Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #55)

I had heard Marin Alsop over some classical FM but was not particularly impressed. I know, I am being politically incorrect here ...

 

Having heard it that does not surprise me. I can see how some would like it and others, including me, don't.

 

An interesting pianist, just on the basis of these Prokofiev pieces.

DongKyu Kim
Naxos 8.572826
2012

 

It is just the difference between a local market and a worldwide market. Locally there might be 1 or two buyers while worldwide there might be 2000. Of course with these box sets who knows how many of the CDs ever get played? Even here with a committed group of enthusiasts, there are frequent posts admitting that they are hearing a CD from a box set for the first time after years on the shelf.

 

Over the years I've read a lot about classical music online, from many sources, and in doing so I've seen every classical performer described in every positive and negative way possible. For everyone who loves Martha Argerich there's someone else who thinks she plays too fast.

These extreme variations of opinion that I've encountered confuse me and so I try out CDs and just let my ears tell me if I like what I'm hearing. Now there are technical considerations that technically knowledgeable people are aware of when listening to a performance, but I'm not one of them (I think the playing of classical pianists is to a good extent miraculous/super-human) so I just go by what I hear.

 

I have at least 10 box sets that I've not listened to all the way through yet. And, consider how long it takes to listen to these things several times to really get to know them. I look at it as drowning in a sea of aural pleasure.

 

I like her SACD of Brahms First Symphony very much.

 

Now listening to "Dufay - Missa Ecce ancilla Domini" performed by Ensemble Gilles Binchois on Virgin Veritas.

 

Vellard always excelled in early music and I have a good number of his recordings as well ...

 

Now playing CD13 - Bruckner 4th from the following set for a first listen ...

 

Me too, and until - say 4 years ago - that was never the case for me. I was compulsive about listening immediately to everything I bought, a carryover from checking out vinyl to make sure it was acceptable. Nowadays, the record companies are releasing these in such proliferation and for a limited time that I have been grabbing the ones I want while I can. I bought the two HvK EMI megaboxes a few years ago (when ImportCDs had them mispriced for pennies a disc) and I don't even know what I have listened to and what I have not.

 

I think a few of us are in the same boat. I still have a few boxes with at least 50 CD's each that I have yet to listen through ...

 

I got the following box for $1 from Ideal, another internet mispricing event ...

 

I have been picking up some albums from the Deutsche Grammophon label recently.





They sound pretty good.

 

Now playing the following CD for a second listen ...

 

Now listening to Lise de la Salle on Naïve.

Rachmaninov "etudes-tableaux" Op. 39 1 & 2, Op. 33 6, 2 & 9

Ravel "sonatine" and "miroirs"

 

I don't have that particular box. So it's impossible to comment exactly on it. But I do have a several of those recordings both as LP's and as ceedees. And I've meditated several times on getting that Mozart box. Usually it's due to the fact, that I don't get immersed into the early symphonies, that I've voted against buying the total box.

I've noticed that quite a many have dismissed the DG recordings as sounding weak or poor. Earlier I've usually paid much attention to sound quality of classical LP's - if I can hear the instruments, well that's what matters. But yes, the Deutsche Grammophon tended to - may I say - flatten the sound, especially those recorded in Wien/Vienna with Wiener Philharmoniker. (Perhaps the idea was sort of to focus the attention on the great total sound of the orchestra? I don't understand...) Yet, in general, the DG sound is wholly acceptable to me. And when remembering that they had a major chunk of the best musicians and orchestras of their times: how could I pass the DG recordings by? And that applies to the Karl Böhm's work, too.

If mr. von Karajan hadn't been so pushy as he was, he probably wouldn't have achieved such a Number One fame/position as he once did (it's even debatable whether Berlin Philh. had choosen von Karajan as their conductor had they been aware of his "lust for power", so to speak - actually his rise to the position of lifetime head conductor of the Berlin Philh. was never accepted according to the rules of the orchestra). And then Karl Böhm had received the appreciation he'd been "worthy". I can't remember from my childhood/youth negative comments on him. Rather it was von Karajan who was seen a little too aggressive in relation to media/publicity. Honestly, Böhm sure wasn't as versatile as von Karajan and that gave the latter certain advantage.

But back to the issue: I appreciate more Böhm playing Mozart (with both Berlin and Wiener Philh.) than von Karajan. And they pretty much still seem to be the major players on the field - but, being quite ignorant on matters on Mozart, I won't swear on that...

 

Hm... I decided to check the availability of the Böhm's Mozart boxes. Well well...

1996:


2006:


2012:


And finally, there's the Symphonies box - 2014:


However, I have the Beethoven and Schubert cycles already as LP-boxes, the for me interesting Mozart-symphonies as LP's and CD's. It's only the Brahms cycle by Böhm I don't have. And that's a bargain on CD's. That could be OK, while I have several Brahms LP-boxes already. Otherwise I'd get this box as my last Big Box ever.

(Enough pics for this week... Sorry! )

 

I heard an interview with Marin Alsop where she said her favorite musical activity was conducting the Brahms symphonies.

 

Me too.

 

Szell remains my go-to for the Mozart symphonies, but off the top of my head, I have recordings by Marriner, Mackerras, Klemperer, Bohm, HvK (on EMI), Ter Linden (yecchh - early "fake" hi rez), Walter and Abbado. Probably forgetting someone.

 

I like Alsop's recording of Bernstein's Mass, her Barber, and generally most of her takes on contemporary American composers. I am not too excited when she conducts the romantic repertoire.

 

Krips? (he's one of my faves, along with Walter and Szell)

 

Now enjoying this great, getting-ready-for-Monday-morning music! Girlfriend approved!

 

No Krips