Listenin' to Classical Music and Conversation

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by bluemooze, Feb 22, 2017.

  1. crispi

    crispi Vinyl Archaeologist

    Location:
    Berlin
    As I said, maybe don't be so quick to call it nonsense. It would be nonsense for you maybe, since you already have so many recordings. But, thankfully, there are other collectors out there, some of them from younger generations who do not have that much stuff yet.

    For them, a set like this is certainly not nonsense. Plus, there is some serious scholarly work involved in that project. There are two huge books inside, one of them a new updated biography surely containing informations not previously known. There are also newly found works not recorded before.
     
  2. crispi

    crispi Vinyl Archaeologist

    Location:
    Berlin
    [​IMG]

    After years of dismissing this set, I finally came back to these old recordings of Pau Casals playing Bach's Cello Suites... and I have to say, I finally get them. I used to find his phrasing a little bit disconcerting and his feel for flow and rhythm seemed a bit off to me. Not anymore, and now I can really enjoy them and I get what the fuss is about. Sometimes, it's worth waiting a while.

    Currently listening to the EMI Great Recordings of the Century CD remaster, which I sometimes prefer over the Naxos remaster. I don't know why, since the Naxos sounds a bit fuller.
     
  3. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    I have both the LP version and the CD version, though the latter is not from the latest remastering, which has happened many times ...
     
  4. J.A.W.

    J.A.W. Music Addict

    I've never heard it, but I'm told the Opera Kura remaster of Casals' Bach Cello Suites is the best. I'm not a Casals fan, though I acknowledge the importance of his recordings.

    https://www.amazon.de/Pablo-Casals-...d=1537729678&sr=1-1&keywords=casals+bach+kura

    [​IMG]

     
  5. J.A.W.

    J.A.W. Music Addict

    P.S. I also noticed an EMI remaster from 2011, but I've never heard that one either and have no idea if it sounds better, i.e. lees processed than most of their other remasters of older recordings. They usually applied a lot of noise reduction. The set below is Warner's release after their acquisition of EMI.

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Sep 23, 2018
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  6. crispi

    crispi Vinyl Archaeologist

    Location:
    Berlin
    [​IMG]

    Some more historical recordings. Listening to Ein Heldenleben conducted by the composer, Richard Strauss, a recording from 1941. The sound is pretty good for 1941, but I'm pleasantly surprised by the clarity of phrasing. I had never heard Strauss conduct before except on an LP of his 1927 recording of Mozart's 40th symphony.

    DG's remastering is a bit meh. Not bad, and certiainly not over-processed like a lot of EMI stuff, but clearly nobody went to the effort of doing some remastering work. It's probably a plain transfer of some older tape transfer they had, with lots of clicks.
     
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  7. crispi

    crispi Vinyl Archaeologist

    Location:
    Berlin
    That series just duplicates whatever remasters they had in the vault already, meaning it's the same as mine.
     
  8. J.A.W.

    J.A.W. Music Addict

    I've just listened to snippets of the Casals Opera Kura set and on first listen it sounds a bit darker than the EMI.
     
    Last edited: Sep 23, 2018
  9. crispi

    crispi Vinyl Archaeologist

    Location:
    Berlin
    Just listened to samples of the 24-96 remaster (not available on CD), and it sounds definitely better than our CD remaster. But it's obvious they tried to make it sound more contemporary, and while the cello tone has more low end than previously, the contortionist EQ they used in the upper register makes it sound fatiguing after a while.
     
  10. Wes H

    Wes H Forum Resident

    Location:
    Virginia
    The box set of Abbdo/Brahms you are listening to should have this cover:

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    Glad to hear you are enjoying them. Like the original owner of your set, I was also a subscriber to the "Carnegie Hall Selection Committee" series back in the '70s and acquired a number of great box sets--like this one, which remains a favorite Brahms cycle to this day. The notes with the set point out that Abbado is one of the few conductors to respect every repeat mark in the scores and, thus, "provides the first recording to repeat the opening movement exposition in Symphony No.1." True or not, they are all stirring performances and very fine recordings.

    FWIW, I bought that Brahms box set in 1974 when it was first offered. My promotional materials for it claim that it was being offered "months in advance" of the US retail release. I believe the recordings were made between '71 & '74 and had been issued by DG individually. The way the club worked, subscribers were given a free ten-day trial to audition these sets, after which you could return it or keep it and pay a price that would be discounted from the expected retail list when it would go into general release. (DG and Philips retailed for about $7 per LP back then.)

    Not sure when the "Carnegie Hall" series first began, but I believe the first set I bought was Beethoven's "Missa Solemnis" (Eugen Jochum / Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam) in 1971. An excellent edition. Hopefully that is in your acquired collection as well.

    Enjoy!
     
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  11. J.A.W.

    J.A.W. Music Addict

    Am now listening to audio samples of the Naxos Casals set which was done by Ward Marston and can't say I like the sound, it's very boxy compared to the Opus Kura and even the EMI. Not Marston's best work on first hearing.
     
    Last edited: Sep 23, 2018
  12. crispi

    crispi Vinyl Archaeologist

    Location:
    Berlin
    Hmmm. Weird. I preferred the Naxos on headphones. It's not so extended on top and bottom, but sounds more natural. Never heard the Opus Kura, and don't know where to find it.
     
  13. Bachtoven

    Bachtoven Forum Resident

    Location:
    US
    That's the version I have. I don't find it particularly fatiguing to listen to--maybe my tube amp helps to warm it up a bit.
     
  14. J.A.W.

    J.A.W. Music Addict

    You are aware that Abbado redid Brahms with the Berlin PO for DG?

    [​IMG]

    and the reissue:

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Sep 23, 2018
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  15. J.A.W.

    J.A.W. Music Addict

    See the link in my earlier post and there are audio samples on AllMusic: Bach: Cello Suites Nos. 1-6 - Pablo Casals | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic

    Hm, some parts of the Marston restoration for Naxos sound better than others. Weird.
     
    Last edited: Sep 23, 2018
  16. crispi

    crispi Vinyl Archaeologist

    Location:
    Berlin
    Just managed to find samples of the Opus Kura... And indeed, it sounds much better than the Naxos... as if the latter was filtered both on top and bottom too much. Thanks for the recommendation.
     
  17. J.A.W.

    J.A.W. Music Addict

    Heard more of the Marston and I don't really like it compared to the Opus Kura.
     
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  18. Bachtoven

    Bachtoven Forum Resident

    Location:
    US
    Wow, very impressive. I have never heard of him, but I like his playing very much--effortless virtuosity, great tone, tasteful ornamentation and added bass notes. He's changed the key to C-sharp minor--seems to require less cumbersome fingering than the original D minor.

     
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  19. crispi

    crispi Vinyl Archaeologist

    Location:
    Berlin
    [​IMG]

    Kenneth Gilbert playing Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier. Great stuff.
     
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  20. J.A.W.

    J.A.W. Music Addict

    It's among my favourite performances of the WTC.
     
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  21. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Here are my WTC's by Gilbert ...

    Book I

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    Book II

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  22. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    I know you don't care much about the piano version ... :agree:
     
  23. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Didn't Abbado redo his Beethoven Symphonies with the BPO on DG as well?

    I did not know he redid his Brahms.
     
  24. J.A.W.

    J.A.W. Music Addict

    Abbado wasn't happy with his earlier Beethoven set with the BPO that was recorded in 2000, except for the 9th. DG pulled the set and instead released the audio soundtracks from his live 2001 cycle first issued on home video, together with a newly edited version of the 2000 9th.
     
  25. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    I think I have the second version of his DG Beethoven Symphonies ...
     

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