Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #2)

Just listening to the New York Philharmonic Orchestra playing
Bartok : Concerto For Orchestra Music For Strings, Percussion & Celesta directed by Leonard Bernstein on SONY CD.
Sounds very nice - good mastering, too.

 

Now playing: Debussy: The Complete Piano Music Disc 1
Gordon Fergus-Thompson

 

If I ever buy another set of Debussy piano music, it will be that one.

 

I haven't heard this recording, maybe I should check it out since I absolutely adore Debussy, both his piano and his symphonic music.

I have Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli on DG, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet on Chandos and Pascal Roge on Decca and out of the three I prefer Michelangeli.

 

The last set I played was Werner Jacob set, which reminded me of Karl Richter's playing, the old German school.

http://www.amazon.com/Bach-Organ-Wo...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1226852942&sr=1-1

Hans Fagius playing was decent. If I remember correctly (since I have not played the Hurford set in years), Peter Hurford's approach was more idiomatic.

Actually, for the old standby, Toccata and Fuge, I like the version on Philips by Daniel Chorzempa, the American organist the most. That is rare since I generally do not like American performers when it comes to baroque works. I think Chorzempa's performance of this work is fabulous.

http://www.amazon.com/Bach-Toccata-...=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1226853542&sr=1-4

 

Richter's live recording of the two books of preludes on BBC is lovely. I also have and enjoy ABM as well.

 

I am just playing (disc 1) for the second time since I bought the set and the performance is just fantastic.

http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Fergus-Thompson-Gordon.htm

 

I was just looking at the set by Marie-Claire Alain, the outstanding French organist. It looks like the set is out of print. I have many of the JS Bach Organ Works singles by Alain but have yet to complete the set.

http://www.amazon.com/J-S-Bach-Comp...=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1226854696&sr=1-3

 

I have one set, the one by Michel Chapuis on Auvidis Valois CDs (originally on Telefunken LPs); I also have his companion set of the Buxtehude organ works (ditto). I'm very fond of his way with these composers. I've heard enough of the old Walter Kraft set to know that I'm not interested in it. You mentioned Rogg; I just recently latched onto a CD issue of his account of the Art of Fugue to replace my rather ill-playing LP copy (on Angel, purchased used and evidently at some point before I bought it played with a dubious stylus). Of particular interest is his completion of the final fugue.

 

No Helmut Walcha?

 

Thanks, Stuart. I just bought a "like new" copy at that link for $1.40.

 

I have some of Helmut Walcha's recordings on LP and probably a few CD's as well. He probably has a set on Bach Complete Organ Works ...

 

No problems. This thread has been great, as I have learned about some CD's I should own. It is much better buying a used but like-new CD than buying those CDR's from ArkivMusic ...

 

He does. I had it on LP, then I sold it. I have his first CD, the Galleria Toccata & Fugue. I think he sounds great on both LP and CD.

 

I am this close to e-mailing that guy and telling him to get the hell off Amazon Marketplace. He suckered me in again last night with one of his "new and used from...$14.99" CD-Rs. The next lowest was around $40.

EDIT: I just e-mailed him.

 

Just found it. I have to think about it before I leap for this set. I have HvK's Wagner Ring on LP and have been debating if I want to get the set on CD.

http://www.amazon.com/Bach-Organ-Wo...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1226856850&sr=1-1

 

Now playing: Debussy: The Complete Piano Music Disc 2
Gordon Fergus-Thompson

 

Haydn: Harpsichord Concertos in F and G, Divertimento in F
La Petite Bande--Sigiswald Kuijken (conductor), Ewald Demeyere (harpsichord)
Accent 24188
Two-channel SACD

Pleasant, unobtrusive music well played and well recorded, in that gray area between baroque and classical.

 

While I am still on the ArkivMusic e-mailing list, I stopped buying from them a few years ago. I started buying from them at the recommendation of a friend from grad school in 2001 or so and did give them a good amount of business. Then I realized their prices are not that great and on large order, I ended up paying quite a bit for shipping. I think they are now charging sale tax as well but I am out-of-state. These days, I just buy from Amazon MarketPlace, but ArkivMusic is not among the list of merchants I buy from.

 

I have the following versions.