Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #38)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by George P, Jul 4, 2012.

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  1. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    I gotta say, after listening through most of Gulda's Amadeo/Brilliant set again, I remain amazed by the clarity conveyed in his playing. Annie Fischer's Beethoven sonatas are more intense (and remains my favorite), Schnabel finds more depth and immediacy and Kempff has a prettier tone and interpretation. But for overall consistency (there are fewer duds in his set than in any other complete set I have heard), technical finish (one of the very best here) and rhythmic "swing" (truly unique and a delight to hear), Gulda is without peer.
     
  2. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    It's among my favorites, but Moravec stands tall above the rest, IMO. I also like Richter and Serkin (mono on Sony.)
     
  3. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    I can't agree more. Just listen to the syncopations on Gulda's recording. He lets them flow like butter. :cheers:
     
  4. Collector Man

    Collector Man Well-Known Member

    A Philips CD I have somewhere -of Gulda playing his own jazz compositions -I found a pleasant eye opener. If I wanted yet...another set of Beethoven Piano Sonatas...I could be tempted by Gulda.
     
  5. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    Yes, his Jazz stuff is great too. I recall the one I liked was this (Gegenwart):

    [​IMG]
     
  6. WorldB3

    WorldB3 Forum Resident

    Location:
    On the continent.
    Just finished a first listen of Herbert von Karajan Beethoven's Symphony #7 from the early 60's on the French Paraphe label of Deutsche Grammophone. Based on the cover photo the pressing is from the 70's. Quiet vinyl and great performance.
     
  7. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    The 9th from the 60s is blisteringly intense. It'll set your hair on fire!

    (now enjoying Gulda's nearly tempo accurate Hammerklavier)
     
  8. Tangledupinblue

    Tangledupinblue Forum Resident

    Location:
    London, UK
    When was that Gulda set recorded BTW? Like the photo, a very flattering shot of a typically deep thinking and slightly enigmatic artist.
     
  9. Collector Man

    Collector Man Well-Known Member

    To Kevinsinnott:
    A thank you for putting up on the previous 37# site, a link giving added history about the recording sites for some of our most valued past recordings. That internal photo of the Kingsway Hall was especially gladdening. Solti the conductor once spoke about - what was, to him -the huge swirling, unbelievable fortissimos - that the Kingsway Hall could create. Even today with the latest equipment to play them on, still.... I want to hear the 'venue -captured ascoutic signature' many of those such recordings had. Today if I see a CD I do not have ...that was recorded in one of those such favored venues ... I am already likely on the way to be wanting to buy it. I could easily quote examples of recordings made in a same venue by the likes of EMI,RCA. Decca and DG - yet leaving aside the any choices individually made by the engineers: 'the venue signature' is still amazingly ....still all there, to hear.
     
  10. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    It was recorded in Austria in 1967, originally on the Amadeo label, produced by Roger Mraz. Reissued later on Brilliant Classics (pictured above) and Decca Eloquence (not to be confused with the earlier set, issued on Decca Original Masters.)
     
  11. Tangledupinblue

    Tangledupinblue Forum Resident

    Location:
    London, UK
    Ah, OK thanks. I was mainly curious though as to when that photo was taken (I assumed it would have been around the same time as the recordings, but he clearly looks older than 37)?
     
  12. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    No mention of the date of the photo (or any details on the photo) in the notes. Brilliant isn't known for their documentation.
     
  13. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
  14. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    Got this today:

     
  15. Robin L

    Robin L Musical Omnivore

    Location:
    Fresno, California
    I remember hearing Gulda's Beethoven ages ago, not being as explosive or dramatic as Schnabel, I passed it up. Probably a good time to listen to Gulda's Beethoven again.
     
  16. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    Gulda's is a young, lean, clean-shaven, modern Beethoven. Not the final word on Beethoven, but for a modern approach (less explosive, More intellectual, more clear and clean) he can't be beat. His tempos tend to the fast side, which I love. Like Backhaus, one feels that they are listening to a pianist who knows the music intimately and that one has a solid, secure guide through the music. I think Gulda would be the ideal first set of the 32 Beethoven sonatas.

    Now enjoying Gulda's Beethoven Op. 109-111 from the Brilliant set.
     
  17. Tangledupinblue

    Tangledupinblue Forum Resident

    Location:
    London, UK
    A question regarding Haydn's keyboard sonatas: can anyone recommend a pianist who has done a complete set, or at least more of his middle period? So many pianists seem to focus mainly on the late ones (the London, the two E flats, the popular D major and occasionally the earlier C minor, great though those are) but there are so many gems from earlier that seem to be largely overlooked. I'm particularly fond of No. 34 in D major, Hob.XVI:33 (http://javanese.imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/4/47/IMSLP00149-Haydn_-_Piano_Sonata_No_33_in_D.pdf), which has a lovely slow movement and minuet finale. I suppose people will recommend Brendel, but IIRC I sampled him playing that on Yahoo! music some years ago and while I'm normally a Brendel fan, I didn't like his take on the finale - like much of Haydn's music of that period, it should be intimate and lyrical, with a kind of knowing innocence (if that makes sense), but in Brendel's hands it was too brusque and mechanical. Has Andras Schiff done many of them?
     
  18. john greenwood

    john greenwood Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    You need to check out Szell. Not sure how it's packaged these days.
     
  19. john greenwood

    john greenwood Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    Waiting for Walter to be reissued on CD at a budget price. (I've never owned it.)
     
  20. john greenwood

    john greenwood Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    I heard Schiff in an all Haydn recital followed (three days later) by a lecture/demonstration. I'm a big fan of his, and he and I are both fans of Haydn, but he didn't sell this music to me. Schiff played with great energy and cheer, but the music remained superficial.

    On the other hand, in between those two events I saw him perform a concert of the Haydn trios, and they were wonderful.
     
  21. wolfram

    wolfram Slave to the rhythm

    Location:
    Berlin, Germany
    Oooh. new thread. Nice.
     
  22. scompton

    scompton Forum Resident

    Location:
    Arlington, VA
    A lot of people here in DC first thought during last year's earthquake was that it was a terrorist bomb.
     
  23. Greg Arkadin

    Greg Arkadin Forum Resident

    Location:
    Detroit
    If you're OK with fortepiano, harpsichord and what have you, Schornsheim's set is terrific. Brautigam has also completed a set on fortepiano that I haven't heard, but he's generally well-regarded.

    A gentleman named Simon Roberts who frequented a popular discussion list for classical at one point and is a Haydn devotee with incredible taste (that is, I almost always agree with his recommendations) recommended Walid Akl on Discover as the best of the complete sets on piano. Avoid McCabe on Decca, though it's widely available.

    Marc-Andre Hamelin has three 2-CD sets of Haydn sonatas out, and though I'm usually not a fan of his I heartily recommend the first set, which provides a mix of periods (haven't heard the other two sets). Bavouzet also appears to be recording what might be a complete Haydn series.

    Among individual or 2/3-CD recitals, Andreas Staier, Richter on Decca, Glenn Gould, Horowitz and Lars Vogt are among my favorites.
     
  24. Tangledupinblue

    Tangledupinblue Forum Resident

    Location:
    London, UK
    That looks the best one for me to go for, thanks for your suggestions.

    I'll have to pass on your recommendations for fortepiano and harpsichord though - I've already expressed my distaste for both instruments before. The only time I really enjoy the harpischord is when it's used as a concerto/obligato instrument (as in the famous Brandenburg 5) or in unusual combinations in genres which you don't usually associate the harpischord with - like 20th century neoclassical, jazz-rock fusion and rock. The rare occasion I enjoy it as a solo instrument is when it's performed by an exceptionally persuasive and scholarly interpreter (like Gustav Leonhardt in the Goldberg Variations). I dislike the fortepiano even more; playing any music from the classical period, even early Haydn, seems like a needless handicap from the start; when you've had the modern grand for something like two centuries, why in such a great and inventive composer as Haydn sacrifice such vital qualities as tone colour, dynamic range and pedalling which do full justice to his genius?
     
  25. john greenwood

    john greenwood Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    I have tried to warm to Bilson's cycle of the Mozart concertos on fortepiano, but to no avail. On the other hand this album (in a prior packaging) has given me great pleasure.
     

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