Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #55)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by George P, Apr 22, 2014.

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  1. bluemooze

    bluemooze Senior Member

    Location:
    Frenchtown NJ USA
    Now listening to "Aquitania - Christmas Music from Aquitanian Monasteries (12th century)" performed by Sequentia on DHM.

    sequentia aquitania.jpg
     
  2. John S

    John S Forum Resident

    Location:
    Columbus, OH
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Same recording?
     
  3. 5-String

    5-String μηδὲν ἄγαν

    Location:
    Sunshine State
    I don't dislike Zinman, actually I consider his Mahler and Beethoven to be very good. Unfortunately, I cannot comment on his Das Lied von der Erde recording as I have not heard it yet, but I 've read that gramophone did not like it.

    http://www.sa-cd.net/showthread/118416/118417/y
     
  4. john greenwood

    john greenwood Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    I was listening to Mahler last evening. A ballet version of Snow White set to his music (and with some pretty wild costumes by Jean Paul Gaultier).

    Now I admit I am somewhat spoiled by the New York City Ballet which performs to a live orchestra. Even though this was in the same theatre at Lincoln Center, I knew it would be to recorded music. That does not, however, excuse the horrific sound quality. It was as if somebody stuck a cheap microphone in front of a boom box (with plenty of mid bass) and played it at maximum volume and with obvious distortion through a P.A. system. For the first half hour it was so alienating, I couldn't focus on the dancing (until the Queen came out in the dominatrix costume - I could focus on that). Even after, I could really only enjoy the sections set to softer music. Not that the music sounded that much better - the Adagietto has never seemed less romantic - but I could simply ignore it.
     
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  5. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    Yes, as is this one. It's the first CD issue of these performances:

    [​IMG]

    amazon link
     
    bluemooze likes this.
  6. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    [​IMG]

    Speaking of Richter, now listening to this new find...
     
  7. John S

    John S Forum Resident

    Location:
    Columbus, OH
    Thanks George. On its way :thumbsup:
     
  8. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    Enjoy, buddy! :wave:
     
  9. Collector Man

    Collector Man Well-Known Member

    I find that deal of 'dislike of Zinman' as a conductor odd. Long has he being admired across the decades in recorded performances. His Beethoven Symphony Cycle on the Ars Nova label stands up to close scutiny and going further back aas an example , one can thinks of his work on the old Philips and (Decca?) label.
     
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  10. Mr Bass

    Mr Bass Chevelle Ma Belle

    Location:
    Mid Atlantic
    Now Listening To

    Bach: Four Overtures (Orchestral Suites). Collegium Aureum, DHM BASF.

    bachsuitesaurebachsuitesaureum.jpg
     
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  11. Collector Man

    Collector Man Well-Known Member

    OF the, at least 14 or 15 versions (at least!) I own of the Mahler Das Lied von der Erde..........there are some absolute 'stinkers' - which were much praised at the time of their release by so called respected magazine critics.
     
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  12. Mr Bass

    Mr Bass Chevelle Ma Belle

    Location:
    Mid Atlantic
    Zinman, like many modern conductors started out interesting when he was younger, producing a number of worthwhile recordings. Then they hit a wall in their 40s or move outside their area of competency and the results become much more uneven or just plain bad. Norrington was an excellent choral conductor for example before his later crusades. We just don't see the Bruno Walter or Furtwangler paradigm anymore.
     
  13. Collector Man

    Collector Man Well-Known Member

    I beleive that the Richter -performed Britten Piano Concerto on this recording is a re-release from the original Decca (around 1972?) edition which was coupled with a performance of the Britten Violin Concerto. I recently picked up a Decca - US 'London' re-issue CD copy of that particular same Violin & Piano Concertos configuration.
     
  14. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    No, different. From Trovar:

    Richter
    Britten Concerto in D, opus 13
    • with Britten, English Chamber Orchestra (Snape, 5 Dec 1970)
      • Decca [ UK ] SXL 6512 (LP 1971)
    • with Britten, Philharmonia (Aldeburgh, 13 June 1967)
      • AS Disc 324 (CD) or NAS 2600 (CD)
    • with Svetlanov, USSR State Symphony Orchestra (28 May 1967)
      • Revelation RV 10060 (CD)
     
  15. Collector Man

    Collector Man Well-Known Member

    On Norrington....I totally agree. Elevated far beyond his 'hack' conducting abilities
     
  16. SteelyTom

    SteelyTom Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston, Mass.
    I think he gets pigeonholed as a second-tier performer, perhaps in part because of his association with the Baltimore SO and Zurich orchestra. Though during his years in Zurich (he leaves this July) he's made the Tonhalle orchestra a world-class ensemble. I like his Mahler 3, 7, and 10 very much.
     
  17. SteelyTom

    SteelyTom Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston, Mass.
    Maybe someone like Haitink comes closest, or Abbado, RIP. The geriatric class, in general, is alive and well and making money-- Maazel, Dutoit, Boulez, Dohnanyi....
     
  18. Mr Bass

    Mr Bass Chevelle Ma Belle

    Location:
    Mid Atlantic
    I don't dispute their financial recyclability, just the results compared to their younger selves. But the question is complicated by the difference between live performance and official recordings. I have discovered that the official recordings are almost always worse conducted than the incidentally recorded performances on those occasional times where I can make the comparison. Perhaps they just become hopelessly self conscious and preening when they are making an official recording.
     
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  19. SteelyTom

    SteelyTom Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston, Mass.
    You may want to track down the handful of recordings James Levine made with the Boston SO for the orchestra's in-house label, BSO Classics. They're concert performances, recorded direct to DSD-- with no edits. In other words, no patching-over of flubs via other, contemporaneous concerts or later fixes. Levine was quoted as saying at the time that even edits of live performances robbed 20-30% of the spontaneity from the performance.
     
  20. Robin L

    Robin L Musical Omnivore

    Location:
    Fresno, California
    There's safety in multiple takes and patches. Digital editing tends to make the performances a little too perfect and also tends to make performers err on the side of safety rather than that of recklessness.
     
  21. Mr Bass

    Mr Bass Chevelle Ma Belle

    Location:
    Mid Atlantic
    I have heard the occasional orchestra label live recording which are quite variable too. Levine is no doubt correct but such editing was done in the 50-80s and there were far more studio recordings. Conductors were able to do good work under those conditions nevertheless. The younger conductors today such as Dudamel, the Petrenkos etc are also doing better work than the old guard. In addition, the issues with a given current conductor's performance often extend beyond or within a given edit segment. On top of everything, the level of musicianship of the orchestral players is significantly better than in those days. Blame the conductor and the engineers/producer.
     
    SteelyTom likes this.
  22. SteelyTom

    SteelyTom Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston, Mass.
    Of course, few orchestras get to make studio recordings anymore, so we'll have to hope for the best from concert recordings and in-house labels.
     
    John S likes this.
  23. Mr Bass

    Mr Bass Chevelle Ma Belle

    Location:
    Mid Atlantic
    The Alto is a reissue of the old Eurodisc recording of the Etudes from the early 80s which I think also got put out by Olympia. The Preludes came out earlier. Did Richter make two different recordings of these? I didn't think so.
     
  24. bluemooze

    bluemooze Senior Member

    Location:
    Frenchtown NJ USA
    Now listening to "Music From The Chapel Of Charles V - Works by Nicolas Gombert/Thomas Crecquillon/Arnolt Schlick" performed by Roger Blanchard Vocal Ensemble on Nonesuch vinyl.

    (can't post my pics :()
     
  25. TeacFan

    TeacFan Forum Resident In Memoriam

    Location:
    Arcadia, Ca.
    As far as posting pics..the party's over...:mudscrying:
     
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