Listenin' to Classical Music and Conversation

I have his late 1950s to early 1960s recordings on LP (Archiv). I've listened often to his early and late DG/Archiv boxes on Spotify.

 

Now streaming on Spotify, "Hildegard von Bingen: Celestial Harmonies - Responsories & Antiphons" performed by the Oxford Camerata led by Jeremy Summerly on Naxos.

 

Now playing the following SACD from my R. Strauss collection ...

 

Now streaming on Spotify, "French Beauties & Swedish Beasts" performed by Martin Frost on the clarinet and pianist Roland Pontinen on BIS.

 

Now listening to "Speculum Amoris - Lyrique de l'Amour Medieval du mysticisme a l'erotisme" performed by La Reverdie on Arcana.

 

CD from the Decca Sound-the Analogue Years box. Includes Piano Concerto #1 played by Pascal Rogé.

 

Second time for this today.

 

Spotify Premium. This ensemble is made up of players from 12-23 years of age.

Biography | LGT Young Soloists

 

Now playing CD64 - Cantatas Nos. 206, 207a and 207 from the following box for a first listen ...

 

Apart from having a good number of Sibelius recordings, I also have recordings by Atterberg and Halvorsen. I do have a few recordings of Scandinavian music I have not played in years but the challenge is to locate them ...

 

Unfortunately, I bought the wrong house and therefore do not have that kind of wall space ...

 

I found the following Scandinavian Masters but it has not even been entered into my computer after all these years. Now playing the following CD ...





Have UK participants of this thread ever heard of Kenwest Records Ltd at 21 Napier Place, London? My sense is it might have gone out of biz years ago since I bought this CD at least 20 years ago ...

 

Same here, but I don't have anything close to that many records.

 

I knew of Nicolas Flagello and the Orchestra Da Camera Di Roma that made the foregoing CD since I had bought the following LP in the early 80's, which is now available on Discogs ...

 

That wall shelf should hold some 10,000 records ...

 

Now playing the following Dutch Baroque CD from my miscellaneous collection ...

 

The singing in Psalms by Sweelinck on this CD is just beautiful



I need to find time for the whole shebang in the following box for a second listen ...

 

Now playing CD7 - Brahms Symphonies Nos 2 & 3 from the following box for a first listen ...

 

Looks like hi-res cassette may be the next big thing after the vinyl resurgence of recent years ...

Toshiba Releases "High-Res" Cassette Player

 

Now playing the following CD from my Haydn collection ...

 

Thought I'd try this set again and listened to everything that's available on AllMusic: Wilhelm Backhaus' late 1950s/1960s stereo Beethoven Piano Sonatas cycle; the exception is the mono Hammerklavier, which was taken from his 1950-1954 cycle, he died before he could re-record it for the stereo cycle.

Backhaus' interpretations are really unique, there's not the depth others show in these pieces, slow movements are fast, fast movements are relatively slow (he never plays really slow), anachronisms like desynchronized hands abound, etc. etc. It's interesting, but also very fatiguing…

 

Haydn is really the borderline composer for me. I have a tough time getting used to works by composer who came after him to be performed in the so called HIP style ...

 

For me the "borderline composer" is Beethoven. After him preferably no HIP for me, with very few exceptions.

 

Wilhelm Backhaus continues to be an enigma to me. I cannot say I like his style or dislike his style. While I readily accept the playing styles of Kempff, Arrau and Gilels, etc, I just don't know about Backhaus ...