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The classical what are you listening to now ? thread.




A superb if not world-beating Schumann Fantaisie, with an especially fine third movement, and a very Messiaen-like Marsyas by Olga Neuwirth flank a blockbuster Stravinsky Three Movements from Petrushka. Park is one of those young pianists with ample technique who navigates challenging pieces of old with no little accomplishment. If he may not match Pollini's precision and speed in the second movement, he plays with more color, more rhythmic vitality and variety, and he infuses more individual yet appropriate ideas into the short playing time. Pollini's is probably still better, but this newcomer will likely earn more spins going forward.

Now I think I may need to get me one of Mr Park's DG discs. Probably the Liszt.
 
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Today dipping into an 18 CD box set of Scriabin Complete Works, wonderful brooding mysticism - ah Theosophy!
 



I streamed this in the hopes that it would make me want to not buy the physical disc as I did with her Debussy, Mussorgsky, and Liszt. My plan backfired.
 
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Listening to the Bach Cantatas set for today, as I do every Sunday. (Today: 2nd Sunday after Epiphany: BWV3;13;155) Every so often, whether it's mood, the recording, the performance or just luck, one stands out from the exceptional crowd. Today it was 155, with a lovely, lilting performance under Hanoncourt and outstandingly good singing from the Treble Allan Bergius. (The boy trebles aren't always credited on the Harnoncourt/Leonhardt Teldec recordings, especially the early ones. It's good to know here to whom the voice belongs.)
A moment like that just make you want to say, "Thank you"!

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http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Bergius-Alan.htm

 
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I've got four DSCH symphony cycles on disc, which is probably enough, but I figured I could stream a sample from a new cycle just for kicks and grins. I started with the Ninth. The Tatars ain't too shabby.
 
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Today

Some Rautavaara Concertos from the Ondine CD box set.

Some pieces from the John Cage Brilliant Classics 3 CD set of Complete music for prepared piano, Giancarlo Simonacci. A sort of Gamelan with a mangled piano....
 
Todd A said:



I've got four DSCH symphony cycles on disc, which is probably enough, but I figured I could stream a sample from a new cycle just for kicks and grins. I started with the Ninth. The Tatars ain't too shabby.
Click to expand...

That’s a stunning cover design Todd. The Melodiya logo is a work of Soviet poster art in its own right
 
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Tippett his wonderful 3rd Symphony - Bournemouth SO under Richard Hickox - on repeat

Then the opera King Priam - London Sinfonietta under David Atherton

All on Chandos CDs
 


I waited a while to get this, and it turns out that a 24/192 download is cheaper than a CD, so I went high res. The playing is more or less what I expected, which is to say, splendid, and perhaps a bit more than that in the String Quintet. Sound is fully modern, though I've heard better on some red book releases. I seriously doubt the high res sound is materially better, or any better, than the CD. I guess I can convert down to a lower resolution FLAC to hear for myself, as I will have to do anyway if I want to use this with portable devices - 2.8 GB is rather storage-intensive for only eight tracks.

(I could have streamed the disc, but the Pavel Haas Quartet deserves a minimum of red book playback.)
 
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Haydn "London" symphonies with LPO/Jochum. Volodos playing Liszt and Brahms. Bach English suites with Perahia, and violin sonatas and partitas with Mullova (Onyx). Great core repertoire...

BBM
 



Disc one. I love the sound of the strings and the recording. The playing is immaculate and relaxed. Too relaxed. It doesn't catch fire for me.

Disc two. Better than disc one. The relaxed sound pays dividends in the Alla danza tedesca, which is the highlight of the quartet. The Grosse Fuge also benefits, sounding more musically satisfying than normal, but ultimately the lack of the superior (for me), revised ending means this is a second-tier recording.

Disc three. Op 132 is the best thing in the set, with the Mosaiques' approach keeping the piece elevated but restrained. Op 135 is less successful, especially in the Vivace. Overall, the set is nice but not what I was hoping for.
 
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