Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #7)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by -Alan, Dec 20, 2009.

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  1. Jay F

    Jay F New Member

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    I don't know how he made the music sound as nice as it did. I just remember liking it better than CDs I have by Uchida and Brendel, when I was being as hair-shirty an analogician as I ever got, in the days before I would admit to myself that surface noise really did bother me.

    Thanks to you, Robin, and Stuart for the further info.
     
  2. George P

    George P Way Down Now

    Location:
    NYC
    He looks pleased with your choice. :D
     
  3. Jay F

    Jay F New Member

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    This is probably what I'm looking for. Has any of you heard it?
     

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  4. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    This is a wonder of modern digital sound shaping technology, which "often" makes a historical recording that much more enjoyable when remastering/reconstruction was done right ... :righton:
     
  5. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    No. While I have a few of his recordings on LP, this is his only CD I now have.
     

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  6. Robin L

    Robin L Musical Omnivore

    Location:
    Fresno, California
    Freeze-Dried Mozart

    I've owned the Angel Lps—more like catch & release. If you want this stuff any drier you'll have to go to Gould, I'm afraid. Really enjoyed Uchida, as I recall. Not enough to buy them mind you. I recall the Lily Kraus recordings as being particularly nice. Alicia de Larrocha, who passed on just this past September, made some fine sounding recordings late in her career.
     
  7. drh

    drh Talking Machine

    Yes, I have it; that's the CD issue to which I was referring above. If you want the recordings on LP, Seraphim reissued the lot in a couple of boxes, and they should be readily available and quite inexpensive in that form.
     
  8. Robin L

    Robin L Musical Omnivore

    Location:
    Fresno, California
    Right now this seems to be going for crazy money at Amazon but it shouldn't be too hard to find a brick 'n mortar that sells it for around $30:

    [​IMG]
     
  9. drh

    drh Talking Machine

    If Gieseking was "somewhat controversial," Gould was downright bizarre. Supposedly he claimed to hate the music, and it's been a matter of debate why he ever set it down on record. Yes, de Larrocha was lovely--but then, she was pretty reliably lovely in all that she did. Caveat: I know some of her Mozart concerto recordings but not solo literature. As noted, Lili Kraus had two major cycles, one for Columbia (the sonatas and concerti) in stereo and one for Haydn Society (sonatas and much solo music) in the early '50s. In the concerti she is very fine, but the orchestral accompaniment under Stephen Simon would be shamelessly flattered if called "third rate." She recorded only a few works on Parlophone 78s, but then she didn't record a *lot* of anything during that era. If you can find her series of Mozart violin sonatas with Szymon Goldberg, they will richly repay your attention, and I'm quite fond of her account of the Variations on "Unser, Dummer, Pobel Meint" (which may be more familiar in orchestral garb as the final mvt. of Tchaikovsky's 4th suite, "Mozartiana"). Has there ever been a pianist of her stature with a spottier, more convoluted recording history?

    Oh, I should add: Kraus recorded a mess of Mozart vln. stas. with Willi Boskovsky on LP. I have the recordings but haven't played them--picked them up as sealed LPs, and the "collector" in me has been reluctant to break the seals.
     
  10. john greenwood

    john greenwood Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    I did like them enough to buy them. At full price no less. They've given me immense pleasure for close to two decades.

    I saw in her recital the last time she was at Carnegie (last April?). Wonderful Mozart. Equally wonderful Berg. But decidedly less impressive with the 19th century music.
     
  11. john greenwood

    john greenwood Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    Those big EMI boxes are terrific values. Oddly enough, I find Amazon UK often has the best prices if you take into account shipping.
     
  12. Robin L

    Robin L Musical Omnivore

    Location:
    Fresno, California
    Hum Along

    I am the world's biggest Glenn Gould fan and I find his Mozart Recordings unconscionable.
     
  13. Bronth

    Bronth Active Member

    Location:
    Riga, Latvia
    Longitude of Riga: 24° 05' East (i.e. Greenwich Mean Time + 2 hours).

    BTW, you were right regarding MDT - they dispatched my SACDs today. Not bad! :cheers: :goodie:
     
  14. Robin L

    Robin L Musical Omnivore

    Location:
    Fresno, California
    Lost In The Stars

    I have heard the sonata records, & I remember them being "all that". Allen Kozinn's Obit for the NYT places her among the stars in that particular realm:

    Her Mozart performances, as well as her readings of Bach and Scarlatti, were so carefully detailed and light in texture that even as public taste shifted toward the more scholarly interpretations of period-instrument specialists, Ms. de Larrocha’s readings retained their allure. She was closely associated with the Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center, where she first performed in 1971. Her appearances remained among the festival’s hottest tickets until her final performance there in 2003.​

    http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/26/arts/music/26larrocha.html?_r=3&hp
     
  15. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    MDT actually has pretty good prices as well. Amazon UK tends to have the promotional sale when the box is first released while Amazon US often charges higher price early on ...
     
  16. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    There is little point to place any new orders with MDT until after 1/4 since no one will be there to process the orders ...
     
  17. Bronth

    Bronth Active Member

    Location:
    Riga, Latvia
    IIRC, I came across a similar book by Penguin recently but couldn't decide if it is that good. Interestingly, I haven't bought any classical-related books yet, since my experience has always been more empirical (despite I have been reading a lot of reviews, articles and Wiki bio's for last, say, 2-3 years, as well as the most informative CD inserts, esp. those from big box sets).

    But recently I decided that, perhaps, it's time for something more conceptual, so thanks for your suggestion. :wave: I even may try some Hurwitz - despite I usually doesn't share his view regarding 50-70% of recordings. Has anybody read his Guide to Brahms symphonies?
     
  18. Bronth

    Bronth Active Member

    Location:
    Riga, Latvia
    Yeah, I got the point, I'm also currently waiting for some Grimaud's Beethoven (on SACD too) from USA, and my next order probably will be from there as well.
     
  19. Jay F

    Jay F New Member

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    "Catch & release"?

    Anyway, I'm not looking for a third set of Mozart's piano sonatas. I just wanted to know how anyone liked the Giesekings.
     
  20. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Grimaud tried on her hands on Bach but I was not too impressed with this CD. I would also have preferred a 100% Bach CD ...
     

    Attached Files:

  21. Jay F

    Jay F New Member

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    How odd. A business that closes down four days before Christmas.
     
  22. Robin L

    Robin L Musical Omnivore

    Location:
    Fresno, California
    #9, #9, #9, #9, #9, #9, #9, #9, #9, #9, #9 . . .

    The Penguin Guide is as obsequiously polite as Grammophone, no big surprise, and tends to overate a lot of Karajan and Solti discs. Also has an Anglophile skew, predictably enough.

    The Third Ear Classical Music guide That George and I are recommending is more direct in it's approach than the Penguin Guide and has many more contributors. There is a first rate section on electronic music, something entirely absent in the Penguin Guides I've owned.
     
  23. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    The period between Christmas and New Year is a big deal for most Europeans unlike our merchants who have to open 24/7 to rake in those worthless dollar.
    At least my last order with MDT was dispatched today ...
     
  24. Robin L

    Robin L Musical Omnivore

    Location:
    Fresno, California
    I've worked in record stores for years doing the promo exchange boogie. I got used to buying records, giving them a quick listen and throwing 'em back into the giant pool of used record shops. Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley has been very, very good to me.

    For the record, I didn't.
     
  25. Jay F

    Jay F New Member

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Christmas to New Year's I get. But to be closed four days before Christmas? That seems suicidal.
     
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