Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #1)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by George P, Oct 26, 2008.

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  1. clogs

    clogs New Member

    Location:
    San Francisco
    I haven't heard Gergiev's readings of Mahler, however, I have his Shostakovich reading's on sacd.
    Marvelous, and with the right amount of biting humour that was Dmitri S.
     
  2. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Excellent sound and very "lyrical" performance.
     
  3. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Wasn't this set originally released under the TELDEC label?
     
  4. Bronth

    Bronth Active Member

    Location:
    Riga, Latvia
    Composer: Beethoven
    Works: Piano Sonatas Nos. 8 (C minor, Op. 13 "Pathetique"), 14 (C sharp minor, Op 27 No. 2 "Moonlight") and 23 (F minor, Op. 54 "Appassionata")
    Performer: Daniel Barenboim
    Medium and Label: CD, EMI Classics
    Date of performance: 1966 (recorded at Abbey Road, remastered in 1986-1989)

    Tonight I completely re-discovered "Moonlight" and "Appassionata" from this CD. 9 CDs are left, because it's a complete set of Beethoven's sonatas.

    Usually it's not regarded too positively because here we have "too young" Barenboim. Especially, "Moonlight" is almost pretentious: when it's slow and quiet, it's extremely slow and quiet. Also, until this very night it had lacked its... say, "accustomed" feel that could be borrowed from many other renditions. The feel that makes the piece a common "classical hit". BUT!

    But tonight I put on my relatively new monitoring headphones (Audio-Technica ATH-M50), connected them to a decent cheap amp (Little Dot I+), closed my eyes and saw myself walking and dancing in late autumn forest, and only the Moon was there with me (or against me?). Don't forget - it's a sharp minor piece!

    "Appassionata" with its savage, "over the top" energy proved that there are no 2 similar sonatas on this CD. Such contrast is my "listener's paradise" but many performers prefer to play sonatas in more... "compressed", conveyor manner, using a single palette and predictable tempos (I mean - in the way usual "program" CDs are constructed). Barenboim prefers to convey every possible and impossible color and semi-tone. And even when he fails, I can imagine Beethoven as a man, not a canon.

    What I'm practically saying here: match a proper equipment with a really dynamic recording (for many people Barenboim's is too dynamic, but not for me) and then you'll be happy with Metallica's "Death Magnetic". Because you'll know: there are both heaven and hell, so the harmony exists. :D
     
  5. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Elgar: Violin Concerto / Lark Ascending
     

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  6. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    JS Bach Harpsichord Concertos will be next ...
     

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  7. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    Barenboim's DG set was my first set of Beethoven sonatas. His playing has a beauty not often found in Beethoven's music. However, I rarely find him to knock it out of the park on his interpretations. Fast movements are often taken too slowly and I often wish for more fire in his interpretations. In spite of this, I loved his Op. 7, 14/2, 22, 26, 78, 90.
     
  8. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    I love this work. I have DuPre/Barenboim on EMI. So good I haven't searched further. :cool:
     
  9. Jay F

    Jay F New Member

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    It's great for you, Eddie, getting to travel the way you do. Two nights. Mmmm. Wish I could be there. I think I'm seeing a Piano Trio concert that weekend.

    My favorite Mahler is the 6th. I was supposed to see the student orchestra do that at Carnegie Mellon a few years back, but I got sick. Lenny B's CBS version is my favorite.
     
  10. Jay F

    Jay F New Member

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    I think that's on Teldec, yes.
     
  11. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    I thought I saw Telarc in the post ...
     
  12. Jay F

    Jay F New Member

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    I didn't know there was one. I'm not in a Mahler phase right now.
     
  13. Jay F

    Jay F New Member

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Well, unless something's changed, I think Teldec is the label.
     
  14. She might have re-recorded that with Barenboim, but the "classic" is of course with Barbirolli in 1965, a favorite of mine. She played cello, remember.:winkgrin:

    For the violin concerto, I go right back to the source, Elgar conducting, with Yehudi Menuhin and recorded at Abbey Road in the 1930's.
     
  15. Bogey

    Bogey Spy Vinyl User

    Location:
    Colorado
    Sounds like I might enjoy them as they are George. How do they compare with Kempff?
     
  16. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    Yes, that's the one that I meant. That'll teach me to post on an empty stomach. :D
     
  17. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    Much bigger piano sound, much more lingering, more romantic (bigger dynamic range, more rubato), less coherent, less intimate. Much better sound. Just about as consistent as Kempff.
     
  18. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Handel: Concerti Grossi, Op. 6 - not the entire set as it is getting late. Karajan really was not the best interpreter of Handel's works anyway.
     

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  19. Bogey

    Bogey Spy Vinyl User

    Location:
    Colorado
    Agreed. Add Haydn to the list as well.
     
  20. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    Yes, all pre-Beethoven music IMO. But then things quickly begin to heat up and fit like a glove. :cool:
     
  21. 5-String

    5-String μηδὲν ἄγαν

    Location:
    Sunshine State
    What I am listening for the last couple of days is the Grammophone award winning latest collection of Beethoven sonatas by Paul Lewis on Harmonia Mundi.

    This 3-cd set is truly amazing.

    The clarity, smoothness and imagination of these performances are phenomenal and although there is a tough competition by many other great performances of the past, I am really impressed by this last endeavor.

    I can hardly wait for Lewis to finish the project.

    Those of you who like classical piano do yourself a favor and check this set out.
     
  22. Jay F

    Jay F New Member

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    The one you're talking about was the last volume in his cycle. Here they all are: http://www.amazon.com/s/qid=1225168...:beethoven piano sonatas paul lewis,i:popular
     
  23. apileocole

    apileocole Lush Life Gort

    Exactly my feelings about Ashkenazy's Sibelius. The only one I've enjoyed as much was Sir John Barbirolli cond The Royal Philharmonic for Symphony 2. Have that on vinyl, really enjoyed it. Ashkenazy's recording of Symphony 1 absolutely amazed me. Struck me as frilly and bombastic or some such wherever I'd heard it before, but come Ashkenazy, the whole overpowering deal suddenly worked. Maybe it was me, not having had the "ears on" for it earlier, but sure glad I heard that.

    Wow. That's fantastic to hear. Is it largely a situation of the early ones simply not sticking on the widely played dartboard then? The "usual suspects" I've heard many times, and love 'em. It'll be Kertesz / LSO.
     
  24. AaronW

    AaronW Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Composer: Mozart
    Work: Symphony No.38 "Prague" & Symphony 39
    Performer: Christopher Hogwood and the AAM
    Medium and Label: LP, L'Oiseau-Lyre
    Date of performance: 1983
    I have to admit I'm not too familiar with this piece as far as the approach and the sound quality is much above par but the strings have a bit of that "digital" edge to them...
     
  25. I really like pretty much everything Hilary Hahn has recorded. She is playing in Liverpool next week and I can't get to it :realmad:

    Best Wishes
    David
     
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