Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #16)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Bronth, Sep 24, 2010.

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  1. vanhooserd

    vanhooserd Senior Member

    Location:
    Nashville,TN
    i got Gulda's Decca Beethoven box Saturday (11 cds-i paid $35.95 used)
    & have gotten as far as the 3d cd.i'm liking the playing & the recording isn't
    bad, but the hiss seems unusually high-level.
     

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  2. Robin L

    Robin L Musical Omnivore

    Location:
    Fresno, California
    Sounds like you actively like Brahms. The Toscanini cycle with the Philharmonia is well performed and better recorded than the NBC cycle. The NBC cycle is still worth having if only for Toscanini's extraordinary performance of the Fourth Symphony. I've heard everything else on your list save Chailly & Pretre. I'd add Kurt Sanderling's Staatskapelle Dresden recordings on Eurodisc for a well-recorded mainstream account. In addition to Wilhelm Furtwängler's extraordinary Hamburg account of Brahms First one cannot forget his account of the Second Symphony with the Vienna Philharmonic on January 28, 1945—the tempo of the finale is so extreme, one imagines the maestro is mentally already on the train out of occupied territory. Fortunately, both the Hamburg First and the Vienna Second are on the most recent Music and Arts collect of Furtwängler's Brahms. While Bruno Walter's mono NYPO are a thing of beauty—except the SQ, which is not—his stereo remake of the Third with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra [mainly the LA Phil with Hollywood ringers] is exceptional.
     
  3. Bronth

    Bronth Active Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Riga, Latvia
    Now playing for a first listen:

    Rossini Rarities from the Caballe Original Jacket Collection set.
     

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  4. RiRiIII

    RiRiIII Forum Resident

    Location:
    Athens, Greece
    Oh yes! I remember now this incredible beginning of the finale of the 3rd in Walter's latest recording: so intense! Amazing!

    And Furtwaengler of course!
     
  5. drh

    drh Talking Machine

    As a special case, let me offer that the recording of the 2d Sym. by Max Fiedler (yes, Max--not Arthur) with the Berlin PO is the single most idiomatic example of Brahms playing I know. The same conductor's account of the 4th sym. I found not to reach the same level. He also recorded the 2d piano cto. with Elly Ney, a set much sought by collectors. All were originally issued on Polydor ca. 1930; I have the cto. on that label and the syms. on Brunswick, which is how they appeared in the US through a licensing arrangement.
     
  6. Robin L

    Robin L Musical Omnivore

    Location:
    Fresno, California
    I'm a Road Runner

    I don't know if the finale of Furtwängler's 1945 VPO performance of Brahms Second is idiomatic, but it sure is intense. And Fast?
     
  7. George P

    George P Notable Member

    Location:
    NYC
    Is that the one on that Music and Arts set that compiles Furts Brahms symphonies?
     
  8. SBurke

    SBurke Nostalgia Junkie

    Location:
    Philadelphia, PA
    I understand the decisions behind the marketing, and the choices they make as to which artists to push, but I started to get the sense that artists were being picked because of sex appeal. This kind of thing (see below -- Julia Fischer) I'm done with.

    That said, apparently they picked up Lisa Batiashvili recently, as photogenic a violinist as there is, but also one whose musicianship is top-notch.
     

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  9. SBurke

    SBurke Nostalgia Junkie

    Location:
    Philadelphia, PA
    Yeah, I am not an LP collector, but I love CD reissues, e.g.:
     

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  10. George P

    George P Notable Member

    Location:
    NYC
    I wonder what he'll bring for Christmas this year. ;)
     
  11. Robin L

    Robin L Musical Omnivore

    Location:
    Fresno, California
    Yup—with the Hamburg First as well.
     
  12. drh

    drh Talking Machine

  13. drh

    drh Talking Machine

    Invective. After all, he is said once to have departed a party with the remark, "If there is anyone here tonight that I have not insulted, I apologize!"
     
  14. SBurke

    SBurke Nostalgia Junkie

    Location:
    Philadelphia, PA
    I had missed it, but it looks fantastic. Adios to the teeny violinists! Bring back Heifetz!
     
  15. George P

    George P Notable Member

    Location:
    NYC
    :laugh:
     
  16. john greenwood

    john greenwood Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    Have you heard their recordings of the Brahms piano quartets and piano quintet?
     
  17. john greenwood

    john greenwood Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    You don't like his Haydn? I beg to differ (strongly).
     
  18. john greenwood

    john greenwood Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    The HvK set (from the 70's) is decidedly unspectacular. Brahms ranks with Bach as my favorite composers overall. My two favorite symphony cycles at the moment are Szell and (newly discovered by me) Klemperer. Very different as you might guess. Also try the piano concertos with Fleisher.

    Actually my favorite Brahms is his chamber music. I mentioned the piano quartets and quintet in another post today. If you want romantacism, start with the piano quintet. Also the piano trio, Op. 8 and the clarinet quintet (which is the equal of Mozart's).

    Interestingly, on Friday, I heard for the first time Schoenberg's orchestration of the Brahms piano quartet, Op. 25 (at City Ballet - a Balanchine masterpiece). What was so strange is that the orchestation is so un-Brahmsian - both my guest and I commented that it sounded more like Tchaikovsky.
     
  19. drh

    drh Talking Machine

    Another recording well worth seeking out is the piano quintet account by Victor Aller and the Hollywood Quartet, originally issued on Capitol LPs. Note: this is from the mono LP period.
     
  20. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    I have heard of her before but I already have many versions of Bach Partitas which I cannot imagine she can surpass.
     
  21. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    The WTC by Rosayln Tureck is one of the best versions available and I thoroughly enjoyed that 4-CD DG set ...
     
  22. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    But you are not referring to the Richter's version on the RCA Gold Seal. Yes?
     
  23. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    They should create some crossover music such as the Beethoven 5th disco for those who cannot fully cope with the real classical music.
     
  24. George P

    George P Notable Member

    Location:
    NYC
    Yes, I am referring to the Gold seal. Unlike others, I am not really bothere by the sound.
     
  25. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Or based on nationality since DG wants to sell to a market with 1.3B people ...
     
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