Thanks, Wes. Indeed it does have that cover. (I'm afraid "Missa Solemnis" wasn't part of the haul.) I listened to Brahms 1 today and enjoyed it very much. I'm a fan of Abbado, in particular his Mahler. Looking forward to reacquainting myself with the rest of his Brahms cycle.
I am curious which your LP set sounds closer to? I am hearing quite a bit of loss of detail in the Opus Kura, presumably from the lower EQ addition. You lose that "stringy" tone of Casals, and it almost sounds like he playing an entirely different cello on the Opus Kura. I used ReplayGain to compare them though the differences between the tracks I compared was only 1-1.6 dB. I listened to the first disc (Suites 1-3), still not entirely convinced I like these performances
Have you heard Abbado's later Brahms cycle with the Berlin PO that I pictured upthread earlier today?
Got it, sorry I first read your initial post on my phone and I have you as the always finds minty vinyl guy I listened to Moiseiwitsch's Chopin Ballades earlier. I have enjoyed Arrau's from the box and played them several times, particularly raptured by the first. Moiseiwitsch's personal/romantic interpretation was also one that was in my heavy rotation back when I got this CD. And now listening to a set I have wanted to hear for a while (someone with similar tastes on TC wrote a lovely description of this): (LP art much better than EMI's generic art)
Now listening to CD 2 from "Adrian Willaert: Musica Nova - The Motets" performed by Singer Pur on Oehms Classics.
Yes, I have, though I don't own the CDs now, or at least can't find them. My impression was it was beautiful and fully realized, but somewhat lacking in pressure and intensity. A little safe? I should find them and listen again--I'm happy to change my mind. The 1970s set that Wes and I have is a bit of a mongrel, not exactly a cycle. Four symphonies, four orchestras: Vienna, Berlin, Dresden, London. I liked the 1st I listened to today, Vienna--again, very well-balanced and thoughtful.
Haven't heard the older set in years, so I can't really say. I loved the later performances when they came out, but my enthusiasm has cooled a bit; they're still very good, but a bit "subdued". My favourite in Brahms is still Otto Klemperer with the Philharmonia Orchestra, with Szell and Cleveland a close second.
First listen to CD 3 from "Igor Stravinsky - The Complete Columbia Album Collection" on Sony Firebird Suite performed by the Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra of New York.
Klemperer is one of my standards, too. And of course Furtwängler is always a reference point! I also like Bernstein, Karajan. Don't know the Szell very well but I will look for it.
First listen to CD 3 from "Witold Malcuzynski - The Polish Master Pianist" on Warner. CD 3 - Polonaises / Piano Sonata No. 2
Bluemooze's Dictionary Of Music: Rubato - An "emperors new clothes" term used when a musician can't keep time, goes off time due to struggling to finger the next chord, or a combination of both. Seriously though, it just sounds awkward to me and I don't care for it. But that's me. YMMV of course. Anybody else bothered by rubato? Any performances where it's applied to good effect?
I am a relative late comer to Klemperer's recordings but have enjoyed most of his recordings so far. I have the Lego bloc of Furtwangler's recordings but probably have 100 CD's that remain to be played after a few years of owning this box ...
I finished my box relatively fast as I have owned a number of Chopin recordings in this box as Angel LP's for years ...
Now listening to CD 1, "Preludes & Impromptus" from "Chopin - Solo Piano Works" performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy on Decca.
If I had to pick a favorite Brahms Symphony Cycle, it would be that of Kurt Sanderling with the Dresden State Orchestra:
Now listening to "Berlioz - Romeo et Juliette" performed by the London Symphony Orchestra led by Sir Colin Davis on Philips.
