What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[pi2000]

Nice!!

[George]

I'll have to give Naxos-Schnabel a try. At least in some of the middle sonatas. Any recommendations?

When I get home I'll check my notes and get back to you. If I don't, please PM me. 

[George]

Have they boxed these up yet?

No and it's been awhile so I doubt that they will.

[Dr. Dread]

No and it's been awhile so I doubt that they will.

Oh well. I can wait.

[mahler10th]

It's no wonder Mahler became part of the Worldwide repertoire after Mitropoulos got his hands on Mahlers stuff.

*Sorry I been off for a week, IP problems.* 

[Fëanor]

It's no wonder Mahler became part of the Worldwide repertoire after Mitropoulos got his hands on Mahlers stuff.

Oh, so it's Mitropoulos' fault. 

[karlhenning]

Bill! Go to your room this instant! 

[Harry]

Caroline Catanga.
Romanian folk music.
Dor de Casa dor de viata.

[Todd]

In what will almost certainly be my last trip to the local Borders (the entire CD selection, for all genres, has shriveled to next to nothing), I picked up Yuja Wang's debut CD on DG.  Not bad.  Her Chopin B flat minor sonata is nicely dark, with excellent opening movements.  The funeral march isn't quite as good, and the finale a bit flat.  The Liszt sonata is played with flair and ease, with incredible dexterity, but it lacks the intensity of, say, Pollini or Argerich.  The Scriabin Second is appropriately lush and dreamy.  The real highlight for me are the two Ligeti Etudes.  Wang's playing has color and flow that even Pierre Laurent Aimard's recording lacks.  I look forward to hearing Ms Wang in other repertoire (keeping my fingers crossed for some Messiean).  She definitely sounds more promising than DG's other Chinese stars of the moment.  (That written, I heard Yundi Li play some Mozart that was quite fine.)

[mahler10th]

Oh, so it's Mitropoulos' fault. 

Aye, I'm happy to say it is.  Sorry about that. 

[karlhenning]

So Mitya did the spadework, and Lennie snagged the glory, eh? 

[ChamberNut]

Vaughan Williams
A Sea Symphony
Sheila Armstrong, sop
John Carol Chase, bar
London Philharmonic Choir
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Boult
(September 1968)

Getting sea sick yet, Karl? 

[George]

Getting sea sick yet, Karl? 

I'll spare you all my bowling at sea puns.

(well, all but one) 

[mahler10th]

***  POUNDS TABLE, ROARS, SPITS, AND PUNCHES OWN FACE THEN ROARS AND COUGHS AND VOMITS THEN POUNDS TABLE AGAIN  ***

Perhaps this has something to do with it...

[DavidRoss]

***  POUNDS TABLE, ROARS, SPITS, AND PUNCHES OWN FACE THEN ROARS AND COUGHS AND VOMITS THEN POUNDS TABLE AGAIN  ***

Perhaps this has something to do with it...

I trust that's how a Scot expresses approval? 

Okay, having never seen anything but sneers for Segerstam's Mahler from the "experts," I've never felt inclined to hear any.  Now you're suggesting that if I keep an open mind about it and listen, that I, too, will soon be seeking bandages and cleaning supplies.  Okay.

BTW, how do you like, say, Bernstein's WP M5, or Chailly's RCO, or Barshai's, Gatti's, Barbirolli's?

[prémont]

I have Schnable on Dante... which is filtered an awful lot. I can't help but imagine (though I have not heard them yet) that the Naxos transfers are the ideal combination of filtering and (rough) piano sound (as on Pearl). But then why bother with Schnable [no offense, MNDave] if Backhaus (stereo) and Kempff (mono) can be had in sound so much superior and styles still so close to Herr Schnabel.

I have not heard the Schnabel/Pearl but agree that the Schnabel/Naxos transfers are very good as to sound. His playing is another matter, and if I wasn´t a closet completist, I would never think of acquiring any Schnabel recordings at all, given the other >40 sets I own of these works (the two Kempff sets, the two Backhaus sets and the two Arrau sets among them) including a lot of individual recordings.

[mahler10th]

I trust that's how a Scot expresses approval?  

Okay, having never seen anything but sneers for Segerstam's Mahler from the "experts," I've never felt inclined to hear any.  Now you're suggesting that if I keep an open mind about it and listen, that I, too, will soon be seeking bandages and cleaning supplies.  Okay.

BTW, how do you like, say, Bernstein's WP M5, or Chailly's RCO, or Barshai's, Gatti's, Barbirolli's?

The Segerstam is BIG and BROAD and sometimes SLOW - it sounds like a real WOW, it is BEAUTIFULLY RECORDED...but it misses the point completely.  The thunder I expected was there, but meaningless.  Segerstam has painted this work with Bruckners brush, and the essense of Mahler is lost.
Barbirollis fifth is much more intimate, Chaillys RCO is big Mahler with great acoustics and Bernsteins 5th (WP) is a punch of Mahler passion.  My favourite Mahler fifth is by Neumann and the CPO.  Such musicianship.   

[jlaurson]

...given the other >40 sets I own of these works (the two Kempff sets, the two Backhaus sets and the two Arrau sets among them) including a lot of individual recordings.

You're a sick puppy.  

As per my latest count, there are 66 complete sets finished to-date... and nine currently under way. I'll have the 7th installment ready next week which will bring me to #66. The 8th will be for those under way, the 9th for those that are incomplete but important (historically or interpretively) and have >20 sonatas.

[prémont]

You're a sick puppy.  

Well, Todd surpasses me, and George is on the way.

[George]

Well, Todd surpasses me, and George is on the way.

I disagree. I've been sick for years.