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The classical what are you listening to now ? thread.

My late Russian grandma was the only person I've known who preferred Rachmaninov's 2nd Concerto to his 3rd. Some parts of it are almost kitsch. But the opening, in the right mood and volume is just perfect.

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Igor Levit playing Shostakovich 24 Preludes & Fugues. Been quite excited about this recording which was released today and it does not disappoint. Steeling myself now to start Ronald Stevenson's epic Passacaglia and Fugue on DSCH which Levit has released on the same album. Together its about 3.5 hours of music.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B095LFLLQ4/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21

The CDs cost £29 at amazon... but the 24/96 flacs can be downloaded from Presto for £14.
 
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Zlata Chocieva is another member of the 1.000 club. True, only four discs of her artistry exist in proper release form, but still. The conceit here is to play only transcriptionists written by some of the very greatest pianists - namely, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, and Friedman. The recording opens with a half dozen Bach pieces, starting with three Rach transcriptions of movements from BWV1006, which, under Chocieva's fingers, sounds every bit as compelling as the original setting. Friedman's three transcriptions sound fantastic, as well. Liszt's well-known settings of Schubert all come off without a hitch, with Auf dem Wasser zu singen especially zippy and nice. Liszt's Mendelssohn is also predictably very fine, and Rachmaninoff's setting of the Scherzo from A Midsummer Night's Dream is dashed off with such speed and energy that one is dazzled. The Tempo di Menuetto from Mahler's Third, transcribed by Friedman, marks the second Mahler movement transcription added to my collection this year (the other is the Scherzo from the first transcribed and played by Mikhail Kazakevich), and it is a corker. It works better than Kazakevich's transcription, and Chocieva dispatches it with ease. The remaining pieces sound scarecely less compelling. If there is a potential kvetch to be had here, it's that Chocieva tends toward the fast and showy almost throughout, seeming eager to display her unilimited ability. But ultimately, as with Volodos' first couple discs, the playing is so awesome that any whispers of hints of intimations of complaints go poof. I knew this would be something when I saw it pop as a future release, and it came to pass. Ms Chocieva really does need to record some (a lot of) Liszt, Ravel, Scriabin, and, well, everything else.
 


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