Haven't heard any. Read and heard (on Dutch public radio) quite a lot of reviews when the discs came out years ago, and they weren't very favourable; many reviewers thought the series was a hodgepodge, with "important pianists being left out" (can't remember any of the names that were mentioned) and arbitrary track choices. They also complained about various errors. The series was too expensive for me at the time to take the risk, and I had other priorities back then.
I like them enough to have bought all of them. I have no idea how they decided who to included, but I wouldn't be surprised if some of the arbitrary track choices were due to licencing. For instance, the Glenn Gould set has not Bach and I wouldn't be surprised if that was because Sony didn't want to licence any of the Bach
I think I heard it once on the radio years ago. I knew it because my first piano teacher had me play it. But then she was Scandinavian like the composer. It's funny that it has not shown up in one of my compilation CDs. The only Sinding recording I have is his Symphony 1 & 2. Ari Rasilainen & the Norwegian Radio Orchestra on the Apex label from 1999.
There are some fine things in the series. I don't own all of it, maybe around 60 %, because I bought from the used market later.
This disc has stunning play and superb sound, but it's exhausting to listen in one sitting due to the nearly non-stop flying fingers!
In the disc player...listening to the Peacock Variations (Dorati). Sure do wish there were more Dorati/CSO collaborations...he brought out the best in that orchestra, for sure.
From the Decca Sound Analogue Years, incredible sound: I'm always blown away with how great the Decca engineers (and Mercury, RCA Living Stereo) were and how far ahead they were technologically compared to other music from the 50s and 60s
This is an excellent program. Kavakos is a brilliant violinist. Leonidas Kavakos Virtuoso Decca, 2016 01 - (2:51) Stravinsky: Danse Russe - Pétrouchka 02 - (4:10) Stravinsky: Chanson Russe 03 - (5:24) Sarasate: Caprice Basque 04 - (5:03) Sarasate: Romanza Andaluza 05 - (2:41) Tárrega: Recuerdos De La Alhambra 06 - (2:36) Falla: Danza Del Molinero - El Sombrero De Tres Picos 07 - (12:50) Paganini: Introduction and Variations on "Nel Cor Più Non Mi Sento" 08 - (6:14) Wieniawski: Capriccio-Valse 09 - (7:55) R. Strauss: Waltzes From Der Rosenkavalier 10 - (6:01) Dohnányi: "Gypsy Andante" Ruralia Hungarica 11 - (5:13) Britten: Reveille 12 - (4:05) Elgar: La Capricieuse 13 - (3:00) Tchaikovsky: Valse Sentimentale 14 - (6:34) Paganini: Variations on "God Save the King" 15 - (4:01) Dvorák: Humoresque
Strongly . I have about a dozen of CD's on various Vivaldi works by Biondi in my baroque collection. I attended a Mostly Mozart Festival all baroque concert (go figure!) performed by Biondi and his ensemble at Lincoln Center some 15 years ago. What a great concert!
Thanks, Hans (and the others who responded). I saw some used copies at reasonable prices of some of the titles with lesser known pianists and was trying to decide whether I should pick them up.
Now playing, CD 1: Edouard Lalo – Concerto for Cello in D minor Camille Saint-Saëns – Concerto for Cello No.1 in A minor Op.33 Max Bruch – Kol Nidrei Op.47 adagio on Hebrew melodies for cello and orchestra – Lamoureux Concerts Association Orchestra – Jean Martinon Ernest Bloch – Schelomo Hebrew rhapsody for cello and orchestra – Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra – Alfred Wallenstein Pierre Fournier (cello) [Deutsche Grammophon]
I decided I really want to hear this mono Mahler First so I ordered another copy. I posted how I ordered it once already but returned it as I received a cheap CD-R copy. I love this Symphony and currently own two recordings of it but after numerous listening and comparisons I am not really satisfied with either. One is the Solti from 1984. Overall this is pretty good but I find the sound a little too bright and with too much volume fluctuation. Some parts are so quiet as to be almost inaudible then it gets so loud in the final movement I literally have to lower the volume a couple notches or my ears hurt. The other version I have is Sir Adrian Boult from 1958 on the Everest label. Again I like the interpretation of this but not the sound. It is OK for the most part but for me it is ruined by loud and overpowering percussion! There are parts with drums and crash cymbals that are mixed way too loud and bright that they overpower the orchestra and are harsh on the ears. I think it is a weird mixing or balance choice. I'm hoping the Walter will be more to my tastes and become my favorite Mahler Symphony No. 1.
These performances are technically very clean, but I don't detect a lot of personality in his playing, a common problem with many young musicians. Very well recorded--he's practically in my listening room!
Sad to say, I feel that way about many modern classical performances. This is probably the biggest reason why I tend to listen to the older masters.
Forgot how amazing the sound & performance of this SACD Really shows off my meager system. The acoustics of Symphony Hall, Boston really shine.
What you're hearing is dynamic range, and it's something that many other listeners demand in their recordings - it's part of the music. You should consider using equalization settings on your playback unit to lower the dynamic range.
I am aware of dynamic range and appreciate it but in my opinion it can go too far. I don't like when I set my volume for an album to be able to clearly hear the soft parts and then it suddenly gets so loud that it actually causes discomfort to my ears. I own well over 1000 CDs and SACDs and I have only ever owned two where I felt the difference between the quiet and loud parts was too extreme. One is this Solti Mahler 1st and the other is the Dutoit recording of Holst Planets, which I know many people like. I think another problem with these discs is also that they are digital recordings on the bright side, so when the volume gets loud it is even more harsh on the ears. Again it is just my opinion and my system but I don't care for these two recordings so I won't listen to them. I prefer Ozawa for the Planets and will try Walter for Mahler, no big deal.
I haven't seen the 1st symphony live, but when I saw the 2nd, the percussion was be pretty over powering during the crescendo in the final movement. I remember there was a 4 foot wooden box, like a huge cajon. The percussionist playing it a huge wooden mallet, over 1 foot in diameter. He was putting his whole body into hitting the box. Of course, every thing was extremely loud at that point. I was anticipating hearing the organ at the Kennedy Center for the first time. I couldn't pick it out with everything else going on.
It should be mentioned that in the case of classical music, these dynamics are written into the music itself, printed right onto the score. And romantic music (like Mahler) has some of the widest dynamic range of any music. (You may know all of that, but I thought it was worth mentioning for others.)
Fair enough...the only point of doing any of this is the pleasure of experiencing music, and I won't tell you how you should enjoy it. I've recommended it before, but this release from last year is exemplary - I listened on Spotify after seeing nothing but raves, and on hearing it I understand why.