What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[owlice]

Since acquiring Buchbinder's fine traversal of Mozart PCs, I've been listening to his Beethoven sonatas again and am finding them much to my liking--more reserved, introspective, technique never calling attention to itself as if to say, "Hey--look what I can do."  In general, Kempff seems to me more lyrical, more sentimental (in a good way), whereas Buchbinder is more classically neutral--intellectual, perhaps...but not dry.

I'm not familiar with Buchbinder's Mozart, nor really anything else -- I think this is the only CD I have of his playing -- but I like what I hear on this very much. And I like the Kempff, too.

Kitty is an almost pure black Siamese mix with an amusing vocal range capable of expressing surprising shades of meaning.  She'll be ten at years end.  I'm almost ashamed to admit the huge place that cat has in my heart.

Does she talk back to you? The Siamese I've known (and the resident Himalayan) were all conversationalists who would reply to humans talking at them.

Bet if someone started a "My cat is cuter than your cat" thread in The Diner, it'd really take off; I suspect there are quite a few here who like their purring beasties!

For her sake (and mine!):

When I was young, there was a television ad for eggs that I saw several times; I loved the music, and years later, heard the music on the radio. I was so excited to learn what it was! I didn't have a stereo until I was in my 30s, and at that time, didn't have the money to buy CDs, so had very few. (The stereo was a gift, one piece of equipment at a time, from my then-boyfriend, later husband and father of the tall child.)

At one point, I won $500 in a contest, and though I had plenty of more practical places to put the windfall, decided I was going to spend it on CDs.

My best friend and I hit a large Tower Records one night; I spent $483 there that evening. On my list was "the egg ad" music -- For Love of Three Oranges.

Karl, what was a plate of mushrooms doing on the table, pray tell? They should have been in some tasty dish!

Lilas, I always enjoy your comments here; thank you for sharing your thoughts on the CDs you listen to.

~~

In at the moment, Kempff playing Beethoven sonatas op 90, 101, and 106. One after another, not all at once!

[Lethevich]

Yet more gnawingly evil insomnia, and some suitable medication: Mozart - Piano Concerto No.6 (progressing in number until I fall asleep) from complete set by Engel/Hager/Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg

[George]

Yet more gnawingly evil insomnia, and some suitable medication: Mozart - Piano Concerto No.6 (progressing in number until I fall asleep) from complete set by Engel/Hager/Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg

Good idea. Music Therapists recommend the slow movements of those works to induce relaxation in their clients.

[jlaurson]

So Kempff recorded two sets of Beethoven Piano Sonatas?  I have the stereo set ...

But for six sonatas, he even recorded 3! Plus many sonatas, repeatedly, outside any cycles. But the first "cycle to be" never made it off the shellack.

Here's a list in the making: http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2009/05/beethoven-sonatas-survey-of-complete.html

[George]

But for six sonatas, he even recorded 3! Plus many sonatas, repeatedly, outside any cycles. But the first "cycle to be" never made it off the shellack.

Perhaps one day Naxos Historical will offer it.  

[FideLeo]

[Dancing Divertimentian]

I don't own those recordings. That's why I am asking, I figured that perhaps some of our members might have reached a conclusion on this subject. It's something I never really thought about and figured that someone might have worked this out already.

George, from my experience it's hard to pin down. At first I thought Coopmv had it right (late 50s) but then I thought about it some more and now I'm not so sure.

I'd say much depends on the record company. Supraphon made some outstandingly clear recordings in the early stereo age if perhaps still not perfect (as Drasko noted).

Decca's next I'd say. By the late 50's they were producing some wonderfully improved recordings if still thin in the midrange.

After that it's really all over the map. DG came in with a strong showing in 1958 with their recording of Don Giovianni under Fricsay. Impressively rich and open and seems to have ushered in something of a 'modern age' of stereo recordings - to my ears, anyway.

EMI seems to have lagged behind but could still pull out some 'one-offs' in terms of sonic richness (I'm thinking of Michelangeli's 1957 Ravel PC/Rach 4 disc which I think has been muddled in its new remastering - judging by your reaction). Although EMI's exactly contemporaneous recording of Poulenc's Dialogues des Carmelites is a sonic disaster - dead and dull - and is in MONO!!! Chalk this one up to poor management and/or producer incompetence.

Philips seems to have also lagged behind in the mid 50's but by the early 60s is to me really making great strides and eventually leads the pack.

On the USA side of things RCA did okay but Columbia (now Sony) suffered greatly to my ears. I've never gotten along with early or even middle era stereo recordings from Columbia. Just lacked fullness. 

These are just the majors, of course. And it's my bedtime.

[Florestan]

Playlist for today.

[Que]

   

CD7: Preludes, Fantasia, Fugues, Allabreve BWV 533, 535, 537, 546, 549, 550, 568, 569, 575, 589.
Hefty stuff, played on the organ of the Waalse Kerk in Amsterdam, built by Christian Müller 1733-34.

And a good morning to all.

Q

[FideLeo]

Marais: music for 2 and 3 viols.  Nice to hear two of the Hantai brothers play together.  

[George]

George, from my experience it's hard to pin down. At first I thought Coopmv had it right (late 50s) but then I thought about it some more and now I'm not so sure.

I'd say much depends on the record company. Supraphon made some outstandingly clear recordings in the early stereo age if perhaps still not perfect (as Drasko noted).

Decca's next I'd say. By the late 50's they were producing some wonderfully improved recordings if still thin in the midrange.

After that it's really all over the map. DG came in with a strong showing in 1958 with their recording of Don Giovianni under Fricsay. Impressively rich and open and seems to have ushered in something of a 'modern age' of stereo recordings - to my ears, anyway....

Thanks for your help, Don!

[val]

SCHUMANN:    Frauenliebe und Leben, Dichterliebe

SCHUBERT:  Excerpts of Winterreise

/ Lotte Lehmann, Bruno Walter  (1941)

The most authentic interpretation I heard of Frauenliebe und Leben". We have here a presence, a diction, an emotion, that no one reached, not even Ferrier. The same with Dichterliebe, although I prefer here a male voice. A Lied such as "Ich hab' im Traum geweinet" is an extraordinary model of how to sing this repertory.

[karlhenning]

Dmitri Dmitriyevich
String Quartet № 15 in E-flat Minor, Opus 144
Borodin Quartet

[Lethevich]

Good idea. Music Therapists recommend the slow movements of those works to induce relaxation in their clients.

I wonder whether they have a preference for traditional or HIP... 0:)

[karlhenning]

I wonder whether they have a preference for traditional or HIP... 0:)

HvK Adagio, Vol XI

[jlaurson]

HvK Adagio, Vol XI

Volume 11.... that's the one where he's featured next to his Dune Buggy, right?

[Florestan]

Piano Concerto No. 11 in D major HOB XVIII:11

What a delight! It's Haydn and yet in fugitive visions scattered in the outer movements one can already feel an intense romanticism. As for Un poco adagio, it has such a strong foretaste of Beethoven and Schubert in the piano part that some passages could easily be mistaken.

An undeservedly neglected masterpiece of a true genius!

Now on to No. 4!

[Lethevich]

Piston - Violin Concerto No.1

Volume 11.... that's the one where he's featured next to his Dune Buggy, right?

[toledobass]

Moved across town and getting the stereo set up and disks unpacked I'm finding lots of stuff to listen to that I haven't in a while.  It'll be nice listening to some of the things I haven't heard in a very long time.

Among the classical selections that I listened to yesterday was Salonen/LA Mahler 3.  Excellent recording...the bass drum sounds great on this.




Check it out if you haven't heard it.

I think I'm finally gonna finish listening to the Chailly Mahler box this week, which I'm excited about.


Allan

[karlhenning]

Volume 11.... that's the one where he's featured next to his Dune Buggy, right?

Very smartly done, Jens!