OK, finished Cliburn/Reiner/CSO/Rachmaninoff/Beethoven and have moved on to Chailly's Beethoven Symphony Cycle on CD as it's been a while. Ah, there's that sound!
Thanks for the welcome back, @Scourge. And yes, I’ve taken a deep nose dive into Penderecki’s oeuvre and speaking of those Polskie Nagrania Muza recordings, I bought them all late last year. They are all excellent or, at least, from what I’ve heard so far. But since last year, my Penderecki collection has doubled in size. I ended up buying all of the Wit recordings on Naxos and I own most of the Dux recordings, which feature the composer himself conducting various Polish orchestras. I also bought two sets of the SQs: one with the Molinari Quartet on Atma and the other with The Royal String Quartet on Hyperion. I also bought some recordings that were released on Wergo with my favorite being a reissue of an older CD Accord recording with Kazimierz Kord conducting the Seven Gates of Jerusalem, “Symphony No. 7”, which is an outstanding performance. Anyway, I’ve been enjoying his music immensely. I’ve also found myself digging into Gubaidulina’s oeuvre and she’s another one of these post-WWII composers that has fascinated me. Are you familiar with any of her music?
Now playing: Johann Sebastian Bach - Complete Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin - Arthur Grumiaux - recorded 1960, 1961 Excellent sound!
I love that album... Bought it new in '72 from my local record shop and played it many times. Mine is (obviously) a repress, too, but the vinyl is quiet and the sonics are good.
Enjoying this Volume 6 of Philips "(The Best of the) Complete Mozart Edition" on CD: Mozart Piano Concertos 6, 9, and 10. Alfred Brendel and Imogen Cooper (on Cto. No. 10 for 2 pianos) w/Sir Neville Marriner & the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. Excellent performances and impressive sound on this 1995 Philips compilation. All recorded in London; Concerto No. 6 recorded digitally. Made in Germany.
Awesome, I never really broke past the avant-garde Penderecki period, so everything I own is between the late 50s and somewhere around '77, and mostly on vinyl and mostly from Muza. I've become curious of late of his later period neo-romantic works tho. I'm still not terribly fond of Wit as I like a bit more gruff rough-and-tumble in those earlier works, but do admit I can imagine Wit being a better fit for later period and even more chamber-like pieces as he's quite idiomatic and has great balance. I've never listened to Gubaidulina, so I should probably remedy that.
First listen (mostly). This is the (lovely!) version of 'Une barque sur l'océan' (from Miroirs) that was used in the film "Call Me By Your Name'.
Recorded 10/6/58, St. George Hotel, Brooklyn, NY. Producer: John McClure. Issued 1959. Bernstein recorded No. 7 again for Columbia with the NYP in 1964; I don't know why.
So far as I make a survey of my Columbia Masterworks LPs I have been pretty satisfied with the sound, as well as the performances. Of course there are varying levels of surface noise & since I bought them all used I can't be sure how quiet they were when new. It's surprising how quiet a lot of them are.
I've reconsidered my stance on the guitar: it's been a part of my life for too long to give it up listening to it! And, with the aid of a TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) device, I can now play more or less pain-free. So, I dug this out of my collection today. I still find his playing too stiff and cold to enjoy.
Just listened to one of my many many Four Seasons versions over breakfast: Decent performance; the fifth concerto (The Sea-storm) was nicely played.
Welcome back. This forum has fewer posts than some other groups, but I think people here are generally friendlier--almost a family!
I posted the mono version of this not long ago. The 1960 stereo version is even more enjoyable. The Craft-conducted works were recorded 2/26-27/59. Label is a 2-eye in the 1963-70 style. Sold at Nicholson's Hi-Fi here in Nashville.
Well you picked an good one! I grew up on that recording and had to have in the dorm along with the Grateful Dead and others.
Very enjoyable Sibelius and Bruch from the 25 disc Ozawa set on Warner. Bruch: Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26 Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47 Masuko Ushioda (violin) Seiji Ozawa Japan Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra 1971
Do you have any personal favorites that really knock your socks off sound wise? I don't own a ton of Columbia classical titles, maybe 20 or so but many are on the later grey label from the 70s and while the performances are great, the sound isn't bad per say but lacks that 3 dimensionality I hear in the really great RCA/Decca/Mercury/DG pressings. I know the 6 eye and 2 eye labels are better regarded but I have an even smaller sample size for that. I think I will revisit one of my 6 eye pickups from long ago I don't think I've listened to it in a couple years now
Welcome back, Mirror Image! I have and love both CDs by the Spikeru String Quartet of Vasks' SQs. Other works I've heard (Symphonies, Concertos) are also nice. A composer worth exploring.
Now playing: Hugo Alfvén - Swedish Rhapsody No. 2; Symphony No. 1; Drapa; Revelation - Royal Stockholm PO, Neeme Järvi - recorded 1988 CD1 of this set:
Thanks. It’s good to be back in the saddle again. Yeah, I’ve been listening to Vasks for years, but only recently have I been taking a more serious look into his oeuvre. These SQs are excellent.