Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #27)

I've owned both and recorded Julianne Baird and Ronn McFarlane performing that repertoire at the First Congregational Church in Berkeley. It was with my tube microphones and tube microphone preamp and was one of the prettiest sounding recordings. Ms. Baird has a very pretty sound and a medium sized voice, so her sound was easier for me to capture than some bigger voices.

Wish I still had that recording, that was a very creative time.

 

Those early Dorian discs are really something special! Ronn McFarlane's solo discs are also pretty amazing... I love the Scottish lute disc and the Dowland recital. And although it's apples to oranges, the Baltimore Consort's 'On the Banks Of Helicon' is an absolute delight and has reference quality sound. In fact I often use it in system evaluations because of the way the recording portrays an acoustic space-if you can 'hear' the ceiling of the recording venue, you know the system is doing something right!

 

Right now ...

Shostakovich
Piano Trio No. 2 on E minor, Op.67
The Borodin Trio
(recorded in the Church of St. George the Martyr, Bloomsbury, London in June, 1983)

This piece's introduction is memorable indeed, with the spectral effect created by the con sord. cello's plaintive call in very high register. The violin soon joins in with a similar utterance in its lowest register. The mood of the movement is set as the piano soon lends deep bass support. As the movement develops, comparison with Mahler can be made: little simple and trite motives are made profound by the serious context.

Both this piece and the String Quartet No. 2 were premiered at the same concert in 1944. Here's S. Richter and company playing the fourth movement...a tad faster than the Borodins on this record. A macabre Mahlerian Jewish dance by way of Russia?

 

Great works, there, John!

I actually like Beaux Arts Trio's Piano Trio 2 the best.

 

Heavy dorian (Jewish) modality in that great final movement. Weird dance type melody against a march undercurrent. Things get a little more calm at 6:00 with the chorale but they change gears again around 8:00. A great piece of music.

 

Isn't this swell? Must get.

Even more than Richter's?

EDIT: I already have it on the BAT box set.

 

Yes, I think so. I should check again to be sure, but that Beaux Arts reading is awesome!

 

Yes. This is the one. When I am done entering Arrau in iTunes (I listen to each disc after I enter it), I will listen to Shostakovich.

 

Cool, so you have that set? It's wonderful!

 

Yes, I have everything by them except Haydn, whom I have never liked enough to listen to.

 

Yeah, the Beaux Arts Trio is consistently great!

 

I'm now first listening Arrau's Appasionata. My fan is going kind of loud, so I can't hear the clicking if there is any (it's been very here-and-there, mostly not a bother).

 

His Appassionata (Analog Philips) is awesome! Second only to Annie Fischer and (maybe) Richter.

 

Is this likely to be included in the Decca budget set released at the end of the year?

 

Ive been reading a lot of these Classical music threads for a while as I have NO experience with the genre but am interested in getting into it. I was thinking of trying out some of the Living Stereo SACD's that Steve has recommended. I guess I'd be interested in any kind of classical music thats really technically difficult, kind of like prog rock-like for lack of a better way to describe what I THINK I might be interested in. However, I admit I'm kind of shooting in the dark here!

 

Now playing the following CD, which arrived yesterday for a first listen ...

 

These two are spectacular (and fit your description):



I'd suggest getting the wonderfully sounding (and muuuuuch cheaper redbook CDs.) Amazon has listings for the SACD and Redbook CD of each.

Here's another:

 

I'd say Stravinsky and Prokofiev at their best is more like Prog at its best. Igor's Rite of Spring and Sergei's Scythian Suite leap to mind, but there are others. Janáček and Bartok also come to mind. Bartok's Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta really rocks.

You should check out Prokofiev's grandson Gabriel Prokofiev and his Concerto for Turntables and Orchestra:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/...or-Concerto-for-Turntables-and-Orchestra.html

 

Now playing:

 

...as does his Concerto for Orchestra.

 

+1 for Byron Janis, and also for the Mercury redbook releases, which sound great.

 

Interesting, I remember a thread here a couple of years ago debating whether DJs can be considered musicians or not.
So, there you go!

 

Prog-classical

I like these suggestions. May I also add:

Szymanowski: Violin Concerto No. 1, Op. 35 - Tetzlaff; Boulez / Vienna Philharmonic [DG 2010, recorded live in concert like Yessongs!!]

The Concept:

Btw, if you want virtuosity this concerto has it in spades, and Tetzlaff is a killer exponent -- I saw him play it from about 15 feet away in 2009, and it was like watching Hendrix. This is a demanding piece!