Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #66)

Fresno seems to abandon old classical records, thrift shops yield better finds than the "Record Stores" in town. Managed to find the famous Byron Janis recordings of Rachmaninoff's piano concerti 2 and 3 on Mercury originals and 3 on the "Golden Imports" reissue that way.

 

Back in the early/mid 70s Columbia released Bernstein's Mahler cycle in four box sets of 3-4 LPs each, at something less than full price. The first one I bought contained the Mahler 1st (together with the 6th and 9th IIRC). When I placed the needle down on the first, it was the first time I had listened to any Mahler. And I was hooked. So I've had a warm place in my heart for that recording ever since.

Mahler was still somewhat under-appreciated at the time. There's a well-known story about the Broadway actress, Elaine Stritch, when she appeared in "Company" in 1970. Her signature song for that show was "The Ladies Who Lunch," in which she described the culture vultures of that time as appreciating:

A matinee, a Pinter play,
Perhaps a piece of Mahler's

Stritch admits that she initially thought a piece of Mahler referred to pastry.

 

Hearing that performance of the 6th Symphony the first time after buying that box of records back in 1973 left a deep impression—my Grandfather had a stroke that very day.

 

Sorry to trigger that memory.

 

Not at all—any time I hear Mahler's Sixth I will remember that first time. It was such a premonition, listening to the "Tragic" symphony always leaves that impression. That music is forever tied to that memory, as rightfully it should. And to be honest, that first recording of Bernstein's is the best I've heard. I currently have the DGG re-make on CD, very good but not quite as.

 

Listening to Kempff's moving performance of D784

 

Now playing:
Jean Sibelius – Symphony No.2 Op.43
— New York Philharmonic — Leonard Bernstein (Sony Classics) from:

 

The most recently remastered Bernstein's Mahler box has excellent SQ. I enjoyed it even for someone who is not a big fan of Mahler ...

 

I have yet to track down one of these stores in my neck of the wood. It is too much hassle to go into NYC. I also heard that Academy Records is no longer a desirable place to shop ...

 

Who told you that?

 

(CD Mode mode 27)

 

"Welcome to difficult Listening Hour . . ."

 

Your post reminds me that I need to give my Carter Quartets (by the Arditti Quartet) another listen.

 

Broke down and bought the Solti/Wagner Blu-Ray for $60, as well as the Chailly Brahms. (not that I really need another Brahms cycle, but hey, $16 bucks for highly praised hi-res set - what the heck).

 

I read somewhere about the quality of the selections is no longer what it used to be ...

 

Now playing CD35 - Beethoven Cello Sonatas Nos 1-3 from the following box for a first listen ...

 

I don't have that one, but I have 3 others by The Arditti Quartet, Adrian Jack, Ligetti, and a Wigmore Hall recital with Nancarrow, Ligetti and Dutilleux. I like them a lot.

 

I'm surprised you didn't check out the Brahms on Spotify.

 

A terrific partnership between Richter and Rostropovich for this recording ...

 

Seemingly unrelated but whothell, whothell . . .



Another audition of Mendelssohn, Hebridies Overture/Symphony #3, the "Scotch" Symphony, PeterMaag, London Symphony Orchestra, this on London STS 15091, this being a later pressing—still a UK pressing with an Orange label but with the area for the label raised slightly. Still amazing sounding, one of the best of the early London/Decca recordings, both as a performance and as a recording.

It just so happens that's what's on the turntable as I finish this:

 

Am I viewing this right, there are five overlapping Star's of David in the center?

The Mendelssohn LP by Peter Maag looks familiar but I am not close to my LP collection to check ...

 

Now playing CD14 - Bruckner 6th from the following box for a first listen ...

 

Probably not. There are 9 intersecting triangles that form 43 triangles.

 

But some of the triangles (the secondary ones) are actually formed from intersections of the primary triangles. I only looked at the primary triangles.

 

A real impulse buy.