Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #42)

Now enjoying this lovely CD. Thanks to RRB!

 

i think the preludes are great pieces and deserve a wider audience...

 

absolutely, and that performance gets to the heart of the matter like few others!

 

Now enjoying a first spin of this set.

 

This looks really interesting, here's another violinist whose name I haven't seen before.
How is it?

 

Haven't heard the violinist yet, but the piano concertos come highly recommended and are so far very enjoyable.

 

That's pretty much what I figured. Too bad for me though, I wasn't intending to get the box set as the only thing that I am missing from Nat is his Schumann. So it seems that I will have to get the newer mastering after all or to fix the problems with Audition and burn a listening copy.

 

I feel you. I debated for weeks about the Cortot set, since I already had the majority of that stuff on CD already. In the end, I decided that the new performances (to me) and the improved sound was worth it, especially for one of my favorite pianists. Besides, then I'll have some old Cortot CDs that I can trade with folks. Or just keep them for the liner notes.

 

I think that I have the piano concertos on vinyl but I am not sure, will have to check.

 

Thanks, I just ordered vol. 2

 

Glad you are enjoying it George. Lenny was pretty good at interpreting those American type composers.

 

Indeed he was.Nice sound too.

 

Best overall conductor of the century methinks. I like Bernstein too much, I guess.

 

A very strong argument could be made for that. Considering how many favorites I have of his, I would have to say the same.

 

Come to think of it, I don't think I have ever heard the Prokofiev Violin concerto before. It's getting late hear, so it will probably have to wait until tomorrow.

 

Having just listened to these earlier today, I can only agree. There is a version with Turibio Santos on youtube - different, it seems, from the LPs - but equally satisfying;

 

The Mighty Moog - Everything You Always Wanted to Hear On The Moog*
*but were afraid to ask for
Andrew Kazdin and Thomas Z. Shepard
Columbia Masterworks 1967

perhaps my favorite "switched on" style record

 

Spem in Alium, Stephen Cleobury, King's College Choir.



I came to "Spem" back in the late 80's. I did technical production for Ellen Holmes' Adagio series for Music From The Hearts of Space. That recording:



was big. slow and bloated. Not too surprising. This is reverential. meditative stuff. But, like Beethoven's Missa Solemnis or Bach's St. Matthew Passion, the impact of the music is greater if there is less impediment to the music's flow and forward progression. I don't know how many are singing in Cleobury's version, but this is one of the most lithe and nimble performances of "Spem in Alium." It sounds angelic, as always. But here, the angels dance.

 

Edgard Varese
Offrandes/Integrales/Octandre/Ecuatorial
The Contemporary Chamber Ensemble
Arthur Weisberge
Nonsuch 1972

 

Now listening and enjoying...

 

What??? Both Prokofiev Violin concertos 1 & 2 are wonderful . And yet I can take or leave Prokofiev in some of his compositions.

 

Only in America would people believe Bernstein was the conductor of the century.

(No offense.)

I don't even think Bernstein was the best Copland conductor. Although, I realise, even Copland himself loved 'Lenny' doing his work. But then, Copland just loved Lenny full stop.

In my, not so humble, opinion Bernstein has nothing on real great conductors like Reiner, Karajan and Kubelik.

 

I dunno, not really into all this "Northmanship." Have to say Bernstein is at least on par with the other three conductors mentioned. If I were to elect one conductor from the 20th century it would be Stokowski. Bernstein in many ways is "Stoky II".

 

Considering violinists who couple both on one CD, who do you like in the concertos? Chung? Vengerov? Oistrakh? Mintz?

 

Reply to George P : (regarding the Prokofiev Violin Concertos.)
Joshua Bell, Chung, Stern,Mintz etc. , Though if other versions come along, I don't have... I do get curious about them.
Just writing this...some of their absolutely heavenly and heart breaking sounds soaring up into the Prokofiev stratosphere, are singing in my head!.