Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #62)

Thanks, I wasn't aware of that. I do have a Smetana & Janáček (no. 2) vinyl on Heliodor.

 

I do as well, having previously owned them on Columbia (not Epic) as a box set. My introduction to 1-4. I already had 5 by Rubinstein/Leinsdorf.

 

No, I only have that Chopin, "Gold Seal" RCA box. I doubt I will get the big Rubinstein box since I am not an extreme pianophile like you, even though I do have many piano recordings, perhaps a distant second to you ...

 

I should re-listen to the CD to see if it is really that bad. I have always liked Zimerman's interpretation of Chopin ...

 

I have the entire cycle by Roy Goodman and the Hanover Band, which is one of the three HIP Beethoven cycles in my collection. IIRC, Roy Goodman was a violinist either with the AAM or ASMIF, both of which had spun off many alumni who went on to found other ensembles. Again, I am somewhat lukewarm toward HIP Beethoven Symphonies ...

 

Was Mercury a sister label to Philips?

 

No, not originally. Mercury was a U.S. label, Philips was Dutch. See Mercury's history here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_Records

Mercury's later connection with Philips is mentioned here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_Records#Later_history

 

That was a good move on the company's part. The old-style bias belted sound was always so tiresome!

 

Thanks so much for this George. I just ordered this Rubenstein Mazurka set. I don't mind mono recordings at all, especially solo piano. Last night I enjoyed this near mint condition used vol. 29:

Lots of humor here. I imagine nineteenth century salon audiences were quite amused by these flights of fancy.
I'm going to compare Zimerman's Fantasie with Rubinstein's later. Any thoughts on Rubinstein's?

 

YES!!! (he cries, pumping fist). The very first Mahler symphony "complete" on record was the 2d, recorded in 1923 or 1924 by Oskar Fried by the acoustic method, meaning the orchestra couldn't have numbered more than maybe 25 musicians, and the music was in a "special arrangement" to register on the equipment then available, viz. horn and diaphragm. What goes around comes around!

 

This reminded me of your post back in #51. An acoustic recording in progress:

 

"DA BOMB" is a compliment.

 

I've been surveying the 5ths I own over the last few days. An enjoyable task since it's my favorite symphony. Of the HIP versions, the Hanover Band is certainly a contender. I don't have the box set, just the single CD. Monica Huggett, who worked with the AAM and the English Concert among others, is listed as co-director with Goodman.

 

I haven't compared Rubinstein's, but I will compare some of my recordings (Cortot, Moravec, etc) of that work later, along with Rubinstein.

 

Despite a rather silly title and weird cover, this is a fantastic recording. I mainly bought it for Nicholas Maw's "Music of Memory," a 20-minute tour-de-force based on a Mendelssohn String Quartet melody, but all of the pieces are played in a commanding style and superbly recorded.

 

The only Maw I've heard is in the EMI 20th Century Masterpieces box.



http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/classical-music-corner-thread-44.305703/page-40#post-8550860

 

Me too.

 

Thanks for the link.

 

Here's a video of "Music of Memory":



His music can be a little thorny but also rewarding. I also recommend:

 

Now playing LP1 from the following box from my Tchaikovsky collection ...

 

Now playing the following LP from my Mendelssohn collection. I remember I was very impressed with the SQ of this early digital recording on LP ...

 

During an interview last year, Pope Francis cited Puccini's "Turandot" to illustrate a point; in response, his interviewer asked him about literature and music, and here's what he had to say about the latter:

The full interview is here: http://americamagazine.org/pope-interview

Pretty cool, huh? We can't discuss religion or the church of course. But the pope not only has good taste, he also has opinions about specific recordings!

 

Speaking of the Pope and conductor ...

 

Now listening to "Bach - Motets" performed by Cantus Colln directed by Konrad Junghanel from the "DHM 50th Anniversary Edition" box set.

Six Motets BWV 225-230.

 

Back to CD and time for some long neglected early baroque works. Now playing the following CD from my Charpentier collection ...