Listenin' to Classical Music and Conversation

Now playing the following CD from my Schubert collection ...

 

Now playing: Carl Maria von Weber - Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2 - Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Neville Marriner - recorded 1982

CD 1 of this set:

 

Now playing the following CD from my Scarlatti collection ...

 

Just the Hugh Wood Concerto.

 

Did you get it from Amazon? I just ordered a copy. ($38--not exactly a bargain, but not nearly as expensive as Esoteric SACD releases!) Sony Japan apparently used the original analog masters for the remastered SACD version. I've had the LPs for a few years--the sound is quite decent, and unless I'm mistaken, his vocalizations are less intrusive than normal. I hope the extra clarity of the SACD audio doesn't make them more audible!

 

Now playing: Erik Satie - Orchestral Works - Orch. du capitole de Toulouse, Michel Plasson - recorded 1988

 

Yes, Amazon. The free shipping from Japan helps; otherwise, it would have cost an additional $18.86.

Currently playing this:

 

Now playing: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - String Quartet No. 1; Children's Album; String Sextet "Souvenir de Florence" - Rolston SQ, Miguel da Silva, Gary Hoffman - recorded 2019

 

I don't quite get the relation to the 17th Century Dutch vessel on the cover...

 

Now listening to parts of this earlier Goebel set from Universal. As I said before I'm not a "Baroque man", but this may suit my taste. Have to hear the chamber pieces first. I already have the Brandenburgs, the Triple Concerto (is included, but not shown on the back cover of this set) and Orchestral Suites on separate CDs.

 

Beats me. At least it's attractive.

 

Listened to samples of the entire set on AllMusic and I must admit that the quality is very high, with excellent playing overall. Hmm... I'm still not going to get the complete set, since all the sacred stuff is not my thing, but I might get the above set.

 

The latest addition to the music reference shelves:



It's very shiny and revised earlier this year

It joins the New Grove Opera Dictionary which arrived earlier in the week:



The new book will slot in to the right of the Grove to replace the paperback placeholder.

 

Spinning in the CD player:

Shostakovich, National Symphony Orchestra Of Ukraine, Theodore Kuchar – The Gadfly / Five Days - Five Nights
Naxos – 8.553299

 

Charity store purchases just now:

 

You are the Mr. Opera among us. I am much more narrowly focused than you are: Mostly Handel and Wagner operas ...

 

I must admit my opera collection has grown dramatically over the last year or so, including the following large sets:

• Abbado - DG Opera box
• Natalie Dessay - the opera singer (includes lots of DVDs)
• The complete Pavarotti on Decca
• Salzburg Festival 100 years, about 60% operas
• Fricsay vocal box on DG
• The Ring cycle on DVD (Levine from the Met)
• Bartoli - Rossini box set.
• Callas Live Remastered.

Plus dozens of single opera sets and smaller boxes with individual singers.

I'm trying to focus on all aspects to develop my interest; music, words, visuals, history, context etc.

Enjoying it a lot!

 

Listening to "A Song for Francesca - Music In Italy 1330-1430" performed by Gothic Voices directed by Christopher Page on Hyperion.

Featuring:
Margaret Philpot (contralto)
Caroline Trevor (alto)
Rogers Covey-Crump (tenor)
John Mark Ainsly (tenor)
Leigh Nixon (tenor)

1987

 

Rossini -- Petite Messe solennelle (Creed)

 

It would be a better match for a disc of Baroque Fluyt Concertos, perhaps.

 

First listen to CD 74 from "Claudio Arrau - Complete Philips Recordings" on Decca.

Beethoven - Sonata 22 'Appassionata'
Liszt - Ballade No. 2
Chopin - Scherzo No. 1

 

First listen to CD 13 from "Vladimir Ashkenazy - Solo Piano & Chamber Recordings" on Decca.

Rachmaninov - Prelude Op. 3 No. 2 | 10 Preludes Op. 23 | 13 Preludes Op. 32

 

Maybe that's the free shipping from Japan?