The Classical Music Guide Forums

Interesting to watch Yuja in these clips. I've never seen her use music whilst playing live though unless it's a chamber music recital. About whether artists risk the clamour of the audience, I think it gives them even more power to be successful and precise especially when traversing a major, virtu...

Any new Cyprien Katsaris disc is always something to look forward to hearing. His own label, Piano 21, hasn't done much of late that I can see, but he is being active in the studio, at least on some labels. This new disc is entitled "Polish Romantic Music: Melancholic and Heroic Polonaises." There's...

Indeed, a pity to lose Lucia Popp so young and gone now for more than three decades. Hardly seems possible. Fortunately, she left us a huge discography of solo recordings; she also appears on many recordings in opera, oratorio, etc. and on many labels, the best being on EMI, Sony, RCA. Her EMI/Icon ...

When Philips came out with the "Great Pianists of the 20th Century" collection, one big box or individually available, I jumped on it, but selected individual 2-CD sets rather than the entire collection. A bit later, EMI jumped on the bandwagon and arranged for the release of the "Great Conductors o...

Hi Lenny, and thanks for the trouble you took to do some searching. I should have thought about Discogs because they do have surprises online at times. I checked it over. Naturally, I am tempted to get this spirituals EP disc. On the other hand, I am trying to find a buyer for me 72,000 LP collectio...

I just heard tonight , Michael Spyres new Erato CD [78798] , "In the Shadows," a collection of arias from composers whose work generally fell out of the limelight with Wagner's operas with the exception of Rossini. We have composers Mehul, Beethoven, Rossini, Meyerbeer, Weber, Auber, Spontini, Bell...

A bunch of good stuff arrived today - been waiting patiently for it: •Toccata N0031 - "Four Hands at Home" w/McCallum/Helyard, 4-hands 1853 Erard piano •Erato 78798 - "In the Shadows" opera arias w/Michael Spyres •Erato 71968 - Berlioz: Les Nuit d'ete (Spyres) * Harold in Italy w/Ridout, viola •DGG ...

Yes, E. Power Biggs and Virgil Fox ... I followed them on discs and heard them in live concerts. Convinced both were outstanding; Fox brought more visual personality to the front and winning lots of friends. But there are others I have enjoyed and followed: Jane Parker-Smith, Ulrik Spang-Hanssen, Ri...

Politics in musical presentations seems to cause more problems. Is this the place for it? Looks like Jurowski favors it but wants to discuss it with protestors beforehand. Can't blame him for that. "Protest, then stop, and let us hear just the music with no further interruptions."

In attempting to acquaint myself more with Dame Ethel Smyth 's music, recently listening to a recording of her songs and ballads. The recording on SOMM [0611] features 65 minutes of material: Four Songs for Voice and Chamber orchestra; Songs and Ballades, Op. 3; Lieder, op. 4 (5 songs); and Three So...

Here's a name of a singer that doesn't pop up very much and surely should. Edda Moser , a German-born soprano [1938], and as I write this, she's 85 and still living. Given my interest in artists of all kinds, especially pianists and singers, back in 2013 I stumbled upon a nine-CD box set [28281] of ...

All very good comments, only to prove that we all will do what our hearts/minds advise. Too much of the same music isn't really all that bad and it sharpens our skill in the art of listening and learning, and more, appreciating great music and its performers.

Aha - yes, been there, done that. Interesting how our "taste" changes over the years.

Rach3 wrote: ↑
Tue Apr 09, 2024 7:38 pm
{Partial forward} I already have too many recordings that no longer hold my interest as they once did.

He was born in Holland of German parents where he was, more or less, worshipped for his musicality. I constantly get Mengelberg confused with Felix Weingartner.

Belle wrote: ↑
Sun Apr 07, 2024 9:25 pm

Lance wrote: ↑
Sun Apr 07, 2024 8:13 pm
One guess! Hint: It has to do with WW2.
Oh, OK. I thought he was Dutch..."controversial Concertgebouw conductor".

Yes, I was aware of the "problem" with her husband. Flagstad continued to have and enjoy a glorious career, especially where Wagner was concerned. Few have compared with her vocally in her repertoire. I don't know how "involved" Madame was with the Nazis (same for Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, but this did...

An interesting new find with pianist Severin von Eckardstein . I'm surveying his 2020 Paris-made recording on the German Artalinna label [CD A032] consisting of Chopin's Polonaise-Fantaisie in A-flat, Op. 61; Schumann's Davidsbundlertanze , Op. 6, Tchaikovsky's Chant Elegiaque , Op. 72/14; and Gabri...

Years ago, I prepared a piano for a recital by Andreas Haefliger. Thank you for this memory.

maestrob wrote: ↑
Mon Apr 08, 2024 1:04 pm
Complete Decca CD here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBE_TUd ... K3FMC-hd4o

Enjoy!

In other words, you love a piece of music. Let's say it's Beethoven's "Appassionata" Sonata. Can you live with JUST one recording of the work? Let's say it's ARRAU or RICHTER. They are both different, the music is the same on the page, but the interpretations might be considerably different in how t...

Thank you! I love recordings ... they can give us peace and comfort when we cannot do it any other way - and we can do it anytime within 24 hours each day every day of the week. Right now and always, for me, music does wondrous things emotionally and physically. I'll respond in red below your post. ...

A pity this was not recorded by EMI and included in the big Warner/Zimmermann set [63178]. It would have fit in very nicely! Zimmermann is recording now, I think with BIS, so we'll see if it comes out if it already hasn't. This CD shows a different side of the composer - with one orchestral work whi...

I love pianists, for sure, but also organists, and in many cases, harpsichordists, almost anything with a keyboard. I have a 23 EMI CD set [17175] entitled "Composers in Person," one of which features organist-composers. Widor is included in this set playing the Toccata from his Symphony No. 5 among...

Your post fascinated me in the sense that I am not familiar with the Jussen Brothers . It appears they have an interesting catalogue of works on the DGG label. Their Bach album is of great interest, and the Schubert ... well, the Russian one as well ... they all look pretty good. You are going to co...

Love that kind of humor! First time I was able to grin today!

Belle wrote: ↑
Sun Apr 07, 2024 12:46 am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-5zEb1oS9A

I keep wondering what has happened to the human race. It's always been here, but not near the volume I have seen in the last few years. Did most of us really come through the "best" years? So, what's ahead? Will/can it ever get better?

Yes, well, lots of problems with composers, conductors and all kinds of artists during the horrible time of WW2. I was just a baby when all that was happening and I have seen some of the results in Europe with my own eyes, which has never left my mind. Incredible what humans do to other humans on th...

Having met you and your lovely other half, it doesn't surprise me that you would always do the right and proper thing. I just cannot imagine doing this kind of thing, eating and not paying and taking advantage of people this way. It's depressing to think about it.

Well, there may be something we can do to avoid sickness, avoid death for as long as possible, do as many of the right things we are supposed to do (abstain alcohol, fats, sugars, smoking, drugs, etc., in other words, don't eat what you want or like) - and this is: DON'T EVER GET OLD! It really ripp...

I was at a Cracker Barrel restaurant the other day with some friends for some quick food. In talking with a very friendly waitress, who was new on the team, asking if she ever ran into any non-payers. She described a whole table a couple days ago of 5 or 6 people who ordered heavily, left the restau...

One guess! Hint: It has to do with WW2.

My eyes popped when I saw this announcement about Mengelberg [indeed, a controversial conductor]. I have been one of his followers for many moons, having everything Philips issued, including the Bach St. Matthew Passion (with Karl Erb), and the Decca 18 CD set [480 7636] all-Mengelberg (based on Phi...

Lots of truth in this! Same with public schools. I can't tell you how many public schools we have in this area, all in one county or maybe two. There are "superintendents" in all of them. Seems to me the whole of it could be handled by one- or two superintendents with their appropriate assistants. I...

A seven-inch LP from the house of Qualiton! Yes, that would help. A shame it never found its way to CD. I have many Qualiton LPs acquired over the years, but I don't believe any 7-inchers. It could be an extended play 45rpm disc as well. Thanks for pointing this out, Len. She is an attractive-lookin...

I was just relistening to some of the recordings in this 15 CD set [484 2517] from DGG. Her all-Schubert recital [disc 9] with James Levine at the piano was recorded in 1987 in Austria and Norway and put together to create this recital. I did not recall when first hearing these recordings on their r...

I've had those two Reber discs on Timpani [1205 & 1239] since 2013 and 2016 respectively, but were reasonably priced per disc (less than $18/USD each), and this is just the kind of repertoire I enjoy discovering. Trio Elegiaque does an admirable job with the trios. I can make a copy of Trios 2, 4 an...

I just gave this a hearing tonight. It's a German Avi CD [8553531] . It is noted in a few places on the disc that Severin von Eckhardstein is exclusively a Deutsche Grammophon artist. So, what's he doing on Avi? This is impressive playing throughout and gives the piano quite a workout. Von Eckhardst...

Incredible, scary article. The big question seems, these days: does education pay? Probably not what it should, but we NEED to have the best possible education, or you know where we, as a country, may end up. State universities seem to be holding their own. We in Binghamton, New York, have a univers...

Of Respighi's Roman triptych, "Festivals" ranks high for me. And the Gregoriano Violin Concerto, rather rare [Takako Nishizaki made a recording on Marco Polo]. Fine composer who seems to be heard more and more. Tonight, our own orchestra is giving a concert called "Roman Holidays," and the "Pines" w...

I'm with you as being "neutral" with Bruckner. He doesn't get a lot of listening by me though I have all the symphonies and many individual ones. Nos. 5 and 7 get the most play when I am in the mood. Many great conductors have shown interest in Bruckner: Szell, Walter, Kubelik, Furtwangler, Bohm, Jo...

I don't appear to have anything of Tynes on record. Were there any? R.I.P.

Now THERE was a voice! He appears in about 110 titles on CDs in my survey of him. He played the trumpet, too, as evidenced on CD. Died far too young but left an incredible legacy of commercial and private recordings.

Well, I'm sleeping a little longer and more peacefully. I turn the landline off and now leave the cellphone on all night for any possible emergency calls. Even then, I do get a few robocalls on the cellphone. Can't win. Thanks for all the tips. On my landline, I constantly block all calls I don't re...

I know not Raykhelson's work at all - or yet, anyway. When I looked at the Toccata CD photo, I noted the name Konstantin Lifschitz as the pianist. I was quite taken with his pianistic work on the Signum Udagawa disc mentioned on another thread. As for the last paragraph of your post, I, too, have en...

The BECHSTEIN enjoyed a wonderful reputation prior to World War II and, thankfully, it is regaining its status as one of the finest pianists being built today. When Baldwin USA bought Bechstein years ago, they allowed them to -+retain their independence in manufacturing the instruments though I'm su...

Severin von Eckardstein - what a beautiful name for a pianist! Fine pianists seem to be popping up all over the place!

Oh, don't get me wrong. I didn't say I approve of the Rachmaninoff cello-to-violin transcription. There is no comparison - the cello wins hands down. My only interest was in the violinist performing the work. The cello does work for the Franck, as several great cellists have attested. The other Rach...

More of late, I've been paying attention to the recorded work of Karel Ancerl . His new Decca Eloquence 9 CD boxed set [484 3778] contains all of his Philips and DGG recordings he made. The accompanying booklet gives an in-depth biography of his life and tragedies he suffered and losing his wife and...

Well, I've had the landline phone number since I was 16 years old! It's kind of sentimental and actually isn't that costly. I have thought about dispensing with it altogether as far back as 9/11. It was near impossible to make cellphone calls at that time and I was happy to have the landline availab...

There have been a few recordings of Franck 's great Violin Sonata in A Minor performed on the cello. It works both ways, but for some reason, I always prefer the original violin version. Now comes Rachmaninoff's great Cello Sonata in G Minor, Op. 19 in a transcription by Mikhailovsky. It is beautif...

I've heard about that one but haven't used it yet. I sometimes go to bed very late at night (really morning). Today, 8:30am, deep sleep, a call to get some kind of health insurance. Half hour later, another - so about 5 within a couple of hours. It's been really quiet until just recently. Thank you ...

Is it ever going to stop?

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