Spinning Today (Classical version)

Yesterday ...

Mendelssohn violin concerto with one of my fave violinists, Aaron Rosand. Ooooh, just lovely!

Veljo Tormis - Ocean. A very interesting symphonic suite, and Sibelius Swan of Tuonela, both conducted by the very beautiful Anu Tali ... :drool:
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/i...0/anu_tali.jpg

Yesterday ...

Leclair - violin trio sonatas - Trio Sonnerie - Gaudeamus LP

Elgar 2nd symphony - Solti - Decca LP.

Elgar 1st symphony - Boult EMI LP.

Liszt late piano music - Brendel - Philips LP

Playing now -

Tchaikovsky's 4th - Leningrad Phil, Mravinsky (DG LP)

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Originally Posted by morris_minor

Tchaikovsky's 4th - Leningrad Phil, Mravinsky (DG LP)

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That's a good version. Have you tried the Jansons/Oslo on Chandos? A really great performance and recording, beaten only by their own Tchaikovsky 5th, which is stupendous.

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Originally Posted by MartinT

That's a good version. Have you tried the Jansons/Oslo on Chandos? A really great performance and recording, beaten only by their own Tchaikovsky 5th, which is stupendous.

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No, but I have the Oslo 5th. What I like about the Leningrad performances are the idiomatic instrumental timbres; hollow woodwind, brass with loads of vibrato etc Plus thrilling readings. Some while back I got a two disc Privilege set of 4,5 and 6. Really long sides, but gutsy sound. :)

Bach – ‘Goldberg Variations’

Ralph Kirkpatrick – harpsichord.
1959, DGG 439 465-2


Beethoven – ‘Pathétique’ and ‘Moonlight’ Sonatas

Emil Gilels, piano
1989 DGG 400 036-2


Bruckner – Symphony No. 6

Radio-Sinfonie Orchester Frankfurt, cond. Eliahu Inbal.
1989 Teldec 244 182-2


Rachmaninov – ‘Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18’ and ‘Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43’

Philip Fowke, piano Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, cond. Yuri Temirkanov.
1985 EMI EMX 9509


Shostakovich – ‘Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2’ and ‘Cello Concerto No. 1’

André Previn, piano Yo-Yo Ma, cello, New York Philharmonic Orchestra, cond. Leonard Bernstein.
2001 Sony SMK89752

This morning it's various organ pieces by J S Bach - Helmut Walcha at St Laurens Church, Alkmaar (DG Archiv)

Coming up after that Saint Saens Symphonies 1 & 2, Jean Martinon/Orchestra National de l'ORTF (EMI)

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Originally Posted by morris_minor

Coming up after that Saint Saens Symphonies 1 & 2, Jean Martinon/Orchestra National de l'ORTF (EMI)

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Now there's a thought: I don't think I've ever heard them, swamped as they are by the 3rd.

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Originally Posted by jandl100

How to characterise Haitink?
Clear headed, with a fine ear for dynamic gradations, surging and passionate when the music calls for it, but with genuine tenderness where appropriate.
I like his whole cycle a lot - and it has excellent sound quality, although the re-mastering/transfer for the budget set has resulted in rather too forward/bright a sound, imo.
I'm collecting the original EMI CD issues, superb sound!

All imo, ymmv. :)

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Well, my Haitink "London" turned up this morning - visually immaculate but suffering from rice crispies throughout (need to do a wet clean and vacuum on it . . ). This doesn't help the very wide dynamic range, but it is a both a very good recording and performance. Not what I was expecting, really, because the first movement was taken - after the quiet intro - much brisker than I though Haitink would be. As a whole it was a very satisfying and idiomatic performance!

The Tallis Fantasia was good but doesn't displace Barbirolli's Sinfonia of London HMV disc IMO - which for sheer rapt wonder and passion has the field to itself.

However, I'll definitely keep a lookout for more Haitink VW :thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by MartinT

Now there's a thought: I don't think I've ever heard them, swamped as they are by the 3rd.

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Well, here's the very disc :)