http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG...0001097995.jpg
My first Tosca, and one of my first opera sets. Still one of my favourites.
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http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG...0001097995.jpg
My first Tosca, and one of my first opera sets. Still one of my favourites.
http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG...0003461431.jpg
I saw Sol Gabetta play the Elgar in Middlesbrough a few weeks ago, and it was mesmerising. The recording is up there with the Du Pré/Barbirolli for me. Not as tempestuous perhaps, but plenty of bite and life and very touching.
^ thanks for the tip, Malcolm. :)
___
http://www.israbox.com/uploads/posts...874_cover.jpeg
Gosh. She's good. :thumbsup:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...kL._SY300_.jpg
Woo! - it's a good'un.
There's a sense of majesty with Karajan.
And the vocal soloists - mein Gott - Janowitz, Wunderlich, Ludwig, Fischer-Dieskau. :scratch: not bad. :D
So different from my usual Hogwood it could be a different piece.
But that's fine, I can enjoy both.
I went to the concert with my friend Anthony, and we were listening to the Julian Lloyd Webber/Yehudi Menuhin CD a few days later which, although very nice (and winner of many plaudits and awards) felt really rather flat after Ms Gabetta's performance. Her CD captures much of what was special 'live' in my opinion.
http://www.geocities.jp/marinchpessa...hi_mahler6.jpg
Magnificent.
I have an earlier Mahler 6 recording by Inoue, on the RPO's own CD label. That one is one of my faves, too.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...pL._SY355_.jpg
I think this was originally the soundtrack to Meeting Venus. It's a shame they didn't record the whole opera, as Kiri Te Kanawa is lovely in Elisabeth's two solos. There is also the briefest glimpse of Waltraud Meier as Venus in the finale. I'm not sure if she recorded the role complete elsewhere.
Quite a lot of Kabalevsky yesterday as part of my duty as this month's classical album choice provider on another forum ...
http://www.classical.net/music/recs/...n/nxs53788.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/4sBsZyQHlYTfy5Em68kDjR
The 2nd reminds me a lot of Shostakovich's 2nd cello concerto (not a bad thing at all!) but the 1st is a joyous romp with Russian folk tunes. Great fun!
Then the cello in seriously melancholic mood ...
http://cdn.naxos.com/SharedFiles/ima...rs/9.70196.gif
https://open.spotify.com/album/26waHsgEXy3cX9wkRezF3N
Then some fine piano concertos ...
http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG...er=allrovi.com
https://open.spotify.com/album/3lgMRtajonWn58fFDVnpH1
:thumbsup:
Hah ! I can check out most of the classical albums which you guys recommend on here because I now have Spotify Premium . I've even saved quite a few , absolutely wonderful . You'll convert me to classical music yet Jerry . TBH as I get older my taste in music is shifting more towards this kind of stuff , so keep the recommendations coming sir . :)
Thanks for the encouragement, Brian. :thumbsup:
I've loved classical since I was a wee nipper. My parents won a whole bunch of classical LPs in a competition - they barely played them but at the tender age of about 5 I got hooked!
-- do the Spotify links I give work for you? Are they useful?
The link either asks me to sign in via Facebook ( which I don't use ) or sign in via my email address Jerry , which is a bit of a faff TBH . I don't need to sign in to Spotify on my server , I just click on the icon on my desktop and up it comes . I then just key in the name(s) of the artist and I can usually easily find the album you are linking to . I find it much easier that way . Anyway , I'm getting a bit more of an education regarding all things classical on this thread , and I've been thoroughly enjoying the process . Keep up the good work :D
I remember , when I was a little boy , sitting on the floor in my grans house listening to Scheherazade by Rimsky Korsakov on her old radiogram . IIRC it was a 78 RPM recording ( showing my age now :) ) . I would sit there for hours playing it over and over . I found this music totally spellbinding and still do today :D
Re: Spotty links -- Ah, right, thanks. The links take me straight to the music, but I suspected they didn't for other folks. I guess I get auto-signed in for my own links.
I shan't bother with them in future!
Well , hopefully it works for others and they will post on this thread if that's the case .
Spotify Links
The links take me straight to the music on my iPad or iPhone (I then use Spotify Connect through my Cambridge streamer) but on a PC where I don't have Spotify installed it invites me to sign in.
Ah, OK - they are handy, then. :)
Currently ....
http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Pic-Non...1[RCA].jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/17h2SYZlNZsBmnSsUtPyth
I'm amazed how good this is. :)
I did a fair-sized comparison of many of the piano versions of this, Pollini-Barenboim-Woodward-Larsen-Gould-Aimard-Jando & others - and Richter won, with Jando 2nd place. Not what I was expecting!
No music blog today - the news from Paris is just too fucking awful. :(
http://www.sa-cd.net/covers/3728.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/31fDF66kHL8s69Y7v7sdJx
I'm in no way religious, but this feels right at the moment.
We're clearly thinking the same way --- Fauré this morning and Verdi (on headphones) tonight.Quote:
Originally Posted by jandl100
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/516QEJRvo8L.jpg
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51cqUXR5G9L.jpg
More music a la Francais ...
http://c3.cduniverse.ws/resized/250x...44/3407844.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/4HIgllAqxboRMihagcb2Gz
This is a truly stunning recording.
The music is approaching the overall quality of JS Bach's sonatas and partitas for solo violin.
The sound quality is staggeringly good - a solo violin, superbly captured in a reverberant acoustic. Jaw dropping.
The playing is top rate.
You may have gathered that I quite like this album. :)
Then ....
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...yL._SY300_.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/4HoTXBeKjg2Kwh6hoge6vZ
Knoxville is a mighty fine work - for soprano and orchestra. Serenely beautiful at the opening and close, kind of jazzy in the middle!
And the orchestral Essays are good, too.
http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG...er=allrovi.com
https://open.spotify.com/album/49g1NOimvEAXlxNbLEfQSY
2, 4 & 5.
I just love the Bachian opening to #2. :)
http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG...er=allrovi.com
https://open.spotify.com/album/6QqUWjPsaJEXy4ZrkRoXsD
Who? Never heard of the guy, I just happened to come across the album on a Spotify search link.
Very nice, lively and rhythmic. :)
http://cdn.discogs.com/zjxUqv3TC0gBw...97121.jpeg.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/7ibQukTn3nFIIsEs6Y9WTJ
The 1st symphony.
An easy blend of classical and blues/jazz from one of the first African-American composers.
Wonderful stuff.
http://darkmp3.ru/imgs/9599557-460x4...mpositions.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/3g6ypSbHQXfpAP2rCAqRHB
Nice, the clavichord has a very distinctive, plangent sound.
I like this, too ...
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...-40_OU11__.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/6st9oR7K0rPfNCv9puWmZF
Bejeebers - this is high quality organ music! :eek:
http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG...er=allrovi.com
https://open.spotify.com/album/0l7KbJDDOtjkZ9HgH8W2S8
and a couple from this series ...
http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG...0001015490.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/3mn19ropla9b758rTIKzE0
I can't believe I sat and listened to well over 2 hours of organ music on the trot last night.
But this is good stuff! - JSB, watch yer back! :lol:
An afternoon Emperor, while I do some proofreading.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5637/...1b2440_z_d.jpg
This was a surprise ... and a nice one ...
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...oL._SY355_.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/088wwO5Iob2FpV8awTWSUP
Quite probably the best Bax symphony I have heard (not much of a challenge, I hear you say ;)), and not even one of the better known numbered ones.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...TL._SY355_.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/2M8qgO3qU6r6ILAd8B4J7X
Piano trios 1 & 2. Really good! I shall be playing the rest of this set.
Lawd help me, but I'm becoming a Bernstein fanboy. :doh:
What with the cataclysmically wonderful Mahler 3 (NYPO) a week or so back, and now listening to this Brahms 1 ...
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...iL._SY355_.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/59Tia27Lk35SoT7DqB5pcZ
And what have they done to the sound? :scratch:
- it sounds fairly good now, I'm sure it used to be thin and kinda scrawny? :scratch:
Some of my favorite musicians on this one; Jacob Heringman (lute), Susanna Pell (viola da gamba), Catherine King (mezzo).
http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG...er=allrovi.com
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nLcn9kc2ji...nyStillCDs.jpg
Played the lot just now - 1 thru 5 :thumbsup: Love it.
http://www.classical.net/~music/recs...d/dgg63626.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/6ZNetkvZd0EsHIqYxCRMQA
A magnificent performance, excellent stereo sound for the 1958 recording date, a bit of tape hiss.
I couldn't resist going straight on to this ...
http://cdn.discogs.com/3vFEUqKYFrkp7...-6372.jpeg.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/2XF4GhKOvsWt1viozHlx8a
Interesting.
I marginally prefer Bernstein's vocal soloists, the ladies are a bit shrill on the high notes in the Fricsay.
A bit more pep in the 2nd mvt from Bernstein.
But Fricsay marginally preferred for the overall grandeur of the occasion and a more naturally flowing Adagio.
The mvt timings are remarkably similar.
Good to have both, though. :)
Less tape hiss than the Fricsay.
http://www.musicweb-international.co...ni_7771132.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/25lEIWJGmIwoFlm5DtN0az
A nicely varied programme - a Boccherini concert, really. :thumbsup:
I listened to quite a bit of this last night and really enjoyed it Jerry . You'll be turning me into a classical music fanboy next :lol: Keep up the good work matey :)Quote:
Originally Posted by jandl100
:thumbsup: - imo, those William Grant Still symphonies are an excellent fusion of jazzy/blues style and classical. Very toothsome! :)
http://snvinyl.co.uk/WebRoot/Daily/S...dsyar09262.jpg
Elinor Frey & David Fung Dialogues for 'cello and piano - Vinyl
http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG...er=allrovi.com
https://open.spotify.com/album/2YyBkr86GJRdL9Hh100pna
Violin concerto from this.
Intoxicatingly beautiful at times, with an 'unplayably difficult' scintillating finale. :eek:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...JL._SY300_.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/0JMipNANozRg3DCmnaZ2Gw
http://www.classicalvinyl.com/media/...sxl2170-71.jpg
With the snow up here this morning, this felt rather appropriate and seasonal. I have about half a dozen recordings of Bohème, and this one is as lovely as any of them. And it's the only one I have on LP.
http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG...er=allrovi.com
This is two CDs. The whole thing is good, but the first disc is especially stunning. Or maybe that's just my bias, since I have a thing for 16th century vihuela music. :)
http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG...er=allrovi.com
Played about 10 minutes of this and then gave up.
I don't get what others hear in Fischer's conducting. No matter.
Ah this is more like it - heavenly length indeed --
http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG...er=allrovi.com
https://open.spotify.com/album/092mBbHKp3TLVn0gIupi9h
and the Mendelssohn 3rd --
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...1L._SY355_.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/092mBbHKp3TLVn0gIupi9h
The Pastoral from this ....
http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG...er=allrovi.com
And then ....
http://pxhst.co/avaxhome/0c/cb/0010cb0c_medium.jpeg
What glorious music.
Quote:
Originally Posted by m10
What a mad cover! Love some of those Classical. LP covers from years gone by.:)
Quote:
Originally Posted by jandl100
Amen to that Jerry.;)
A bit of a vinyl day yesterday -- not sure how that happened! --
http://www.serioso.co.kr/RAD/PEG/Pmini0_1438222859.jpg
- I've been a fan of Milan Munclinger and his Ars Rediviva ensemble for about 40 years. :)
Good stuff.
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/$(KGrHqUOKjs...dk6w~~0_35.JPG
- surprisingly good performance of Rach pc3, beautiful and exciting in equal measure, up there with the best imo
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/516uxpQJ-hL.jpg
- lovely!
Right!
Gloves off time. :steam:
The music listening time of the last day and a bit has been devoted to Bax's 2nd symphony.
I must have listened to it 8 or 9 times - mainly these 2 recordings ....
http://cdn.discogs.com/dBbhrh4QY15Uq...66384.jpeg.jpghttp://www.classical.net/music/recs/...n/nxs54093.jpg
I'm gonna nail this bugger and get to the heart of the music.
Previously I'd quite liked the sound of Bax's symphonies but had never found much to get a hold of in terms of structure and development.
All quite interesting in a moment to moment kind of way, but no real journey as in, for example, a Beethoven or Shostakovich symphony.
Well, I failed. :(
Even after 9 repetitions it still has not given up its musical secrets. Maybe it just doesn't have any.
Actually, progress has been made - I'm even more appreciative now of its moment to moment impressiveness. And am more likely than before to play Bax's music again. So I guess that's a win. :)
And my preference for the 2 recordings used is proportional to the size of the above images. The Chandos is more dynamic and exciting.
More LPs ...
http://www.ambergreen-classical.co.u...7-6-3874-p.jpg
-- wonderful stuff. :)
http://classicrecords.co.uk/wp-conte...6/SXDL7531.jpg
- super! :thumbsup:
and streaming at the moment, thanks to new Wigwam member Chunky who mentioned another work by the composer ...
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...qL._SY355_.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/4JMe1UosrCU5husCeZN08A
An interesting review here http://www.amazon.com/Braunfels-Stri.../dp/B0000061JE
"Mildly interesting" the reviewer thought.
It seems a bit better than that, to me. 1940s post-romantic tonal, rhythmically and melodically notable. Worth a listen, I'd say.
Long busy day yesterday.
Got home well kernackered.
Just wanted to chill out in cumfy chair, with some grub and a glass of wine .... and some well-chosen Bach tunes.
http://a4.mzstatic.com/us/r30/Music/...er170x170.jpeg
https://open.spotify.com/album/6Wz5ujTzbAFazLu4Co0Cl2
and then ...
http://cdn.discogs.com/sOjSeJOH-lNF9...-7460.jpeg.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/6pEMivndFcZs5juVRLqYkF
And then to bed.
Perfect. :)
For a relaxing morning listen...
http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG...er=allrovi.com
^^ Lovely music, but where do they get the ideas for cover images? :doh:
Yesterday was mainly a day for Bach's Brandenburg concertos.
I Spotified a few samples to see which I wanted to settle down with ...
Harnoncourt - too sluggish and droopy at times :zzz:
Egarr, then Tafelmusic - ooo, if you can't play the authentic instruments in tune, then just don't bother :doh: :nono:
Richter ... ah, yes! Sprightly, effervescent and, wonder of wonders, in tune. Lovely. I played all 6 in one go. :)
http://img9.9sky.com/picture/cpfm/_V...62/46762_a.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/7vQUCORfwMZ0ky4IhHaKd3
Another transcription of the Art of Fugue for string quartet.
https://artistxite.ie/imgcache/album...903114_500.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/6sZe9Vdq4flbthm2v2r8fz
Nice one, I enjoyed it.
"The Mood Years" ?? - I have no idea what that's about!
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...hL._SY355_.jpg
Hans Gal 2nd symphony.
https://open.spotify.com/album/400WWv3renHgvJvylsV3uW
A new composer to me. Well, quite a surprise - very listenable indeed. Def more sessions required for this.
http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG...er=allrovi.com
https://open.spotify.com/album/2Gwe7KXI9EKCn1sHG0uH7D
Surprising. Little known but nice music. :)
And inspired by the Wam's Handel organ concerto thread ...
http://prioryrecords.co.uk/image/cac...22-500x500.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/4xzkJ2kMLC9rgBOPth4QST
Méditations sur le mystère de la Sainte Trinité . All was going well until I hit the buffers of the 4th mvt - and it's the usual Messiaen weird-shit music that puts me off most of his output. But it's only a few minutes long and then we're back to interesting/enjoyable music again.
YMMV :)
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...-40_OU11__.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/2ifTVIKs5L0quEMNwBqOZx
Mozart Requiem - transcribed for string quartet. :mental:
I really like this! :thumbsup:
And then more sublime Mozart chamber music ....
http://i.ytimg.com/vi/bo8zvP0Evlc/hqdefault.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/0KGZm7vHieMyaKbJwTHPLu
:violin::)