Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #4)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Jay F, Dec 28, 2008.

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  1. drh

    drh Talking Machine

    This isn't directly responsive, but it might give you something off the beaten path to search out. I have two quite nice recordings of Renaissanc-y/Baroqu-y literature performed by mandolin orchestras. They are both on LP, and I have no idea whether they ever made it to CD, but you could try tracking down the responsible ensembles. To wit:

    The Vienna Mandolin and Guitar Ens. under one Hladky, issued as Turnabout TV 34239

    and

    The Saarland Mandolin Or. under one Behrend (in some bands with soloists Silvia and Takashi Ochi), issued as DG Musikfest 413 680-1 under the rather dubious title "Mandolin Melodies."

    Of the two, the DG is rather better, but both are fun, enjoyable romps through some nifty arrangements. The Turnabout group, by the by, without owning up to what it is doing pretty much "mandolinizes" one of the Respighi "Ancient Airs and Dances" suites.

    Otherwise, Vivaldi's Concerto for Two Mandolins and Orchestra in G is a delight, and it's pretty standard fare on collections of miscellaneous concerti by this composer. (My first exposure was courtesy of a Vanguard LP entitled "Vivaldi: Concerti for Diverse Instruments" that I picked up in my first week of college at the university bookstore. For the longest time, I thought that it was a recording of a collection that *Vivaldi* had entitled "Concerti for Diverse Instruments." Ah, the joys of the learning curve! Oh, yes, the recording featured I Solisti di Zagreb under the redoubtable Antonio Janigro--a pretty good chamber orchestra conductor, and also a first-rate cellist.)
     
  2. George P

    George P Notable Member

    Location:
    NYC
    I enjoyed his lectures of these works and think he has a great deal of insight to the sonatas, but I was dissapointed with his performances of them. I actually haven't heard a modern cycle that I count among my favorites. Unless you count Gilels incomplete set as a modern cycle.

    Folks can listen to the lectures here: http://music.guardian.co.uk/classical/page/0,,1943867,00.html
     
  3. Jay F

    Jay F New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    It must be very popular. (At ~$30 list price, why would it not be?) Amazon's been "temporarily out of stock" on it for some time now. I'm looking forward to listening to it. And I'm hoping bmgmusic.com puts out DG's latest Bernstein Mahler compilation at a similar discount.
     
  4. 5-String

    5-String μηδὲν ἄγαν

    Location:
    Sunshine State
    Eddie, I am glad that you enjoy Schiff's performances as much as I do. :righton:

    And I am jealous of you my friend, I haven't managed to see Schiff live yet.

    George thanks for the links to the lectures, I 've looked for them before but could not find them.
     
  5. john greenwood

    john greenwood Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    Have you heard the Schiff/Perenyi Beethoven cello sonata cycle. I like it a lot. I heard them perform it live, and it was excellent.
     
  6. evanft

    evanft Forum Resident

    Location:
    Taylor, MI, USA
    How is the box set of Jaqueline Du Pre's complete EMI recordings? It's another one of those supremely cheap sets at BMG.
     
  7. OE3

    OE3 Senior Member

    I have it. It was under $40 at Amoeba, just ridiculous pricing. Artistically, it's excellent-to-okay. I probably will only listen to half of it with any regularity. It's not a must-have box, IMO, like the David Oistrakh EMI 'Complete' box. You definitely need that!!
     
  8. 5-String

    5-String μηδὲν ἄγαν

    Location:
    Sunshine State
    No unfortunately I haven't, but I 've read some excellent reviews about it and I am thinking of getting it eventually.

    To be honest, I am not familiar with Beethoven's music for cello and piano at all :shh:
     
  9. john greenwood

    john greenwood Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    I enjoy the music a lot. The core is 5 sonatas covering early, middle and (somewhat) late Beethoven. The brdt (IMHO) is no. 3. There are a few minor works as well including Beethoven's arrangement of a sonata he originally composed for horn and piano (I had never heard that before).

    Interestingly, I heard the cycle performed in concert by Alfred and Adrian Brendel several years earlier. I came away from that thinking that Brendel was not as comfortable in chambe music as he was in recital or with an orchestra.

    And if you like the Beethoven, move on to the two Brahms cello sonatas. They're wonderful.
     
  10. George P

    George P Notable Member

    Location:
    NYC
    My avatar partnered with Rostropovich for a great set of the LvB Cello sonatas. Available on a Philips two-fer.
     
  11. OE3

    OE3 Senior Member

    I have three great sets of LvB cello sonatas: Fournier/Gulda [DG], Gastinel/Guy [Naïve], and Pressler/Meneses [Avie]. All are wonderful. Great music-making. I have held off on picking up Angela Hewitt's new version, it got an Editor's Choice good review in Gramophone. Def. gotta get the Richter set before it suddenly disappears the way classical CDs do so often.
     
  12. 5-String

    5-String μηδὲν ἄγαν

    Location:
    Sunshine State
    It seems it 's time for me to move on to some cello works :agree:

    Though I love the sound of the instrument, my collection lacks in works for cello. I have the Elgar, Bach, The 1st Brahms (in Grimaud's Reflections-haven't listened to it yet) I think that's pretty much.

    I will start with Beethoven. The only problem is that I have to choose between Angela Hewitt (yes I read the Gramophone review) and Schiff. Oh well....
     
  13. Jay F

    Jay F New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    I got my second order from MDT today, Gergiev's Mahler 3 SACD (hybrid). I hope my first order comes tomorrow. (Poor mailman, having to deliver in this weather.)
     
  14. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Are you referring to the 6-CD set? If so, I have the set. The set is quite enjoyable.
     
  15. john greenwood

    john greenwood Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    My second MDT order showed up today as well. Only 6 days have the notice of shipment.

    Boy, do I have a lot to listen to.
     
  16. RussellG

    RussellG Forum Resident

    Britten's Sinfonia da Requiem is a magnificent, brooding work, commissioned (and rejected), believe it or not, by the Japanese Empire just before the outbreak of WW2. Now playing (recorded 1989):
     

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  17. George P

    George P Notable Member

    Location:
    NYC
    Finishing up disc two (Ravel) of my new 17 CD Marcelle Meyer box. This box is wonderful! Her Ravel is electric and vibrant!
     
  18. imagnrywar

    imagnrywar Senior Member

    Location:
    San Francisco
    Bought this recently. I like it. A slow, mystical reading of the piece which clearly derives from Celibidache's take on Bruckner, combined with the reverberent cathedral acoustics of Wand's 1987 recording of Bruckner's 8th. The Nitsch piece is cool, too, although it probably won't appeal to most people as it has more to do with ambient/drone/experimental stuff than classical music (the decision to juxtapose it with Bruckner is pretty fascinating in and of itself, and it speaks to the conductor's conception of Bruckner's music; this is all explained more fully in the booklet linked above). This quote from the conductor in the booklet also caught my eye:

    "I'm not aware of another composer who has as much to tell us about things that normally lie far beyond our daily horizons."

    I've read similar things from Furtwangler, Celibidache, and other lovers of Bruckner's music.
     
  19. RussellG

    RussellG Forum Resident

    Thanks imagnrywar, I love Bruckner, and of his symphonies I have heard, the Fifth is my favourite.
     
  20. imagnrywar

    imagnrywar Senior Member

    Location:
    San Francisco
    The 5th is also my favorite. Most people consider it his most "difficult" and inaccessible work, but I've never really understood that viewpoint. Of all the symphonies, it was the one that made the strongest impression on me upon first listen.
     
  21. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Now playing disc 1
     

    Attached Files:

  22. George P

    George P Notable Member

    Location:
    NYC
    Great! You got it! And just in time for the weekend. :goodie:
     
  23. RussellG

    RussellG Forum Resident

    I definitely think Benjamin Zander's Mahler 5 is one of the more accessible Mahler symphonic performances I have heard. I'm not sure if it's the nature of the work, or this performance (probably a bit of both), but the themes, motifs and ideas (excuse my limited classical vocabulary) are more upfront and obvious than in most other Mahler I've listened to. Really lovely sound on this CD too. Now playing (recorded 2000):
     

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  24. Bogey

    Bogey Spy Vinyl User

    Location:
    Colorado
  25. john greenwood

    john greenwood Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    Currently listening to:

    Bach - The Six Partitas (on clavichord)
    Richard Troeger - Lyrichord LEMS 8038 (recorded c. 2000)

    There aren't many clavichord recordings out there. I also recently bought Christopher Hogwood's "The Secret Handel." In addition, I have the now out of print WTC Book 1 by Tilney and a recital disc by Leonhardt.
     
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