shostakovich, symphony no. 14 & 1 simon rattle, berlin harmoniker Soloists Karita Mattila and Thomas Quasthoff highlight the dark Symphony No. 14, handled well by Rattle and the Berlin Harmoniker. Dimitri's "graduation symphony" No. 1 is an added treat.
Wow! What a set. You've inspired me to continue playing more of Collard's Fauré this afternoon (via LP)... This is a French release with five Impromptus and nine Préludes. Recorded in Paris in November 1980 & June 1981. LP released in 1982.
Thoroughly enjoying these "HIP" Beethoven cello sonata recordings. The fortepiano takes some time getting used to, but its thin sound is more than made up by Isserlis' incredible warmth and fullness of tone on the cello. Very recommended to those looking for a fresh approach to these pieces.
I am listening to these Mozart sonata recordings on the fortepiano, the piano's earler version and the kind of instrument Mozart would have used in his time. I must say, I am absolutely charmed! These interpretations by South African pianist Kristian Bezuidenhout are so awesome and the sound of the piano so special that they kind of spoil any other versions on the regular (modern) piano. The sound of the fortepiano he is using is really warm and not as grating as I have heard it sound on older attempts. Still, there is still plenty of honky-tonkiness to it that it will make you smile throughout. Can't recommend these enough:
Speaking of the fortepiano, a very interesting video by the artist I mentioned explaining the instrument a little bit:
Movie Mars came through on the ~20 GBP the 1955 Goldberg Variations box So far this is the most intricate, detailed super deluxe I have ever seen, the book could have easily been a stand alone with how well it was researched. Some real minutiae for instance like stamper information that I would think would only be of interest to audiophiles. Cleaned and played the LP and fortunately there were no pressing defects. Looking forward to reading more about these sessions in the coming weeks.
It was the same with me, too, having only heard older recordings (like the one made by Conrad Hansen for DG in the 50s, included in the DG Mono Era box). But this is something else, it's really very interesting. I guess I'll now have to check out Brautigam's Beethoven sonata cycle on the fortepiano. Bezuidenhout mentions Beethoven in the video I posted and how his chords are really a bit thick for the modern piano and I agree with that, but never really knew why it sounded like that.
I have checked out Brautigam's Beethoven and Hadyn and Mozart recordings. No matter what, I always ended up wishing I was listening to a modern piano. So I gave up. Same with harpsichord. It just isn't for me.
Please let me put in a good word for Jorg Ewald Dahler, who has made recordings on early piano, harpsichord, and organ for the Swiss label Claves (makes sense; he's Swiss himself). After an initial enthusiasm born of swallowing HIP orthodoxy hook, line, and sinker, in later year's I've grown rather lukewarm toward the "fortepianos"--no such term existed historically, by the by; it's a modern coinage by the period instrument movement to differentiate antiques and copies from modern concert instruments. Dahler, however, retains my enthusiasm; he manages to play the old instrument to bring out its characteristic color and even warmth without sounding like some clattery parody of a barroom upright, and he's musicianly enough to take us well beyond mere "Look, Ma, I'm playing a proto-piano!" He made several good recordings of Schubert back in the '80s, give or take.
I'm currently listening to Brahms Symphony No. 4 by Claudio Abbado and the Berlin Philharmonic from 1991. Does anyone out there like or have an opinion on this recording?
I'm not a big fan of the conductor, so I haven't heard that recording, sorry. For Brahms symphonies, I like Wand, Barbirolli, Klemperer, Sanderling and 60s Karajan.
I am going to have another crack at ripping the Richter Melodiya box and try not to shelf the project, I really hate editing tags I do a lot of typing at work and even the "Rolls Royce of keyboards" which makes typing way more enjoyable can't get me to like editing tags. How I currently do it is I rip the disc when I am in the mood to listen to it. So I have many box sets that are partially ripped. Finished listening to CD 27, Cesar Franck's Violin Sonata with Oistrakh
I like Abbado and this performance I will echo the Barbirolli recommendation and say that Szell is my favorite.
Klemperer remains my favourite in Brahms, though his 4th is not his best. I like Abbado, and also Carlos Kleiber, one of his few symphonic recordings; I wish he had made more. Bruno Walter's two complete cycles, 1951-1953 with the NYPO and 1958-1959 with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra, are very fine. Toscanini's 1952 London cycle with the Philharmonia Orchestra has a special place, but it's probably not to everyone's taste. And then there is Eduard van Beinum's 1954-1958 cycle with the Concertgebouw Orchestra; I think he was an underrated conductor. Last but certainly not least is George Szell's excellent 1964-1967 cycle with the Cleveland Orchestra.
Of the ones you listed I only have the 2nd by Klemperer, and it is very good. However I find the sound quality to be a little lacking for my tastes, probably because it was an early stereo recording by EMI in 1956. As a whole my favorite Brahms symphonies are the Solti and Chicago Symphony on Decca/London. I own the original CD releases from the 80s and they are among the best sounding orchestral discs I own. They are very detailed yet have a warm and full tone with powerful bass. I also find the performances to be excellent.
If you prefer more modern and audiophile recordings, forget about my recommendations above, most of them are probably lacking what you are looking for.
I would imagine the recording quality on Ivan Fischer/Budapest Festival Orchestra is reference level if Channel Classics' other symphony recordings are anything to go by. I'm not sure how the Brahms performances are though.
After much soul-searching, I believe Abbado's Brahms cycle with the BPO is my favourite of them all. Everything is just amazing about it and it's the best (in my view) if you combine quality of interpretation with quality of sound. Many older recordings have that je-ne-sais-quoi that this recording still retains in the string sound, but unfortunately the often pinched sound quality of vintage recordings doesn't do them justice – I think Brahms needs to sound lush. So, in the end, it's Abbado for me, as he combines old-school gravitas with new ideas, but not yet quite as lightweight as Chailly's cycle, for instance. It's the perfect combination.
