The Classical Music Guide Forums

stefanher

I recently heard a recording by the Grand Rapids Orchestra- hardly the most celebrated ensemble in the USA- & was amazed at their standard as I have been when hearing other lesser known orchestras such as the Nashville & Newark orchestras. This then is beginning to beg the question- is it fair to ta...

stefanher

And who cares about Lily Pons and Licia Albanese any more? I quite agree- we have so many singers with unique bell sounding voices & flawless coloratura now & voices big enough to fill the Met without miking that Pons should be consigned to the dustbin. As for Albanese there have been so many better...

stefanher

You're probably right except that the only time I've ever conducted an orchestra is in front of my hifi speakers at home. I wasn't aware that the only people who select the new conductors were the players.

stefanher

Whenever any classical musician gets a lot of attention in the mainstream media, without any scandal or "human interest" angle to pump up the story, it's a good thing. I don't see any downside at all to the attention now being paid to Gustavo Dudamel. Why be so grouchy? I agree completely... I supp...

stefanher

Has any conductor in the history of music ever been hyped as much as Dudamel? I saw his proms concert with the Venezuelan Orchestra that was raved about by the British Press; this allowed me to at least draw some conclusions. But then of course we must realise the number of people like Sir Rattle w...

stefanher

Has any conductor in the history of music ever been hyped as much as Dudamel? I saw his proms concert with the Venezuelan Orchestra that was raved about by the British Press; this allowed me to at least draw some conclusions. But then of course we must realise the number of people like Sir Rattle wh...

stefanher

This is going to sound strange from someone who has listened to music as long as I have but I still do not fully understand the structure of the fugue let alone ground bass (?) variations such as the Goldbergs. I have bought a number of music theory books in the past but these were always intended f...

stefanher

I assume this will be this group's future favourite recording: http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product//6473632.htm Sir Simon Rattle's new Mahler 2 with the Berliner philharmoniker Tore F Steenslid Sotra, Norway http://www.steenslid.com Aah, I can already hear Chalkie's cheers! :lol: Tschüß, Jack Why ...

stefanher

Not my cup of tea but I must admit I think Brendel is overrated even in the Austro- German repertoire. For complete sets played with grace, feeling & spirituality try Perahia & the early Barenboim. For "political correctness" Brendel & Uchida are ideal- & boring. As for period instrument- don't get ...

stefanher

I have some of the Mackerras Prague as well as his SCO set- hence the query. Don't know what Bruggen's Mozart is like but if it's anything like his Haydn then I can give it a safe pass. Looks like I'll have to do what I originally suggested- listen to Gardiner & convince myself that that is the righ...

stefanher

I hoped against hope that Levine's new recordings of these would answer my prayers as a recommendable affectionate recording of the above without the soulless vibratoless overdrive which has been imposed on us by the "authentic" movement. Apparently not according the Music Guide- Levine uses a sligh...

stefanher

Criticising Horowitz is a bit like desecrating a churchyard. Yes there are people mindless enough to do the latter... Why does everybody have to worship Horowitz, i'm not mindless, I just hold a different opinion to you...that's all it is, an opinion... I'm sorry if my comments were offensive but t...

stefanher

Yes a true man of principles. But he was hardly the ONLY non-Jewish musician to leave Nazi Germany after Hitler came to power...

stefanher

Criticising Horowitz is a bit like desecrating a churchyard. Yes there are people mindless enough to do the latter... I do accept that some of his DG recordings are not the equal of his earlier work- but there are exceptions- eg the live Moscow recital, And he did learn a new piano concerto for the ...

stefanher

Very sadly I find that listening for any length of time to the great singers- & I'll include Caruso - a bit like eating eating a whole box of the best Belgian chocolates available. I can only envy people like the NY opera crowd of the 1940's who could see Walkure starring Flagstad, Melchior, Kipnis ...

stefanher

Barbara Nissman is noted to be a Prokofiev specialist. Her original set of complete Prokofiev sonatas was made for Newport Records [60092, 60093]. I'm not sure if these have been reissued on Pierian (her new label) or if Pierians are newly recorded, however, the Newport-issued sonatas are highly pr...

stefanher

I have a few recordings of these- Richter in 6-8; Ashkenazy in 7 & 8; & odds & ends with Chiu,Zeltser & Josselson just to mention a few. I was tempted by the Chandos series but the reviews on release were very lukewarm. So before I start serious comparisons are there any "must have" performances out...

stefanher

I find certain of the opinions stated on this forum quite disturbing and actually offensive. Good popular music is an art form in its own right- it is however very different from classical music. That is not what is promoted on You-Tube or American Idol or it's even worse UK counterpart X Factor. I ...

stefanher

I think the most realistic recordings I've heard not only of the piano but of the SOUND that pianist made in concert were the Phillips series of Arrau recordings from the sonatas onward. They never in my experience actually got Brendel's sounds perfectly right.

stefanher

I have 2 or 3 records of his solo Rachmaninov traversal- I felt he has a big technique but not the imagination of the very best. His liner notes are fantastic however- it allowed me to finally get to grips with the 2nd sonata.

stefanher

I hope there are no "authentic instrument" or "period performance" fanatics reading this thread.... I have the Bernstein which has the incomparable Russell Oberlin singing the alto roles. Despite the fact that male altos are much commoner now I still haven't heard anyone with a better voice.

stefanher

Terence Judd, 1957-1979. Pianist...and a fine one. Judd's official verdict was death by misadventure & the family have always strongly denied that he had any suicidal tendencies. Whatever the cause of death he did die tragically young. I was unaware of the "official verdict" (I assume "misadventure...

stefanher

I don't think it's necessarily all doom & gloom. Robert King seems to be doing very nicely now...Will Hyperion have the nerve to continue his Monteveri series????

stefanher

Having listened spellbound to Rubinstein's Ravel's Valses last night I realise I have to find room for at least his Beethoven & Brahms concerti. I already have ther Chopin & Saint-Saens . However he seems to have recorded these several times- so which is the "best" of these & also the best Tcha Firs...

stefanher

dirkronk wrote:Terence Judd, 1957-1979. Pianist...and a fine one.

Judd's official verdict was death by misadventure & the family have always strongly denied that he had any suicidal tendencies. Whatever the cause of death he did die tragically young.

stefanher

How can anyone apart from The Penguin Guide ever complain about this great couple's Trovatore brilliantly supported by Hampson?......not. I'm not surprised EMI could barely give it away. Sometimes death is not a tragedy- what singers like Milanov, Callas & Tebaldi would have made of an overblown sem...

stefanher

I did a detailed comparison of all my recordings of the Barber Sonata some time back including Hamelin's, Horowitz's & Browning's. Horowitz is so much the better it's not true. Hamelin has recorded the Concord twice but did not for me outdo the Szidon recording. (whatever happened to him?). I think ...

stefanher

Only 2 need to be mentioned- Schwarzkopf (either recording) & Della Casa. All else is superfluous. Now I can sit back & await the flak I'm going to get for saying what everybody else knows but was afraid to state...

stefanher

If this is the Columbia/CBS recordings buy it now. No excuses for not having this even if it cost 200 euros. The only reason not to buy it is if you the live hall of congress recordings already.

Must say I couldn't find it listed on Amazon UK.

stefanher

Classic FM, which is Gramophone's lesser, glitzier sibling, is starting to offer full length compositions for the first time in November. An Igor Oistrakh and Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos and the Brahms Violin Concerto CD is attached...That is a 1990 Collins deleted CD and worth the purchase of the ma...

stefanher

As far as I know the main English ones are Gramophone, BBC Music & IRR (International Record Review). The USA has Fanfare & American Record Guide. Question- What is the general opinion of these? Obviously the UK magazines are often but not always kinder to British artists. Personal feelings: I no lo...

stefanher

My shells are groaning under the number of recordings of Chopin I have although I suppose compared to some people on the forum my collection is modest. These recordings all by pianists I have never heard bar Demidenko are on an original piano & were according to Gramophone "a revelation" which sums ...

stefanher

Have to confess that I prefer Gedda- but of course his version is in French.

stefanher

The Concord Sonata is as easy an approachable as Joyce´s Finnegan´s Wake :shock: A very good analogy. I spent over 2 years studying the work & listening to as many interpretations as I could. Why? Because something told me it was a great piece of music & worth persevering with. And it certainly was...

stefanher

I usually use MDT in the UK. Yes they use cardboard boxes but they are very sturdy.

Having said that can somebody tell me another way to mail CD's except in cardboard boxes?

stefanher

I have excerpts from it with Martinelli as well as all the complete versions & this shows the sort of tenor you actually need in the Arnold role. If there is somebody like that out there he's doing a good job of remaining anonymous.

stefanher

I think of Charles Ives as a 20th century genius worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as James Joyce- his works are very difficult at times to comprehend but the satisfaction of getting there in the end is always worth it. The songs I know including some of the above recordings are however l...

stefanher

I don't think I've heard Francois in anything & he gets very short shrift from UK critics. He's often portrayed as a showman who wanted to be Cziffra but wasn't as flamboyant. Has he been misrepresented?

stefanher

I realised recently I hadn't listened to these since my days at university & found to my amazement that the only recording I have is an ancient one with the Vlach (?) on a budget Phillips. Can anyone recommend recent recording(s) that are worthwhilee? The Pavel Haas looks a must but there are at lea...

stefanher

I seem to have a serious problem with this. Every new recording I hear & is often given rave reviews may strike me as impressive but nowhere near as good as Rubinstein/Horowitz/Gilels. By "new," do you mean recently made, or just new to you? If the latter, there are lots of not-so-new recordings of...

stefanher

I seem to have a serious problem with this. Every new recording I hear & is often given rave reviews may strike me as impressive but nowhere near as good as Rubinstein/Horowitz/Gilels. A recent case in point was the pairing of the Chopin sonatas by Hamelin- in view of his supposedly legendary techni...

stefanher

I'd agree that the Kremer is probably the best of the violin concerto though I still have to make detailed comparisons with my other recordings. Still not sure whether I like it or not however...

stefanher

I was aware of his Walton, Rozsa & Kornogold recordings although the castelnuovo-Tedesco was new to me. He also recorded the Elgar.

But 103 CD's???

stefanher

103 CD's? This must encompass the entire known violin repertoire & a bit more besides. Knowing that Heifetz never recorded current repertoire standards like the Shostakovich & Dvorak concerti I really wonder what they have found to fill it up.

stefanher

Frankly he's awful. But nowadays we are so attuned to mediocrity in singing that anything slightly above that gets praised well beyond its due. I remember as a callow youth laughing out loud at the vocal imperfections of the late Callas & Beverly Sills recordings. Listening to them now I'm not sure ...

stefanher

One could easily devote a few threads to the music of Third Reich composers that have long been suppressed because said composers smooched ass with Adlof & Company. Theodor Berger was one such composer: it's a tragedy his Homeric Symphony 's never received a commercial digital stereo recording. Thi...

stefanher

If he was so anti-Semitic why did he ask a gentleman called Levi to conduct some of his premieres?

stefanher

Who would dare these days to conduct the B minor Mass with Klemperer´s tempi?

Well if his recent Mozart is anything to go by Harnoncourt....

stefanher

I was particularly incensed by a letter from a correspondent in Gramophone this month that described Klemperer's performance of Bach's Mass in B Minor as "good for a laugh" quoting all the research that has taken place since then so we now apparently know exactly what Bach's intentions were. All I k...

stefanher

I have them both along with the Cluytens which you really should try & seek out. I must state of the two you mention I would certainly go for Deneve- but then I prefer the more human approach he brings to Dutoit who has always struck me as more of an excellent technician.

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