What are YOU listening to today?

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Sun Dec 12, 2010 2:33 pm

Shostakovich – String Quartets Nos. 5-7 played by the Borodin Quartet....

Three more wonderful works beautifully played.

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Sun Dec 12, 2010 2:54 pm

Fergus wrote:
bombasticDarren wrote:Mozart - Horn Quintet (Dennis Brain/Griller Quartet, Decca) below

I have this set Darren and I really like it....

Good, isn't it?

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Sun Dec 12, 2010 2:55 pm

Beethoven - Piano Concerto No.1 (Daniel Barenboim/Otto Klemperer, New Philharmonia Orchestra, EMI)

Seán · Post by **Seán** » Sun Dec 12, 2010 4:15 pm

bombasticDarren wrote:Beethoven - Piano Concerto No.1 (Daniel Barenboim/Otto Klemperer, New Philharmonia Orchestra, EMI)

That's a very good box set, I rarely listen to the concertos, that said the symphonies are well worth getting.

Prometheus · Post by **Prometheus** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 12:22 am

Tchaikovsky-Swan Lake and The Nutcracker-Bonynge-Decca.

val · Post by **val** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 5:23 am

ELGAR: Violin Concerto / Nikolaj Znaider, Staatskapelle Dresden, Colin Davis (2009)

A very beautiful recording. I loved the very poetic phrasing of Znaider and the energy of Davis direction.

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 9:43 am

Beethoven - Piano Concerto No.4 (Claudio Arrau/Bernard Haitink, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Philips Eloquence)

johnQpublic · Post by **johnQpublic** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 11:01 am

Graupner - Overture in F for 2 Chalumeaux and Orchestra (Maillet/Pierre Verany)
J.S. Bach - Fantasie uber ein Rondo (Kipnis/Arabesque)
Manfredini - Concerto in G, Op. 3, No. 7 (Remy/cpo)
Corselli - Lamentacion 2a del Jueves (Rial/Glossa)
Vivaldi - Concerto in G minor for 2 Celli and Orchestra (Biondi/Virgin)

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 12:22 pm

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 12:56 pm

J.S. Bach - Cantatas BWV 38 'Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir', BWV 98 'Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan I' & BWV 188 'Ich habe meine Zuversicht' (Joanne Lunn/William Towers/Paul Agnew/Gotthold Schwarz/John Eliot Gardiner, The Monteverdi Choir/The English Baroque Soloists, Soli Deo Gloria)

Mozart - Piano Concerto No.14 (Malcolm Bilson/John Eliot Gardiner, The English Baroque Soloists, Archiv)

Schubert - String Quartet No.15 (Busch Quartet, EMI) below

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 2:41 pm

Elgar - 'Enigma Variations' (Vernon Handley, London Philharmonic Orchestra, EMI)

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:14 pm

bombasticDarren wrote:

I do not own that set yet and when I last met Seán I promised him that I would buy it....I will get it in the early New Year

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 4:17 pm

Bruckner – Symphony No. 4....

I thought that this was a wonderful, powerful performance!

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 5:27 pm

Mozart - Symphony No.25, No.26 & No.28 (Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Teldec)

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 5:27 pm

Fergus wrote:Bruckner – Symphony No. 4....

I thought that this was a wonderful, powerful performance!

I am very tempted Fergus

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 5:29 pm

Fergus wrote:
bombasticDarren wrote:
I do not own that set yet and when I last met Seán I promised him that I would buy it....I will get it in the early New Year

It's a handy 'catch all' set Fergus. The performances are pleasant enough and very much of their period in style - I got my copy very cheaply in London when I first started collecting

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 5:41 pm

bombasticDarren wrote:

It's a handy 'catch all' set Fergus. The performances are pleasant enough and very much of their period in style - I got my copy very cheaply in London when I first started collecting

That is exactly what I am after Darren. I very much like what Klemperes does in Mahler and I wanted to sample his Beethoven as a result.

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 5:43 pm

bombasticDarren wrote:
Fergus wrote:Bruckner – Symphony No. 4....

I thought that this was a wonderful, powerful performance!
I am very tempted Fergus

I will let you know how I get on with the 5th Darren.

Chalkperson · Post by **Chalkperson** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 10:02 pm

Fergus wrote:That is exactly what I am after Darren. I very much like what Klemperes does in Mahler and I wanted to sample his Beethoven as a result.

Some of it plods along, just like an old Carthorse...rather than the nimble young Racehorse we can hear nowadays...

arthound · Post by **arthound** » Tue Dec 14, 2010 2:53 am

Markevitch's orchestration of Bach's Musical Offering will probably not be to the taste of those who only like HIP performances. But for my money it is a wonderful tribute to Bach and this recording does it justice.

Levine's RCA recording is right up the top of the list of my favourite recordings of Schumann's 4th - along with Furtwangler's. These recordings sound superb in their latest remastering.

Chalkperson · Post by **Chalkperson** » Tue Dec 14, 2010 3:24 am

Markevitch's orchestration of Bach's Musical Offering will probably not be to the taste of those who only like HIP performances. But for my money it is a wonderful tribute to Bach and this recording does it justice.

That has always been one of my favourite Bach pieces, I shall have to search that out...

johnQpublic · Post by **johnQpublic** » Tue Dec 14, 2010 10:42 am

Smyth - Overture to "The Wreckers" (Gibson/EMI)
Holst - The Planets (Levine/DG)

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Tue Dec 14, 2010 4:41 pm

slofstra · Post by **slofstra** » Tue Dec 14, 2010 5:41 pm

Fergus wrote:
bombasticDarren wrote:

It's a handy 'catch all' set Fergus. The performances are pleasant enough and very much of their period in style - I got my copy very cheaply in London when I first started collecting
That is exactly what I am after Darren. I very much like what Klemperes does in Mahler and I wanted to sample his Beethoven as a result.

Marred by the worst 9th I've ever heard. I think I recently compared his 7th to some others, and found the tempos off. But I really liked this set when I played it through the first couple of times, with the exception of the 9th. Also, the concertos are superb, with excellent orchestra- piano synchronization and balance. Definitely a magisterial and very fine rendition all around.

Seán · Post by **Seán** » Tue Dec 14, 2010 6:51 pm

slofstra wrote:
Fergus wrote:
bombasticDarren wrote: It's a handy 'catch all' set Fergus. The performances are pleasant enough and very much of their period in style - I got my copy very cheaply in London when I first started collecting
That is exactly what I am after Darren. I very much like what Klemperes does in Mahler and I wanted to sample his Beethoven as a result.
Marred by the worst 9th I've ever heard. I think I recently compared his 7th to some others, and found the tempos off. But I really liked this set when I played it through the first couple of times, with the exception of the 9th. Also, the concertos are superb, with excellent orchestra- piano synchronization and balance. Definitely a magisterial and very fine rendition all around.

People here have been very critical of the Ninth, I haven't listened to it often enough to form an opinion on it but the 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 & 7 are well worth getting. I must revisit the Piano Concertos.

Barry · Post by **Barry** » Tue Dec 14, 2010 11:21 pm

Some things I've listened to recently:

Rubinstein playing the Chopin polonaises from the early 50s:

and nocturnes from '49-'50:

Various Wagner orchestral highlights:

For people who tend to write off Thielemann, but who have never heard this, I recommend it. That's at least if you don't mind some slowish tempos. The Orchestra really sounds gorgeous and plays beautifully. I also like Thielemann's tempo choices. And I wouldn't call them extreme. I used to enjoy Thielemann's visits to Philadelphia during the mid to late 90s. I think I attended all of the programs he led here.

Some Mahler:

Schumann 4 by Furtwangler and the BPO:

Brahms 3 by Giulini/VPO;

Prometheus · Post by **Prometheus** » Wed Dec 15, 2010 12:22 am

Prokofiev-Complete works for cello and piano-Lazareva and Ivashkin-Chandos.

bricon · Post by **bricon** » Wed Dec 15, 2010 12:35 am

This is surely one of THE bargains in the catalogue.

Both of these recordings are amongst the finest ever.

Chalkperson · Post by **Chalkperson** » Wed Dec 15, 2010 2:25 am

bricon wrote:This is surely one of THE bargains in the catalogue.

Both of these recordings are amongst the finest ever.

Agreed

johnQpublic · Post by **johnQpublic** » Wed Dec 15, 2010 10:29 am

Erskine - Overture to "Maid of the Mill" (Terey-Smith/Dorian)
Kurpinski - Clarinet Concerto (Kurkiewicz/Olympia)
Liszt - Reminiscences de Don Juan (Hamelin/Hyperion)
Dvorak - Rhapsody, Op. 14 (Pesek/Marco Polo)

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Wed Dec 15, 2010 10:33 am

Beethoven - Violin Sonata No.10 (Isabelle Faust/Alexander Melnikov, Harmonia Mundi)

Mendelssohn - Violin Concerto (Daniel Hope/Thomas Hengelbrock, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, DG)

Tchaikovsky - Orchestral Suite No.2 (Antal Dorati, New Philharmonia Orchestra, Philips) below

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Wed Dec 15, 2010 2:38 pm

Chalkperson wrote:
bricon wrote:This is surely one of THE bargains in the catalogue.

Both of these recordings are amongst the finest ever.
Agreed

That is interesting guys as I am always on the look-out for a performance of The Planets that will actually convert me to liking the work as a whole

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Wed Dec 15, 2010 2:40 pm

bombasticDarren wrote: Tchaikovsky - Orchestral Suites (Antal Dorati, New Philharmonia Orchestra, Philips) below

Interesting one Darren

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Wed Dec 15, 2010 2:41 pm

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Wed Dec 15, 2010 2:47 pm

Copland - 'Appalachian Spring' & 'Rodeo' (Michael Tilson Thomas, San Francisco Symphony, RCA)

Seán · Post by **Seán** » Wed Dec 15, 2010 5:54 pm

Fergus wrote:
Chalkperson wrote:
bricon wrote:This is surely one of THE bargains in the catalogue.

Both of these recordings are amongst the finest ever.
Agreed
That is interesting guys as I am always on the look-out for a performance of The Planets that will actually convert me to liking the work as a whole

I have given up on it!

Donaldopato · Post by **Donaldopato** » Wed Dec 15, 2010 5:54 pm

Chalkperson wrote:
bricon wrote:This is surely one of THE bargains in the catalogue.

Both of these recordings are amongst the finest ever.
Agreed

Double Agreed.

Donaldopato · Post by **Donaldopato** » Wed Dec 15, 2010 9:33 pm

A little bit of everything:

Sibelius Symphony # 4 and # 5 Bernstein NYP Sony
Dvorak The Golden Spinning Wheel Mackerras Czech Philharmonic
Beethoven Symphony # 6 and # 8 Bernstein NYP

CharmNewton · Post by **CharmNewton** » Wed Dec 15, 2010 10:09 pm

Seán wrote:
Fergus wrote:That is interesting guys as I am always on the look-out for a performance of The Planets that will actually convert me to liking the work as a whole
I have given up on it!

I recommend keeping an eye out for Neville Marriner's recording with the Concertgebouw Orchestra on Philips. Very musical and beautifully recorded (c. 1979). Holst was a great composer in my opinion and a colorful orchestrator.

John

Prometheus · Post by **Prometheus** » Thu Dec 16, 2010 12:13 am

Shostakovich-Suite on Verses of Michelangelo Buonarroti, Four Verses of Captain Lebyadkin-Fischer-Dieskau and Ashkenazy-Decca.

johnQpublic · Post by **johnQpublic** » Thu Dec 16, 2010 11:18 am

LPs

Grieg - Overture to "Perr Gynt" (Barbirolli/Angel)
Liszt - Piano Concerto #1 (Cliburn/RCA)
Elgar - Enigma Variations (Barbirolli/Angel)

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Thu Dec 16, 2010 11:50 am

Bruckner VIII: Solti/Chicago

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Thu Dec 16, 2010 2:07 pm

Mozart - Violin Sonata No.18 & No.19 (Szymon Goldberg/Radu Lupu, Decca)

Vaughan Williams - 'Flos Campi' (Nobuko Imai/Matthew Best, Corydon Singers/English Chamber Orchestra, Hyperion)

Weber - Piano Concerto No.1 (Nikolai Demidenko/Charles Mackerras, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Hyperion) below

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Thu Dec 16, 2010 3:24 pm

CharmNewton wrote:
Seán wrote:
Fergus wrote:That is interesting guys as I am always on the look-out for a performance of The Planets that will actually convert me to liking the work as a whole
I have given up on it!
I recommend keeping an eye out for Neville Marriner's recording with the Concertgebouw Orchestra on Philips. Very musical and beautifully recorded (c. 1979). Holst was a great composer in my opinion and a colorful orchestrator.

John

Would you have many versions of that work John and would the Marriner version be a favourite of yours among them?

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Thu Dec 16, 2010 3:25 pm

Bruckner – Symphony No.5....

This is another very fine performance.

bombasticDarren · Post by **bombasticDarren** » Thu Dec 16, 2010 3:34 pm

Mahler - Symphony No.7 (Claudio Abbado, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, DG)

Chalkperson · Post by **Chalkperson** » Thu Dec 16, 2010 4:16 pm

Seán wrote:
Fergus wrote:
Chalkperson wrote:
bricon wrote:This is surely one of THE bargains in the catalogue.

Both of these recordings are amongst the finest ever.
Agreed
That is interesting guys as I am always on the look-out for a performance of The Planets that will actually convert me to liking the work as a whole
I have given up on it!

Right, but you don't like Van Morrison either...

absinthe · Post by **absinthe** » Thu Dec 16, 2010 5:40 pm

Listened to Persichetti's 5th Symphony on both recordings, wondering why I prefer the older, mono recording from Louisville to the swish, nice-sounding version by Muti with the Philadelphia. Nice orchestra, superb strings...but the performance sounds plodding and constrained. The Louisville pits a kind of nervous, bounding energy against moments of lyricism but always driving forward, gripping me as the other just doesn't.

At first I wondered about tempo but Muti takes only about 1 1/2 minutes longer. It could be that. But then it could be the work stretching the Louisville Orchestra and the sometimes frantic passages come through edgy and stressful. It could be just the sound of the Louisville recordings - not the first I've preferred over a more recent one.

...

Fergus · Post by **Fergus** » Thu Dec 16, 2010 5:44 pm

bombasticDarren wrote:

A very fine recording....I hope that you thoroughly enjoyed it Darren.

CharmNewton · Post by **CharmNewton** » Fri Dec 17, 2010 1:18 am

Fergus wrote:
CharmNewton wrote:
Seán wrote:
Fergus wrote:That is interesting guys as I am always on the look-out for a performance of The Planets that will actually convert me to liking the work as a whole
I have given up on it!
I recommend keeping an eye out for Neville Marriner's recording with the Concertgebouw Orchestra on Philips. Very musical and beautifully recorded (c. 1979). Holst was a great composer in my opinion and a colorful orchestrator.

John
Would you have many versions of that work John and would the Marriner version be a favourite of yours among them?

I have quite a few versions of the Planets and Marriner's remains my favorite. It might not be easy to find on CD. Other favorites are Previn (EMI), Dutoit (Decca, real pop in the sound) and Levine (this work is tailor maid for the Chicago Symphony--how I wish Reiner had recorded it). I also love Holst's own recording (1926), who doesn't dawdle at 43 minutes and whose Venus sounds earthy and sensual.

John Eliot Gardiner recorded it as well, but it's been a number of years since I heard his recording.

John

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