What are YOU listening to today?

Seán · Post by **Seán** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 2:09 pm

absinthe wrote:
Fergus wrote: I love to listen to music played on the cello and I have only recently "discovered" Janos Starker by buying his JS Bach cello suites. I was instantly won over and he is now a cellist that I will consider for all of the works that he performs which interest me
Much the same here, Fergus. I also love the sound of the cello and tried his recordings of the Lalo, Schumann and Saint-Saens Concerti. I was already acquainted with Mercury's "Living Presence" recordings and found the sound quality superb with his artistry overwhelming. That led me to the Bach Suites though I'm no huge Bach fan! He's become my cellist of choice, too.

Speaking of cello music have you listened to this Prokofiev CD? it's wonderful:

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 2:35 pm

Prometheus wrote:
Fergus wrote: That one I would definitely be interested in....what is the verdict on it?
I obtained it as I'm a fan of AOF and solo organ. It does not disappoint. This is the only recording I have with Walcha who I have heard is pretty good in most other recordings.

I bought a 10 disc set earlier this year of Walcha's JS Bach's Organ Works and although the sound is not supremely perfect when compared with today's digital recordings it is not bad and I really liked what I heard

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 2:40 pm

absinthe wrote:[
..... I also love the sound of the cello and tried his recordings of the Lalo, Schumann and Saint-Saens Concerti. I was already acquainted with Mercury's "Living Presence" recordings and found the sound quality superb with his artistry overwhelming. That led me to the Bach Suites though I'm no huge Bach fan! He's become my cellist of choice, too.

Thank you for your guidance here and what good recommendations to expand by collection of Starkers performances....making their way onto my Wish List very soon

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 2:42 pm

I have not heard that Naxos CD Seán but at Naxos prices it is certainly worth a try

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 2:44 pm

I really like the music of Joseph Krauss.

Seán · Post by **Seán** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 2:47 pm

Fergus wrote:I have not heard that Naxos CD Seán but at Naxos prices it is certainly worth a try

I know that Prokofiev doesn't exactly "light your fire" Fergus but that's a really good CD. Rudin's cello playing is lovely and Kuchar is a splendid conductor in my (humble) opinion.

Thumper · Post by **Thumper** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 2:56 pm

Seán wrote:
Fergus wrote:I have not heard that Naxos CD Seán but at Naxos prices it is certainly worth a try
I know that Prokofiev doesn't exactly "light your fire" Fergus but that's a really good CD. Rudin's cello playing is lovely and Kuchar is a splendid conductor in my (humble) opinion.

And it's a rare instance of Naxos choosing an illustration that complements the album's colour scheme!

Thumper · Post by **Thumper** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 3:11 pm

Volume 10: Piano Sonatas 1, 2, 19 and 20, played by John Lill. Today has seen my first encounter with these pieces. The last movement (prestissimo) of the 1st sonata caught my ear but the rest of the disc will require further investigation. I've clipped crampons to my ears and will attempt to reach Beethoven Base Camp.

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 4:11 pm

Beethoven - Violin Sonata No.2 (Isabelle Faust/Alexander Melnikov, Harmonia Mundi)

Britten - 'Lachrymae' (Roger Chase/Lionel Friend, The Nash Ensemble, Hyperion Helios)

Haydn - Mass No.9 'Heiligmesse (Joanne Lunn/Sara Mingardo/Topi Lehtipuu/Brindley Sherratt/John Eliot Gardiner, The Monteverdi Choir/The English Baroque Soloists, Philips) below

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 5:37 pm

Thumper wrote: Volume 10: Piano Sonatas 1, 2, 19 and 20, played by John Lill. Today has seen my first encounter with these pieces. The last movement (prestissimo) of the 1st sonata caught my ear but the rest of the disc will require further investigation. I've clipped crampons to my ears and will attempt to reach Beethoven Base Camp.

I have a cycle of the Beethoven Piano Concertos played by John Lill and I do like them

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 5:39 pm

Seán wrote:
Fergus wrote:I have not heard that Naxos CD Seán but at Naxos prices it is certainly worth a try
I know that Prokofiev doesn't exactly "light your fire" Fergus but that's a really good CD. Rudin's cello playing is lovely and Kuchar is a splendid conductor in my (humble) opinion.

I am always willing to try something new Seán so I will put it onto the Wish List

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 5:42 pm

bombasticDarren wrote:

Very interesting Darren....I do not think that I have anything of Gardiner playing Haydn other than the Creation....how did you like this music then

Prometheus · Post by **Prometheus** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 12:59 am

Beethoven-Symphonies 2 and 4-Cluytens-EMI.

After listening to this disc I have now finished this cycle and I must admit it is very good all around. Thanks to all the members who suggested it.

Chalkperson · Post by **Chalkperson** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 1:53 am

Fergus wrote:
bombasticDarren wrote:
Very interesting Darren....I do not think that I have anything of Gardiner playing Haydn other than the Creation....how did you like this music then

Why is he contemplating the chair, has he nothing better to do than to stand around staring at an empty chair...

josé echenique · Post by **josé echenique** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 9:38 am

I don´t know if this is the best recording the Gabrieli Consort has ever made but it´s certainly my favorite. Besides his own forces McCreesh uses the congregational choir of the Roskilde Cathedral, so in some pieces you have some 600 people singing, to awesome effect in the great In dulci Jubilo, the last piece in the recording. The Archiv engineers did an outstanding job.
It´s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas.

johnQpublic · Post by **johnQpublic** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 9:59 am

LPs

R. Walker - Scythian Overture (McGinnis/Coronet)
Piston - String Quartet #5 (Kohon SQ/Vox)
Shifrin - Satires of Circumstance (Weisberg/Nonesuch)
Schuman - To Thee Old Cause (Bernstein/Columbia)

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 10:59 am

Bruckner III/Solti/Chicago

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 1:52 pm

Prometheus wrote:

It is very good, isn't it

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 1:55 pm

Chalkperson wrote:
Fergus wrote:
bombasticDarren wrote:
Very interesting Darren....I do not think that I have anything of Gardiner playing Haydn other than the Creation....how did you like this music then
Why is he contemplating the chair, has he nothing better to do than to stand around staring at an empty chair...

A good question Chalkie....surely your artistic temperment and conceptualisation can provide us with a suitable explanation

I'll bet the music is good though

Thumper · Post by **Thumper** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 2:08 pm

He's playing musical chairs...

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 2:10 pm

Fergus wrote:
Chalkperson wrote:
Fergus wrote:
bombasticDarren wrote:
Very interesting Darren....I do not think that I have anything of Gardiner playing Haydn other than the Creation....how did you like this music then
Why is he contemplating the chair, has he nothing better to do than to stand around staring at an empty chair...
A good question Chalkie....surely your artistic temperment and conceptualisation can provide us with a suitable explanation

I'll bet the music is good though

Yes, they are lovely performances Fergus

No idea about the chair either...

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 2:14 pm

J.S. Bach - Cantata BWV 136 'Erforsche mich, Gott, und erfahre mein Herz' (Kai Wessel/Makoto Sakurada/Peter Kooij/Masaaki Suzuki, Bach Collegium Japan, BIS) below

Britten - 'Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge', 'Simple Symphony' & 'Prelude and Fugue' (Richard Hickox, Northern Sinfonia of England, Sanctuary Classics)

Chausson - 'Concert' (Pierre Amoyal/Pascal Roge/Quator Ysaye, Decca)

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 3:27 pm

Britten - 'Te Deum in C' & 'Jubilate Deo' (Philip Ledger, Choir of King's College, Cambridge, EMI)

Mendelssohn - Symphony No.4 'Italian' (Roger Norrington, London Classical Players, Virgin Veritas)

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 4:24 pm

Norrington doing Mendelssohn....interesting Darren

How did you find it?

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 4:25 pm

Liszt – Années de pelerinage, disc 3....

The conclusion of a very fine set with wonderful music that is very well played.

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 4:29 pm

Fergus wrote:Norrington doing Mendelssohn....interesting Darren

How did you find it?

Really enjoyed it Fergus. Tempo is just right and the LCP are in fine form. I am slowly warming to Norrington

johnQpublic · Post by **johnQpublic** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 4:55 pm

Thumper wrote:He's playing musical chairs...

johnQpublic · Post by **johnQpublic** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 4:56 pm

A replay of Ben Hur's chariot race....LOL!

Thumper · Post by **Thumper** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 5:13 pm

My adventure across the blank parts of my musical universe continues. The Pathétique I know and love, but I've enjoyed getting to know Sonata No.3.

premont · Post by **premont** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 7:23 pm

Fergus wrote:
Thumper wrote: Volume 10: Piano Sonatas 1, 2, 19 and 20, played by John Lill. Today has seen my first encounter with these pieces. The last movement (prestissimo) of the 1st sonata caught my ear but the rest of the disc will require further investigation. I've clipped crampons to my ears and will attempt to reach Beethoven Base Camp.
I have a cycle of the Beethoven Piano Concertos played by John Lill and I do like them

John Lill´s Beethoven sonata set (for ASV/Brilliant) is heavily underrated IMO. May be because of the bad recorded sound.

johnQpublic · Post by **johnQpublic** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 9:21 pm

Kraus, Dittersdorf and Hoffmeister are seen here composing music under the name of W.A. Mozart proving Robert Newman's theory of the "Mozart Myth".

johnQpublic · Post by **johnQpublic** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 9:23 pm

Feather...fig leaf....whatever

josé echenique · Post by **josé echenique** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 11:00 pm

Music to thank the Lord.

Prometheus · Post by **Prometheus** » Thu Nov 25, 2010 12:27 am

Fergus wrote: It is very good, isn't it

It most certainly is. I only have a few Beethoven cycles, but I find this one of the best.

Prometheus · Post by **Prometheus** » Thu Nov 25, 2010 12:30 am

Beethoven-String Quintets-Zurich Quintet-Brilliant.

Mozart-String Quintets-Grumiaux Trio-Phillips.

val · Post by **val** » Thu Nov 25, 2010 3:31 am

PERGOLESI: La Serva Padrona / Renata Scotto, Bruscantini, Fasano (1960)

THe great version of this little but famous opera buffa, full of life, with two great singers. The direction of Fasano is very decent.

Seán · Post by **Seán** » Thu Nov 25, 2010 7:55 am

Prometheus wrote:Beethoven-String Quintets-Zurich Quintet-Brilliant.

I do not have any recordings of the Beethoven Quintets in my collection, I'm sad to say. What do you make of the Brilliant Classics set?

CharmNewton · Post by **CharmNewton** » Thu Nov 25, 2010 11:11 am

Brahms: Violin Sonatas, Op. 78, 100 and 108
Yehudi Menuhin, violinist
Louis Kentner, pianist
Seraphim (Japan) TOCE-8940

Overall, this is a lovely set of the sonatas. There are times when Menuhin's tone sounds coarse on the lower strings, but this recording faithfully captures the sweet tone in the higher reaches. Menuhin's playing is very expressive in the first two sonatas and fiery in the third. He works very well with Kentner. Genuine stereophonic recording.

Brahms: Sonata No. 1 in C major, Op. 1
Brahms: Piano works, Op. 118, 119
Gerhard Oppitz, pianist
RCA Red Seal 8 28766 78872 3

Oppitz's playing in these works is very muscular and direct. The finale of the Op. 1 thunders and is thrilling in its edge-of-the-seat virtuosity.

John

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Thu Nov 25, 2010 3:24 pm

val wrote:PERGOLESI: La Serva Padrona / Renata Scotto, Bruscantini, Fasano (1960)

THe great version of this little but famous opera buffa, full of life, with two great singers. The direction of Fasano is very decent.

I have that disc and I really like it Val....I play it regularly

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Thu Nov 25, 2010 3:25 pm

johnQpublic · Post by **johnQpublic** » Thu Nov 25, 2010 4:40 pm

Kalinnikov - Overture to "Tsar Boris" (Jarvi/Chandos)
Schnittke - Piano Quintet (1999 AFCM/Naxos)
Prokofiev - Symphony #1 (Levine/DG)

Prometheus · Post by **Prometheus** » Fri Nov 26, 2010 12:25 am

Seán wrote: I do not have any recordings of the Beethoven Quintets in my collection, I'm sad to say. What do you make of the Brilliant Classics set?

This is the only recording I have of these works, but I find the 2 disc set to be of good quality.

Prometheus · Post by **Prometheus** » Fri Nov 26, 2010 12:32 am

Bruckner-Symphony 7-Tinter-Naxos.

A good Thanksgiving day. Work was enjoyable and then I chose this disc to listen to for the first time while driving.

I have most of the discs in the Tinter cycle and have liked them all so far with my only issue being that the volume is very low in all of them and thus has to be turned up to otherwise high levels.

josé echenique · Post by **josé echenique** » Fri Nov 26, 2010 9:45 am

There must be a reason why Ottone in Villa is Vivaldi most recorded opera. I think L´ Olimpiade has better music, but Ottone is also very enjoyable.
The first recording was Richard Hickox´s in Chandos, but this new offering with Giovanni Antonini, the sensational ensemble Il Giardino Armonico and some matchless singers like soprano Roberta Invernizzi and alto Sonia Prina outclasses the competition.
A treat.

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Fri Nov 26, 2010 10:41 am

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Fri Nov 26, 2010 2:17 pm

J.S. Bach - Cantata BWV 138 'Warum betrubst du dich, mein Herz' (Midori Suzuki/Kai Wessel/Makota Sakurada/Peter Kooij/Masaaki Suzuki, Bach Collegium Japan, BIS)

Beethoven - Violin Sonata No.3 (Isabelle Faust/Alexander Melnikov, Harmonia Mundi)

Bruckner - Symphony No.8 (Georg Solti, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Decca) below

johnQpublic · Post by **johnQpublic** » Fri Nov 26, 2010 3:51 pm

Tormis - Overture #2 (Jarvi/Chandos)
Ligeti - Sonata for Solo Viola (Zimmermann/Sony)
Feldman - Piano & Orchestra (Woodward/cpo)

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Fri Nov 26, 2010 4:44 pm

Britten - 'Sinfonia da Requiem' (Benjamin Britten, New Philharmonia Orchestra, London) & 'Cantata misericordium' (Peter Pears/Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau/Benjamin Britten, London Symphony Chorus/London Symphony Orchestra, London)

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Fri Nov 26, 2010 5:36 pm

Elgar – Violin Concerto....

This was most enjoyable music and a performance to match, especially the slow movement which produced wonderfully sensitive playing from Kennedy.

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Fri Nov 26, 2010 5:38 pm

josé echenique wrote: There must be a reason why Ottone in Villa is Vivaldi most recorded opera. I think L´ Olimpiade has better music, but Ottone is also very enjoyable.
The first recording was Richard Hickox´s in Chandos, but this new offering with Giovanni Antonini, the sensational ensemble Il Giardino Armonico and some matchless singers like soprano Roberta Invernizzi and alto Sonia Prina outclasses the competition.
A treat.

I find that this combination is pure magic in the performance of Vivaldi's music

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