Hi - I got this set (on the SACD and Pure Audio Blu Ray edition) and had very high hopes for it. However, I have been put off by the amount of humming clearly audible from Sir Colin himself on the podium. Anyone else found this?
To me, the humming is part of the performance. If I was there, front row, I'd hear it. It's the same with Glenn Gould's singing, or conductor's humming/grunting/stomping on the podium. We all want sound that makes us feel that we are there, but that means hearing extraneous stuff sometimes.
I suppose so - I'd like it well enough if I was there but that's a one off and repeat listening I tend to prefer things more "pristine" and "studio". I accept it's my fault for not expecting that with LSO Live, but the other LSO Live SACDs from Marriner, Gergiev, Haitink, even other Davis's, don't have it. But I respect your point of view, thank you.
I can hear it, but it is less obtrusive than Gergiev's grunts and other vocalizations! (Mostly on his live Mariinsky recordings.)
Not sure, George. I don't have all of the "Anniversary Edition" CDs. So many of Gould's recordings have been released and re-released in various editions and series on CD over the years, that I can't keep up. Speaking of trying to keep up, it dawned on me this morning that the Scarlatti pieces were released in the "Silver Jubilee" album, so they are in the "Original Jacket" big boxes. My bad. (That's what I get for checking posts at near 2 a.m. and trying to respond with a foggy memory. ) It is the J.S. Bach pieces that are "new" on this disc; a smattering of Fugues and Fantasies that Gould seems to have recorded as part of his attempt to complete all the works of Bach (which he never did). One thing that is confusing about this disc is the cover photo... It matches the one used for the 1960 LP release of the Italian Concerto, although this CD contains the 1981 recording. Anyway, I looked on Amazon and found a couple of CDs that have the original release. One is this standard CD found here: https://www.amazon.com/Bach-Italian...6260&sr=8-6&keywords=glenn+gould+bach+italian And there is an SACD edition here: https://www.amazon.com/Bach-Italian...6260&sr=8-8&keywords=glenn+gould+bach+italian And I'm sure there are others... or you can just buy the big Sony "Original Jacket Collection" box.
Earlier this week the local NPR affiliate broadcast Dohnanyi's first piano quintet, op. 1; I came into it in the middle and was much taken with it. (Andras Schiff was the pianist; I forget the quartet backing him.) Yesterday I took a little time and checked my catalogue to see whether I had a recording of the piece, and sure enough I did: Edward Kilenyi, who studied with Dohnanyi, performing with the Roth Qtt. on Columbia set 546, recorded in or about 1940. Nice performance and not a bad sounding recording, once I got the settings and stylus choice sorted out, although Columbia 78s of that era on average do not sound as good as the ones from a few years earlier. But here's the embarrassing thing: according to my catalogue, I bought that set all the way back in 1990, and I don't think I'd ever played it. The filler on side 8 was piano solo this time, still played by Kilenyi: the second mvt., presto, ma non tanto, from Dohnanyi's op. 32a Ruralia Hungarica. Looking it up, I find that Dohnanyi wrote four different sets of pieces under "op. 32" designations. Op. 32a is a suite of seven short piano pieces. Op. 32b is a set of five orchestrations drawn from op. 32a. Op. 32c arranges two of them for violin and piano with a new second mvt. known as the Gypsy rondo. Op. 32d is an arrangement for cello and piano or harp of that new mvt., the Gypsy rondo, from op. 32c. Never a dull moment in Musicologyland!
The original release of that album was labeled "Volume 1." Gould recorded it in 1962 on an instrument he really loved: A Casavant organ at All Saint's Church in Toronto, Canada. Four years later the organ was tragically destroyed in a church fire and Gould abandoned plans to record "Volume 2."
On the turntable this morning, several Beethoven Variations played by Sviatoslav Richter with his characteristic intensity. Such a serious cover... hiding a very '70s "mod" record label!
Just got my copy in the mail yesterday! Speaking of Marston, I see they will have a new collection of Rachmaninov pieces coming out soon on their label.
Correct! RACHMANINOFF A NEWLY DISCOVERED 1940 RECORDING: Rachmaninoff Plays Symphonic Dances 53022-2 (3 CDs) | $54.00 For over ten years we have been working on a very significant piano discovery: a private recording of Rachmaninoff at the piano demonstrating just how he wanted his new orchestral work, Symphonic Dances, to be performed. While this project was of great importance, progress was painfully slow and its release even seemed questionable. Certain circumstances changed a year or so ago, making this project a possibility, but recently we were thrown a major curveball. A copy of the recording was leaked and was out in the public. We feared this recording would be all over the Internet in inferior form and out of our hands. While we had many pieces in place, we had to drop everything and finish this project in relative silence, as logic dictated. Rachmaninoff is now at the manufacturers, will be released 4 September 2018, and we are taking orders. Reviewers are already calling this one of the most important releases of the decade. As with all of our issues, our production is limited. We expect this 3-CD set to sell out quickly, so if you want this CD, please click on the cover art above and order this today to guarantee you will have this set in your collection. If you are a Piano Preferred Customer or All Preferred Customer, you will be receiving this automatically.
I saw that email as well, really nice to include both the edited and full version with all dialog on the last disc. I think Rachmaninoff is a superb pianist, not entirely sure if I will pick this up (who am I kidding )
And now, the finale of my Bach/Gould survey, this three CD set. I only had time for part of CD 01 (the 1955 recording) today, but will finish the rest tomorrow and Friday. As always, Gould's plying is a delight. His obvious joy and enthusiasm for the music of Bach is apparent throughout and his joy is infectious.
Playing Nocturnes... in the middle of the day! Ah, well, I suppose there's never a wrong time to play good music. French pianist Jean-Philippe Collard plays thirteen Nocturnes for Piano, along with the Theme and Variations, Op.73, all by Gabriel Fauré. LP from Pathé Marchoni / EMI, French press, 1974. Fauré, age 19.
I think I might order this George as I love the second and third concertos. How is the sound quality of this remastered version?
I should mention that my first post showed "Disc 1," which contained the Fauré Nocturnes 1-7. I had forgotten that I had to pull out this separate album for the balance of the Nocturnes and the Variations. (Obviously need to play these more often!) From the liner notes:
Sounds great and I’m a big fan of supporting these small labels doing archaeological work such as this one. But wow. 54 dollars? For 3 CDs? Is it the early 1980s again?
The prices Mr Marston is asking are a problem for me too; with the added shipping cost and possible import charges the prices of his CDs become prohibitive for EU customers.
