Spinning Today (Classical version)

[jandl100]

Howard Blake - Violin Concerto - ASV CD. Haven't played this for a while, but I got quite entranced by it last night and played it 3 times on the trot! A very fine piece, well recorded. Performed by violinist Christiane Edinger, who just happens to be the soloist in my fave version of Bach's partitas and sonatas for solo violin on 2 Naxos CDs!.

Followed by Blake's "A month in the country" a suite for strings, and the Sinfonietta for ten brass instruments - the latter being a bit of a tour de force and huge fun.

A CBS CD of Blake's piano concerto then followed. Luvverly-jubbly, some simply wonderful piano writing here - from barn-storming to heart meltingly delicate. That'll be on my playlist for today as well.

A very fine composer, Howard Blake - I shall be investigating more of his work.

And yes, t'was he who wrote the music and words for the animated film "The Snowman" including the beautifully poignant song 'Walking in the air".

[WOStantonCS100]

[John]

Julian Bream and John Williams Together Vinyl

[jandl100]

Of late:

Tom Cullivan - violin sonata 1 &2, piano quintet. On a Far Western CD. I picked this up on a whim about 15-20 years ago in a Tower Records sale for £2.99. It's been one of my fave CDs ever since. Cullivan is a contemporary Irish composer - the music is just brimming with wonderful Irish melodies and, at times, toe-tapping excitement. Just wonderful. This CD is impossible to get now, I think - so if anyone would like a copy, just drop me a line with your address. This really is too good to miss.

Benjamin Britten Cello Symphony. Naxos CD. Hmmm .. every now and then I dig this out and play it. I'll be b*ggered if I get the point of it, but I keep trying!
Happily it is partnered by Britten's genuinely fab violin concerto - so all is not lost!

Duparc songs with Janet Baker and Andrew Preview / LSO on an EMI LP. Re-playing this with my new Acoustic Zen speaker cables in place (Thanks Chris / technobear! ) Dame Janet's voice is now so much more real and focussed and there. Yummy.

[jandl100]

Yesterday:

Stephen Wolpe piano music - on a CPO CD. Hmm. Interesting. Definitely of the 'modern' variety - a challenging listen. I enjoyed it, but not sure if it's a keeper.

Bernard Stevens violin concerto and 2nd symphony on a Meridian CD. British composer 1916-1983. Why isn't this guy's music better known? ... probably because his Marxist views were rather unpopular back in the days of WW2 and the cold war. Fine, well constructed music, though.

Gilbert and Sullivan The Mikado. A Canadian CBC live DVD Video. Watched it with the missus. What a wonderful way to end the day.

[Barry]

Mozart


Symphonies No. 35 ("Hafner") and No. 36 ("Linz") 1963/1962 Wiener Philharmoniker, cond. Rafeal Kublik.

Symphonies No. 39 and No. 41 ("Jupiter") 1981 Staatskapelle Dresden, cond. Colin Davis.


I have numerous versions of these works. This one was first to hand - I was only listening to it in the 'background'.

[synsei]

Amandine Beyer & Gli Incogniti - The Four Seasons (Studio Master 96kHz / 24bits)

I've finally lost my cherry to Hi Res audio and this performance sounds absolutely wonderful. These people might as well be here playing in my room this is so real. I am utterly blown away by this, my first real experience of Vivadi's Four Seasons. There is no sense of distortion at all, the strings are full of life and vigour, the Harpsichord quills can be heard plucking the strings, every instrument is alive with delicious aural nuances, and the ambience is tangible.

Here sits one very happy camper...

[jandl100]

Gilbert & Sullivan Pirates of Penzance on DVD. Canadian CBC live recording. Pretty good overall, although Caralyn Tomlin as Mabel doesn't really have the voice for the amazingly high vocal line, but surely this is the best Major General's patter song ever! (I am the very model of a modern major general ...) - the speed is astonishing, the diction superb. Bravo, Douglas Chamberlain! And any connoisseur of the male buttock will surely be impressed by Jeff Hyslop as Frederic.

Howard Blake violin sonata and piano quartet etc on a Naxos CD. Hmm .. the viloin sonata is excellent in a post-romantic way, but the rest of teh disc fall a bit flat on first listen.

Vaughan Williams Dives & Lazarus, Symphony #6 - Abravanel / Utah SO on a DVD-Audio disc. Excellent performances. Wow Sound - a bit bass light but superb soundstage, dynamics and rez.

[synsei]

Gilbert & Sullivan Pirates of Penzance on DVD. Canadian CBC live recording. Pretty good overall, although Caralyn Tomlin as Mabel doesn't really have the voice for the amazingly high vocal line, but surely this is the best Major General's patter song ever! (I am the very model of a modern major general ...) - the speed is astonishing, the diction superb. Bravo, Douglas Chamberlain! And any connoisseur of the male buttock will surely be impressed by Jeff Hyslop as Frederic.

Jerry, I love reading your reviews they are so entertaining and informative. I guess you really liked this one then?

[jandl100]

Vaughan Williams symphonies 8 & 9. Haitink on EMI CD. Hmm - not bad for a Dutchman! I had previously bought the bargain full set of 9 symphonies by Haitink - but to my ears the single CDs sound so much better, I found the 'bargains' a bit forward and shrill. The original issue EMI CDs sound superb to my ears.
Much underrated, these particular symphonies - they well repay repeated listening.

John Kinsella String Quartet #3. On a Chandos CD of 'Contemporary Irish String Quartets'. Bought in an Oxfam shop a couple of days back Well, this is interesting - def one for the re-visit soon pile. Definitely 'modern' but an interesting and varied sound.