Serkin is one pianist that I could never really learn to enjoy. I need to re visit some of the recordings of his.
Again, you are most welcome! Here's a review of Anda's Mozart PCs on DG. Anda has many wonderful recordings, his Bartok concertos on DG are classics, and still among the very best for those works. His 2CD Chopin set on Orfeo is a more recent release, one that every Chopin fan should own. Incredibly, he plays the 24 Preludes and the 24 Etudes in one recital.
Excellent! Interesting to hear on that review that Anda was both the conductor and the pianist on those Mozart interpretations. And, given that the Orchestra was not that large, did the recording as an overall feel to you as a more personal approach? Or instead did it feel like a performance in the spirit of a historically informed one? Quite a few times I tend to appreciate even more a recording when there is a balance between them, but obviously that will vary depending on my personal favourites being at play. Many thanks for this suggestion too. As you pointed out this is a recent release, since most of Géza Anda recordings were made on the DG label. Also liked that Anda debuted with Furtwängler, who dubbed him "troubadour of the piano". Wilhelm Furtwängler is one of my favourite Beethoven interpreters, especially some of his live recordings of Ludwig's Overtures and Symphonies.
J.S. Bach Weimar Cantatas II, The Purcell Quartet, Kirby, Chance, Daniels, Harvey I think the danger of listening to several Bach Cantatas consecutively is that (in the words of a fellow poster) the experience does become a wash. Then, of course, the individual cantatas have a symmetry of structure that could lull the inattentive to sleep quickly. Beautiful as they are, imo, when performances of Bach cantatas fail to elicit contemplation they've essentially failed. In this respect this album of accomplished musicians is a mixed bag. They're gorgeous renderings but a bit short on the passion that distinguishes the best performances. Stunning but not particularly moving. A fine collection, nonetheless.
I've always loved these exciting, energetic performances. Now enjoying them (again) from the big Serkin box.
To be honest, I can't say that I think in those terms. For me, it really only matters if a piece of music affects me on an emotional level. That is one of the reasons I started this thread 9 years ago (this Thursday will be its 9 year anniversary!), I personally feel that one need not know much about classical music to enjoy it. So, for me, the Anda set has that Mozart beauty without forgetting the powerful drama that often ensues in his music. Yes, there was a DG box set of rare Anda recordings by the same name: I am a huge fan of the Original Masters series. They issued a lot of great recordings, which were otherwise unavailable on CD.
I haven't heard the Buchberger set, but I fully agree about the Quatuor Mösaiques set. A few months back, I got quite lucky and found a mint copy of the Festetics Haydn string quartet set. One listen and they became my favorite. Prior to that, I had (and still own) owned the Tatrai set (Hungaroton) and the Pro Arte set (Testament.)
Have you heard this set yet? I own an enjoy his recordings of the late works (I have yet to find a recording of the late Brahms works that ticks all the boxes for me), but listening to much of his online didn't make me eager to buy the set.
Have you heard the recent album Volodos Plays Brahms? It is the only disc I have of Brahms late solo piano music and I quite enjoy it.
Hi George, Tureck recorded some amazing Bach and, yes, I'm a fan. I have two of her Goldberg recordings--one from the '50s, the other from the '90s--and both are excellent. I've heard various recordings of Maria Tipo and Samuel Fienberg on the radio over the years. Both good, but neither inspired me to go out and buy their recordings.
So true! I have and enjoy Anda's Mozart concertos and Chopin preludes. I always find myself coming back to the concertos set, I guess you could say it is my go-to. Some of my other favorites in the Mozart PCs unfortunately didn't record more than a few each: Bernstein as pianist/conductor and the two that Gulda/Harnoncourt recorded. Thanks for this wonderful thread George P!
Kimiko Ishizaka - J.S.Bach: Der Kunst Der Fuge -- this was a kickstarter project and released just last week. You can download the 24/96 FLAC files from Bandcamp here. It's a "Name Yer Price" download so pay as little or as much as you want. --Geoff
Don't mind about it, since I'm totally with you on that music is everything about emotions (at least to me too). And yes, when it comes to Mozart you find it even in the silence between notes . Oh and I must say that know very VERY few of Classical Music composers and their works, let alone one single composer's complete ouvre, and almost nothing of 20th-century classical. So I decided to begin with the ones that most impact me, i.e. mostly the Romantic and post-Romantic composers. And be sure that is the main reason why I'm here by the way, a great thread indeed, thanks again!
Feel free to ask here for any recommendations you may need. I am a big fan of Roamtic period music. My pleasure, Rick!
No, I am going thru some Badura-Skoda now. Me too. I can often enjoy sets by a particular performer, but not often do they ring bells on everything.
Tempting just for the liner notes. I already own 8 of them from the earlier box that doesn't have liner notes. I bought the Celestial Hierarchy when it came out. It's my favorite von Bingen.
Zoinks!! I (probably obviously) have not read this whole thread. And not quite sure what classical means but Tchaikovsky's "Violin Concerto in D major", is always quede. And "Jesus Christ Superstar"
I have an update on the potential availability of a film release to coincide with a larger scale campaign to free Kirill Serebrennikov. The Stuttgart opera team are showing the film shot of a performance of Salome in autumn 2015 on 20th November in an impromptu cinema within the opera house. Meanwhile, the Hänsel und Gretel production without a director, stage nor costume designer premiered on Sunday with the absent though specially invited Angela Merkel supplying a statement at least of solidarity. A shame that more critics couldn't bring themselves to praise what had been achieved without Kirill, rather than seeing the glass half empty.
