What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Conor71]

Beethoven: Piano Trios Nos. 7, 11, 9 & 12

Really nice set of the complete Piano Trios this one - have been listening regularly since getting it a few months ago .

[Philoctetes]

Tomorrow, you!



Yes, that is the Harnoncourt playing Bach's Solo Cello Suites. (I have high hopes for this one. I've yet to come across a complete set that I enjoy, so I'm hopeful for this one.)

[jlaurson]

Tomorrow, you!



Yes, that is the Harnoncourt playing Bach's Solo Cello Suites. (I have high hopes for this one. I've yet to come across a complete set that I enjoy, so I'm hopeful for this one.)

Sorry to dash them. Sounds ghastly.

This becomes even more apparent on hearing the first note of Harnoncourt.
Although the 1965 Teldec/Das Alte Werk recording (part of the first complete Bach
Edition) is about four years younger than Fournier's, it sounds like it could be decades
older. It's as if Harnoncourt played from the bottom of a bottle. The interpretation
itself is like a snapshot of the crossroad between the old Casals way of playing the
Suites and the emerging HIP trend.

I enjoy Harnoncourt, not so much because of any superior qualities (there are none
that I can detect), but because it makes me smile patronizingly. This slightly plodding,
slow and inflexible way of playing the Suites – without the benefit of a steadily
bouncing forward momentum and that rhythmic consistency in Bach otherwise yields
– just isn't up to snuff anymore. And it's funny to think that it ever was, given the
competition even back then.

Harnoncourt is only for the very curious – and Isserlis perhaps for the humorless.
In this crowded field, the only ones who will really want to add Isserlis to their
collection are those who prefer as straight-laced an account as possible, without
going the HIP route. The choice for a modern recording is more likely to be between
Gastinel, Lipkind, and Queyras – bla bla bla whatever.

[Philoctetes]

Sorry to dash them. Sounds ghastly.

Not dashed, or at least not yet. My favorite Bach Solo Violin Sonatas and Partitas, suffer from poor sound quality as well, so.. There's still hope. 

[Daverz]

Bloch: String Quartet No. 1.  This is in Bloch's earlier French impressionist inspired style.  A very beautiful work that manages to hold the listeners interest over a span of nearly an hour.

[George]

Pathetique Sonata

[Saul]

Bach Piano Concerto No.3, Perahia.

http://www.youtube.com/v/akelItFb3Ew

[George]

Chopin works

[Saul]

Chopin works

This guy started to learn piano fairly late.

[listener]

Les Vendredis       collective works for string quartet
GLAZOUNOV   Novelettes op. 15    for string quartet    also  Courante and Prelude e Fuga
also  LIADOV    BORODIN    RIMSKY-KORSAKOFF       ARTCIBOUCHEFF   WIHTOL    KOPYLOW    Maximilien d'OSTEN-SACKEN      SOKOLOV
Reger Quartet
MOZART    Mass in c   (Waisenhausmesse) K.129
Gundula Janowitz,  Frederica von Stade,  Wieslaw Ochmann, Kurt Moll   SATB
Vienna Philharmonic O.,   State Opera Chorus      Claudio Abbado, cond.
SHOSTAKOVICH    String Quartets  8 & 15
Fitzwilliam String Quartet

[Catison]

Messiaen: Livre du Saint-Sacrement (Paul Jacobs, organ) - Recorded at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in New York, and quite spectacular.

--Bruce

Listening to this piece is as close as I've ever gotten to a mystical experience.

[Mirror Image]

Now:



Listening to Symphony No. 6 right now. Quite possibly one of the most tragic symphonies I've ever heard. Pettersson definitely wore his heart on his sleeve in this symphony. The ending is so beautiful.

[Saul]

Brahms Piano Sonata No.3 in F Minor 1/5 Jonathan Plowright

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) Piano Sonata No.3 in F Minor Op.5, played by Jonathan Plowright.

I Allegro maestoso

http://www.youtube.com/v/VZ__mkglvaY
This is the first part of Brahms's piano sonata No. 3 in F minor (Op. 5) played by British virtuoso Jonathan Plowright. It was recorded live at the Wigmore Hall, London on Saturday 15th November 2008.

Ed Keohane writes: "Johannes Brahms was born in Hamburg in 1833. He excelled at the piano from an early age he also played cello and the horn and was taught free of charge by Eduard Marxsen, a leading Hamburg pianist and composer, who instilled in the young Brahms a lifelong love of Bach and the Viennese Classical composers. Indeed his first solo piano recitals, in 1848 and 1849, featured works by Bach and Beethoven.

"Brahms completed his third and final piano sonata in October 1853, the year that he became friends with the violinist Joseph Joachim and first met Robert and Clara Schumann. Brahms's music made a huge impression on Schumann, who wrote that each work was so different from the others that it seemed to stream from its own individual source. He also remarked how, at Brahmss hand, the piano became an orchestra of lamenting and loudly jubilant voices and his sonatas veiled symphonies.

"The genial and demonic sides to Brahms's personality are both evident in this colossal five-movement work. The spectacular opening gives way to a beautiful slow movement, above which Brahms wrote a verse by the poet Sternau:


Evening grows dark, the moonlight shines,
Two hearts are united in love
And hold themselves in blissful embrace.

"The contrast between this movement — described by pianist Alfred Cortot as the greatest love song in all of music — and the following demonic scherzo could not be greater. An intermezzo cleans the palate before the energetic finale, which ends in a triumphal coda in F major".

[Scarpia]

Sorry to dash them. Sounds ghastly.

I'm a big admirer of Harnoncourt, this is the one recording he's made which I find utterly without redeeming qualities.  They are just dreary, and the recorded sound doesn't bother me, it's the lifeless performance.

[mc ukrneal]

Here's another issue from Sterling that has been giving me much aural pleasure over the past hour. It's Hermann's Symphonies 1 and 2. There are times where he is a bit repetitive, but there are other times when is outright fascinating. It's not perfect, but extremely interesting. I'll definitely be listening to this one again. 

[Harry]

Here's another issue from Sterling that has been giving me much aural pleasure over the past hour. It's Hermann's Symphonies 1 and 2. There are times where he is a bit repetitive, but there are other times when is outright fascinating. It's not perfect, but extremely interesting. I'll definitely be listening to this one again. 

You must have bought the whole catalogue from Sterling, I really envy you, all those composers you listen to, are right up my street. Have a cheap source? They are rather expensive.

[mc ukrneal]

You must have bought the whole catalogue from Sterling, I really envy you, all those composers you listen to, are right up my street. Have a cheap source? They are rather expensive.

I wish! They are expensive and rarely go on sale. Earlier this year I picked several up through the Barnes and Noble site when they were sending me 25/30/40% off one item coupons (and at regular prices of $14-17, this brought them down to about $10-13), which is as good as it gets with this label. Made them at least reasonable. I generally heap them in my wishlist and when I come across a sale or good price, I just jump. MDT is the only place I think I've seen them on sale (they had one earlier this year). Moviemars carries them at $13.98 in the US (if they have them in stock), but it is free shipping, so not sure what would happen if you add in shipping to Europe (nothing good, lol!). If I should see a sale or a good price, I'll let you know and post it in the super sale thread as well.

A shame, because I easily have about 25 or more of their stuff on my wish list. 

[Catison]

Listening to the Piano Concerto No. 3 after a really long hiatus.  I know this is opening a can of worms, but can anyone recommend a recording that really tears it up with the piano?

[Brahmsian]

First listen Friday!

Bach

The Art of Fugue, BWV 1080

Emerson String Quartet
DG




Amazing! 

[SonicMan46]

This morning's listening - a couple of inexpensive purchases from BRO:

Hummel, Johann (1778-1837) - Chamber Music w/ Conway on flute & Christine Croshaw on piano - recommended in the Hummel thread - the quality of the music is excellent, the performances well done, and the sound outstanding! Plan to look for Vol. 1 from this set - 

Chambonnieres, Jacques Champion de (1602-1672) - Harpsichord Pieces (mainly 17th century French dance suites) w/ Francoise Lengelle on a restored instrument made by Vincent Tibaut of Toulouse in 1681! This is the first music I have purchased of this composer & famous 17th century harpsichordist - I'm finding the instrument used is just glorious and the sound is quite up front - could 'convert' a harpsichord doubter!