Well, having worked through several CDs of worthy but unexceptional music and/or performance, I'm back today with the group ACRONYM and their Biber CD entitled The Battle, The Bethel & the Ball. Music by Biber or (mainly) anonymous but attributed to him. Based on the one I already heard by them, I figured their other recordings would be something special, and I was right. Exceptional music, exceptional playing, and an exceptional playing. You only have to hear 5 second to know you're going to enjoy the whole disc. This is the first of several Biber CDs lined up for the coming days, and I'm hoping for a veritable cordillera of highlights.
Classical Music for Aficionados
I would like to start a thread, similar to Orpheus’ jazz site, for lovers of classical music.
I will list some of my favorite recordings, CDs as well as LP’s. While good sound is not a prime requisite, it will be a consideration.
Classical music lovers please feel free to add to my lists.
Discussion of musical and recording issues will be welcome.
I’ll start with a list of CDs. Records to follow in a later post.
Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique. Chesky — Royal Phil. Orch. Freccia, conductor.
Mahler: Des Knaben Wunderhorn. Vanguard Classics — Vienna Festival Orch. Prohaska, conductor.
Prokofiev: Scythian Suite et. al. DG — Chicago Symphony Abbado, conductor.
Brahms: Symphony #1. Chesky — London Symph. Orch. Horenstein, conductor.
Stravinsky: L’Histoire du Soldat. HDTT — Ars Nova. Mandell, conductor.
Rachmaninoff: Symphonic Dances. Analogue Productions. — Dallas Symph Orch. Johanos, cond.
Respighi: Roman Festivals et. al. Chesky — Royal Phil. Orch. Freccia, conductor.
All of the above happen to be great sounding recordings, but, as I said, sonics is not a prerequisite.
I will list some of my favorite recordings, CDs as well as LP’s. While good sound is not a prime requisite, it will be a consideration.
Classical music lovers please feel free to add to my lists.
Discussion of musical and recording issues will be welcome.
I’ll start with a list of CDs. Records to follow in a later post.
Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique. Chesky — Royal Phil. Orch. Freccia, conductor.
Mahler: Des Knaben Wunderhorn. Vanguard Classics — Vienna Festival Orch. Prohaska, conductor.
Prokofiev: Scythian Suite et. al. DG — Chicago Symphony Abbado, conductor.
Brahms: Symphony #1. Chesky — London Symph. Orch. Horenstein, conductor.
Stravinsky: L’Histoire du Soldat. HDTT — Ars Nova. Mandell, conductor.
Rachmaninoff: Symphonic Dances. Analogue Productions. — Dallas Symph Orch. Johanos, cond.
Respighi: Roman Festivals et. al. Chesky — Royal Phil. Orch. Freccia, conductor.
All of the above happen to be great sounding recordings, but, as I said, sonics is not a prerequisite.
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No doubt Noriega would have surrendered in minutes if he'd been subjected to a few bars of Bach or Mozart... Today, the ensemble that decided to call itself The Rare Fruits Council, performing Biber's Harmonia Artificioso-Ariosa. Delightful music. But geez, when you achieve a revealing system, you start noticing little faults in the recording engineering. This CD is excessively panned left and right, and doesn't convey a lot of stage depth. Enjoyable nonetheless. |
Wow! Just wow! John Holloway, Biber, Unam Ceylum. ECM. Playing is fantastic, recording is fantastic, sound picture with just 1 violin, 1 harpsichord, and 1 organ is amazing. This is likely to become one of my audition discs for visits to audio stores. BTW, to explain the title, he gathers some of the more adventurous pieces from Sonatae a violino solo (1681) together with several unpublished sonatas. Pure joy! |
Patricia Kopatchinskaja: Take Two It’s hard to put into words what a fantastic and creative talent this woman is. Mark Swed, classical music critic of the Los Angeles Times, wrote a very entertaining (and accurate) review: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/classical/la-et-cm-patricia-kopatchinskaja-records-review... |
Rachmaninov, Ireland, Yuja Wang, Hofman Interesting article praising Rachmaninov, describing his snail paced practice. Also praises Yuja Wang's performance. "Rachmaninov wrote the Third Concerto for Hofmann and dedicated it to him. The composer played the work for Hofmann in 1911, and the response was negative: “A short melody which is constantly interrupted with difficult passages; more a fantaisie than a concerto. Not enough form.” Hofmann, who had other works by Rachmaninov in his repertoire, never played the Third Concerto." https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/the-rachmaninov-method-practise-like-a-snail-play-like-a-ga... |
Re: Yuja Wang, not mentioned much on these pages, has the potential to be a great one. Right now, though with incredible technique, she can be a little glib in performance. As she is maturing (in looks, clothing and taste,) she’s beginning to play with more depth and understanding. https://youtu.be/Yxn8E6v8akQ Check out this performance of the Brahms D minor Concerto. |
Holloway's recording referenced above collects several of the sonatas from that collection; Romanesca's (Andrew Manze) much-awarded set on 2 CDs records the entire book. If forced to choose, I'd go with Holloway, but there is much to enjoy here, and really, the continuo in the two versions sounds so different that you'd be excused for thinking they were difference compositions. Great musicianship any way you slice it. |
As for Yuya Wang I really think like RV she could some day be one of the greats but I do wish they would stop sexualising these young female pianists and fiddlers as it really annoys me . You would like to think that these girls would be able to compete in the arena without resorting to that but we live now in modern times and their press agents jump on every opportunity to get them to wear the tightest things possible, it just really bugs me. Rant over !!!! |
agree with you Jim and i will take it a step further and say i resent all the distractions that are so common, including the histrionics of the performers themselves Sv. Richter once said he preferred simple lighting, eg, a couple candles,because he did not want the audience distracted from the music by his personality |
I saw Yuja Wang at Geffen Hall last winter, filling in for Pollini, who called in sick. She is an amazing technician. I have to say, she is definitely selling the outfits, the bravura showmanship, and the extra-low yoga bow at the end. I think that’s just her. She played two encores after the Schumman - before intermission!. Including this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=latumTZOFXc And she wore a red dress with a similarly risque back-cut. |
Fascinating thread, too much to recommend from my side. To avoid taking too much space, I'll stick to a few Mahler & Brahms "specials" going by performance, not sound quality *which is not always bad!)Mahler symphonies 1-8: Tennstedt, LPO, Live (the live is better) -- (EMI and other labels); also Tennstedt live with NYPO, from 1980.Mahler-5: Barbirolli, NPO, emi; Mahler-9 Barbirolli, Berlin SO, (Warner Classics)Mahler - Klemperer: 2, Philarmonia (EMI) // 4 Bavarian RSO (EMI)Mahler - 8 : Horenstein, LSO, (BBC)Mahler-9 : L Bernstein, Berlin SO, live (DG) Regards |
Mahler con'nued:Mahler -2: Klemperer, Philarmonia (EMI) / Klemperer, Concertgebouw (Guild)Mahler - 4: Mengelberg, Concertgebouw, (gripping; historical rec from late 30s, Archipel) // B Walter, NYSO, (Sony classical)// Klemperer live, Philarmonia (EMI) For Brahms piano concerto, keep the Curzon-Szell version on your list: intense & dramatic! |
The same old story , sad to say, sex sells . rv, at our age what we hear is largely what memory the brain has stored of a given LIVE piece ,.aka garbage in garbage out . And how some conductors are better then ever into their 90’s aka Herbert Blomstedt . And why present generations will become essentially robots . |
Holloway and Tragicomedia performing Biber's Mystery Sonatas. These have got to be the pinnacle of this genre of music. That the recording is available on a bargain Virgin Veritas 2CD is an added bonus. Podger's competing version is winging its way to me right now; looking forward to making the comparison. |
gregm, I can see with your Mahler suggestions you will be a big help on here ! As a Brahms lover the Curzon -Szell is quite good but IMO the sound leaves a lot to be desired .My favorites are a masterpiece with Nelson Freire and the Vienna PO under the great Sir John Barbirolli on Decca . A sleeper is Daniel Barenboim on EMI with Ricardo Chailly and the Gewandhaus Orch. Great performance with beautiful sound . |
Len and RV if you would like a good recommendation for a Mahler 3 with an older conductor how about Bernard Haitink with the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks on BR Klassiks. Obviously the conducting is beyond reproach and the beauty of tone in the final movement is a wonder to behold. This recording is now my number1 of all the 3's I have. Yes Len I agree with you re Blomstedt he just keeps getting better , I was listening to him playing Beethoven's Symphony No 7 from last year and it was delightful with playing full of charm and fun. These conductors are so loved and revered by their orchestras that they pull out all the stops for them. |
Just so, just so jim ! When I knew most of the players of the Berlin R.I..A.S , Blomstedt often filled in and the players really and truly loved him . He was open to what they thought . He is a pious Christian and radiates love towards all . I treasure his 2017 DVD of Bach’s "Mass in b Minor" which Blomstedt sees as Bach’s greatest piece .Both the Dresden Kammerchor and Gewandhaus Leipzig give him their all .I have heard good recordings of this by non-believers, but a true believer just gives more at all levels . |
How true Len how true, I shall have to look for his mass myself and although deeply sceptical of all religions I do admire pious men who do everything in praise of their God and are deeply attatched to earthly human beings. Bach and his contemporaries are the greatest of all human beings and composers just like their counterparts in great art. All you need to do is think of Leonardo and Michaelangelo, they have not been beaten by the centuries that followed them. I don't know about you guys but when I see todays "modern art" I am filled with depression and can only think "why" when I see the awful rubbish that is churned out ad nauseum in both art and music, it really does depress me . Now for some Prozac !! |
Yes I love his playing , I have heard him live a couple of years ago.He played Beethoven's 4th Piano concerto which was wonderfull and certainly a very big risk in one who is relatively young. I have a few recordings of his playing a host of things. He has recorded the first and second Anees and made a wonderful job of them and instilled a beautiful wistfulness in them with crystaline playing also. If you like Piemontesi there is another player you should listen to it.s Jan Lisieki a Canadian of Polish extract with a beautiful technique the same as Piemontesi. He is in his early twenty's and already he has produced a full set of the Beethoven piano concertos` which I have to say he makes a very good job of and he certainly has illuminated passages that other pianists just smudge. Yes certainly two pianists to watch. |
jim , I can understand you feelings about religion . Heaven knows it is often the first choice of scoundrels of every stripe . I was agnostic myself in my youth. What the light for me was I had two near-death bouts .In both ,as I came back, I realized that it was not that I was not afraid, but that I had been in a place where fear did not exist .There were other signs as well , but that peace was beyond words . The phrase most used in the Bible is "be not afraid." . |
Len , I do admire your faith but I grew up in a schooling system that was strict scottish prespyterianism and it was not a nice faith to young people.John Knox was pushed down your throat nearly every day as our savior from darkness. They just ignored the fact that he was responsible for the death of our rightful Queen Mary Stuart and when I stated the fact in class one day I recieved a thrashing from the teacher then a thrashing from the headmaster and worst of all a thrashing from my father. So my friend I will leave you to your faith and I'm afraid I go to the pit, I just hope they have piped Bach !! |
jim , what happens here is not a blink of the eye in infinity . Current Christian theology is of a mind there is no hell , just heaven and nothing , And that you can go to latter with you wish to do so with your last breath .I fully except to see you there . P.S . I am fully aware of Knox and his minions , just don't let them win . |
Yet another absolute winner from ACRONYM, this time music from the rather obscure 17C Polish/German composer Pezel, his 24 "alphabet sonatas" for a larger than usual string band with continue. Superb playing and recording. If cottage industry operations can produce this kind of quality, I wonder why the big boys sometimes can't. |
An interesting thought occurred to me: Ever notice how the “”first” concerto, symphony, sonata etc. by a composer commonly has a youthful freshness to it that is usually delightful. Examples are Schumann’s First Symphony, Beethoven’s First Symphony, Violin Sonata, Piano Concerto, Mahler’s First Symphony, Brahms’ First Piano Concerto, Prokofiev’s First Piano Concerto and Symphony, Schubert’s First Piano Trio, etc. Maybe you can think of others. |