Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #46)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by George P, Mar 25, 2013.

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  1. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    Indeed! Would love to see more of you, Bronth!! :wave:
     
  2. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Now playing CD5 from the following set for a first listen ...

    [​IMG]
     
  3. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    Great sonics on the SACD and the original version of Night. It is the Mussorgsky orchestration. Different compared to the Rimsky Korsakov orchestration. I think you will like that SACD.
     
    John S likes this.
  4. PH416156

    PH416156 Alea Iacta Est

    Location:
    Europe
    I only have this SACD of Stravinsky's "Rite"

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    but the reissue of the Bernstein performance looks like a good value for money and reviewers are quite happy...ok; ordered one!:D
     
  5. Bronth

    Bronth Active Member

    Location:
    Riga, Latvia
    Indeed, Stuart (and John). :wave:But, at some point, I really got lost in all these classical box sets, which I collected through the recent years, and, to avoid complete over-saturation (and I had really come pretty close to it, not to mention that I had almost dropped the ball on too many recent jazz, rock and pop releases/re-releases by the end of 2012), I just tried to switch my whole classical "focus" to something different - more "vivid", challenging and insisting some truly close individual connection.

    In the classical realm it happened to be opera (and, to a lesser extent, ballet), with its visual and storytelling aspects, which I undeservedly (if not completely) had been ignoring for years while collecting all those CD-only bargains (albeit I still have no problems with just listening to opera, especially if I have a choice of sub-par contemporary video productions and some truly classic mono or early stereo stuff that wasn't filmed). Besides the Mezzo TV channel, which I have been following more closely than ever since last autumn (often with this small but handy book), a new acquaintance made during the Christmas season (a leading soprano from our state opera house, who is also an avid metalhead actively interested in music side projects) also helped in sparkling my current opera interest.

    Here's a couple of my recent opera acquisitions, which I really enjoyed (and bought based on some extensive research and sample listening/watching), both on CD and DVD. Too bad that, unfortunately, there's still a lack of truly great productions/transfers on Blu-Ray, and even if there are some, the prices tend to be outrageous. Boo.
     

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  6. Collector Man

    Collector Man Well-Known Member

    Lately, she has been getting a bit of criticism for some of her operatic singing performances. What singer does not , now and agin. Reading some of the prices on the Web for OOP recordings is hilarious. The moment some record company simply reissues an OOP work, the insane prices that had been asked, plummets to virtually ...nothing!
     
  7. jimsumner

    jimsumner Senior Member

    Location:
    Raleigh, NC, USA
    Well, there goes my excuse. "Sorry, honey. The internet made me do it."
     
    Bronth likes this.
  8. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    My operas on CD are limited to only Handel and Wagner and I think I have most if not all the operas composed by Handel and most definitely all of Wagner's operas. I have a bunch of operas on LP's I bought in the 80's - Mozart, Bizet, Berlioz and I have many Handel and Wagner operas on LP as well.
     
  9. John S

    John S Forum Resident

    Location:
    Columbus, OH
    So if I order it with English it's "Holy $hit!"
    If I order the title in French it's "Je ne peux pas croire ma chance!"
    :D:agree:
     
  10. Collector Man

    Collector Man Well-Known Member

    I totally agree about the lack of truly 'watchable productions ' plus high prices asked for Blu Ray/DVD opera discs.
    Due to some of the great cast productions are from the 4/3 ratio -era and just stereo sound -if lucky. The number of Blu ray - dtsHD discs are limited in range and tend to carry high prices.. Though it is surprising that one will find a greater percentage of Blu Ray opera discs are coming out in not just dts HD 5/1 but 7/1 channel sound, than even commercial "crash & bang type " run of straight films. The only problen though ,with so many of these new opera discs too often, is the lousy casting and having to put up with ratty stage sets coupled to "twisted directors' concept " productions.
    Therefore I mainly rely on CD opera sets -using my mind's eye to 'create the set, scene, and situation' .
     
    Bronth likes this.
  11. John S

    John S Forum Resident

    Location:
    Columbus, OH
    Since when did Amazon's mandatory second vendor cost go to $3.99? In all my domestic USPS deliveries my vendors made a little money when the rate was $2.99.
    Is it because foreign (to US) vendors need more cushion, or is it because Amazon wants to push buyers to the "bundled" free shipping for orders over $25?
     
  12. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Perhaps that was in response to another expected hike of postage rate since USPS is in serious financial trouble. It has been at $3.99 for close to a month now ...
     
  13. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Now playing CD6, the last CD from the following set for a first listen. This is an excellent set ...

    [​IMG]
     
  14. John S

    John S Forum Resident

    Location:
    Columbus, OH
    Eye candy often detracts from ear candy. It's no doubt fun to watch the action, but then the music often becomes just another 'soundtrack'.
     
  15. Collector Man

    Collector Man Well-Known Member

    With CD - I am quite the opposite, if we are talking the likes of Handel : I have perhaps one set of a Handel opera 'here & there' - as 'a representional example ' in my collection . It is what I call throat gargling 'woe is me' music. But every other opera composer ....where human emotion is truly on show - it does not matter how many versions I already own..it became a case of keep .... "buying, buying, buying". Whether it is Verdi , Puccini, Poulenc, Janacek, Wagner, Massenet,Richard Strauss, Britten , or Bizet.
     
  16. Collector Man

    Collector Man Well-Known Member

    The other night I put on the RCA/ Decca recorded CDs of Wagner's Flying Dutchman with George London / Leonie Ryansek under Dorati. There you have something recorded 50 years ago - in an ascoutic using Decca's famous 'checkerbroad perspective' recording layout. Close one's eyes, one is "There" ....with left/right PLUS front/back positioned sound. The way - one hears it in a theatre. Being achieved naturally and not later with a engineer's sound desk 'wizardy'. How many times have we heard where an recording engineer has later (post recording) tried to create an impression of opera characters 'being drawn back' from some imagined front of stage action. Then reduced down the orchestra's sound levels as well (Though it clashes with the marked specified sound dyamics in the actual Score -at that point )

    What I am noticing is that, not just recording techniques have changed even from the 60's . Looking past the analogue/digital recording chnages, there is also an unmistakeable difference in performing style. In human terms of both singing technique, which includes orchestral musicans and conductors with their present modern 'technique' of approach/ attack.
     
    John S likes this.
  17. John S

    John S Forum Resident

    Location:
    Columbus, OH
    I'll gladly pay the extra rate. It's insane, Congress (and the public) requires the USPS to deliver a letter from Boston to Honolulu for a measly 48ยข, while in the name of free trade permitting FEDX and UPS to skim off the profitable small package business, neither of which would touch that Boston/Honolulu letter at the same cost.
     
  18. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    I love his Mozart!!
     
  19. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    Yeah, I am a bit upset about that, but I expect that I soon will adjust to the difference.
     
  20. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    :laugh:
     
  21. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    :laughup:
     
  22. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    :wave:

    Ok, we are now at the point where we need to move things along to a new thread.

    Please make all new posts here.

    :wave:
     
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