Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #49)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by George P, Aug 7, 2013.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. alankin1

    alankin1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Philly
    Robert Schumann – Quintet for Piano, 2 Violins and Cello in E flat, Op.44
    Arthur Rubinstein — Paganini Quartet (RCA Victor Red Seal Records – Sony Music)


    [​IMG]
     
  2. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    Another Classical Forum Giveaway...first to PM me gets it for free. Please only if you do not have the recording and not too many other recordings of these works. Thanks.
    Bartok Piano Concertos 1-3

    51+e1ScCNnL__SY300_.jpg
     
  3. Mr Bass

    Mr Bass Chevelle Ma Belle

    Location:
    Mid Atlantic
    I'm playing Bizet's Symphony in C for the first time in several years. Am I loony or is this the best French symphony of the 19th century?? L'Arlesienne Suites aren't too shabby either.

    bizet.jpg
     
  4. drh

    drh Talking Machine

    Well, I don't know about "best of the 19th century"; leaving aside such odd men out as the D'Indy "Symphony on a French Mountain Air" and Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique, the Saint-Saens 3d and particularly Franck's D Minor both can make credible claims, and on the most passing of acquaintances I'm remembering that at least one by Gounod had much to be said for it as well--not surprising, perhaps, as the Bizet was supposedly modeled on a Gounod sym. What I would agree is that I know no sunnier, more youthful (in the best sense of the word), more inviting work in the symphonic literature, and that goes for countries outside France, too. I never fail to get a great, big, dopey smile on my face when it's announced as in the offing. Funny to think that it lay ignored until the 1930s, when Walter Goehr gave it its first recording. Of course, it was a student work, but still....
     
    RiRiIII and Mr Bass like this.
  5. Mr Bass

    Mr Bass Chevelle Ma Belle

    Location:
    Mid Atlantic

    A great post. Berlioz' Symphonie Fantastique is sui generis and I think outside the bounds of a comparison. Schumann's Spring Symphony is perhaps the only rival of exuberance. Thanks again though.
     
  6. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    That's a great disc.
     
  7. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    Going to a good home. :D
     
  8. john greenwood

    john greenwood Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    The music for another Balanchine masterpiece.
     
  9. Zep Fan

    Zep Fan Sounds Better with Headphones on

    Location:
    N. Texas
  10. NorthNY Mark

    NorthNY Mark Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canton, NY, USA
    I already have this one, but just wanted to strongly encourage anyone who might be curious to take you up on your offer--this is an incredible disc, IMO. Many posters at a classical music forum I frequent prefer later recordings of these concertos by Ivan Fischer and either Andras Schiff or Zoltan Kocsis, but I find that Davis and Kovacevich bring a raw intensity to these performances that emphasizes the more darkly modernistic side of Bartok, rather than the sunnier, folksier side. For those who are interested in Bartok played with a driving, almost savage vigor (that I personally was surprised to hear from this particular duo), this is a strong recommendation!
     
    George P, sgb and Rose River Bear like this.
  11. NorthNY Mark

    NorthNY Mark Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canton, NY, USA
    I have been listening obsessively for the past week to this disc from the big Philips box. I had been caught up in listening to various string quartets (mainly by Beethoven and Bartok), a genre that hadn't really clicked with me until recently. However, when I heard this one, I was completely transfixed--it is unabashedly, lushly melodic, with a repeated theme in the first movement that seemingly just keeps opening up further, like some kind of majestic flower. A combination of internet research and some quick Amazon deliveries of other highly touted performances led me to the realization that this particular performance is rather unique and controversial, as most other performers adopt faster tempi and often a more nervously tense, stop-and-go sort of interpretation. The Quartetto Italiano, as I experience it, don't simply play the work as a kind of narrative, but seem to absolutely luxuriate in the sheer beauty of every single note and nuance, giving it a luminous, almost floating feeling. My preference here is ironic, since with composers like Bartok (as in my post above) and even Brahms, I tend to prefer darker, edgier approaches. This performance of the final string quartet by Schubert, however, seems to be working in a very different way for me--rather than as exciting or even conventionally beautiful, I experience it as nothing less than rapturous.
    [​IMG]
     
  12. Mr Bass

    Mr Bass Chevelle Ma Belle

    Location:
    Mid Atlantic
    That's what the Quartetto Italiano is noted for. They do a great Debussy/ Ravel, Haydn, Brahms and Borodin. Their Beethoven is more controversial for the reasons you touch upon. I happen to think their early and middle Beethoven is very good without being top tier. Schubert Quartets are well worth exploring as you are finding out.

    ravel.jpg
     
  13. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    One more Classical Forum Appreciation giveaway. Zoltan Kocsis plays Bartok solo works Vol. 6.
    It has the Seven Sketches and Hungarian Peasant Songs among other works. Free to good home. First to PM gets it.

    41PEM7WTKSL.jpg
     
  14. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    Going to a good home.
    I agree, it is a great disc.
     
  15. NorthNY Mark

    NorthNY Mark Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canton, NY, USA
    Yeah--I love this so much that I'm tempted to hear everything they've done, but wonder whether their approach would work equally well with other composers or works. I imagine it would work very well indeed for Brahms, and also for Debussey/Ravel (though the latter composers have yet to click with me for some reason). My disc also has Beethoven's last quartet as filler, and it is beautiful, but not nearly as moving (for me) as the Schubert performance. For the Beethoven, I compared it to a performance of the same work by the Hagen Quartet (from the second DG111 boxed set): I thought the QI's approach worked better for the first movement, as the Hagens seemed somewhat casually to rush through the soft parts on the way to the dramatic climaxes, whereas the Italians seemed more "present" for every melodic line. I liked them both equally in the rhythmic second movement, and actually preferred the HQ in the last two movements, where their darker, more dramatic approach worked better for me. Of course, those were my impressions before I heard the Schubert, so perhaps my enthusiasm for that performance will cause me to re-evaluate their Beethoven op. 135. The other work on the Hagen disc is also by Schubert, The "Death and the Maiden" quartet, but it didn't resonate with me nearly as much as no. 15 (and I don't know whether that's more due to the work or the performance).
     
  16. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    That's a great disc. Glad you are liking it.
     
    NorthNY Mark likes this.
  17. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    Gotta be the first time these words have been uttered. :D
     
    NorthNY Mark likes this.
  18. NorthNY Mark

    NorthNY Mark Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canton, NY, USA
    Yeah--I considered putting quotation marks around the word "filler." It definitely wasn't meant to reflect my opinion of Beethoven's artistry. :D
     
  19. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    I have most of Mullova's recordings, going back to her Philips days. I also have a fair number of Kremer's CD's. I have three Beethoven Symphonies cycles performed on period instruments but really think they all have problems topping the HvK's 1963 cycle and the Leonard Bernstein and VPO box.
     
  20. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    I found Kremer's technique to be first rate, though the tempos are a bit fast in the Bach Violin Concertos on Philips ...
     
  21. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Earlier today, I listened to the following SACD's for the first time on a universal player

    [​IMG]

    then I had a first listen on the following CD ...

    [​IMG]
     
  22. heman__

    heman__ Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
    Thank you for deciding what I am to listen to this morning!
     
    NorthNY Mark likes this.
  23. john greenwood

    john greenwood Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    The Bruckner is marvelous.
     
  24. Bob M

    Bob M Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Canada
    I am a huge Ralph Vaughan Williams fan, and I believe I have all his orchestral work on CD (I am not as much a fan of some of his choral pieces, but have many as they are included in various comps throughout my collection). Most of my CDs are early issues with Sir Adrian Boult conducting, especially the symphonies. My question is are their newer versions of RVW out there on CD that have better audio (ie newer recordings) that are at least as brilliant as the performances on those earlier releases? Thomas Tallis is my favourite classical piece, period, so the ultimate rendition would be great too.
     
  25. Jonno

    Jonno Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    I'm sure someone better qualified can answer, but Vernon Handley seems like an obvious suggestion!
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine