True. But boy, IMO there are some real stunners in that box set. The Strauss D and T is really amazing IMO. Probably my favorite of all time.
You are not the first person to ask that. It really comes down to trying to decide where I want to spend my declining years. Of course if I keep this up, my years are going to decline a lot faster!
I bought this in the last year or so. I've been surprised at how much I've come to enjoy choral music; I thought I'd give it a try, just part of my classical music explorations, but I had low expectations. You never know.
This a.m.: CD 56 of the Szell box. An excellent CD consisting of Mendelsson’s “Italian “ Symphony , “The Hebrides” Overture along with Weber’s “Oberon” Overture.
What a marvelous performance of Scheherazade. This is not a piece I am actively looking for more versions, this was in the Fricsay orchestral box set. I love that Scheherazade usually has some superb artwork to go with it. Great playing from Rudolf Schulz as well.
First listen on Spotify to CDs 3 & 4 from "Christmas Carols" performed by the Taverner Consort/Choir/Players directed by Andrew Parrott on Erato. CD 3: The Carol Album I CD 4: The Carol Album II
I think we're still looking for the great modern Scheherezade in surround, though. There have been a few stabs but the results have been unsatisfactory to my mind - Gergiev's has terrible sound, and the versions on Pentatone and Chandos are just bland. While I enjoy older recordings, I think this is one piece that benefits from a wide dynamic range and modern recording.
Totally understandable. I decided to abandon surround for music when it got to the point I was listening to performances I was not completely thrilled with compared to ones I truly loved in mono/stereo. And my next system is going to be huge and surround just wouldn't be feasible. If anyone cares, old friend Bill Hart asked me about what I am doing in another thread and I posted a bit about it: What would you decide between 300K$ and 30K$ speakers?
Recorded 11/24-26/56, Kingsway Hall, London. Originally issued in mono on (English) Columbia in 1958.
On Spotify, first listen to "The Flower Of Chivalry" performed by The Hilliard Ensemble and Martin Souter on The Gift Of Music.
This a peculiarity of being a Classical lover that I share. I keep buying Bruckner recordings (I have lost count of the number)...even though I have yet to be able to sit through a recording of any Bruckner Symphony from beginning to end. Why do I keep buying music I don't like? I keep waiting for some Eureka moment, some breakthrough, where I finally get it. This was my experience with Schumann's Piano Concerto. I heard it regularly in the Concert Hall. I bought countless recordings. Yet, for years I did not understand this work. Then I listened to Murray Perahia performing the piece. It was a revelation! I finally understood. The piece is now one of my favorites.
