Listenin' to Classical Music and Conversation

On the turntable: A 1974 release.

Beethoven - Quartetto Italiano ‎– Rasumowsky Streichquartette / String Quartets / Quatuors A Cordes Op. 59 Nos. 1, 2, 3
Philips ‎– 6747 139

 

Listening on CD to

 

First listen to CD 18 from "Igor Stravinsky - The Complete Columbia Album Collection" on Sony

Persephone

1957

 

TBH, the day I bought the St. Matthew, I had actually come looking for the B Minor Mass but when they were out of it but had just gotten a new shipment of the St. Matthew (which had just gotten a rave review in High Fidelity), I decided that a four-LP set wasn't all that much more expensive than a three-LP set...

 

What did you think? I adore that piece. Some of his most ravishingly beautiful music. Truly his most "French" work. I love the performance, too - one of his best. (The Salonen and Tilson Thomas performances are worth hearing, too.)

 

Now playing - Music from the time of Philip IV (13th century France)

 

Yes, I enjoyed listening to it. Only the second time I've heard a recording of it - I'm gradually becoming more familiar with Stravinsky thanks to the Sony and DG box sets.

 

In 1996 I was just starting my classical collection & shelled out $2.99 for this 1987 cassette, which I now find shocking. Recorded 5/24-26/71 (Symphony) and 9/10-18/72 (Egmont), Grosser Saal, Musikverein, Vienna. Credits for No. 6: Dr Ellen Hickman & Dr. Hans Hirsch, production managers; Wlofgang Lohse, recording supervisor; Günter Hermanns, engineer. Credits for Egmont: unknown.

 

1984 U.S. issue of an Erato recording made 3/17-18 & 20-21/81, Rosslyn Hill Unitarian Chapel, London. Engineer: Yolanta Skura. Erato LP issued in 1982.

 

His symphonies are great.

 

CD.

 

1965, this series was at one time, many years ago, my only Janacek operas and they are still good.

 

On the TT. record 1 from the Tales of Hoffman set. Decca LXT 2582. Orange label mono.

 

The Makropulos Case.

 

The performances are fine on this one, it's the works themselves that leave me a bit baffled as to why he was attracted to them. The violin sonata is indeed very nice, and,as it happens, Gould played the first movement on it on one of his TV appearances with Oscar Shumsky.

 

The last of my car boot sale cheapies, and an opera I've been after a recording of for a while:



Purcell - Dido and Aeneas - Haim/Le Concert d'Astree

I had an ex-girlfriend who was infatuated with Ian Bostridge, but I'm not sure I've ever really heard him with my ears open.

 

As I said, I’m not a Gould fan nor am I that fond of pre-1885 Strauss works.

 

You should definitely upgrade the Mackerras. There’s a box set of his Janáček recordings on Decca, but I think it’s out-of-print, but I’m sure you can find it used.

 

CD.

 

Wonderful piece of music! Hearing this live, as performed by Rozhdestvensky and the BSO was unforgettable. Marthe Keller was wonderful.

 

NP:

Honegger
Cello Sonata, H 32
Christian Poltéra, Kathryn Stott

 

NP:

Janáček
String Quartet No. 1, “Kreutzer Sonata”
Talich Quartet



Besides these Janáček performances being outstanding from Talich, this recording also features a scorching performance of Schulhuff’s String Quartet No. 1. Too bad they never recorded his 2nd SQ.

 

Continuing with this recording:

Ligeti
Études, Book II
Driver

 

I have a few of the Mackerras, he understood Janacek but when I bring these early Supraphons out they have a different kind of home grown feeling that I grew with.