Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #6)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by coopmv, Jan 30, 2009.

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  1. George P

    George P Notable Member

    Location:
    NYC
    I buy most Pearl CDs I come across in the used bins, for I have found that the excessive (IMO) noise found on the Schnabel stuff to be an anomaly.
     
  2. Bronth

    Bronth Active Member

    Location:
    Riga, Latvia
    +1. :cheers: Moreover, they don't try to add any digital stereo reverb and there are no wild horses on Naxos cover art, only not-too-sexy but fair Schnabel. Amen. :winkgrin:
     
  3. George P

    George P Notable Member

    Location:
    NYC
    :laugh:
     
  4. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Absolutely, I refuse to listen to these recordings in 78's, even though I have 2 TT's that can play 78. Those pops and clicks and shellac (mind you those records were from pre-vinyl days) noise can be quite unbearable ...
     
  5. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    I was able to grab this set at $28 USD at MDT when it was on sale last month (I am sure it will be back on sale at some point in the future). For the money, it is a bargain. Both the SQ and performance are excellent in my opinion given the age of the recordings. I think Symphony No. 5 was quite well played, nice tempo and excellent first movement.
     

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  6. Bronth

    Bronth Active Member

    Location:
    Riga, Latvia
    Yep, they can, but if, obviously, we don't have other options for these particular renditions then I can bear this. To a degree. For example, I'm going through the final part of my complete 30CD set of Chopin, and in its hystorical part there are recordings that date back to 1903. I doubt I will relisten to them [very often] - there are very noticeable tonal fluctuations that are more distracting than hiss/pops.
     
  7. Bronth

    Bronth Active Member

    Location:
    Riga, Latvia
    Yeah, it's probably one of the best vintage sets available. I'm going to get it some day. Once I got its counterpart - Barenboim's LvB sonatas from the same era - from a local store for 20 bucks. Thanks to EMI's holiday offer and a friend who used to work there.
     
  8. Bronth

    Bronth Active Member

    Location:
    Riga, Latvia
    Now listening to a great 1938 recording of Shostakovich 5th symphony from this splendid Mravinsky 4CD set on Membran. It also includes excellent (but a bit less hair-raising than a later recording from 60's available on DG twofer) mono account of Tchaikovsky's 6th symphony, Brahms' 1st symphony (splendid but nothing special, after one listen) and some more minor works.
     

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  9. oldfogey

    oldfogey New Member

    Location:
    SE UK
    A slightly off-centre recommendation:

    http://www.channelclassics.com/le-grand-tango.html

    Piazzolla was an arch exponent of the tango but classically trained in Paris and composed crossover music between chamber music and jazz. The Katona twins are Hungarian guitarists. Channel Classics has produced an excellent quality Hybird SACD of guitar adaptations of Piazzolla's music. Try a taste, and be sure the percussive sounds on the disc will test your system!
     
  10. john greenwood

    john greenwood Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    One of the most transcendent musical listening experiences of my life was back in college listening to Klemperer's fifth on my Pioneer/Advent system while in a rather "elevated" state of mind. At the beginning of the fourth movement I broke out laughing at the audacity of the composer in the triumphant rout of major over minor.
     
  11. Robin L

    Robin L Musical Omnivore

    Location:
    Fresno, California
    "They Say It's Your Birthday"

    Just a reminder that today is the 'official' birthday of Beethoven.

    Seeing all these sub-threads here concerning Klemperer's "Monolithic", "Granitic" [read—slow] Beethoven Symphony recordings, I'd like to put in a good word or two for David Zinman's considerably zippier performances. As much as I've enjoyed Klemperer's performances over the years I believe that Zinman's records with the Tonehalle Orchestra are much closer to the composer's intentions. Good recording quality as well.
     
  12. john greenwood

    john greenwood Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    Apparently Klemperer has the slowest Eroica 1st movement on record (although not the one in the EMI box)

    http://www.grunin.com/eroica/index.htm
     
  13. OE3

    OE3 Senior Member

  14. Jay F

    Jay F New Member

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Eddie - What is your avatar (the black square)?

    Great site. I gave him a couple of boxes of records some time back.
     
  15. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    I zipped through my Zinman's LvB cycle a few years ago and really have not had chance to re-listen to the set ...
     
  16. Robin L

    Robin L Musical Omnivore

    Location:
    Fresno, California
    I bought mine some time ago, didn't give it the listen it deserved until recently. I've read some interesting critical responses to this set—some critics are remarkably dismissive, others exultant. There are many passages that I do not recall from previous editions doubtless due to revisions/corrections to the performing edition of the scores. There is greater transparency and the tempos are just about as fast as anyone has successfully negotiated. In the case of the Eroica and fourth symphony there seems to be a closer relation to the music of Mendelssohn. The Seventh sounds the most "different" of the batch. I suspect that Zinman's performances will have more influence than Norrington's or Harnoncourt's.

    I give pride of place to his Missa Solemnis, a most spiritual performance and also one of the speediest.
     
  17. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    But then Tonhalle Orchestra is no BPO or RCO ...
     
  18. Robin L

    Robin L Musical Omnivore

    Location:
    Fresno, California
    Right—they don't smear or bloat like those two institutions, there's no mass for the sake of mass. They are a world-ranking, thoroughbred orchestra. Their oboe doesn't bleat like a dyspeptic lamb, they haven't got unnecessary doublings on the strings or woodwinds, they don't have the collective ingrained bad habits of those storied institutions. You don't need or want a Mahler/Strauss orchestra for this music, Beethoven is a different sort of musical creature altogether. Perhaps the BPO under Rattle is more on point than the orchestra Karajan left behind, but the Tonehalle Orchestra under Zinman has changed the game.
     
  19. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    I may get the Brahms set by BPO with Rattle to get a sense as to how much that excessive legato has worn off over twenty years ...
     
  20. OE3

    OE3 Senior Member

    Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich

    What do you make of the ongoing Zinman/Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich Mahler cycle on RCA Red Seal?
     
  21. Robin L

    Robin L Musical Omnivore

    Location:
    Fresno, California
    Haven't hear a note yet, kinda broke these day. Am interested—have a SACD player. Zinman's Schumann set has practically erased all previous versions in my affections.
     
  22. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    With 22 Beethoven cycles in my collection, I have little desire to get another cycle ...
     
  23. Robin L

    Robin L Musical Omnivore

    Location:
    Fresno, California
    I know Exactly where you're coming from—I've probably unloaded at least 22 Beethoven cycles through the years.

    See if you can borrow the Eroica or seventh from your local public library. My first impression was that Zinman's set was like Toscanini with better sound but now it's clear that the playing of the Tonehalle Orchestra is much more refined than that of the NBC Symphony Orchestra.
     
  24. George P

    George P Notable Member

    Location:
    NYC
    For that approach, I like Szell. I haven't heard the Zinman.
     
  25. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Without a doubt, there is no comparison between the NBC SO and the Tonehalle Orchestra. I have the Toscanini's set. I sounds ok but I will not rank it among my favorites ...
     
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