advertisement


The classical what are you listening to now ? thread.

Today

Schumann Symphonies 1, 2 and 3 from Virgin Classics CDs, Bamberger Symphoniker/Christoph Eschenbach 1990 - 1991

Stockhausen Hymnen (without soloists) 1966 - 1967
 
Lavinia Meijer - Philip Glass: Metamorphosis & The Hours

R-4163185-1357377546-8832.jpeg.jpg
 
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
Today

Selections from Haydn The Sturm and Drang Symphonies Archiv CD box set The English Concert Pinnock

Some orchestral pieces from the Scriabin Complete Works Decca CD box set - Symphony No 2 and Preparation for the Final Mystery. Strange man!
 
This evening: Olivier Messiaen, Des canyons aux étoiles..., conducted by Myung-Whun Chung.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00006AKUZ/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21

A vast (92-minute) composition with an incredible range of orchestral sound and instrumental colour in Messiaen's inimitable style. Inspired by the canyons and deserts of Utah, the birds of North America and the stars above.
 
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
I randomly reached for music I hadn't listened to for a long time and thoroughly enjoyed these piano concertos by Giovanni Paisiello played by Mariaclara Monetti and the English Chamber Orchestra, directed from the violin by Stephanie Gonley. They are light, charming and delightful. Quite "bubbly" in some areas. If you like that sort of thing you may want to give these a try. I have the original Volumes 1 and 2 individually but they are available now as a box set, although quite expensive IMHO.

I need to start listening to more of my rarely played music much more often!!


Amazon Link

 
Last edited:
Andris Nelsons & Leipzig Gewandhaus - Bruckner Symphony no. 4. New release on DG, 24/192 download.

Its Ok, as a performance perfectly competent, not bad at all. But the sound quality is only "quite good", doesn't justify being 24/192 as I have better sounding versions on humble CD. Seems that DG have not been able to cure the Gewandhaus of the same problems that beset Decca's recordings with Chailly - mainly thick heavy bass and overbearing timpani anytime they come into play.

Not a patch on Nelson's Brahms set with the Boston Symphony which is very worthwhile.

I'd also add that the Herbert Blomstedt/Leipzig recordings I have are better SQ than this.
 
Last edited:
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.



Here's a disc that over-delivers. Since it was an Add-on, I would have been happy with an enjoyable disc, but it's more than that. The Kegelstatt is as good as any I've heard (Kovacevich & Co, augmented BAT, Kraus & Co, Ma/Ax/Stern). The two violin sonatas transcribed for viola and piano are just splendid. The second new version of K423 just this year is at least as enjoyable as the Kim/O'Neill version. The remaining small works are all spiffy. Throw in superb sound, and this disc more or less shows that majors can still crank out good stuff. Prior to hearing this disc, I was expecting I would be buying William Youn's Mozart sonata cycle box later this year; now I eagerly look forward to it.
 
Today Paavo Berglund conducts Nielsen, 6 Symphonies from a 3CD RCA Red Seal/Sony box - Royal Danish Orchestra. More enjoyable than the normal Blomstedt San Francisco Symphony DECCA set, which seems to me to lose its way sometimes.
 
Sibelius 2 - Okku Kamu, Lahti Symphony Orchestra on BiS. You can hear everything that's happening in the orchestra and its lovely.... but maybe just all a bit too deliberate and measured? Need to listen to Osmo Vanska again with the same orchestra to check.
 
Back on holiday with the Quads + Townshends + a more suitable amp, I've been indulging in old favorites: either ESLs convey the piano exceptionally well, or the Beethoven and Schubert sonatas (& the Diabellis) are just my idea of perfection. Or possibly both.

(I don't tend to think in cycles so much as individual performances - so Stephen Kovacevich for one, Fischer, Brendel, Lewis, Barenboim, Gulda, etc. etc. for others. Having heard some of them live no doubt introduces irrational bias.)
 
Brahms Piano Concerto No.2 (slowly growing on me) on vinyl & then Verdi's opera Macbeth (grew on me quite a while ago) on blu-ray (watch & listen)
 
It’s from Roon. These are CDs/downloads from my collection, but I think all are available on Tidal.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top