Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #41)

Sorry my oversight. Not realizing it was a 2 Cd set!

 

His 7th symphony by Rattle is a nice start:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Henze-Symph...=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1351411123&sr=1-1

And of course his first six ones conducted by himself released back then by DG and now dirt cheap issued by Brilliant:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Henze-Symph...=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1351411311&sr=1-2

 

Thanks - the other part of the problem is that, like with so much other music, I keep forgetting that he's one composer on my mental wish list still to check out so I'm grateful for your reminder (even if it's sadly taken his death to jog my memory). Must remember to borrow some of his stuff out of the library assuming they have any of his music...

 

Yeah - with Amazon, unless I truly need something ASAP (in which case I pay for 1 or 2 shipping) I always wait until I have enough stuff in my cart to qualify for the discount.

 

Schiff was excellent las night. Really focussed on maintaining the lines in the fugues. I bought the discs, and I look forward to comparing them to his earlier set.

Schiff displayed real stamina as well. Each half ran a full hour, and he played without a break, in most cases barely pausing between one fugue and the next prelude.

It was also one of the most attentive - and quitest - audiences. I've ever been in. Hardly any coughing.

 

What RiRiIII said.
It's a shame that Henze's symphonies are not more known, maybe now with his death his works will get the attention that they rightly deserve.
After his symphonies you can check also his violin concertos, there is a very nice recording of 1 and 3 on Naxos.

 

Also the 8th is issued as Sacd with Stenz conducting his Cologne orchestra:

http://www.sa-cd.net/showtitle/4862

The 9th was premiered in Berlin and the relevant recording with the BPO and Metzmacher was issued by EMI.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Henze-Sinfo...=sr_1_4?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1351432276&sr=1-4

It received its USA premiere by Masur and the NYPO released by the orchestra's label.

 

I just saw an amazing performance last night of Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a theme by Paganini up in Davies Hall in San Francisco. Still not sure if this one counts as a concerto or not.

It is for me. Concertos pretty much are my favorite format in classical music. Orchestra and soloist. can't beat that. My top 5 list is sadly pathetically cliche. But excellence is sometimes common knowledge...Sometimes not


Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto II

Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto III

Prokofiev Piano Concerto III

Elgar Cello Concerto

Mendelssohn Violin Concerto

I will be seeing Chopin's Piano Concerto I tomorrow night and the next night at the new Smith Center in Las Vegas and at Disney Hall in L.A. and then Halloween will be Prokofiev Piano Concerto II back up at Davies Hall.

A lot of hitch hiking for all that....

 

You don't know what you've got till it's gone

The Heifetz/Reiner collaboration is forward-pressing where others seem to wander off in a daydream*. The last movement is very much on point, with rhythms on knife-edge. The Hahn performance is very nice but too polite, so the drama and energy is washed out in comparison.

The Bartok recording I mentioned is not all that easy to find. I'm not even saying that people who love Bartok are going to enjoy this particular interpretation of the work, but Furtwängler and Menuhin make music wondrous strange here, something you have to hear at least once.



http://www.amazon.com/Bartok-Violin-Concerto-Menuhin-Furtwangler/dp/B00005ONOY

As regards the Mendelssohn VC, I really like Heifetz in the work, it's coupled with Beethoven's VC in a great performance with Munch and Boston, on a SACD that's still floating around for cheap. What are you waiting for?



* I Talkin' to YOU, Mr. Perlman

 

On tour with Yuja Wang? I bet she was great last night.

 

I thought so. But I am biased

It seemed the crowd thought so too. They stood and demanded an encore for a few minutes after the lights went up. Unfortunately she stabbed her left index finger with a razor a week ago and it broke open during the performance. She was in too much pain to do an encore.

 

Given the pending weather maybe a spin of this is in order??

 

Thanks Robin, I love the Beethoven concerto too but haven't heard it as much I'd like so along with the Tchaikovsky/Brahms that would make a great coupling.

I think I would like the Bartok as you described, it's quite romantic anyway for a late 1930s work especially for Bartok, and don't forget he himself was quite a lyrical pianist who didn't like the percussive and barbaric stereotypes perpetuated by so many musicians and critics who insisted that this is how his music should be played (although, in fairness I'm not quite sure how a work like the Miraculous Mandarin can be interpreted any other way for the most part).

 

How about La Mer?

 

Got it!!

 

Does anyone know how's the sound of this Haskil collection?



http://www.amazon.com/Clara-Haskil/...1351468513&sr=1-1&keywords=The+haskil+edition

 

^

Haven't heard about the sound on that one, but the Mozart performances are (of course) wonderful!

 

Classical forum appreciation giveaway....here I go again...just found another double in my collection. This is one of those Arkiv Music reproductions of OOP recordings. Sound great, great price for you..$0. First to PM me gets it.




Sorry so small..it is Giuseppe Sinopoli and the NY Philharmonic recording of Scriabin's Divine Poeme and Poem of Esctacy.

 

^

So that 's a CD-R, right?

 

Yeah...but a legal one nonetheless. Arkiv buys the rights.

 

Added a bigger photo above.

 

Sounds a tempting offer and I like Scriabin's piano music, but with the obvious exception of Mahler and to a lesser extent Rachmaninov, I'm not a great fan of late Romantic 20th century orchestral music, so I'm happy for someone else to snap this up...unless there are no takers in the next 24 hours.

 

Cool cover painting uh...looks like Dali. Thanks for the big picture.

 

20th Century Masterpieces



CD4
1918
Manuel de Falla
Noches en los Jardines de España (Salle Wagram, Paris, 1963)
Gonzalo Sorlano, piano
Orchestre do la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire
Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos

1918
Holst
The Planets Op. 32 (Kingsway Hall & No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London, 1978)
Geoffrey Mitchell Choir
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Adrian Boult

Some critics don't like Boult's last recording of the Planets here, citing slow tempi. It is astounding that he was almost 90 at the time of this recording, and that it was he who premiered this work in Sept. 1918. I find this recording to be not only acceptable, but also very exciting.

 

Thanks, George, I was asking because this looks like a good value ($61.15 for 17 discs, cheaper from some sellers).
But some comments from Amazon are critical of the sound quality.