What are YOU listening to today?

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 4:50 pm

Tchaikovsky Suites for Orchestra Nos. 1 & 2....

Delightful music wonderfully played by our local band

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 4:54 pm

Jared and Darren, I came across this tonight and I thought that you both might like the clip on this page....I thought that it was wonderful

Jared · Post by **Jared** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 4:59 pm

^^ strangely enough, it didn't get a great review in BBC Music Mag Fergus... IB's vocal range not being diverse enough to fill all the parts..

I think he's great in Britten & Schubert, but not quite as convincng in Schumann Lieder... I do have more of his work on my wishlist though, so will tread with caution..

josé echenique · Post by **josé echenique** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 8:12 pm

I will be away for a few days.
Next sunday I will be in Boston for a benefit concert with Simon Rattle and Marc-André Hamelin at the New England Conservatory where they will play a Mozart Concerto, Brahms Symphony 2, and strangely, the adagietto of Mahler´s 5th. It´s a pick up orchestra assembled for the concert.
Then on December 9th I´ll be at Avery Fisher Hall for the Elgar Violin Concerto with Znaider, Sir Colin Davis and the NY Philharmonic. Next day, December 10th I´ll be at the MET for La Fanciulla del West with Deborah Voigt and Marcello Giordani, it´s the Centennial Anniversary of that opera, and the next day I´ll attend the matinee performance of Don Carlos with Alagna, Keenlyside and Furlanetto.
No fighting while I´m away!

Donaldopato · Post by **Donaldopato** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 8:52 pm

Taking a break from Leonard Bernstein:

Avner Dorman Concerto For Mandolin, Concerto for Piccolo, Concerto Grosso, Piano Concerto in A
Naxos 8.559620

Dvorak Symphonic Poems Mackerras Czech Philharmonic Orchestra Supraphon 4012

Prometheus · Post by **Prometheus** » Thu Dec 02, 2010 1:32 am

Hans Rott-Symphony-Weigle-Arte Nova.

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Thu Dec 02, 2010 7:11 am

J.S. Bach - Cantata BWV 49 'Ich geh und suche mit Verlangen' & Cantata BWV 180 'Schmucke dich, o liebe Seele' (Magdalena Kozena/Sara Mingardo/Christoph Genz/Peter Harvey/John Eliot Gardiner, The Monteverdi Choir/The English Baroque Soloists, Soli Deo Gloria) below

Beethoven - Violin Sonata No.4 (Isabelle Faust/Alexander Melnikov, Harmonia Mundi)

Grieg - Piano Concerto (Radu Lupu/Andre Previn, London Symphony Orchestra, Decca)

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Thu Dec 02, 2010 9:11 am

Beethoven - Symphony No.3 'Eroica' & Symphony No.4 (Arturo Toscanini, NBC Symphony Orchestra, RCA)

johnQpublic · Post by **johnQpublic** » Thu Dec 02, 2010 9:55 am

Paisiello - Overture to "La Molinara" (Mazzola/Dynamic)
Schubert - Symphony #9 (Wand/RCA)

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Thu Dec 02, 2010 11:30 am

josé echenique wrote: I will be away for a few days.
Next sunday I will be in Boston for a benefit concert with Simon Rattle and Marc-André Hamelin at the New England Conservatory where they will play a Mozart Concerto, Brahms Symphony 2, and strangely, the adagietto of Mahler´s 5th. It´s a pick up orchestra assembled for the concert.
Then on December 9th I´ll be at Avery Fisher Hall for the Elgar Violin Concerto with Znaider, Sir Colin Davis and the NY Philharmonic. Next day, December 10th I´ll be at the MET for La Fanciulla del West with Deborah Voigt and Marcello Giordani, it´s the Centennial Anniversary of that opera, and the next day I´ll attend the matinee performance of Don Carlos with Alagna, Keenlyside and Furlanetto.
No fighting while I´m away!

Enjoy it all José and do not forget to get a signed photo of Rattle for Chalkie

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Thu Dec 02, 2010 11:33 am

On this veritible artic afternoon in little old Ireland I was thinking of and wishing for warmer climes and distant times with this one....

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Thu Dec 02, 2010 12:27 pm

The Bassoon Concerto is an old favorite.....

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Thu Dec 02, 2010 12:35 pm

Mendelssohn - String Quartet No.2 (Melos Quartett, DG)

Schumann - Piano Concerto (Radu Lupu/Andre Previn, London Symphony Orchestra, Decca) below

Vaughan Williams - 'Serendade to Music' (Elizabeth Connell/Anne Dawson/Linda Kitchen/Amanda Roocroft/Diana Montague/Jean Rigby/Sarah Walker/Catherine Wyn-Rogers/John Mark Ainsley/Arthur Davies/Maldwyn Davies/Martyn Hill/Thomas Allen/Alan Opie/John Connell/Gwynne Howell/Matthew Best, English Chamber Orchestra, Hyperion)

Chalkperson · Post by **Chalkperson** » Thu Dec 02, 2010 1:12 pm

bombasticDarren wrote:Mendelssohn - String Quartet No.2 (Melos Quartett, DG)

Schumann - Piano Concerto (Radu Lupu/Andre Previn, London Symphony Orchestra, Decca) below

Vaughan Williams - 'Serendade to Music' (Elizabeth Connell/Anne Dawson/Linda Kitchen/Amanda Roocroft/Diana Montague/Jean Rigby/Sarah Walker/Catherine Wyn-Rogers/John Mark Ainsley/Arthur Davies/Maldwyn Davies/Martyn Hill/Thomas Allen/Alan Opie/John Connell/Gwynne Howell/Matthew Best, English Chamber Orchestra, Hyperion)

That Lupu recording should be in everyone's collection...

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Thu Dec 02, 2010 1:38 pm

Roussel - 'Bacchus et Ariane' (Yan Pascal Tortelier, BBC Philharmonic, Chandos)

ContrapunctusIX · Post by **ContrapunctusIX** » Thu Dec 02, 2010 2:02 pm

Been listening to the Steinberg/PSO Beethoven cycle for the last few days that a friend ripped from vinyl for me. This is an excellent cycle and I don't understand why a set of this quality has never been released in its entirety on CD.

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Thu Dec 02, 2010 2:59 pm

Bax - Symphony No.2 (Vernon Handley, BBC Philharmonic, Chandos) below

Britten - 'Spring Symphony' (Alison Hagley/Catherine Robbin/John Mark Ainsley/John Eliot Gardiner, The Boy and Girl Choristers of Salisbury Cathedral/The Monteverdi Choir/Philharmonia Orchestra, DG)

Walton - Symphony No.1 (Andre Previn, London Symphony Orchestra, RCA)

Thumper · Post by **Thumper** » Thu Dec 02, 2010 3:42 pm

Beethoven - Symphonies 1 & 3 (Herbert Blomstedt, Staatskapelle Dresden). Album cover art from Brilliant Classics, who can't seem to decide exactly which boxed set the CD belongs to. At least my recent rip transferred the CD's track details to my media player without fuss. I'm tempted to start a thread/rant about the difficulties of transferring CD track information to media players.

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Thu Dec 02, 2010 3:47 pm

Thumper wrote:....I'm tempted to start a thread/rant about the difficulties of transferring CD track information to media players.

That has been a big issue for a long time now but I think Chalkie is working on the solution at the moment

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Thu Dec 02, 2010 3:48 pm

Disc 2 of this set....

Jared · Post by **Jared** » Thu Dec 02, 2010 3:56 pm

these really are top notch performances:

disk 2: Trios 3&4

Chalkperson · Post by **Chalkperson** » Thu Dec 02, 2010 4:54 pm

Fergus wrote:
Thumper wrote:....I'm tempted to start a thread/rant about the difficulties of transferring CD track information to media players.

That has been a big issue for a long time now but I think Chalkie is working on the solution at the moment

Yes, I have been working on this problem for nearly five years, just to fill in Thumper, I have 17,000 CD's all ripped in Apple Lossless, I devised a Tagging Structure and MetaData Management System that I then gave to the guys at PS Audio, we have been working in secret on an Encrypted Website to produce our own Multi Platform version of iTunes, finally you can read a little bit about it...we have already produced a Remote Control App that works on any iDevice...

The Remote App...

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ps-audio ... 82119?mt=8

Our Version of iTunes..

http://www.psaudio.com/ps/newsletters/n ... ewsletter/

Prometheus · Post by **Prometheus** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 12:18 am

Mozart-Masses and misc pieces-Matt-Brilliant.

Finished listening to this 15 disc box set. I knew only of the major masses prior to this and I found the works contained to be of great quality. Definitely recommend this if any care to hear more of Mozart's sacred works.

Thumper · Post by **Thumper** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 4:50 am

Chalkperson wrote:
Fergus wrote:
Thumper wrote:....I'm tempted to start a thread/rant about the difficulties of transferring CD track information to media players.

That has been a big issue for a long time now but I think Chalkie is working on the solution at the moment
Yes, I have been working on this problem for nearly five years, just to fill in Thumper, I have 17,000 CD's all ripped in Apple Lossless, I devised a Tagging Structure and MetaData Management System that I then gave to the guys at PS Audio, we have been working in secret on an Encrypted Website to produce our own Multi Platform version of iTunes, finally you can read a little bit about it...we have already produced a Remote Control App that works on any iDevice...

The Remote App...

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ps-audio ... 82119?mt=8

Our Version of iTunes..

http://www.psaudio.com/ps/newsletters/n ... ewsletter/

Thanks for the info. Your tagNplay looks very impressive. I'm not an audiophile or a classical music expert, but when I rip a CD I expect a media player to install, at the very least, a piece's title, the name of the composer and some album art. It's frustrating and time-consuming to have to type that info in myself, and even more so when correcting errant information - as I keep having to do with my 40CD Brilliant Classics Beethoven boxed set.

I'm glad to see that you're going to accommodate album art; visual cues are essential when using a media player. Best of luck with your herculean task.

johnQpublic · Post by **johnQpublic** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 10:29 am

Fesca - Overture in C, Op.43 (Beermann/cpo)
Chopin - Scherzo #1 (Wild/Chesky)
Paine - Symphony #1 (Mehta/New World)

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 1:44 pm

Holst - 'A Fugal Overture', 'A Somerset Rhapsody', 'Scherzo', 'Egdon Heath', 'Hammersmith' & 'Capriccio' (Richard Hickox, London Symphony Orchestra, Chandos)

A highly recommendable disc imho

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 2:35 pm

Elgar - 'The Dream of Gerontius' (Yvonne Minton/Peter Pears/John Shirley-Quirk/Benjamin Britten, London Symphony Chorus/The Choir of King's College, London Symphony Orchestra, Decca)

Jared · Post by **Jared** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 2:40 pm

bombasticDarren wrote:Elgar - 'The Dream of Gerontius' (Yvonne Minton/Peter Pears/John Shirley-Quirk/Benjamin Britten, London Symphony Chorus/The Choir of King's College, London Symphony Orchestra, Decca)

that particular version is next up on my hitlist, Darren... I hope you enjoy it..

Chalkperson · Post by **Chalkperson** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 3:13 pm

Jared wrote:
bombasticDarren wrote:Elgar - 'The Dream of Gerontius' (Yvonne Minton/Peter Pears/John Shirley-Quirk/Benjamin Britten, London Symphony Chorus/The Choir of King's College, London Symphony Orchestra, Decca)

that particular version is next up on my hitlist, Darren... I hope you enjoy it..

If I was ever kidnapped and taken to CMG's Black Site for "Enhanced Interrogation" they would only have to play that Music outside my cell door and i'd tell them everything, no need to Waterboard me, just play Elgar...

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 4:32 pm

arthound · Post by **arthound** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 10:25 pm

Chalkperson wrote:
Fergus wrote:
Thumper wrote:....I'm tempted to start a thread/rant about the difficulties of transferring CD track information to media players.

That has been a big issue for a long time now but I think Chalkie is working on the solution at the moment
Yes, I have been working on this problem for nearly five years, just to fill in Thumper, I have 17,000 CD's all ripped in Apple Lossless, I devised a Tagging Structure and MetaData Management System that I then gave to the guys at PS Audio, we have been working in secret on an Encrypted Website to produce our own Multi Platform version of iTunes, finally you can read a little bit about it...we have already produced a Remote Control App that works on any iDevice...

The Remote App...

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ps-audio ... 82119?mt=8

Our Version of iTunes..

http://www.psaudio.com/ps/newsletters/n ... ewsletter/

Hi Chalkie

I was interested to read in the newsletter that Paul McGowan says he prefers a two speaker set up to multi-channel. I would have thought that being a high-end audio lover he would prefer multi-channel over stereo. Do you have a preference?

Cheers,
Justin

arthound · Post by **arthound** » Fri Dec 03, 2010 10:34 pm

Munch conducts Roussel's 3rd and 4th symphonies along with the second 'Bacchus et Ariane' suite. These are 'live' recordings - tubby sound but a great set of performances.

Prometheus · Post by **Prometheus** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 12:43 am

Bach-The Art of Fugue and Musical Offering-Munchinger-Decca.

val · Post by **val** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 5:25 am

SCRIABIN: Prometheus / Argerich, BPO, Abbado

To me, the great version of this work. Abbado uses a fast tempo (18'), with contrasts and a very impressive and intense performance by Martha Argerich.

Svetlanov is very slow (23') and heavy. In the last part he becomes monumental, as if he was conducting Bruckner.

The version of Maazel and Ashkenazy has a good sound, but seems pale and distant compared to Abbado.

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 5:45 am

Seán · Post by **Seán** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 6:01 am

arthound wrote:
Hi Chalkie

I was interested to read in the newsletter that Paul McGowan says he prefers a two speaker set up to multi-channel. I would have thought that being a high-end audio lover he would prefer multi-channel over stereo. Do you have a preference?

Cheers,
Justin

Justin, I prefer stereo.

Seán · Post by **Seán** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 6:02 am

arthound wrote:

Munch conducts Roussel's 3rd and 4th symphonies along with the second 'Bacchus et Ariane' suite. These are 'live' recordings - tubby sound but a great set of performances.

I must get the Munch recordings.

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 6:06 am

R. Strauss - 'Eine Alpensinfonie' (Rudolf Kempe, Staatskapelle Dresden, Brilliant Classics)

Jared · Post by **Jared** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 6:18 am

Fergus wrote:

I must move on to the madrigals at some stage, Fergus...

anyway folks.... just a quick note to say that I'm now out of here until Thursday. Am flying to Munich for a 3 day conference, later today...

happy listening, and will catch up on my return...

arthound · Post by **arthound** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 7:08 am

Seán wrote:
arthound wrote:
Hi Chalkie

I was interested to read in the newsletter that Paul McGowan says he prefers a two speaker set up to multi-channel. I would have thought that being a high-end audio lover he would prefer multi-channel over stereo. Do you have a preference?

Cheers,
Justin
Justin, I prefer stereo.

I haven't heard multi-channel before Sean so I can't really compare but I suspect if offered a choice I would still prefer stereo. This may be partly because the presence of young children in our home means that I don't often sit down in one spot to listen to music for any extended length of time and my guess is that the multi-channel effect is diminished if one is moving around when listening. Is there a particular reason for your preference?

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 7:13 am

bombasticDarren wrote:R. Strauss - 'Eine Alpensinfonie' (Rudolf Kempe, Staatskapelle Dresden)

Wonderful stuff Darren....I really like that work a lot

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 7:14 am

Jared wrote: anyway folks.... just a quick note to say that I'm now out of here until Thursday. Am flying to Munich for a 3 day conference, later today...

happy listening, and will catch up on my return...

Enjoy and be safe

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 7:16 am

Banchieri – Festino nella sera del giovedi grasso avanti cena....

This apparently translates as “Entertainment for the Eve of Carnival Thursday before Dinner” and it is wonderful entertainment from Late Renaissance Italy.

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 10:25 am

There is some wonderful music here especially the opening Adagio to Sinfonia No. 4 which is as beautiful as any music that you will hear!

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 2:12 pm

Beethoven - Violin Sonata No.5 'Spring' (Isabelle Faust/Alexander Melnikov, Harmonia Mundi)

Britten - Violin Concerto (Frank Peter Zimmermann/Manfred Honeck, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Sony Classical)

Vaughan Williams - 'Five Mystical Songs' (Henry Herford/Hilary Davan Wetton, Guildford Choral Society/Philharmonia Orchestra, Hyperion Helios) below

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 2:14 pm

Fergus wrote:
bombasticDarren wrote:R. Strauss - 'Eine Alpensinfonie' (Rudolf Kempe, Staatskapelle Dresden)

Wonderful stuff Darren....I really like that work a lot

It's proving to be a very reliable cycle

Seán · Post by **Seán** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 3:19 pm

Fergus wrote:
Jared wrote: anyway folks.... just a quick note to say that I'm now out of here until Thursday. Am flying to Munich for a 3 day conference, later today...

happy listening, and will catch up on my return...

Enjoy and be safe

Jared, pay a visit to Ludwig Beck, you won't be disappointed.

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 3:48 pm

Vaughan Williams - Symphony No.6, Symphony No.9 & 'Fantasia on Greensleeves' (Vernon Handley, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, CfP)

Chalkperson · Post by **Chalkperson** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 4:23 pm

arthound wrote:
Chalkperson wrote:
Fergus wrote:
Thumper wrote:....I'm tempted to start a thread/rant about the difficulties of transferring CD track information to media players.

That has been a big issue for a long time now but I think Chalkie is working on the solution at the moment
Yes, I have been working on this problem for nearly five years, just to fill in Thumper, I have 17,000 CD's all ripped in Apple Lossless, I devised a Tagging Structure and MetaData Management System that I then gave to the guys at PS Audio, we have been working in secret on an Encrypted Website to produce our own Multi Platform version of iTunes, finally you can read a little bit about it...we have already produced a Remote Control App that works on any iDevice...

The Remote App...

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ps-audio ... 82119?mt=8

Our Version of iTunes..

http://www.psaudio.com/ps/newsletters/n ... ewsletter/
Hi Chalkie

I was interested to read in the newsletter that Paul McGowan says he prefers a two speaker set up to multi-channel. I would have thought that being a high-end audio lover he would prefer multi-channel over stereo. Do you have a preference?

Cheers,
Justin

Paul and I have had many discussions about multi-channel although multi-channel Downloads are not currently available and this system he made is specifically for Digital Playback, in fact he built me a special Amp about ten years ago for my Movie Set Up, he will make the move eventually, but, not for quite a while as the cost and labour involved in this project is enormous, I enjoy multi-channel SACD's a lot, but i'm somebody who plugged his TV into the Stereo in 1969 to get better sound and i've always liked the Cinema aspect of multi-channel, however on my Stereo it often sounds like multi-channel because of the kind of system I have...ie (ultra expensive)...

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 4:24 pm

bombasticDarren wrote:
Fergus wrote:
bombasticDarren wrote:R. Strauss - 'Eine Alpensinfonie' (Rudolf Kempe, Staatskapelle Dresden)

Wonderful stuff Darren....I really like that work a lot
It's proving to be a very reliable cycle

It is indeed a wonderful cycle Darren. Many people were raised on it....I am too young for that however so I had to discover it later

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