Classical Corner Classical Music Corner

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by George P, May 29, 2015.

  1. hvbias

    hvbias Midrange magic

    Location:
    Northeast
    What I like about these BBC Legends discs is the liner notes are usually very well written. Except with one of their box sets where they omitted all the notes entirely! I listened to a damn fine performance of a BBC recording of Gaspard de la Nuit this morning, will write more about it when I return this evening.
     
  2. Matt Richardson

    Matt Richardson Forum Resident

    Location:
    Suburban Chicago
    Received, listened (and watched) this today. I have both these fine, very literal performances on VHS. The sound on the 5th is usual good mono, but the remastered sound on the stereo 9th is a revelation. Very Full, immediate and well-balanced. I've often heard that Karajan' recordings, especially those done in the Philharmonie in the 1970s, don't reflect the true BPO sound under HvK's tutelage. After hearing this Blu-ray of a live New Years Eve 1977 concert, I believe it. Most of those DG symphony recordings that HvK did in the 1970s (LvB, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Bruckner, etc.) are marred by over-miking the strings and brass while the woodwinds are virtually inaudible. But this 9th recording is fine, with all sections clear and present. The video in the 1960s 5th (film) is good, if not as sharp as I was hoping for. Don't know if this came from the original negative or not. The 9th looks like it was recorded on video, so not the resolution of film, but cleaned-up and mastered very well.

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    Last edited: Sep 15, 2018
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  3. Octave

    Octave Shake Appeal

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    Stravinsky: FIREBIRD 1910 & SONG OF THE NIGHTINGALE (Flemish RO, Yoel Levi; Glossa, 2006)

    Lovely disc and strong performances, though I am not sure they will displace a couple others I have heard as favorites. I listened to it in SACD stereo, and the sound is sumptuous. On weird feature of this disc is how low the levels are, if this is word for it. I have to turn the volume up to scary levels---my AVR says 'Ref.'---almost 20 points higher than my usual habit, for opening murk to be comfortably audible. Making me fear for the present and future of my hearing!
    My friend contacted the label about this and was told that they intended for the disc to be like this to preserve a wide dynamic range and avoid compression; but it's a first for me.
     
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  4. hvbias

    hvbias Midrange magic

    Location:
    Northeast
    Here is the performance of Gaspard de la nuit that I really liked:

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    I think this is just as good as Ivo Pogolerich's excellent performance (I also have a soft spot for Martha Argerich's very different interpretation (studio) since it was the first I heard) on DGG and I possibly like Le giblet even more with Michelangeli. The booklet says this is a studio recording but it is a live performance. The booklet also goes into great detail about how Michelangeli worked with his piano tech to get the exact tone he wanted (traveled with two large Steinways!), that part was a very interesting read.
     
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  5. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    A quirky guy, to say the least. That BBC looks to be quite good, as it covers repertoire that I feel he handles well.

    I'm now enjoying some Mendelssohn String Symphonies on Naxos, conducted by Ward.
     
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  6. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    I really love his recordings from the 1960s. He was on such a great run, churning out great recording after great recording.
     
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  7. hvbias

    hvbias Midrange magic

    Location:
    Northeast
    Definitely :agree: Was hoping some of the 1960s boxes would come up for sale used at a good deal after the huge box set came out but I haven't really seen any :/

    I just checked Amazon and it looks like they have it in stock new, I thought this went out of print?
     
  8. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    [​IMG]

    This arrived yesterday and I just got time to sit down and listen to some of CD 01. I regret to report that the surface noise is consistently loud during the featured recording, the 1940 solo Rachmaninoff piano recording of passages from his Symphonic Dances. It's not just that the noise is loud, but the noise seems to occur at different frequencies, many of which are shared by the piano. So it is very hard to hear what it going on, except when the playing gets loud and even then, the sound distorts.

    The good news is that there is a lot of other cool stuff in this set. The item I am most eager to hear is Moiseiwitsch playing Rachmaninoff's Paganini Variations in a 1946 broadcast performance, with the BBC SO conducted by Boult.
     
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  9. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    I don't know, but I just read that the whole set has been remastered using the same processing as the Originals series, so I am not interested in it. As with Arrau and Szell, I have so much of what is in the Karajan box already anyway.
     
    Last edited: Sep 16, 2018
  10. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    [​IMG]

    Now enjoying some live Debussy and Chopin from the above 2CD set.
     
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  11. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    One thing about Arturo, he could play three notes and I think I could know it is him. His tone and technique was all his own.
     
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  12. hvbias

    hvbias Midrange magic

    Location:
    Northeast
    Pollini still had a LOT to learn from him...
     
  13. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    Correction, i enjoyed the Debussy, but not the Chopin.
     
  14. Denim Chicken

    Denim Chicken Dayman, fighter of the Nightman

    Location:
    Bakersfield, CA
    I heard Dvorak’s 8th symphony for the first time last night on NPR and it was glorious. Looked it up and it was with Kurt Masur and the New York Phil. I’m plan on going back to this one a lot. Any versions that you guys and gals prefer?
     
  15. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    I really like this one. Ivan Fischer and the Budapest. Kertesz is always great as well with all of the Dvorak Symphonies.
    [​IMG]
     
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  16. Eigenvector

    Eigenvector Forum Resident

    Location:
    Southeast PA
    Take this with a grain of salt as there are others here with far greater experience than me, but my favorite performance of this work is Rafael Kubelik with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra’s 1966 recording on DG.
     
  17. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    I am listening to it right now after recalling how great it is. Another fine recommendation. An amazing 9th as well.
    [​IMG]
     
  18. Eigenvector

    Eigenvector Forum Resident

    Location:
    Southeast PA
    Excellent! That’s probably my favorite 9th as well!
     
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  19. Propinquity

    Propinquity Forum Resident

    Location:
    Gravel Switch, KY
    Dvorak wrote so many good pieces besides the 9th symphony. I'm thrilled to be seeing performances of the 7th(my favorite) as well as the cello concerto at Carnegie Hall next month.

    For the 8th, I recommend Harnoncourt and Barbirolli.
     
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  20. drh

    drh Talking Machine

    My own favorite, at least from the CD era, is by the Cleveland Or. under Christoph von Dohnanyi, originally on London.

    If you like no. 8, you might also want to give a listen to no. 5. And no. 6, in addition to being another lovely listen in general, has a scherzo in particular that may be Dvorak's best example of that type. It's a furiant, immensely exciting if played to the hilt. For example,

     
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  21. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    Some great Dvoarak recommendations.

    I like most of Dvorak's works but the 9th IMO represents his greatest work. The way he uses thematic material from the previous movements in the 4th Movement is brilliant. I especially get floored when I hear how he uses the opening chord progression from the second movement in the final few minutes of the 4th movement. Parts of that chord progression are all over the 4th Movement. IMO, the 4th Movement of the 9th Symphony is one of the greatest of any composer.

    Here is a fantastic analysis of the symphony.
    en/symphony9 | antonin-dvorak.cz
     
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  22. Octave

    Octave Shake Appeal

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    Martinu: PIANO TRIOS
    (Kinsky Trio Prague - Praga Digitalis, 2009)

    I've only heard one similar program before (a Naxos disc), but it was too long ago for me to compare. I think the music is delightful, as is so much Martinu.

    Also, more Stravinsky from the ~2015 incarnation of the big Columbia box. Persephone, which I liked a lot...this surprised me for some reason. Now I want to track down another recording or two of Persephone by conductors other than the composer.

    Also Agon and Canticum.
     
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  23. Åke Bergvall

    Åke Bergvall Forum Resident

    Location:
    Mariestad, Sweden
    There is a brand new recording of Persephone with Salonen (have not heard it though, but I like other Stravinsky recordings by him): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stravinksy...r=8-1&keywords=stravinsky+Persephone++salonen.

    Also, while not the Canticum Sacrum, I strongly recommend a recent disc with Herreweghe doing Threni and the Requiem Canticles. No one, Stravinsky included, has done the Threni as well: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stravinsky...7163128&sr=8-1&keywords=stravinsky+herreweghe.
     
    Last edited: Sep 17, 2018
  24. Octave

    Octave Shake Appeal

    Thanks for those recommendations, Åke. I actually heard the Herreweghe several months back during my first (~chronological by composition) pass through Stravinsky's ~complete works, and it was excellent. I am very glad to see a new Salonen on SACD, right after mentioning liking some of his older Sony Stravinsky over in the megabox thread.
    Speaking of which, hat tip for the Menuhin hot tip. I hope that shipment works out!

    Chez Pentatone:

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    Taneyev: AT THE READING OF A PSALM
    (RNO/Pletnev - Pentatone)
     
  25. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
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