Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #52)

Ordered the following CD earlier today. A somewhat unusual CD IMO - choral works by Pachelbel. While I have the Complete Organ Works by Pachelbel on the Centaur label spread over 11 volumes, I was not aware that he actually composed some choral works ...

 

Yeah he's not deaf. At least not when he was compiling his list of best sounding recordings. He mostly picked really outstanding *sounding* records.

 

How can I forget that set? The most expensive CD set I have ever bought in terms of price/disc ...

 

I'm with Diogenes on this one--endlessly searching for the perfect recording, never quite finding it. My "necessary but not sufficient" problem is with the coda of the first mvt., which never seems to have quite the right combination of passion and precision. Forced to choose, I usually opt for the former, even if it costs some messiness (see, e.g., Artur Rubinstein's account from late 78 RPM records, issued both as conventional set DM-1018 and clear red vinyl DV-3). So far, I guess the front runners for me, at least on CD, have been Sviatoslav Richter (New York, 1960, RCA Papillon issue from way back when) and Artur Pizarro (Linn SACD). A special case is Anthony Newman on Newport Classics; he plays a period piano--specifically, a copy of an 1804 Clementi--and, while he's hardly what you'd call "tidy," I think he may come closest of any I've heard to how the piano-demolishing Beethoven might have played it himself, achieving a level of violence in the coda of the last movement that has the strings jangling off their bridges.

Oh, and happy new year, everybody!

 

Annie Fischer all the way, followed by Richter and Arrau.

 

So, these are the best "An der schoenen blauen Donau", Op. 314 (1866) acc. to Diapason of January 2014:

Historic: Erich Kleiber (Staatskapelle Berlin, 1932):



Ideal: George Szell (VPO, 1934, Preiser)

Magistral: Harnoncourt (RCO,Teldec, 1986)

Sensual: Carlos Kleiber (VPO, DG, 1989)

Happy New Year!

Alex

 

Celebrating the New Year with Richard Strauss - Der Rosenkavalier - von Karajan, Schwarzkopf et al

 

All these years I thought he was a she. You learn something new every day. I'll have to look to see if I still have my copy to verify that.

 

They were worth a look when Andrew Quint was writing for them back in the 80s.

 

I am more of a Stereophile man, I find it more down to earth. Also it is the only magazine that I know of that provides measurements.

 

She he is indeed.

 

It is very difficult for me to choose a a favorite version of Appassionata, there are so many great recordings of this work! In addition to what was already mentioned, I like Gilels' recording that came out in 1974 (DG)

 

Happy New Year everybody! Think I'm gonna drag some Johann Strauss Jr. off the shelf and fire up the Frankenstereo. Have a great 2014.

 

I love Harry Pearson's writing, being as I'm a fan of the florid and the fabulist. He's fashioned some apocalyptic hyperbole. Great fun to read. Also has pretty good taste in audio gear. I appreciate that, for him, classical music—particularly orchestral—is the gold standard for evaluation audio reproduction.

 

Agreed to all, I have a lot of respect for Harry Pearson.
Robin, I don't know if you 've seen this, if not take a look, it is a nice read, Pearson explains the reasons why he left Absolute Sound.

http://www.hpsoundings.com/2013/04/why-i-quit-the-absolute-sound/

 

I rarely ever read the classical music review in Stereophile either. The last time I did was reading some of the classical reviews in the now defunct Stereo Review back in the 80's when CD first hit the market and audio was a lot more fun ...

 

Are any of the new piano sensations worth mentioning in connection with "Appassionata"?

 

I'm not plugged into that, sorry. I wasn't aware of Annie Fischer's set until fairly recently so it's still a bit new to me. I tend to play these sorts of things obsessively.

 

I suppose it depends on who you consider a "sensation." HJ Lim recorded the entire Beethoven cycle as her debute recording. Here are some samples

http://www.emiclassics.com/release/...lim-hj-beethoven-complete-piano-sonatas-vol-1

My impression of HJ Lim is that she plays almost everything as though she is double parked. Speed at the expense of everything else.

 

Moravec playing the Appassionata



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG1EnGj4WfU

 

There was a time when I subscribed to no fewer than 3 audio magazines. Unfortunately, my interest in audio gears has waned over the past twenty years due to the increasing emphasis on HT and the stratospheric prices. My two biggest pastimes are investments and music (and its collection). While good audio equipments is the road to great listening experience, there is a point of diminishing return. That is why I have no hesitation to invest but simply will never spend more than $10K on a single piece of audio equipment.

 

I heard about HJ Lim's cycle and doubt I will ever bother to add it to my collection of Beethoven Piano Sonatas. With 13 versions in my collection, I think I am done.

 

OTOH if one ever feels the need to hear the entire cycle as quickly as possible this would be the one to get.

 

I will probably re-listen to the Annie Fischer's set after I have made my major upgrade to the sound system in my study. Perhaps a tube amp can bring out more of the piano magic ...