;D
White is actually among the best colors. The key here is consistency.
The ugliest color is pink. It's hard to make pink look good.
I don't know of any label that is pink. Do you?
Anyway you like Nielsen? You have at least 8 Nielsen CDs that I can see. You must like Nielsen right?
Quote from: PerfectWagnerite on January 10, 2008, 06:44:40 AM
I don't know of any label that is pink. Do you?
There's probably not pink labels but I have a pink
Händel set (
Belsazar) on Archiv/Trio.
Quote from: PerfectWagnerite on January 10, 2008, 06:44:40 AMAnyway you like Nielsen? You have at least 8 Nielsen CDs that I can see. You must like Nielsen right?
Of course!
Nielsen is one of my favorite symphonists! I have 2 other non-Naxos Nielsen discs: Theatre music (BIS) and choral works (Chandos).
Quote from: 71 dB on January 10, 2008, 07:29:31 AM
There's probably not pink labels but I have a pink Händel set (Belsazar) on Archiv/Trio.
Of course! Nielsen is one of my favorite symphonists! I have 2 other non-Naxos Nielsen discs: Theatre music (BIS) and choral works (Chandos).
I have the Nielsen Concertos disc that you have also. Isn't it fabulous? All three concertos onto a CD lasting a tad under 80 minutes for about $6. What do you think about the performances of the symphonies? I don't have those.
I think Naive has a few pink cds. They are not THAT ostentatious since they are tastefully (relatively speaking) pink on white.
Quote from: PerfectWagnerite on January 10, 2008, 07:45:34 AM
I have the Nielsen Concertos disc that you have also. Isn't it fabulous? All three concertos onto a CD lasting a tad under 80 minutes for about $6. What do you think about the performances of the symphonies? I don't have those.
Yes, the concerto disc is nice. 0:) I like the symphony perfomances myself but people say better are available. I bought those ~10 years ago.
Quote from: PerfectWagnerite on January 10, 2008, 07:45:34 AMI think Naive has a few pink cds. They are not THAT ostentatious since they are tastefully (relatively speaking) pink on white.
Really? I have some Astée/Naïve discs and they are even more white than Naxos!
Quote from: PerfectWagnerite on January 10, 2008, 07:45:34 AM
I have the Nielsen Concertos disc that you have also. Isn't it fabulous? All three concertos onto a CD lasting a tad under 80 minutes for about $6. What do you think about the performances of the symphonies? I don't have those.
I think Naive has a few pink cds. They are not THAT ostentatious since they are tastefully (relatively speaking) pink on white.
Yup:
(http://shop.castleclassics.co.uk/acatalog/OP30411.gif)
But they also have this one:
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31P6GE2SZYL._AA240_.jpg)
Arditti likes pink. I have this:
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41DXMXXBD0L._AA240_.jpg)
Ah yes, forgot about that one.
Today I found a very exciting recording of Beethoven's "Choral Fantasy" performed by Walter Klien and the Saint Louis Symphony Chorus
http://www.naxosmusiclibrary.com/streamcat.asp?s=102256%2fnmlpreview01&item_code=CDX-5104
Here are some good Naxos albums (I've heard some or all of each). My apologies if any of these have already been posted, I don't feel like sifting through 8 pages of posts. :P
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51JDAWSw5gL._AA280_.jpg) (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51fK1ujsxTL._AA280_.jpg) (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51lmf7nYeDL._AA280_.jpg)
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Ek-I0g15L._AA280_.jpg) (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51IwtqrJegL._AA280_.jpg) (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Z%2B0UhRR7L._AA280_.jpg)
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51VCKgLr%2BML._AA280_.jpg) (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51rvVNpl1KL._AA280_.jpg) (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51RXtFZlPYL._AA280_.jpg)
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51a2MwRYm8L._AA280_.jpg) (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51GUKl-%2Bj-L._AA280_.jpg)
LvB's Violin concerto with Takako Nishizaki andSlovak Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Keneeth Jean. It's superb in every way...
(http://www.arkivmusic.com/graphics/covers/non-muze/full/146445b.jpg)
(http://www.arkivmusic.com/graphics/covers/non-muze/full/146442b.jpg)
(http://www.arkivmusic.com/graphics/covers/non-muze/full/146441b.jpg)
From ArkivMusic: http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/listPage.jsp?list_id=734 They seem to go on sale fairly frequently.
Quote from: Grazioso on February 15, 2008, 04:00:14 AM
(http://www.arkivmusic.com/graphics/covers/non-muze/full/146442b.jpg)
What an odd choice of flag.
(http://www.naxosdirect.com/templates/shared/images/titles/largest/730099410526.jpg)
(http://www.naxosdirect.com/templates/shared/images/titles/largest/730099483728.jpg)
Jeno Jando's Liszt is self-recommending. PM me and I can send you a couple Rhapsodies for sampling purposes, if you like. ;)
(http://www.naxosdirect.com/templates/shared/images/titles/larger/730099554824.jpg) (http://www.naxosdirect.com/templates/shared/images/titles/larger/730099554923.jpg) (http://www.naxosdirect.com/templates/shared/images/titles/larger/730099555029.jpg)
(http://www.naxosdirect.com/templates/shared/images/titles/largest/636943448021.jpg)
(http://www.naxosdirect.com/templates/shared/images/titles/largest/636943448120.jpg)