What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Coopmv]

Unfortunately (as I discovered when I was deciding which set to buy) the Gramophone review doesn't say a damn thing about the performances. It's basically just an historical recap of Clara and her relatioinship with Robert along with some description of what the pieces are like. The review doesn't even mention the pianist...not once! As far a I can tell it receives an editor's choice award simply for being unique...which it isn't of course. CPO's complete piano set was in existence then but Gramophone rarely reviews CPO issues. In a nutshell this is why I stopped subscribing to the magazine. It gives no help, no comparative reviews, for those trying to decide on a purchase. We still don't know whether Hänssler or CPO has the better Clara performances.


Here's the review: http://www.gramophone.net/Issue/Page/September%202007/79/731734/C+Schumann+The+Complete+Works+for+Piano+Solo+Susanne+Grutzinannpf+Profil++()+PH07065+(3h+55+%E2%80%A2+DDD)

Sarge

What good then is Gramophone if it does not review the performance of the artist?  I have a pretty old Penguin Record Guide, circa 1984.  It is great since a full 50% of my purchases are re-issues anyway.  BTW, most CPO artists are not exactly household name.  I wonder if that is the reason for lack of reviews by Gramophone?

[Brian]

BTW, most CPO artists are not exactly household name.  I wonder if that is the reason for lack of reviews by Gramophone?

Gramophone prefers to review British things. And, by virtue of giving things reviews, they have the power to make obscure British artists household names.

[Sergeant Rock]

BTW, most CPO artists are not exactly household name.

Unless you live in Germany 

Susanne Grützmann isn't exactly a household name either.

Sarge

[Coopmv]

Unless you live in Germany 

Susanne Grützmann isn't exactly a household name either.

Sarge

Sarge,  great observation.  If Grützmann isn't exactly a household name and Gramophone actually reviewed her recording, then I wonder what kind of criteria are actually used by Gramophone to select a recording to write a review for ...

[Sergeant Rock]

Sarge,  great observation.  If Grützmann isn't exactly a household name and Gramophone actually reviewed her recording, then I wonder what kind of criteria are actually used by Gramophone to select a recording to write a review for ...

I wish I knew! We can assume, I think, that they really did like the Grützmann set. Maybe that's why it was chosen. If it hadn't been good they might have passed. In any case,  I doubt you can go wrong purchasing it. As I said, the main reason I chose Beenhouwer is because the price was €15 (Grützmann was €39...the Presto bargain Erato got wasn't being offered when I checked). The clips I listened to didn't help. I couldn't hear an advantage of one over the other. Gramophone says Grützmann's is superbly played and recorded. International Record says Beenhouwer's performances set the standard and have first class sound (his set was released six years after Grützmann's). Given that, and no comparative reviews, I went for the bargain. I'm happy. 

Sarge

[Coopmv]

Now playing this CD - a CPO recording from my baroque collection ...

[Coopmv]

I wish I knew! We can assume, I think, that they really did like the Grützmann set. Maybe that's why it was chosen. If it hadn't been good they might have passed. In any case,  I doubt you can go wrong purchasing it. As I said, the main reason I chose Beenhouwer is because the price was €15 (Grützmann was €39...the Presto bargain Erato got wasn't being offered when I checked). The clips I listened to didn't help. I couldn't hear an advantage of one over the other. Gramophone says Grützmann's is superbly played and recorded. International Record says Beenhouwer's performances set the standard and have first class sound (his set was released six years after Grützmann's). Given that, and no comparative reviews, I went for the bargain. I'm happy. 

Sarge

I will probably get the Grützmann set from MDT and the Beenhouwer set stateside.  I rarely just get one version of any works, even for Mahler works.

[Sergeant Rock]

I will probably get the Grützmann set from MDT and the Beenhouwer set stateside.  I rarely just get one version of any works, even for Mahler works.

Well, if you do, you'll be the man to finally give us a comparative review! Since I already have Clara's major works duplicated I won't be adding the Grützmann until I hear from you    How much is it at MDT?

Thread duty: Papa H, op.33/5/2/1



Sarge

[Antoine Marchand]

D. Scarlatti – 16 Keyboard Sonatas
Joanna Leach [English square piano by William Stodart, 1823; pitch: A=415Hz]
Total CD duration: 72.27
Athene Records, 2006

She is an English pianist, specializing in square pianos; not a household name at all and, apparently, not reviewed by Gramophone.

"Joanna Leach gives us playing that is intensely and exquisitely expressive. Her response to melodic shape and harmonic meaning, her delicacy of touch and total commitment to the piano she has chosen is outstanding. Here is a performer who is immersed in the music of that period, and she casts a persuasive light upon some of the rarer, slower sonatas. Joanna opens our ears in quite a fresh way to the often overlooked, fragile beauty of the treasures within." - Penelope Cave (The Consort) 

Hyperbolic? No, I don't think so.

BTW, she is the performer of one of the most charming CDs that I have listened to in the last time: A Century of Domestic Keyboards, 1727-1832... And it just costs $12.99 on Amazon (only 1 left in stock!). 

Some excerpts and info HERE

[George]

Debussy
Violin Sonata in G Minor
Thibaud/Cortot
Biddulph
1929
Mastered by Ward Marston

[Que]

D. Scarlatti – 16 Keyboard Sonatas
Joanna Leach [English square piano by William Stodart, 1823; pitch: A=415Hz]
Total CD duration: 72.27
Athene Records, 2006

Domenico Scarlatti on an Enlish square piano....that doesn't sound quite right - to be honest.

Q

[Antoine Marchand]

Domenico Scarlatti on an Enlish square piano....that doesn't sound quite right - to be honest.

Q

It sounds excellent! I can swear it. 

[haydnguy]

I'm listening to:

Shostakovich:
The Symphonies Boxed set
Kirill Kondrashin, conducting

[Sergeant Rock]

It sounds excellent! I can swear it. 

I'm listening to clips at JPC. It does indeed sound mighty fine. I prefer the sound to the harpsichord.

Sarge

[Antoine Marchand]

I'm listening to clips at JPC. It does indeed sound mighty fine. I prefer the sound to the harpsichord.

Sarge

Well, Sarge, although I am a HIP boy, I have always had some doubts about Scarlatti integrally played on harpsichord. I know that sounds absurd because apparently Scarlatti composed his output for that instrument. But some people -like the fortepianist Aline Zylberajch- is thinking that Scarlatti on fortepiano wouldn't be historically wrong on historical basis. HERE you can check her delightful proofs. 

[SonicMan46]

I wish I knew! We can assume, I think, that they really did like the Grützmann set..........................

Sarge - thanks for your input on the Beenhouwer performances of the Clara Schumann; the Grützmann set was offered for $28 at MDT today, but still somewhat more expensive (Amazon lists the Beenhouwer as having 3 discs although one of the reviews indicated a 4-CD set?).

Concerning the CPO label, I've purchased numerous CDs from this company over the last couple of years - nearly all have been excellent - I would have absolutely no hesitation buying this set from the CPO label.  I also feel that Scott Morrison's opinions on his Amazonian reviews to be much above the average comments made there; I have based a number of purchases on his excellent reviews, and thus remain somewhat hesitant.

But, if Stuart decides to purchase both of these sets, maybe I'll sit tight and wait for his comments - thanks again to all contributing to this discussion - 

[karlhenning]

Henning
De profundis, Opus 78
Choir of the Cathedral Church of St Paul (Boston)
James Woodman, organ
Mark Engelhardt, music director

[Coopmv]

Now playing this CD from my Bach collection ...

[listener]

a pair of Earl Wild's discs since I took them down for posting on another thread
with Fiedler:  GERSHWIN   Rhapsody in Blue, Concerto in F, An American in Paris, Variations on "I Got Rhythm"
and Wild's 85th Birthday album: Sonatas by BARBER, STRAVINSKY, HINDEMITH, and WILD's own (with 3rd mvt 'Toccata a la Ricky Martin'  - Hindemith, Stravinsky and Ricky Martin together somewhere else?)

[Conor71]

Stuck on Bruckner the last few days - listened to the entire Cycle (Including Symphony No. 0) yesterday!  .
Now listening:

Bruckner: Symphony No. 8 In C Minor, WAB 108, "Apocalyptic"



Like this Cycle a lot, it is very mellow and the sound is quite excellent  .