On the turntable: Grieg and Schumann each wrote a Piano Concerto in A Minor and they are both on this Epic "Stereorama" Gold-label LP from 1960. Leon Fleisher, George Szell / The Cleveland Orchestra.
On the turntable: Giving it a try.... Richard Wagner, Donald McIntyre, Waltraud Meier, Reginald Goodall, Phillip Joll, Warren Elsworth, Orchestra & Chorus Of The Welsh National Opera – Parsifal EMI – 27 0178 3
Don't have a single recording by Leon Fleisher (CD or LP) but I suspect when I start listening to my big Szell Complete Columbia Recordings 106-CD box, I will run across many of them ...
Now playing: Maurice Ravel - Songs - Jessye Norman, Heather Harper, Jill Gomez, José van Dam, BBC SO, Ens. InterContemporain, Pierre Boulez - 1984
Now playing: Johannes Brahms - Piano Sonata No. 3, op. 5; Variations on a Theme by Paganini - Nelson Goerner - recorded 2019
On the turntable: With apologies to the Wagner fans, Parsifal bored me.... Berlioz – Yvonne Minton · Placido Domingo · Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau · Jules Bastin, Chœur et Orchestre De Paris, Daniel Barenboim – La Damnation De Faust Deutsche Grammophon – 2709 087
Off to a thrift in Tuggeranong shortly, last time I was there I found these for AUD $17: Listened to the Karajan and the Nabucco so far, the latter was excellent. Don't usually do so well there, but hope lives eternal
Spinning in the CD player: Opera antidote Brahms, Takács String Quartet – String Quartets Op.51 London Records – 425 526-2
I have that Karajan's "The Christmas Concert" CD ... The Verdi La Traviata set with Joan Sutherland and Luciano Pavarotti should be excellent. I have their Rigoletto set ...
Now playing: Pictures at an Exhibition by Mussorgsky (orch. by Ravel). Colin Davis / Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam Philips LP / 1980 / Made in Holland
[QUOTE="coopmv, post: 27448088, member: 7792Too much music but too little time ... [/QUOTE] Truer words were never spoken.
Anton Diabelli - Hans Kann, Rosario Marciano, Romulo Lazarde – Sonatina Opus 68 / Sonatina Opus 150/2 / Sonatina Opus 168/1 / Sonatina in A Minor Opus 168/7 / Sonatina Opus 24/2 / Sonatina Opus 168/3 / Grande Sonata Brillante in D Minor Opus 102 (1968, Vinyl)
1st listen Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5, George Szell & the Cleveland Orchestra, Sony CD: I had not been aware that Szell had even recorded Tchaikovsky's 5th Symphony (in stereo) until @bruce2 recommended this. The tape hiss in the background gives away the recordings analog origins. This remastering was released in 2006 and taken from a DSD down-conversion of the analog original. I wish Sony would also give us the (Hi-rez) SACD version. Those of you who have the Szell big box will have this remastering. Listening to the first movement, I like what I am hearing so far. I hear nice (authentic sounding) string, woodwind and brass timbre. I like the way that DSD preserves the timbral qualities of the instruments. I love the contribution of the Cleveland woodwind section. They sound lively and energized and bring out the beauties of Tchaikovsky's woodwind writing. I also like the zesty contribution of the Cleveland brass section. I am noticing a cooler emotional temperature (to the interpretation) than I hear with Mravinsky (who always pushes the music to the edge of emotional hysteria). The change in tempo and mood in the opening of the 2nd (slow) movement works well. This movement reminds me of a slow waltz, like Sibelius' Valse Triste (which may have been inspired by this). I love the way that the trombones take over the melody in the development section. I hear elements of Tchaikovsky's ballet music in this slow movement. The Cleveland brass sound really spectacular in this movement (and throughout). I hear dance rhythms in the opening of the 3rd movement too (played at a quicker tempo). The Cleveland woodwinds continue to make a lively and welcome contribution. Szell really seems to get into the rhythms of the music. I love the dulcet tones of woodwind instruments. The 4th movement explores the same themes as the 3rd movement but turns it into a march. I just love Tchaikovsky's sound world...the way he combines sonic texture and tone and thematic elements. If it were up to me, I would have commissioned him to write 15 Symphonies and 10 ballets. I hear something utterly original (though much imitated) in his music. I love the way this music captures an element of triumph. It's hard to believe that this incredible music came from the illiberal Czardom but perhaps it was the struggle against adversity that inspired the music. Even during the Soviet era, art found a way to flourish, though the Putin dictatorship has seemed to kill off the arts in Russia once and for all. I love the way that Tchaikovsky uses the drums and other percussion instruments. I love the way that Szell and his Clevelanders bring out these elements of the score. Well done! The disc continue with the Capriccio Italien. I love the way that the brass instruments open the piece. I love the way that Tchaikovsky presents the "Italian" melodies that underlie the piece. I hear a great deal of excitement and verve in the interpretation. This is superb!
On the turntable, record 3 from "Le Chansonnier Cordiforme" performed by The Consort Of Musicke on L'Oiseau-Lyre. Emma Kirkby (soprano) Margaret Philpot (contralto) John York Skinner (countertenor) John Ewles (tenor) David Thomas (bass) 1980
Now playing: César Franck - Orchestral Works (Rédemption; Nocturne; Le Chasseur Maudit; Psyché; Les Éolides) - Christa Ludwig, Orchestre de Paris, L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Daniel Barenboim, Ernest Ansermet - recorded 1976