Spinning Today (Classical version)

More later-Previn.
Fantastic recording - just listen to the opening "2001" sequence :eek:
But the rest is good, too.
http://i43.tower.com/images/mm106081...-cover-art.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/3aTvlm9faDEC4PDHs9nyTe

Beautiful rendition of Mozart's great c-minor mass.
Hmm - could well be Desert Island contender for me.
I had preceded this with JEGardiner's effort - technically perfect as usual, but no soul.
http://c3.cduniverse.ws/resized/250x...66/1136466.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/5sdXjqKTCt0EktUSV4rmfP

I'm coming in from left field with these.
Not even sure they count as classical ... hmm, probably not? This classical lover likes them, though. :)
I'm fairly sure that I first heard of this guy from an article/review in Gramophone several decades ago, so that must be alright then.

http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG...er=allrovi.com
https://open.spotify.com/album/1g7k5KWgqXNQCp4iMZYy9J

http://c3.cduniverse.ws/resized/250x...87/1028987.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/1KLjOwfhMDCUn39AJAB9Uj

http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG...er=allrovi.com
https://open.spotify.com/album/55eluNoz4XYIYc17wBhWG0



And to round off the evening I spent quite a while Spotifying to find a recording of the Bach B-minor mass that I felt like listening to.
That Satoh stuff was a hard act to follow, even for Bach.
Must have sampled a dozen or so of the usual and not so usual suspects and finally ended up very happily with this obscure live recording ....
http://redmp3.su/cover/3003241-460x4...or-bwv-232.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/5MnZTbe7yhZNqr4uEGweLp


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Lovely 5 minute violin/piano Satoh piece on this album
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...iL._SY355_.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/6nN0Ctjq2JO41exGhB0rhr

In fact the whole album seems very interesting, not the usual violin encore stuff at all.

Post-Bach solo violin works, Yum!
http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG...er=allrovi.com
https://open.spotify.com/album/4HIgllAqxboRMihagcb2Gz

I had a tussle with Shosty's 6th recently trying to find one that did the biz, and Wigglesworth's effort on BIS ranked very high in my estimation.
Currently, listening to his 10th. .... :eek: :thumbsup:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...SR318,320_.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/3v6wE2X8dgmqldxSiX1xQK

I came across this album on a Spotify search for Gilels -- what a musical treasure trove Spotify is. :)
Recorded 1947, but it doesn't sound like it. Lightweight slightly hollow piano tone, otherwise fine.
Excellent music with immediate appeal.
https://images-eu.ssl-images-amazon....BfL._SS280.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/6j4mDGDGI5jqnfEO9zXC2d

Which naturally led me on to this ...
http://www.musicweb-international.co...er_8553338.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/3yw9NdutRkiqCXABVmERer
Also good. :thumbsup:

Then onto a masterful performance of Bloch's violin concerto
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....1BS4U02E9L.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/4fz3NR9BQea9bFGZiZKsGJ

Hillier/Theatre of Voices - Stockhuasen Stimmung

Attachment 16960

Takahashi - Scelsi Piano Works, vol 3.

Attachment 16961

^^ interesting choices, John. I shall investigate those.
A fellow Gloucestershire lad as well. :)

____

Stunning performance of the Barber violin concerto.
Stunningly beautiful piece of music.
http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG...er=allrovi.com
https://open.spotify.com/album/3EjbqY9SNTxTuSYfJEFP1O

Hello Jerry - the Stimmung I play rarely as I'm not entirely convinced. I do enjoy most of it but there are times during the performance one has to chuckle.

'A fellow Gloucestershire lad as well.'

Yes and perhaps an [honorary] fellow Cambrian too. I spent some time as a leading horse riders on the high plateau of the Black Mountains of Powys, which used at least to be counted as part of the Cambrian range. Too old and heavy for such work now. Harsh in winter but an unforgettable experience.

'This is the hand of the Black Mountains, the shape first learned. Your thumb is Crib y Gath. Your first finger is Curum and Hateral. Your second finger is Ffawyddog, with Tal y Cefn and Bal Mawr at its knuckles. Your third finger is Gadair Fawr. Your outside finger is Allt Mawr, from Llysiau to Cerrig Calch and its nail is Crug Hywel. On the high plateau of the back of your hand are Twyn y Llech and Twmpa, Rhos Dirion, Waun Fach and Y Das. You hold their shapes and their names.' [Williams, People of the Black Mountains.]

This morning's spinner ~

Attachment 16968

An amazing historical document - what I love about these performances is the sense of intimacy offered by the sound-stage of earlier recordings. Voices to the fore - perfect for headphone listening. Herz and Muck conducting parts of Wagner's Parsifal 1913-1928.

Wow - yep, it can get very bleak on the tops of the Black Mountains. The wife and I have spent many a day up there, in all seasons.

___

Another Wow-Album. :)
Listening in the car to ClassicFM and a choral track by Galina Grigorjeva was played. Modern Baltic composer. Very nice, so I Spotified her when I got home.
Not much available, sadly. But on this compilation album there is about 20 minutes of her work.
http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG...er=allrovi.com
https://open.spotify.com/album/09URM7Ru1goKzGgeTuLMgn
Very beautiful.
In fact the whole album is fab. :)

I've been listening to a fair amount of Adrian Boult's recordings of late, especially his Vaughan Williams (more on that in a later post, but let's just say that I'm a fan).

Listening as I type to his Beethoven's 5th on Vanguard probably from the 1960s.
It's a long way off being as excitingly taut and dramatic as, say, Kleiber. But there's a beautifully nuanced ebb & flow to it that is endearingly impressive.
http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG...er=allrovi.com
https://open.spotify.com/album/3X2WuTkS48lG9lAcaqNIda

⌃⌃ Concur with Kleiber's Beethoven 5 & 7, Jerry. I had Boult's Vaughan-Williams EMI The Nine Symphonies set on vinyl, but I foolishly recorded it on to CDRs some years ago to save space ⌃⌃

This year I resolved to address an ignorance of/prejudice against Mahler and while i can't say he's at the top of my personal likes I have made some headway with his stuff.

Homework - (1) World Records vinyl pressing of a live recording of Bruno Walter conducting the VPO in Mahler's 9th Symphony made in Vienna January 1938 ~

Attachment 16978

First play. Not sure what to make of this 9th - it seems somewhat shapeless compared to the Klemperer/New Phiharmonia Orchestra CD I have.

(2) CD of Frank Shipway conducting the RPO in Mahler's 5th Symphony [1997 I think] ~

Attachment 16979

A compelling account supported by a decent recording and an absurdly low price on Amazon.


School's out!

DG 4 LP vinyl pressing of Ritter Von Liszt Lieder

Attachment 16980

I really enjoyed Boult's Beethoven 5th ^.

And the 6th last night was just as fine.
Decent sq, too. Not audiophile standard, but no harshness, natural stereo spread and you can hear what is going on. :^
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...L._SL1074_.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/3t3fB4qhzTaFk0iw1FIwvd

And then this early mass by Corrette. Beautiful and quirkily distinctive.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...xL._SY355_.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/4GdGPlXbz6Evy0tCQXhK5U

Hey, you guys are from the same neck of the woods, so why not have a little get together? :cool:

Marco.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Marco

Hey, you guys are from the same neck of the woods, so why not have a little get together? :cool:

Marco.

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:lol: you cheeky sod, Marco.

I have to confess that I was thinking of dropping John a PM. :)

Lol... Just growing the AoS community, mate! Always good to get to know folks in your local area, and I'm sure that John would love your system (and awesome collection of classical music) :cool:

If it happens, just be sure to report it on the forum ;)

Marco.

Lazar Berman in the groove

Attachment 16984

It's that de Vriend conductor chappie again.
Bloody good!
http://redmp3.su/cover/783113-460x46...soratorium.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/5iydtiQn6PZ48GmXpcIyhN

I don't think I've come across this composer before.
Very listenable. Lively, well orchestrated.
http://www.musicweb-international.co...y1_7777212.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/3qCBZmFyWQpdzO9GXjz1UN

Back to the mainstream for a magnificent Tchaikovskian wallow :D

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...WL._SY300_.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/0vCxHOTF6v1efuZc958RYj

Right now, this, which is bloody good:

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/924/tPqtWV.jpg

:cool:

Marco.

Shostakovich as piano soloist in his own piano concertos. :eek:
Excellent mono sound - Cluytens conducting.
Streuth! - what a fabulous pianist our Dmitri was.
He takes them a fair bit faster than we are generally used to these days.
http://i.prs.to/t_200/825646154999.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/1KcCGOFtkt3vzKwOYTmgTs

Awesome performance of Saint Saens' 2nd piano concerto by Shura Cherkassky with .... wait for it .... the Sofia Phil, as recorded live by Bulgarian Radio. :)

https://open.spotify.com/album/5SaIeznKQFJFi8ytoQC2Ef
Also on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuYQOabkdfA

More Andriessen - very enjoyable. :thumbsup:
Big orchestral - confident and bold.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...ML._SX355_.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/3rxjzjUEJcZwUJvz3TiT4H

1] Sena Jurinac at the top of her game with Schumann's Frauenliebe & Leben and Liederkreis, Op.39~

Attachment 17024


2] Dominique My and Ensemble Modern with Rihm's Jagden und Formen ~

Attachment 17025

A somewhat inferior performance to a recording I made of the piece broadcast by Radio 3's 'Here and Now' from the Ultraschall Festival in Berlin some years ago.

Hmm. I'm a bit baffled by the recent turn of events.
I usually find "historic" mono recordings unlistenable.
But last night I was having a desperate time finding a Brahms 4th that hit the spot.
I tried a lot of the usual suspects .... Wand, Karajan, Kleiber, Jochum, Janowski, Bohm, Chailly, Abbado, Klemperer. Klemperer came close, but no, not quite there.
Then in desperation I thought Furtwangler. Cor, no, he don't half maul it about. Gruesome sound, too.
OK - why not, give it a go ..... Toscanini. ..... Bingo! :yay:
Fantastic - and the mono sound is tolerable - the performance is so mind boggling I soon forgot about the sq.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...PL._SY300_.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/1rs4KbFIE8TGsdc9Xb6ddC



So I am now exploring more of Toscanini's output. Beethoven so far - the 5th then the 6th. :thumbsup:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA300_.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/1ADFcXPXB0JTwz4FTPhAPr

Toscanini - whodathunkit? Not me. :scratch:

Yesterday eve's listening dominated by YouTube for some reason.

Superb renderings all - Sokolov's Schubert a little dreamy, his op110 Beethoven sonata eye poppingly dramatic and Arthur Rubinstein's Saint Saens concerto jaw droppingly amazing - just watch the elderly Rubinstein tickle the ivories in an astonishing display of virtuosity. :eek:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVCvJZtzkqQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G4i...CMC3d0&index=2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQE1...CMC3d0&index=6

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVCvJZtzkqQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQE1FP7m55M&list=RDYtcl2CMC3d0&index=6

For reasons outside the scope of AOS, conductor Christopher Seaman came under the spotlight chez Jerry.

I went back to his Barber VC, mentioned previously, to start with - excellent orchestral support - full of Barberian life and energy.

Then this RVW2 - another good'un.
http://is1.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/.../260x260bb.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/3Exv3AvuRRWhRZVCDyPT5i

And this Rach PC3 is excellent as well. Defo one of the better ones I have heard. :thumbsup:
http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG...er=allrovi.com
https://open.spotify.com/album/5NfVHbeUazXT1ez67EFLtM

Pleasantly soulful for a restful Sunday morning ... :violin: :)
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA300_.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/7vGbxhXpbgnSELH4nA5W8Y

Jerry, I no longer use Spotify but reading your posts makes me think I may have been a bit hasty!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Landloper

Jerry, I no longer use Spotify but reading your posts makes me think I may have been a bit hasty!

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I'm a total convert to live streaming.
I had Tidal Hirez and Spotify Premium subs in parallel for 4 months recently - I found (to my surprise) that I used Spotify pretty much exclusively so I just let the Tidal sub expire.

So it's Spotify Premium as my main music source. :thumbsup:

Excellent sound quality, imho - and such a fantastic way to explore new music and new recordings. And all for a a few £ a month. Amazing.

Testament's remastered issue of the 1955 [first] stereo recording of Wagner's Ring Cycle at Bayreuth conducted by Joseph Keilberth ~

Attachment 17046

A great reading that I'd love to have on vinyl, sadly the cost of the records means I have to make do with the CD box set instead.

This morning 'Siegfried'

Attachment 17047

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jandl100

I'm a total convert to live streaming.
I had Tidal Hirez and Spotify Premium subs in parallel for 4 months recently - I found (to my surprise) that I used Spotify pretty much exclusively so I just let the Tidal sub expire.

So it's Spotify Premium as my main music source. :thumbsup:

Excellent sound quality, imho - and such a fantastic way to explore new music and new recordings. And all for a a few £ a month. Amazing.

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Very similar experience here Jerry. When not Spotify Premium I stream my uploaded files from Google music to the Chromecast. Essentially my whole library of everything I've ever ripped or downloaded. Having said this I recently got the CD player out of the cupboard so my main system is all digital sources.

This does approx 90% of the listening. If I'm having a serious listen the vinyl comes out. Usually on rainy Sunday afternoons.

Right now this, which is fantastic (25p from a local record shop):

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/923/tjzLa2.jpg

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/924/d2A8i0.jpg http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/922/tJI5pp.jpg

:cool:

Marco.

Cor ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4YqWXmF9Dg

Has that sparked off a Brahms sesh now? :eyebrows:

Marco.

3 of the best from Bloch. :thumbsup:

http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG...er=allrovi.com
https://open.spotify.com/album/6lpOfHyt3WRi4nsM87l2Vy

This is very good, and I didn't think I liked Schnittke.

http://www.phoenixedition.com/images/18.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/57oLA2RM4uvYx9iwE3IJZI

What started me off re-exploring his music was this -- some film music "The story of the unknown actor", not at all what I was expecting from Schnittke! - pure romanticism
http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG...er=allrovi.com
https://open.spotify.com/album/2t0mcngtpUBiNJRz92kpe8

'Spotify' was great for comparing versions of the same work, but I found the general wealth of material distressing. I spent a great deal of time listening to bits of this and to bits of that. In my case 'huge choice' + 'lack of self discipline' led only to self-defeating dissipation.

:confused:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Landloper

'Spotify' was great for comparing versions of the same work, but I found the general wealth of material distressing. I spent a great deal of time listening to bits of this and to bits of that. In my case 'huge choice' + 'lack of self discipline' led only to self-defeating dissipation.

:confused:

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Ah yes, I can understand that. You need to maintain focus or it all goes skewiff quite easily and you end up listening to nothing much in particular.
But I've got the hang of it now.

One of the wonderful things I do with Spotify is choose a particular recording of a work to settle down with ....
I start off playing one and if that doesn't hit the spot I start a different recording at the point the first one had got to. And so on, until I find one that suits. Often enough, it can be done pretty close to seamlessly with Spotify.

Olivier Latry's recording of Messiaen's Complete Organ Works

Attachment 17051

While the sound of this DG recording is excellent I'm an admirer of Jennifer Bate's earlier cycle on Regis and I am still undecided if I like Latry's version at all.

:scratch:

''One of the wonderful things I do with Spotify is choose a particular recording of a work to settle down with ....
I start off playing one and if that doesn't hit the spot I start a different recording at the point the first one had got to. And so on, until I find one that suits. Often enough, it can be done pretty close to seamlessly with Spotify.''

10/4 on that, Jerry.

I don't usually get on with viola concertos, but this one by a 20thC Romanian composer (1929-1993) maintains interest throughout.
The symphony is interesting, too.
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NTAxWDQ5OA...XCWgn/$_35.JPG
https://open.spotify.com/album/2e7FeHrG5mo8Zynb1jRZUa

New project for me - Scriabin's Complete Solo Piano Works played by Maria Lettberg

Attachment 17053

An 8 CD box as a first serious attempt to get the measure of Scriabin's piano compositions.



Attachment 17054

Mahler homework

^ Mahler isn't homework for me, but Barbirolli certainly is!
I must try harder.
____

This is mighty appealing to me. It may not be for others!
Beautiful, ancient music.
Lovely sq, too.
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....1c9O5kFQiL.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/3j45EyjPrcT4zrd7b82wqX

More Schnittke.
I found the 1st concerto quite listenable, but the 2nd I think I would classify under "weird noises" rather than music, although (disturbingly) it is starting to grow on me. :eek:
https://img.discogs.com/NqZBozmGgjql...-9539.jpeg.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/3F0A0Nk1cYIc0YfFwoRxWi

And then Op 109 from this set, this is masterly playing, imo.
I like "late Brendel" - but I'm not very keen on his earlier recordings.
https://img.discogs.com/pdoIoerNIFHa...-9753.jpeg.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/5QfwjJKPEu0XNZQjtLShap

Attachment 17103

Ritter von Liszt ~ 12 Études d'exécution transcendante played by Alice Sara Ott.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Unw1yMImEvY

Perfect music pretty damn near perfectly played ....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir1IQ0LKcqI

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jandl100

Perfect music pretty damn near perfectly played ....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir1IQ0LKcqI

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+!