Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #53)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by George P, Jan 11, 2014.

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  1. Moonfish

    Moonfish Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    One of my eternal favorites on dvd is Gheorghiu in La Traviata under Solti at Covent Garden. Highly recommended! I think her voice (and overall performance) definitely made me more interested in opera and serves as an excellent introduction to Verdi's works. It is a wonderful performance!

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    Last edited: Jan 12, 2014
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  2. alankin1

    alankin1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Philly
    Now playing, pianist William Kapell – Complete Recordings 1944-1953 (RCA Red Seal – Sony Classical), part of CD6:

    Domenico Scarlatti – Sonata K380
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Piano Sonata K570 - II Adagio
    Isaac Albeniz – Evocacion (from Iberia, Book I)
    Abram Chasins – Piano Playtime Nos.1/4/5/6
    Claude Debussy – Children's Corner
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  3. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Now playing CD2 from the following box for a first listen ...

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  4. drh

    drh Talking Machine

    Truth be told, it was for volume. There were also machines with two turntables, feeding either a single horn or twin horns, for sequential playback of long works split across multiple sides (Pathe in particular offered such things as a way to play acoustic complete opera sets). None of these configurations sold very well, and all are quite rare today.
     
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  5. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    I would hope so. Otherwise, four horns would mean this thing is 4.0, almost surround sound without the sub and center channel. LOL. :uhhuh:
     
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  6. drh

    drh Talking Machine

    Actually, that arrangement would be a special machine just for Schumann's Konzertstuck. ;)
     
  7. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Returning to the lego block set ...
    Now playing CD70 - Act 2 from Wagner Meistersinger with Hans Sachs (a big deal of his generation), etc. from the following box for a first listen ...

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  8. John S

    John S Forum Resident

    Location:
    Columbus, OH
    Back to back on a Sunday...

    Rachmaninov
    Piano Concerto No. 3

    Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano
    London Symphony Orchestra
    André Previn

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    Rachmaninov
    Piano Concerto No. 3
    Prokofiev
    Piano Concerto No. 2

    Yuja Wang, piano
    Simón Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela
    Gustavo Dudamel

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    Prokofiev
    Piano Concerto No. 2
    Ravel
    Piano Concerto in G

    Yundi Li, piano
    Berliner Philharmoniker
    Seiji Ozawa

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    Ravel
    Piano Concerto in G

    Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, piano
    Philharmonia Orchestra
    Ettore Gracis

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    By the time Ashkenazy recorded this version of Rach 3, he had recorded it twice before, plus playing it in concert unknown number of times. So he knew the work, and this recording in Kingsway Hall in the early seventies is very satisfying. The tempi, while rather stately, are within ordinary bounds; Previn and company are a fine foil for the piano. Here, Ashkenazy bangs out the longer “chordal” cadenza. It must be very impressive live, but I feel the shorter cadenza is more appropriate to the music, although I wouldn’t blame any pianist for “showing off’ the longer one during unrecorded live performances.

    I haven’t heard any problems with the new Yuja Wang recording discussed here in an earlier thread. The orchestra does occasionally step on the piano in the mix, particularly in the Rachmaninov, but this isn’t certainly a fatal flaw. On the other hand, the orchestra’s power is much appreciated during some of the tuttis in the first movement of the Prokofiev. Wang’s awesome technique is evident throughout both pieces. Even during some of the most thunderous sections, I hear a musical tone; that same tone makes other quieter sections a joy. Considering the wonderful recording at hand, it is difficult to believe the piano had to be almost rebuilt due to its broken state, and that there were fights in the audience during this live recording. And special credit must be given Ms. Wang for playing two of the most devilishly difficult concertos in the repertoire at the same concert.

    Yundi Li’s Prokofiev, at least in this concerto, doesn’t provide the same musical tone one hears in the Wang recording. Of course, all the notes are there and he obviously has the technique to play difficult scores, but I just don’t hear the extra musical phrasing evident in the Wang record. The Ravel unfortunately doesn’t come off quite as well as the Prokofiev. Here the playing seems just a little heavy handed, particularly in the last movement. Michelangeli’s fingerwork throughout this legendary recording is forceful when needed, but especially in the last movement his touch seems to so light while his fingers fly over the keys. I’m certainly not condemning Yundi’s album, it’s not bad by any means, especially when you have the Berliners present.
     
    Last edited: Jan 12, 2014
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  9. Moonfish

    Moonfish Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Digging into Voices of the Opera II. I have been enjoying the 2 cds focusing on Elisabeth Rethberg very much. I think I played them three times in a row :whistle: . The discs mostly covered Verdi as it seems that she often performed in those roles. It is interesting that two full cds was devoted to her. She was unfamiliar to me and I am not surprised to hear that she was one of the greatest sopranos of the 1920s-30s. Great music! Her voice is vibrant and vivid in the performances and with unusually good sound for the times (1927-30). I read that some of the Met performances she was in are available in Europe. Recommendations please? :goodie:

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    Last edited: Jan 12, 2014
  10. Moonfish

    Moonfish Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Anybody familiar with this set (16+1 cds) focusing on Solti's Verdi recordings? Is it worth acquiring? I have been hoarding Verdi sets over the last year ( I cannot help myself :help:).

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  11. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Great reconstruction/remastering of a 1943 recording and it is actually quite musical ... :edthumbs:
     
  12. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    It is a simple one-click checkout on Amazon ... :pineapple:
     
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  13. Moonfish

    Moonfish Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Ha ha! Yes, I am not looking forward to my visa bill for December! :hide:
     
  14. Moonfish

    Moonfish Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    I guess we all play "lego" nowadays as the numerous box sets have to be fit into limited spaces on our shelves. You remind me that I need to dig deeper into that excellent collection!!!!
     
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  15. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    The Furtwangler lego box was a great deal at $90 with free shipping ... :righton:
     
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  16. Moonfish

    Moonfish Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Calming down after all the opera this morning! Enjoying Vivaldi this beautiful Sunday afternoon!
    "La Stravaganza" with Huggett/Academy of Ancient Music/Hogwood.

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  17. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    This should be nice and I should have this recording in my collection as well ...
     
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  18. Collector Man

    Collector Man Well-Known Member

    I find the longer "chordal" cadenza that Ashkenasy uses. in the Previn conducted performance. wonderful. In other performances of the Rach 3 I sometimes fell totally cheated because the pianist goes for the easier option.
    Another magic performance is the Decca Previn /Ashkenasy keyboard performance of the Rachmainioff Suite for Two Pianos. The unmistakeable cross complimentary co-ordination between these two artists is striking. Often these works recorded, can become but a show of competing artists bashing and thumping the keys.
     
  19. Collector Man

    Collector Man Well-Known Member

    An excellent buy for the price. I have all the Solti Verdi conducted operas listed, except the La Traviata. And.....if you do not already own it , the companion set of Solti conducting a big range of Richard Strauss operas..a proverbial musical goldmine of superb performances....is just as excellent, a buy.
    For those that would want to discount Solti's operatic conducting abilities.. here's an interesting footnote.
    It is known he was doing a run through of part of the Verdi Otello score with a famous tenor (who he did not subsequently use in complete performances of that role). They happened to have a sharp diffence of opinion about several bars of one of its musical sections. The tenor relying on the Piano score...
    Solti instead , relying on memory then promptly got up from his seat, went to his Score cupboard, pulled out the Orchestral Score and showed the singer that he Solti "was right" according to the full Orchestral Score. Sollti was renowned for not suffering - fools and artists' tantrums, gladly.
     
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  20. Collector Man

    Collector Man Well-Known Member

    The complete recorded performance of Verdi's Otello with Elizabeth Rethberg as Desdemona seems to be kept being mentioned in various music discussions of that opera.
     
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  21. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Now playing CD1 from the following box for a first listen ...

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  22. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Now playing CD3 from the following box for a first listen ...

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  23. vanhooserd

    vanhooserd Senior Member

    Location:
    Nashville,TN
    I have the earlier box set of these recordings. Haven't played any of it in a long time, but I remember most of it being good,
    in performance if not in sound.
     
  24. Hawkman

    Hawkman Supercar Gort Staff

    Location:
    New Jersey
    Thank you for your recommendations. I opted for the DVD of the Pappano because unless I saw incorrectly the Levine seems to be part of a larger package.

    At the same time I also bought a copy of the Zeffirelli 'Pagliacci/Cavalleria Rusticana' DVD.

    While I was at it I grabbed a copy of 'The Mystery of Picasso'.

    When that package arrives it's going to be a very artsy weekend. :)
     
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  25. John S

    John S Forum Resident

    Location:
    Columbus, OH
    We can agree to disagree regarding the two Rach 3 cadenzas.
    However you do remind me of the Rachmaninoff Suite for two pianos which I have on this:

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    Argerich and Nelson Freire, which many hold in high regard as well. I need to re-listen to this.
     
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