I think this is special, it might be the early instruments. the lighter touch. but I feel he understands the composer. Von Otter is now with the great exponents of this work. This might be unfair on a great Harold were the viola to the for really works.
Thanks. It's a joy to use a turntable that works great and appeals to the eye as well. It is an Empire model 598 from the early '70s. Here's a couple of pictures of the whole turntable: The tonearm was an integral part of the turntable, although Empire sold it separately (as a Model 990) if someone wanted to mount it on their own plinth. It looks heavy--like brass or something--but the arm is actually made of lightweight aluminum with a satin gold finsh. With their 1000ZE/X cartridge (which I have on mine) Empire's ads stated that it would track as low as 0.1 gram... though I don't have mine set that low! I have two of these turntables; the other has a Denon DL-103R cartridge installed. Also I have to confess that I have a modern Thorens straight arm turntable, too. The three can be seen in this photo with the Thorens at far left (in the dark!): And there you are. I know you're looking for a new turntable, but what are you using now?
I just listened to this Speakers Corner all-analog remaster. I no longer have the original LP for comparison, but this rather expensive version sounds very good, and her playing is incandescent. For those who are interested, here is information about SC's process:PURE ANALOGUE - From the master tape to the finished vinyl record.
My Transrotor/SME 5012 certainly seems to work well and it's straight! (A stock photo--my only camera is analog.)
After a relatively long hiatus, now playing CD63 - 4 Ballade, Op. 10, Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel and Variations on a Theme by Paganini in A minor, Op. 35 from the following box for a first listen ...
Pure CLASS, I can see you sitting there listening, smoking your burl pipe! Fantastic turntables, classics!
Listening to "Desprez: Missa L'Homme Arme Sexti Toni - Chansons" performed by Ensemble Obsidienne on Phaia.
Stupid cover aside, this is an excellent recording of violin/harpsichord sonatas by Bach and Handel. The recording quality is great, too. Streamed via Qobuz 24/96 resolution.
bluemooze, I love that Szymanowski chamber music. I have the set on Brilliant Classics. I like that Genuin label too. I have their Schoenberg quartets CD. NP:
We went to a performance this afternoon of Faure's 'Requiem' and 'Cantique de Jean Racine', with organ & sixteen-piece orchestra. They also did Ravel's 'Trois Chansons', his only choral work. I was going to take a picture of the Vanderbilt Community Chorus just before the performance began but was dissuaded by an announcement that photography was prohibited. Thus this image of stagehands in Steve & Judy Turner Hall at the Blair School of Music. This is my favorite Requiem.
Thank you, I really appreciate it! I think I will grab the Segerstam/Helsinki and then go from there. I love the times when I listen to Sibelius but never got into a heavy listening spree of his music unlike some other composers, no deficiency on Sibelius just me returning to old favorites I know too well.
So Quartetto Italiano has followed the footsteps of the Beaux Arts Trio and I Musici. i.e. the ensemble is now distant memory ...
I am jealous of you folks that can attend these sort of things. From what some members on another forum post it seems like in many places in Europe there are high concentrations of organs and organ performances that take place, I would love to be a regular attender of live organ music. --------- Unrelated, Nelson Goerner playing the Chopin Nocturnes has been in my heavy rotation. I suspect this might make my best of 2019 purchase list. I'll copy and paste what I wrote to GMG. I listened to Goerner- his playing isn't crystal clear in that he uses a decent amount of pedal to create more of a painted dreamscape. This leads to an overall rich sonority with not the most distinct tonal colors. Any rubato he uses feels unforced and quite natural. He also plays with great dynamic range, but it's restrained and only brought out when called for. And he does this expressive trick where he'll occasionally double tap a key. Natural is the word I keep coming back to thinking of this as a whole. A highly interesting set, and an easy purchase quickly ordered from Amazon. It has that X factor where after it's finished I'm thinking about playing it again. Based off what I've heard on this I'm lead to believe his Debussy should be worth checking out. Huangci- technically flawless, clean and highly proficient. I wasn't moved by her playing. Kun-Woo Paik- I appreciate what he was going for, it's very high level pianism, but I couldn't get over the tempi (it's quite slow in many pieces). I really like his Schubert disc on DG. (My personal favorites for Chopin's Nocturnes as a reference- Claudio Arrau, Maria Tipo, Andrzej Wasowski)
On the TT this beautiful sounding LP and the performance is also one of my favourite of this work. Yeah for Chopin the pianists you mention and adding most importantly Artur Rubinstein!!!! Ashkenazy, Malcuzynski, Gilels, Vasary.....
Listening to "Monteclair - Cantates A Voix Seule" performed by Emma Kirkby and the London Baroque on BIS.
Menahem Pressler, co-founder of the Beaux Arts Trio, is still alive. He'll be 96 on December 16. The other two original members are gone. The I Musici ensemble still exists.
