Album of the Evening

[AnotherSpin]

1 hour ago, WAM said:

I know that feeling.. I have nine versions in my library, I know I do not like Levitt, I like Hewitt (I), Perahia and Janssen, but they do not " touch" me. Cannot stand Gould.

 

You should try Koroliov and Dershavina (obscure, you said ?).

 

Just listened to the Rateliff-album. Dunno.. (but hey, that's the nice thing about this thread, enjoying new music). The Wolfgang Haffner album is nice indeed.

 

Happy listening, cheers!

 

I heard Evgeni Korolyov version. Sick to my years, but I don't care about anything much soviet. I saw Derzhavina somewhere before, was never interested to check as I am trying to stay away from this performing tradition at all. I like certain ex-soviet musicians, as Gavrilov, just because he parted with this "school" and sentiments about the place when he was born. Also because he is far away from Neighaus/Richter self-indulgent and narcissistic at the same time clueless way of approaching great pieces of music. 

 

I believe I have about 40 or 50 recordings of variations. I think every version from Gould is awesome, even though I could understand why some people could have reasons to think otherwise, in particular if they like Korolyov. Try Tharaud, Demus, Vogt, Bahrami, Ema, Denk, Angelich, Jando, Schiff, Xiao-Mei, Ji, Rana, Bacchetti, Lim, Mazzochin, Dinnerstein, Stadtfield, to name just a few from those who are not very well known, or known for a long time.

 

Of course, there are much more available through streaming. Happy listening!

 

[WAM]

Yo,

 

Appreciate your answer! Rana and Tharaud (just bought his Scarlatti) are on my " greed"-list. Must check out the others. Understand your opinion on Gould, Fascinating man, great musician (I own quite a lot of his Bach, he (his recordings) introduced me to this wonderful music, but for some reason, he is not my first choice, don't know why). 

 

Which Schiff are you referring to? The Decca recording, or the ECM? Never heard the Decca, but the ECM is pretty good (IHMO, YMMV, etc., etc., ..).

 

BTW, you know Richter and Garilov recorded Händel's keyboard suites? Why do you think Richters was clueless?

 

 

 

 

[AnotherSpin]

1 hour ago, WAM said:

Yo,

 

Appreciate your answer! Rana and Tharaud (just bought his Scarlatti) are on my " greed"-list. Must check out the others. Understand your opinion on Gould, Fascinating man, great musician (I own quite a lot of his Bach, he (his recordings) introduced me to this wonderful music, but for some reason, he is not my first choice, don't know why). 

 

Which Schiff are you referring to? The Decca recording, or the ECM? Never heard the Decca, but the ECM is pretty good (IHMO, YMMV, etc., etc., ..).

 

BTW, you know Richter and Garilov recorded Händel's keyboard suites? Why do you think Richters was clueless?

 

 

 

 

 

These two recordings from Schiff are quite different, I like both, but if I will be pushed I will take Decca probably. Of course I know that Handel recording, I had it on Melodya LPs back then when it was first published. Gavrilov was much better - clean and direct, while Richter waxy, muddy and idiosyncratic.

 

Your question about Richter. It is not easy to put it in a few words. First, I know his playing extremely well. For many years he was played much more than any other pianist in USSR, both on radio and TV. Even Gilels, who is incomparably better, just the other galaxy (imho) was much less present. USSR was very closed country. There were no exchange of ideas, culture traditions and mutual understanding between USSR and outer world. Such artists as Richter or Rostropovich felt free to play music anyway they want - nobody was checking and comparing. It may work to certain extent, and in some bizarre way,  but not every time. If you are out of understanding of tradition and culture you became clueless. In a long term it became a failure, as I believe. It is my understanding, but I can not insist on it and will not. By the way, I walk along the street were Richter lived in his youth years almost every day.

[Daverz]

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10 - Tatarstan National Symphony Orchestra, Alexander Sladkovsky

 

Via Tidal. 

 

https://tidal.com/album/79647419

 

Very impressed with this orchestra, particularly the silky strings.  The 96/24 downloads for the whole set aren't too expensive, but I wish they were broken down into individually.

 

http://www.hdtracks.com/shostakovich-complete-symphonies

[elcorso]

 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/afarcrymusic/visions-and-variations-a-new-album-from-a-far-cry?ref=discovery

 

Extraordinary !!!

 

Roch

[EuroChamp]

20 hours ago, Nikhil said:

Superb jazz album!

 

 

Really great!

Qobuz streaming in 24/88

[FIndingit]

Just out: Teodor Currentzis and his MusicAeterna, Mahler 6. Symphony.

 

I thought I'd never want to hear this piece again, but there's not a dull moment here. Not a total rollercoaster ride either, because the Moderato movement is serene and beautiful.

 

Not a Currentzis fan, but certainly fan of his Mahler.

[WAM]

Have you tried his Tchaikovsky? I like it (but I am not exactly a Tchaikovsky-connaisseur).

 

One AnotherSpin. My favorite Beethoven-box (together with Kempff):

 

 

[rando]

[WAM]

Some gorgeous Sunday evening listening:

 

 

[sphinxsix]

I'm celebrating an extra hour of this Sunday (a seasonal time change) with not one but two albums..

Both are great!

[jiminlogansquare]

On 10/27/2018 at 9:38 AM, EuroChamp said:

 

Really great!

Qobuz streaming in 24/88

Also availaible on Primephonic. Interesting how some jazz is infiltratiting this "Classical" music source

[graham]

[AnotherSpin]

On 10/27/2018 at 9:44 PM, WAM said:

 

One AnotherSpin. My favorite Beethoven-box (together with Kempff):

 

 

I do not have one "favorite" box, like many. But this one is incomparable, no one came near.

[AnotherSpin]

On 10/27/2018 at 5:42 PM, FIndingit said:

Just out: Teodor Currentzis and his MusicAeterna, Mahler 6. Symphony.

 

I thought I'd never want to hear this piece again, but there's not a dull moment here. Not a total rollercoaster ride either, because the Moderato movement is serene and beautiful.

 

Not a Currentzis fan, but certainly fan of his Mahler.

 

Just finished listening, not sure will return anytime soon. Yes, the sound recording is remarkable, it is kind of Currentzis trade mark, well known from previous recordings. But Mahler's Sixth is not about quality of sound, imho. One must be well mature to present this to outer world, and here I hear rather nice still unassured adolescent level attempt. Well rushed first part, in such haste musicians seem to loose the meaning and beauty of Mahler's language. Second part seem to be most successful. Slow part is... boring, Finale' drama gets travesty style treatment. I am very sympathetic to Greek conductor efforts usually, was impressed by his Tchaikovsky 6th a lot, but this was not his day, sorry.

[Melvin]

13 hours ago, sphinxsix said:

I'm celebrating an extra hour of this Sunday (a seasonal time change) with not one but two albums..

Both are great!

 

I purchased both on Bandcamp a while back and I agree, both are excellent.

[FIndingit]

3 hours ago, AnotherSpin said:

 

Just finished listening, not sure will return anytime soon. Yes, the sound recording is remarkable, it is kind of Currentzis trade mark, well known from previous recordings. But Mahler's Sixth is not about quality of sound, imho. One must be well mature to present this to outer world, and here I hear rather nice still unassured adolescent level attempt. Well rushed first part, in such haste musicians seem to loose the meaning and beauty of Mahler's language. Second part seem to be most successful. Slow part is... boring, Finale' drama gets travesty style treatment. I am very sympathetic to Greek conductor efforts usually, was impressed by his Tchaikovsky 6th a lot, but this was not his day, sorry.

It's for people who are up to their neck in

Mahler and generally dislike him, like me.

[AnotherSpin]

1 hour ago, FIndingit said:

It's for people who are up to their neck in

Mahler and generally dislike him, like me.

 

Not sure I understand what you mean, thank you anyway for reply.

[Musicophile]

 

I've just reviewed Levit's great new album here: https://musicophilesblog.com/2018/10/29/igor-levit-life-a-beautiful-treasure/

 

I'ts another must have.

 

Quite well recorded Sony Classical 24/96 from Qobuz. 

[rando]

A very rare instance two of the composers I like the least managed to weasel their way into my library (Lizst & Wagner).

 

 

 

[Kal Rubinson]

12 hours ago, AnotherSpin said:

Just finished listening, not sure will return anytime soon.

Me. too.

12 hours ago, AnotherSpin said:

Yes, the sound recording is remarkable, it is kind of Currentzis trade mark, well known from previous recordings.

I disagree.  Yes, it is remarkably clear but that is  due to excessive highlighting and gain manipulation as in his previous recordings.  

12 hours ago, AnotherSpin said:

..................here I hear rather nice still unassured adolescent level attempt.

Agreed.  He plays individual sections and phrases for maximum effect but without without making any effective connection among them.

 

It's what he does.

[Kal Rubinson]

FWIW, check the dynamic range measurements of Currentzis' T6 and M6 (is there a pattern?) against the competition and it is apparent that they are highly compressed like the worst of pop recordings.

 

[crenca]

6 minutes ago, Kal Rubinson said:

FWIW, check the dynamic range measurements of Currentzis' T6 and M6 (is there a pattern?) against the competition and it is apparent that they are highly compressed like the worst of pop recordings.

 

 

What were the numbers?  As someone who thinks there is too much dynamic range in many classical recordings (i.e. more than a typical live performance) I welcome a bit of trending in this direction, but of course would not want it to move all the way to "the worst of pop recordings"...

[crenca]

On 10/28/2018 at 3:06 PM, WAM said:

Some gorgeous Sunday evening listening:

 

 

 

I would not normally ask, but since several others liked this album, what does this cover say...I can't begin to read it.

[austinpop]

9 minutes ago, crenca said:

 

I would not normally ask, but since several others liked this album, what does this cover say...I can't begin to read it.

 

Anouar Brahem - Le Voyage de Sahar

 

https://www.amazon.com/Voyage-Sahar-Anouar-Brahem/dp/B000E0W2AM