Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #13)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by George P, Jul 6, 2010.

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  1. Graphyfotoz

    Graphyfotoz Forum Classaholic

    Location:
    South-Central NY
    Yup you are! :) Might wanna try this copy

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    The best I have heard thus far and it is a Penguin Guide Award Winner....upon listening to it it....wasn't hard to hear why! :righton:
     
  2. villicodelirante

    villicodelirante Forum Resident

    Will definitely check it out.
    However, it must be said that I DO like Solti's reading.
    Helen Watts' singing in Urlicht really really makes my guts melt.
     
  3. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    I second the Rattle, though I haven't heard the recent remaster, as I have the original EMI fatboy.

    You have a PM.
     
  4. villicodelirante

    villicodelirante Forum Resident

    You're getting a reply :D
    BTW... What's a fatboy? :confused:
     
  5. Jay F

    Jay F New Member

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    I didn't hear this one until about two years ago, and I was shocked -- shocked, I say -- at how much I'd liked it. I hadn't liked much of Solti's Mahler on CD (the LPs were much more enjoyable), plus I'd already decided that Bernstein's on DG was my favorite.

    HVK's is my favorite Mahler 4. No matter how many others I've heard, it's the one I usually listen to. I like his M5 and M6, also. The original issue CDs sound better, at least in the case of the M5; I don't think I've heard the M6 from "The Originals" series.

    Your best bet is Bernstein's Sony DSD box set. It's my favorite set of the Mahler Symphonies.
     

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  6. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    It's those CD cases that hold two (or more) CDs. They are twice as thick as a standard jewel case.
     
  7. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    Now Playing

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    CD 3

    This is some sweet Satie playing here!

    Morning, folks! :wave:
     
  8. WHitese

    WHitese Senior Member

    Location:
    North Bergen, NJ
  9. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    How do you like your Solti's Mahler performance wise? I have read a bunch of negative comments at another, all classical music forum ...
     
  10. villicodelirante

    villicodelirante Forum Resident

    I don't know - remember that I can only compare it to HvK's 5th, 4th and various snippets from other conductors seen on TV - Sinopoli, namely - and such: I do like it, it's not stereotypically oooomphy, Solti is controlled, dry but not boring - there's a shadow of Toscanini in it, but on the whole is much more melodramatic.
    All I can say is that I enjoy the performance very much, I would have to compare it against another conductor to tell you more.

    The soloists are amazing (and well miked): again, Watts' Urlicht is moving.
     
  11. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Just placed an order this morning on this Mahler set, whose price is just irresistible and it is on Philips, my favorite classical label in terms of recording quality and featuring Bernard Haitink and Elly Ameling, two of my favorite Dutch artists. This will be the equivalent of the 4th Mahler cycle for me. Perhaps my perspective in life has changed so much since I never liked Mahler even ten years ago ...

    Jay, What are your thoughts on this Mahler set?
     

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  12. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    My Solti Mahler is only limited to this twofer ...

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  13. villicodelirante

    villicodelirante Forum Resident

    Coop, I suspect that's exactly the same recording as the one on Originals.
     
  14. Robin L

    Robin L Musical Omnivore

    Location:
    Fresno, California
    I've owned a representative example of Mahler's symphonies as conducted by Solti. As I recall, The First was pretty good, not my favorite but not bad.

    The first recording of the Resurrection symphony is okay, but MTT live and Lenny on disc are much better.

    The Third symphony I can't get into no matter what—it's just too big, it can't contain itself. Solti's recording didn't seem to make the situation any better or worse. Right now I have Chailly on SACD which wins, if only on account of being beautifully played. The sound quality is incredible.

    I hold great affection for the Fourth symphony, Solti's recordings strike me as some of the weakest. Reiner's SACD of a fifty-year old recording of the Chicago Symphony is my current favorite.

    Solti's first recording of the Fifth was treated with some major-league post-production audio manipulation but no matter, it's one of his great Mahler recordings and recommended. Lenny's Fifth from Vienna on DGG is all Lenny, all the time. Sui Generis and indispensable.

    Bernstein's first recording of Mahler's Tragic Sixth Symphony is very mannered, one might say personalized, there's a lot of risk-taking in the performance. The sound, as I recall, is close and tight—the hammerstrokes really cut, even on crappy equipment. Very dark and very effective. I don't feel as much depth in the DGG remake. Solti's Sixith, as I recall [it's been decades] was well recorded and good in many of the same ways his performance of the Fifth was good—excellent playing, sense of drive and forward momentum. But ultimately, it was nowhere near as tragic as Bernstein, or Tennstedt or Barbirolli or . . .

    The Seventh Symphony of Mahler is the wild card of this tarot deck and Solti turns in his best Mahler performance here—very close recording that apperantly was intended for surround. Solti's various mannerisms have a manic quality of commitment here, like Jerry Colonna driving the Cavalry ever onward. Anyway, the Seventh sounds crazy already, Solti manages to make it sound even crazier, and I mean that in a good way. Lenny's recordings are also great and I really want to hear Barenboim.

    The Great Symphony of a Thousand, Mahler's Eighth, never really worked for me. Solti's recording is pretty good, but I simply can't unhear the obvious fader moves in this production, can't convince myself that this is a performance instead of a production. I've got the Musical Heritage CD of Solti right now, played it once, probably will not play it again. It holds the space that would otherwise have a performance I'd listen to. Honestly, I think it's the composition itself. And yes, I've heard, owned, repeatedly played Bernstein's Columbia recording and it doesn't help either.

    I had the Solti recording of Mahler's Ninth on Decca around 1977. It struck me as sober, well played and decently recorded. What I was looking for was more like the Things Fall Apart intensity of Horenstein's recording with the Vienna Symphony. The Chailly/Concertgebouw SACD of Mahler's Ninth is extraordinary in every way. The dynamic canvas in this performance is greater than that of any other recording in my collection or recollection. There is a deep, intense connection to the work's inner turmoil. The playing is extraordinarily beautiful, with acres of counterpoint that were smudged or obscured in previous recordings now clearly chiming in.

    I understand that the kid from Lincoln Center tried his hand at this one a couple-two-three times as well.
     
  15. Jay F

    Jay F New Member

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    I've not heard much of Haitink's Mahler. I got the M9 that was part of Philips' 50th Anniversary series, but it didn't impress me one way or the other. However, unlike most people, I'm not that into Mahler's 9th, except for the first movement, which is one of my favorite pieces of music.

    I've recently been listening to a lot of Mahler I'd not heard before on DG's 150th Birthday website, www.mahler150.com, and I've listened to a couple by Haitink. I liked his early M1, IIRC. I love to listen to that first thing in the morning, Mahler's First. The website is a little hinky. I end up signing in a lot, and some of the movements are broken down into little, tiny segments, the way some of the original CDs were.

    EDIT: I'm listening to Haitink's M1 now on www.mahler150.com. It's quite nice.

    Where did you find this set, Stuart?
     
  16. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Probably. I have noticed the soloists were exactly the same ...
     
  17. Easing in to a rainy Sunday morning...

    Petr Messiereur, Stanislav Bogunia - Beethoven - Les 10 Sonates Pour Violin Et Piano
    Calliope - France - 2002 - CAL 32513 - 3 CD set - SPARS CODE - DDD

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    There was a thread on this CD set here, amost 8 years ago. :eek: That's how I ended up with the package.

    Audiophile Bargain -- 3 CDs $14.99

    As it was back in the good old days of music stores in Calgary, I jumped into my vehicle, drove 10 minutes downtown to the then, main a&b sound store. Their 3rd floor was well stocked with classical, jazz, easy listening and world music. And of course they had this set in stock. Back then the CDN price was $19.99. Well worth it. :righton:

    Our dog was looking out the window in my music room. When the CD began, it startled her a bit and she looked back at me and the speakers. :laugh:
     
  18. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Back to early music after some hiatus. Now playing this CD, which arrived from MDT a few weeks ago for a first listen ...

    [​IMG]
     
  19. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Jay, Just PM'ed you.
     
  20. Graphyfotoz

    Graphyfotoz Forum Classaholic

    Location:
    South-Central NY
    Looks VERY interesting....have that on my want list now don't have any Obrecht.
    Also this one.....I have a fair amount of CD's by Tallis Scholars and they are super!

    [​IMG]
     
  21. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    I think I am pretty much done with collecting recordings by the Tallis Scholars. Some at the other classical music only forum criticized the Tallis Scholars as being too English to provide satisfactory performance of early music composed by continental composers such as Jacob Obrecht. The reality is, some of the best Brandenburg Concertos were recorded by English ensembles and JS Bach was no English ... :rolleyes:
     
  22. GreenDrazi

    GreenDrazi Truth is beauty

    Location:
    Atlanta, GA
    I can’t speak for the entire cycle, but his version of the 4th is wonderful. Assuming that I have the correct cycle date. Here’s the cover from the ‘83 individual disc.
     

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  23. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    I think this is a later recording. As Roberta Alexander appears to be the soprano in your CD while the set I ordered has Elly Ameling as the soprano.
     
  24. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    More early music, now playing this CD for a first listen ...

    [​IMG]
     
  25. Jay F

    Jay F New Member

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Elly Ameling sang in Haitink's first version, which was originally released on Philips' mid-price SilverLine label c.1987.
     

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