Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #22)

Right now...

Prokofiev
Piano Concerto No. 1 Op. 10
Piano Concerto No. 4 Op. 53 (for the left hand)
Piano Concerto No. 5 Op. 55
Boris Berman, piano
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Neeme Järvi

Prokofiev won a grand piano for winning a "battle of the pianos" competition at the St. Petersburg Conservatory by playing his own Concerto No. 1. The jury had no choice; how could they tell he was playing it badly?

 

I almost went in there today, but it was too nice outside.

I plan to go to the Princeton Record Exchange this week, as I am on vacation.

 

Now playing:

• Ravel: Gaspard de la nuit (Trois poèmes pour piano d'après Aloysius Bertrand) - Samson François [EMI France 2010, recorded 1967, will compare to 1947 78 RPM version that critic Jed Distler calls 'one of the greatest piano recordings ever made' http://tiny.cc/88gru, from disc 17 of 36CD box The Complete Samson François, found for $48 used yesterday and just couldn't leave it behind]

 

Strong praise from JD, and a great score for you Eddie. I think the set has been out in the US for only a month!

 

Cruising around on Amazon and I came across these two boxes with very positive reviews. Has anyone heard them?

 

Levine's 3 and (especially) 7 are wonderful. And his 4 is someone here's favorite, IIRC.

 

Right now...

Radu Lupu
Complete Decca Solo Recordings
Lupu, piano

CD5 - Schubert I

Piano Sonata no.16 in A minor, D. 845
Piano Sonata no.18 in G major, D. 894

I'm really enjoying this Schubert.....

 

Dunno where you got yours but it's $43+ on Amazon!

 

Couldn't get there. Had another engagement.

 

I recall when that album first came out (on EMI's budget label, Seraphim in the U.S.). It was popular on my college campus, and was the introduction for many of us (including myself) to early music. I have the follow-up, "The Art of the Netherlands" on CD.

 

And now....

Schubert
Piano Sonatas
Volume 1
Sonata in C, D 840
Sonata in a, D 845
Sonata in f-sharp, D 571
Andras Schiff, piano

I like Schiff's fluid tone on his Bösendorfer.

 

I have and enjoy the Levine/Philly M5.

 

Feeling Manze atm.
The one with the aries is sublime!
Lined up for later some pre JS Bach varoque
Listening to FALLA arm. Great voices,,

Got a chance to see Ingrid Flitner in concert ? Do NOT miss - she is fantastic trust me.. pt check youTube..lol

 

I also like his Ninth very much. Hey Jay, did your hurdy-gurdy Winterreise ever arrive?

 

I love Mark Padmore. I remember clearly the first time I heard him, in Schumann's Das Paradies und die Peri; I thought he had the most natural-sounding tenor and great texture to his voice. Do you like that record?

 

Not yet, Eddie. I e-mailed UK Amazon yesterday, and they didn't have any info because it was sent directly from Deutsche somebody (not Grammophon).

I hope it gets here soon.

 

Bring a huge duffle bag with you ...

 

yes,i know!i was very happy to get mine for $6.95. my goal over the past
few years is to get more for less.last year my average cost per cd (not including tax) was $3.29.for lps my limit is $1 per record.

 

Now playing

 

Our Friend from Italy (Villicodelirante) Toby got me hooked on this one.
THE best Satie I own or have ever heard....incredibly enjoyable!
Dirt cheap must have addition to anyone's collection.

 

It's not my overall top choice for Satie (that would be Thibaudet), but at this late hour the slower than usual tempos are perfect.

 

Dunno maybe it's me at this late hour but the tempo of samples I heard are much the same to my ear.
At least the Gymnopédies and the Gnossiennes.
The Thibaudet seems more deliberate and not as soothing......but that just my untrained Piano opinion!

 

Me digs the S-L-O-W tempo of de Leeuw for Satie's compositions. Just seems to fit.

 

Can one of our German Friends out there translate this for me?

Ich Hab´ Es Getragen Sieben Jahr

 

That's how I saw it.....maybe my ear isn't so untrained then!
I fell in love with that De Leeuw set the first time I played it.