I strongly agree with all your points. I assume Brilliant performed sort degree of remastering on the Gulda recordings. How do the CDs sound? I find the piano sound on my 1980 LP set to be very satisfying. IIRC, the original recordings were made in the late '60s; your CD set might identify the actual date.
Excellent! Connoiseur Society LPs were considered "audiophile" back in the day and it's fortunate that a talent such as Moravec recorded with them. Let us know what you think of it.
The CDs sound quite good. Brilliant used uses the same mastering that Amadeo used for their original CDs. I confirmed that a few years back.
A great joy of the modern era is the breadth of fantastic and physically accessible contemporary classical, from orchestral arrangements to the spare beauty of a single piano plied to a thematic score as varyingly haunting, introspective, uplifting, and gripping as Fabrizio Paterlini's "Winter Stories". It's 1845EST and I'm somewhat chagrined at involuntary confinement on a Friday night by the wet muffled resonance of a blitzkrieg infection that's completely claimed my lungs over the past 24hours; but I'm in good company with my music and a likeminded community here at the Forums! Anyway, with the first white stuff of the season forecast for Monday's temperature free-fall, this - my favourite track, "Snow" - seemed appropriate; one of those rare compositions that brings me to a wistful, eyes-closed stop in activity as I get lost in the spaces between gently falling notes.
Wee is a new name to me. While I've always loved Ogdon's and Lewenthal's recordings of Alkan, I must say this is impressive playing of these insanely difficult works. Very good sound.
From a record dealer out on the West Coast with whom I occasionally do business, I've ordered several Beethoven sonata recordings by Wilhelm Kempff in late DG "variable micrograde" 78 RPM pressings. It will be interesting to hear how they compare with his earlier 78 RPM series on Polydor (issued under license by Brunswick here in the States). Meanwhile, tonight I stumbled across what I'd say is the most appealing recording I've ever heard by Nellie Melba. I have a terrible confession to make: I've never really "gotten" all the hoopla surrounding her. "Ye Banks and Braes o' Bonnie Doon" may just change that, at least to a degree. What a disarmingly lovely recording! I've read and heard that her acoustic records (which is to say, as far as I know all her recordings except for a couple made from an electric feed at her farewell concert) generally do not do her justice; this one suggests those critiques may well be true. Perhaps the reason is that it may well be a better record than average technically. Certainly, the piano accompaniment is unusually realistic for an acoustic recording.
Now up: Robert Schumann, Symphony 2 together with Overture, Scherzo and Finale. From the Karajan big box set. This is in the 70’s section. Karajan conducts Berliner Philharmoniker. Exemplary sound quality.
Some stores now mention a November 22 release date. I hope this does not go the same way as Backhaus' Complete Decca Recordings box (delay upon delay), which has been put back to January 10.
I see Presto says the 22nd. Personally, I don’t mind delay-I have way too much to listen to. I am still going through other box sets, such as Szell, RCO, Pavarotti, Karajan,etc. And I weakened with regard to DG 120-it is processing at US customs now( ordered from jpc). Ha.
I do not have a copy of the Chopin Nocturnes in my collection, so after reading this I ordered a copy of the 60s Rubinstein set you have pictured. I also considered Arrau and Moravec, but the Rubinstein was the most affordable and readily available. It seemed like a good set to start with.
I listened to No.3 and 4 today. They play these very well, no surprise there, and the audio quality is great: very close and present.
I've had a number of recordings of those quartets over the years, but that group's recordings of them is my favorite.
As promised, giving this one a fresh spin. This is gorgeous, peaceful, ethereal music. And the recording is spectacular.
I've always liked Karajan and Segerstam for Sibelius, but this is very good...and hopefully the beginning of a cycle.
I downloaded these 24 bit/96k FLAC files from Hyperion today. His playing is fantastic--very urgent and intense (he relaxes as necessary)--but I was shocked at the difference in sound between the two. Op.90-106 sounds very rich and full, but Op.109-111 is very bright and metallic... it's almost hard to believe that he's playing a Steinway. The rooms are different, but I can't imagine that would affect the sound so much. The mics seem closer in the first set, too. It's not unlistenable, and indeed, very clear, but it takes some getting used to after the first recording. Does anyone else here have these recordings? What are your thoughts?
Can't say that I'm familiar with these, but I did recently review a complete cycle by Stewart Goodyear that you might find interesting to compare, particularly his ferocious take on the Hammerklavier. Link here if you're interested: [Music review] Tireless Beethoven from Goodyear
Thanks. I added Goodyear's complete set to my Qobuz playlists. I just listened to some of the outer movements of the Hammklavier. Goodyear is impressively fast but also a bit breathless. I think Osborne brings out voices and differentiates lines better for me.
This morning I went back into the Radio Legacy Box set, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. I am playing CD44 which features Eduard van Beinum conducting a Bach concerto and Brahms Symphony 1. The Bach features Dian Lipatti on piano. It states that it is a private recording 10/2/47, and the Brahms is from 10/25/51.