Rather like my hair. I forget, do you have the Pro Arte Quartet recordings from the '30s? I've enjoyed those for the musical, no-worries-about-authenticity approach from the high tide of pre-HIP performance practice. For the most part, when I play one I get that "God is in His heaven, all's right with the world" feeling that is a hallmark of Haydn's output when he's not busy sturming und dranging. Not a complete set, of course; I think such was the intent, an extremely ambitious goal in the days of 78s, but as in so many cases certain disruptive events at the end of the '30s and into the '40s intervened. Be that as it may, at least as taken from original issues, they generally yield up a good, solid example of 78 RPM sound, nothing thin or shrill about it. Speaking of Haydn, our local NPR affiliate now and again airs one or another of the symphonies by F.J.'s brother Michael. I've liked what I heard. I can't remember hearing anything by this composer other than symphonies, however. Anybody here know anything about his output of chamber or solo instrumental music, if any?
I received the SACD version of this disc and I like it a lot, both for the playing of Xiayin Wang and the conducting of Peter Oundjian. I much prefer the playing of Xiayin Wang over that of Yuja Wang. And Peter Oundjian's conducting on this disc is a marvel. Peter Oundjian was a violinist in the Tokyo Quartet for many years. Gershwin; Copland; Barber: piano concertos Chandos, 2013
You and me both. Yes, I have the Warner box set that came out in the last 5 years or so. I will check it out again. I will also re-check the Festetics next week, as I got a new SACD/CD player today, the Marantz SA-KI Ruby. I have not heard anything.
Mine, too! The Franck Sym. needs just the right touch to come off well, and Monteux definitely had it. Earlier, he recorded it with the San Fancisco Sym. for release on 78s, also by Victor; that set has what I think must be the strangest (and least pertinent) cover ever applied to a classical album, certainly during the 78 era:
I don't really know how many chamber works Michael Haydn composed, however I will not recommend the Brilliant Box - Michael Haydn Collection, 28 CDs. It does not claim to be a "complete box". There are two discs of the String Quintets and one disc of the String Quartets. The Quintets are HIP interpretations. and the Quartets are regular interpretations. For me, none of them are satisfactory. It is interesting that this box does not have any solo works.
Thanks for the warning/words to the--well, I won't claim to be wise, so I'll stick with "fellow collector." By "none of them are satisfactory," do you mean as performances, or as music in general? If the latter, maybe there's a reason we don't get his chamber music on the radio!
Oh I mean as performances. I found the quintets quite interesting. It was difficult for me to discern the quality of the quartet compositions from listening to these performances. Perhaps I should have mentioned that 10 of the discs in this box are either Sacred Choral Works, Opera, or Singspiele.
Wanting to get opinions on this CD from EMI digital recording from 1982. Wondering how the ‘Johann Strauss Orchestra Of Vienna’ compares to the ‘Vienna Philharmonic’ recording from 1960 again under the baton of Willi Boskovsky. Anyone?
It's a superb recording, highlighting the dynamic nature of the music. The pianist plays with great detail and power and the conductor is an excellent match for the pianist. Their Rachmaninov Piano Concerto 3 is also my favorite recording for that work. More info in this thread: The Rachmaninov Piano Concerto 3 Review Project
The Rudy/Jansons is one of my favorites as well. The Jansons St. Pete recordings of the symphonies are probably my favorites at this point for the same reasons I like the PCs from him. The aspect of those recordings /conducting that I like are the fact that Jansons does not overdo the dynamics and tempo of the romantic parts like some other conductors tend to do. However, it is what mood you are in. Sometimes Ormandy in the 2nd fulfills the need for the big dynamics and tempo changes in those sections.
Now playing the following CD, a recent arrival for a first listen ... @Rose River Bear, This is one of the three new versions of Elgar Enigma Variations I received from across the pond today ...
I thought you mentioned you have his early version on Philips, which has gotten crazy expensive as a used single but may be available in one of his Philips/Decca big boxes. I also bought his SACD version on LSO Live. There is yet another version by Pierre Monteux in the following twofer ... So I now have two different versions by Pierre Monteux.
Thanks for the link. I used to listen to his commentaries on NY classical FM stations many years ago ...