What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

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Listening to Symphony No. 6 "Tragic" right now. Fantastic performance from Solti/CSO.

[jlaurson]

For Strauss' Four Last Songs, Karajan is still the man to beat in my opinion:

That's a touch too sweeping a statement for me. For starters, I think the girl involved matters every bit as much, if not more... and when we *do* consider voices, there are many great recordings that are great for different reasons. For double-cream delight, nothing beats (in my book) Miss Norman, backed up by Masur. Janowitz has a completely different, very differently compelling (silver-cum-tin) tone... and so do, among the golden oldies, Schwarzkopf II and (preferred) I and (still yet more preferred) Lisa della Casa [her real name, btw.]. Now there's a piece where I really would not want to be nailed down to just one. (Although, I guess, if I were, it'd still be Norman.)

[Coopmv]

Now playing CD4 - Ballades and Scherzos, etc from this set for a first listen ...

[Mirror Image]

That's a touch too sweeping a statement for me. For starters, I think the girl involved matters every bit as much, if not more... and when we *do* consider voices, there are many great recordings that are great for different reasons. For double-cream delight, nothing beats (in my book) Miss Norman, backed up by Masur. Janowitz has a completely different, very differently compelling (silver-cum-tin) tone... and so do, among the golden oldies, Schwarzkopf II and (preferred) I and (still yet more preferred) Lisa della Casa [her real name, btw.]. Now there's a piece where I really would not want to be nailed down to just one. (Although, I guess, if I were, it'd still be Norman.)

Yes, there are other performances that are great as well, but Karajan's is the best I've heard. Don't forget the part in my above post where I said "in my opinion." Karajan is my man for R. Strauss. Kempe, Previn, Jarvi, etc. have all done great things with his music, but Karajan is the conductor I continue to come back to time and time again when it comes to Strauss.

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A nice change of pace. Listening to the beautiful In Memoriam: The Colored Soldiers Who Died for Democracy.

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[Bogey]

Earlier:



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[mc ukrneal]

Mensch & John - thanks for the comments on the Strauss above left - put it in my cart at the Amazon Marketplace (have not bought this composer in a long while - just filling in other areas, I guess) - 

Beethoven, LV - Piano Concertos w/ Paul Lewis - giving this set another listen - enjoying - 

You might check out my post #68839, where I posted my thoughts about the Haitink (as I listened). I cannot compare to Luisi, but I preferred the Haitink to Mehta, a version I was already quite happy with (and still am): http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,9.msg429335/topicseen.html#msg429335

[Que]

Morning!

This is one heck of a lutenist BTW, he deserves to be much more known. His website: http://www.paolocherici.it/

Q

[mc ukrneal]

Listening to Stenhammar's Piano concerto #1 (and symphony #3) on a Chandos disc with Mats Widlunder at the piano and supported by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic under Rozhdestvensky. A very enjoyable piece. I have considered the new Hyperion release, but I am completely happy with this version (and my concerto #2 on BIS) - lively, full sounding, exciting, and with great virtuosity. So I think I'll be spending my money elsewhere for the time being.
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[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

Morning!

This is one heck of a lutenist BTW, he deserves to be much more known. His website: http://www.paolocherici.it/

Q

Agreed, I enjoyed this recording very much, he is indeed a wizard on the lute.

[mc ukrneal]

Listening to Stenhammar's Piano concerto #1 (and symphony #3) on a Chandos disc with Mats Widlunder at the piano and supported by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic under Rozhdestvensky. A very enjoyable piece. I have considered the new Hyperion release, but I am completely happy with this version (and my concerto #2 on BIS) - lively, full sounding, exciting, and with great virtuosity. So I think I'll be spending my money elsewhere for the time being.
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I was just reading the booklet on this - fascinating. It seems that the manuscript and all the parts were destroyed during WWII and that only a short score remained. Stenhammar's widow asked Kurt Atterburg to orchestrate the short score and that was used for several decades. However, in the 90's, an original score was discovered in a private collection from when Franz Rummel played it when he was on tour in the US. So that is how we have the original.

By the way, the end of the Andante has some exquisite music. So calming.

[Willoughby earl of Itacarius]

I had written quite a lot about this recording and suddenly GMG was gone totally, and my posting was lost. Well I am so pissed of I will not do it again.

[jlaurson]

W. Mozart (1813– 1883)
Chamber Works for Clarinet
Stadler Quartet & J.C.Veilhan
K617

disc 3.

not available in the US -- but used copies only get cheaper and cheaper in Germany and France. (Link above to German Amazon where it's below $20. Absolutely terrific sounding; works like the Quintet (K581) and the Concerto (K622) are easily among the best and most touching I've heard... especially in the slow movements.

[The new erato]

I've seen these discs as part of a red multidic package as well (which I have). And I agree about your comments, very fine it is.

[The new erato]

Little time for listening this week, though I've managed these recent arrivals:

[val]

MOZART:        Piano Quartet K 478

Schnabel and the members of the Pro Arte Quartet are extraordinary. With a very decent sound this is the best version I ever heard of this masterpiece. The development of the first movement, played by Schnabel, then by the string instruments is a magical moment. They are the only I know that repeat all that section.

Horszowski and the members of the Budapest Quartet are also very good, in special the pianist, with his beautiful phrasing, always natural.

Curzon with the Amadeus Quartet never reach that level. Their version has a strong global cohesion but they seem too literal and severe, far from the "instrumental opera" of Schnabel and the Pro Arte..

[Antoine Marchand]

Violin: Sebastian Klotz, XVIII Century

[prémont]

This is on my wish-list. I suppose you can recommend it.

[Bogey]