Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #12)

I have mixed experience with moviemar and have not dealt with them too often ...

 

Conductors, like film directors, seem to be unlikable egotists, but there are always exceptions-------seems like Bruno Walter was a likeable guy, am i wrong?

 

So do I. Now playing:

 

Here are my two favourite Four Seasons. The third one is also kind of attractive punk cover version (although from time to time I prefer the fourth - a bigger band remake).

 

The third was a freebee in one of the national Sunday newspapers over here a year or so back.
At one time I had a recording by Perlman on Angel (HMV/EMI UK) on XDR(tm) tape from about '84/5 I guess that I think had cd issue issue although like my cds back then trying to track it down was a pain with erratic supplies and the like.

 

Smetana: Má Valst (Complete)
Polish national radio symphony orchestra Antoni Wit (Cond)
Naxos 8.550931 (r) 1994
One very generously filled disc (79:38) of this work extremely well played and well worth buying at it's modest cost new. Penguin give it three stars.

 

Yep, that one has a different cover and is dirt-cheap at eBay.

 

I've heard a few nasty things about him. On the other hand, it probably came from Norman Lebrecht, who rarely has a good word to say about any conductor.

Kent Nagano may be a bit of an Egoist, but he is very likable and approachable. In any case, he's one of the great living conductors and a big Zappa/Beatles fan.

David Babbitt, who directed the San Francisco Bach Choir before dying altogether too young, seemed to be the living manifestation of every nice thing anyone ever said about Bruno Walter. He was devoid of ego, was a fantastic conductor and very, very likable.

 

Nice!

 

Just to be clear, the Orchestra of St. Luke and the Y Chamber Orchestra (later renamed the the New York Chamber Symphony) were separate institutions. (Different religions for one thing - the Y is a YMHA ) St. Luke's is still active. The NYCS lasted at the Y from the late 70's until the early 90's. I was involved with the Y for much of that period, and saw many of their concerts. At their peak, they performed about 20 times a year (paired performances). Their performances ranged, naturally, but at the time they were well-respected - I was just looking through their reviews at the NY times web site. Most vividly, I recall a searing performance of Schubert's 9th (which involved about as many players as could fit on the stage) that rivals any version I've heard.

 

This morning listening session:

 

Gimme, Gimme, Gimme!

Yum!

 

Amazingly, I dont think the Jordi Savall Brandenburgs will be my favourite version....seems somewhat disorganized...but its probably a bias from listening to different versions...

Hopefully I can warm up to this interpretation.

 

Happy and Safe 4th to all my Fellow Classical CD Hounds!





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It's my favorite version, hands down. Savall understands and integrates the French Baroque style in places where it normally doesn't go, including Bach. His recordings of Bach tend to be a little slower and more expressive than Pinnock's or MAK's. There's a zaftig quality to his sound production, a tonally generous interpretation of historically informed performance practice.

And if you don't have this already, grab it before it goes away:

 

Coop and George......

I got it coming....$7.50 New shipped

 

It's still gonna go Dum—dee dee dee dum dee dee, Dum—dee dee dee dum dee dee—Dee dum dee dee dee dum Dum . . .

 

That Norman Lebrecht has become a mean and nasty fellow in his old age. Didn't he deliver a scathing attack on HvK on the latter's 100th birthday 2 years ago? He blamed the current state and the possible eventual demise of classical music on the exorbitant conducting fees HvK charged. Hey, we live in a capitalist world. Conductors can demand high conducting fees just like a mediocre baseball players who make on average $1MM a year ...

 

Agree. I bought this excellent CD a few months ago ...

 

Well heck all my CD's do that!!!

 

Yeah, some vintage audio gears here - both tube and SS.

 

You probably ordered it from Amazon MP. Amazon itself wants a bit more than $7.50 IIRC ...

 

Ebay Auction.....spent the last of my Paypal $$ on it.
Was one of those best offer deals.....wanted $10.00 +sh or BO.
I offered $5....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380144009702&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

 

I generally use eBay auctions to get my vintage audio gears, which is my major hobby besides classical music ...