What are you listening to now?

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

Vivaldi was a practical man. He had a certain amount of musical inspiration, and used it to write a considerable body of great music. He also had a need to supply vast amounts of music, so a lot of it is copy-of-copy or compose-by-numbers. If you buy a complete Beethoven you'll find this is true of old Ludwig as well. (I won't even mention Shostakovich ...) At his best he was one of the greats.

...and Mozart, don't let him off the hook!

[Karl Henning]

I think, actually, that Shostakovich's occasional practice of re-contextualizing material is subtle, and creative.

[Florestan]

The more I listen to both composers, the less find this to be true of either Vivaldi or Haydn.  There is no reason why a composer cannot fulfill practical demands with artistry and integrity.

+ 1 !

Bach, Johann Sebastian is the first and foremost example of a composer fulfilling practical demands with artistry and integrity.

[Wakefield]

Mozart: Piano Sonatas
Daniel-Ben Pienaar

[asin]B00470HPGQ[/asin]

CD5: K545, 570 & 576

I have found Daniel-Ben Pienaar to be one of the most refreshing (active) performers of Mozart's keyboard sonatas on modern piano.

His digital dexterity and light touch are especially suited for this music, conveying a sort of sunny and airy landscape.

His digital dexterity is also his principal enemy, when he tends to be a little bit showy in matter of tempi.

All in all, one of the most satisfactory sets of this music I have purchased the last time. Anyway, more satisfactory than Schiff (a favorite pianist) and Engel. 

[SonicMan46]

Beethoven, LV - Piano Concertos et al w/ Steven Lubin & Christopher Hogwood/AAM - Dave

[Que]

I've wanted to listen to this for quite some time.

It doesn't disappoint. It's still early days, but I would be surprised if this wasn't one of the highlights of the set!

Q

[Cosi bel do]

I've wanted to listen to this for quite some time.

It doesn't disappoint. It's still early days, but I would be surprised if this wasn't one of the highlights of the set!

Q

Yes it is. The Dang Thai Son and Goerner CDs are the best, as I remember it.

[Mirror Image]

Now:



A new acquisition. Listening to Ein Heldenleben. Absolutely sizzling performance! Thanks so much for recommending it to me, Dancing Divertimentian. You know your Strauss (Monkey Greg, too)!

[Wakefield]

Trio Sonatas & Chaconnas [Castello, Merula, Marini, Purcell, Pachebel, Corelli]
New Trinity Baroque
Predrag Costa

[asin]B001KO6YKA[/asin]

Another excellent American ensemble playing on period instruments.

http://www.newtrinitybaroque.org/index.html

[HIPster]

Trio Sonatas & Chaconnas [Castello, Merula, Marini, Purcell, Pachebel, Corelli]
New Trinity Baroque
Predrag Costa

[asin]B001KO6YKA[/asin]

Another excellent American ensemble playing on period instruments.

http://www.newtrinitybaroque.org/index.html

That looks good, Gordo!  Right up my alley, so to speak. . .   

Thread duty ~

Haydn Symphonies 77 and 76 - Hogwood/AAM

Amazon image not displaying, here's a link:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000IJS0U0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

A recent purchase, this disc has held me spellbound for the last week or so.

Recommended by many here at GMG, including by Gurn Blanston, this is a marvelous recording.  Worth purchasing, while still available at all.   

Thanks again, Gurn! 

[Sadko]

Chopin

Mazurkas and waltzes

Nina Kavtaradze

[asin]B00129XQ5O[/asin]
From her covers I'd never guess she's selling classical pianism.

[Florestan]

Trio Sonatas & Chaconnas [Castello, Merula, Marini, Purcell, Pachebel, Corelli]
New Trinity Baroque
Predrag Costa

[asin]B001KO6YKA[/asin]

Another excellent American ensemble playing on period instruments.

http://www.newtrinitybaroque.org/index.html

Wishlisted.

[Moonfish]

Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique            Berliner Philharmoniker/Karajan

I starting to thoroughly enjoy 'Symphonie Fantastique'. It must be Halloween getting closer!




Brahms: Violin Concerto             Ferras/Berliner Philharmoniker/Karajan

Much better than I expected. Ferras's performance is definitely excellent in this recording!

[Cosi bel do]

Berg, Lulu
Boder / Py production (video) with Patricia Petibon
from Liceu Barcelona



Good production, Petibon is an incredibly physical and tormented Lulu. Boder's conducting lacks the precision and detail of Boulez's though. And Py is as usual good at actors direction but questionable in his choices, his sense derision masking a lack of ability to express tension. Also, the set is unnecessarily distracting. Still a good performance overall. I'll compare it with Andrew Davis / Graham Vick production with Christine Schäfer.

[TheGSMoeller]

A new acquisition. Listening to Ein Heldenleben. Absolutely sizzling performance! Thanks so much for recommending it to me, Dancing Divertimentian. You know your Strauss (Monkey Greg, too)!

D.D. always makes great recs. And this is a disc I've had in my wish list since he mentioned it a few months back. Must...pull...the...trigger...soon! 

[Drasko]

Prologue & Act I

[asin]B000009IMM[/asin]

[Mirror Image]

D.D. always makes great recs. And this is a disc I've had in my wish list since he mentioned it a few months back. Must...pull...the...trigger...soon! 

Yes indeed. You should definitely pull the trigger soon and you might as well pick up Bychkov's Eine Alpensinfonie on Profil as well. Right now, I'm really eyeballing his Elektra. So tempting but I might wait until Christmas.

[Harry]

A bit of authentic Beethoven, not entirely pleasurable...

http://walboi.blogspot.nl/2014/10/new-acquisition-beethoven-ludwig-van_27.html?spref=tw

[king ubu]

Back home from work ... back to Rameau:

[asin]B0007IK1H2[/asin]
Wonderful!

And what a treat to hear 11 minutes of recitation out of the fun "Défense de la basse de viole, contre les entreprises du violon & les prétentions du violoncel" for starters!

[Harry]

Some time for some relaxing Madrigali...

http://walboi.blogspot.nl/2014/10/monteverdi-claudio-settimo-libro-dei.html?spref=tw