Hi Paul, I own those recordings on the Philips Duo release: Mozart, Arthur Grumiaux, London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis, New Philharmonia Orchestra, Raymond Leppard - Violin Concertos (Complete) It sounds great and is cheap. Of the Philips 50 Great Recordings masterings that I have compared to an earlier mastering, I have always preferred the earlier mastering. It sounds more natural.
Musica Antiqua Koln Reinhard Goebel Archiv, 2001 I enjoyed many of these works. Bach, Heinrich: Sonata a cinque in C Bach, Heinrich: Sonata a cinque in F Bach, Johann Cristoph: Aria Eberliniana pro dormente camillo Bach, Johann Ludwig: Concerto in D Bach, Johann Ludwig: Suite in G Bach, Johann Sebastian: Kommt, eilet und laufet (Easter Oratorio) BWV249 Pagh, Signr: Sonata & Fantaisie in G minor Wilche, Cyriacus: Battaglia - anno 1659 composita
Prostudiomasters sent an e-mail that some Delos were on sale, and I was happy to see that there was a recording of Mason Bates' "Mass Transmissions", which I was lucky enough to be at the world premiere of. This is the "World Premiere Recording" that seemingly was recorded afterwards. I'm always happy about local performers and composers, Farm to Table and all that. I'm now listening to it and enjoying it. Cappella SF; Ragnar Bohlin, Mass Transmission in High-Resolution Audio
Just enjoyed Sibelius Lemminkainen Suite Luonnotar Nightride and Sunrise Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Paavo Jarvi Virgin Classics, 1996
I've been on a Berlioz kick lately. Today I listened to this Abbado/Chicago Fantastique (1984). It's been many years since I heard this performance. I remember on first hearing I thought the sound was terrible, but listening it today on my good system, it actually sounds quite wonderful. I have an old CD of it too, so I don't think it's been remastered. It just sounds very good. And the performance is one of the best out there (IMO).
Having now finished this set, I can say that the playing and the sound is excellent! I also have the Kempff and Barenboim Schubert piano sets and this one is better than both of those. His tempos, mood and technique are a perfect match for this music. Highly recommended!
I really enjoyed her volume 1 in this series, so I just pre-ordered volume 2 tonight. It will be released on November 4. Transfers are by the great Mark Obert-Thorn. I've never heard her Chopin, so I am excited to hear it! Review here: Marguerite Long Vol 2 APR RECORDINGS 6039 [JW] Classical Music Reviews: October 2022 - MusicWeb-International
For my part, I continue my march through that big collection of (mostly vocal) 78s that I took on in several waves starting late last year. Most recently, I've been focused on American coloratura soprano Mabel Garrison, a singer to whom I'd paid little attention before. Interesting gal. Born in Baltimore, she studied at Peabody and then with Oscar Saenger and Herbert Witherspoon; after a couple of years with a touring opera company from New York, she made her debut at the Met in 1914 and remained there until 1921. According to that authoritative source, Wikipedia, The Encyclopedia Anyone Can Edit, "Her first role at the Met was Frasquita in Bizet's Carmen. Other roles included Adina in L'Elisir d'Amore, Bertha in Euryanthe, Biancofiore in Francesca da Rimini, Crobyle in Thaïs, the Dew Fairy in Hansel and Gretel, Gilda in Rigoletto, Olympia in The Tales of Hoffmann, Lady Harriet in Martha, Oscar in Un Ballo in Maschera, the Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute, the Queen of Shemakha in The Golden Cockerel, Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, and Urbain in Les Huguenots among others. Her last performance at the Met was as the title role in Lucia di Lammermoor on January 22, 1921." So a mix of principal and secondary roles, with a lot of not-quite-center-of-the-standard-rep works (although they were a bit more central at that time)--but anybody who can do the Queen of the Night at the Met ain't just meatloaf. She then made guest appearances in Hamburg and Cologne and had one season at the Chicago Civic Opera before retiring to teach at Smith College. Her recording career seems about on a par with her Met stint; as far as I can tell, Red Seal only, but not one of the marquee members of that corps. That said, I'm quite impressed with, for instance, her Bell Song from Lakme. Does it trump Galli-Curci's? Probably not--but that "probably" says a lot. It's mighty good, in my opinion, and the abridgement of the aria (to fit it to a single 4.5-minute 78 RPM side) is actually better. Objectively, I'm not sure but that the two come out as more or less a tie. What Garrison's lacks, I think, is that last little bit of that indefinable "something" that gives G.-C.'s records unique spark. Garrison's Doll's Song from Tales of Hofmann is a delight, and she even gives quite the rousing account of "Dixie," although I found her dixion, er, diction less than crystal clear. All in all, someone whose greater acquaintance I'm happy to be making.
more Bach family music to enjoy Musica Antiqua Koln Reinhard Goebel Archiv, 2002 Bach, C P E: Concerto doppio in E flat major, Wq. 67 (H479) Bach, J C: Sinfonia concertante in A Major, T.284/4, CW C34 Bach, J C F: Concerto in E flat major for Viola and Fortepiano, 2 Horns, 2 Oboes, Strings and Basso continuo Bach, W F: Concerto in D major for Traversflute, Strings and Basso continuo, BR WFB C15
A new Arrau box set. This one was mastered by Art & Son. I haven't bought the set, but much of it was previously released in the EMI Icon box and The Complete Pre-War Recordings for Marston Records. However, the new set contains 1947-1951 recordings, many early shellac recordings and some live recordings that were not in the Icon set. Also, this new set has 3 recordings that were previously unpublished, two are Liszt pieces and the other is a recording of Beethoven's Op. 109. More info here - Claudio Arrau - The Complete Warner Classics Recordings
Not included in this set, unless I missed it, are the R. Strauss Burleske and Weber Konzertstuck with the Chicago SO under Desire Defauw (I do see the latter work with Galliera). Those two recordings were on Victor 78s, a late issue that has some of the worst sound I've ever heard from the format. So much so that I was moved to write about it here: [TNT-Audio Vintage column] A cautionary tale You never know what you're going to get with historical recordings! (Just an informational tidbit, not a knock on the Warner set, which I imagine is fine in every way.)
Yeah, his catalog is a little bit like Richter's, in that it is scattered over many labels, with lots of live stuff, over a long career.
I have decided to buy this set. It arrives tomorrow. Using info online and from my shelves, I worked out where the performances were issued previously and labels the three new performances as FIRST RELEASE. I figured I'd share it here. CDs 1 & 2: All of Arrau’s pre-war 78s are here, except for 9 Polydor titles. These 9 Polydor titles are on the 2CD Complete Pre War set by Marston. It is unknown if Arrau is the uncredited pianist in excerpts from trios by Beethoven and Schubert with violinist Andreas Weissgerber and his cellist brother Joseph. CD 3: 1947 Beethoven Op. 31/3. 1947 Brahms PC 1 with Cameron and Philharmonia Orchestra. The sonata is on EMI’s 5CD set - Claudio Arrau, Beethoven Edition (below I refer to this as Arrau Edition.) The concerto is on the Rarities Warner 3CD set. CDs 4 & 5: 1950 “Moonlight” sonata (Arrau Edition), 1951 Op. 10/3 (ICON), 1950 Chopin Scherzo 4 (Arrau Heritage) Liszt Valse oubliée, Liszt’s Au bord d’une (Liszt works are FIRST RELEASES) Mozart K. 570 sonata (Warner Rarities 3CD set.) CD 6: Beethoven’s Fourth concerto w Galleria/Philharmonia. - EMI Arrau Edition/ICON CDs 7 & 8: Chopin Etudes - EMI CD/ICON CDs 9 & 10: Schubert Moments musicaux, D946, Wanderer Fantasy. - ICON CD 11: Beethoven Waldstein sonata, 1950s Beethoven Op. 101 - EMI Arrau Edition/ICON CD 12: Beethoven Third concerto, “Les Adieux” sonata - EMI Arrau Edition/ICON CD 13: 1957 Schumann/Grieg concerto Galleria/Philharmonia - Testament and ICON CD 14: EMI LvB Op. 109 (FIRST RELEASE), EMI Op. 110, 111 - EMI Arrau Edition/ICON CDs 15 & 16: Live Arrau/Klemperer Beethoven Concertos Nos. 3 through 5 - Testament CDs 17-20: Beethoven PC 1, 2 and 5 with Galleria, “Appassionata” sonata, 32 Var in C minor - ALL on EMI Arrau Edition and ICON, Op.78 ICON CD 21: Chopin B minor sonata, EMI Chopin F minor Fantasy - EMI CD/ICON CD 22: Weber Konzertstücke, Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 - ICON CDs 23 & 24: Brahms concertos - Giulini and the Philharmonia Orchestra. - EMI CD
This version of the Clarinet Quintet is super. Brahms String Quartet in C minor Clarinet Quintet in B minor Prazak Quartet Pascal Moragues, clarinet Praga, 2021 recorded in 2005
