Spinning Today (Classical version)

[morris_minor]

Playing today:

Elgar's Enigma - LAPO/Mehta (splendid Decca LP)
Bartok piano concerto 1 - Anda, Fricsay/Berlin RSO (DG)
Berkeley Symphony 3 - Lennox Berkeley/LPO (Lyrita)

[morris_minor]

So far today:

Stanford's Clarinet Sonata with John Denman

Gotta get in the mood for work

[jandl100]

Playing today:

Bartok piano concerto 1 - Anda, Fricsay/Berlin RSO (DG)
Berkeley Symphony 3 - Lennox Berkeley/LPO (Lyrita)

Interesting listening, Bob!

I have the Anda Bartok PC set, too. Lovely, innit! Unsurpassed in my view.

And Berkeley symphony #3 - ooo, I have 1 & 2 and enjoy them a lot. I must investigate numero 3.
I also have Berkeley's string quartets on Naxos - bloody marvellous!

My recent listening ...

Gilbert & Sullivan, The Gondeliers. Canadian CBC live DVD from 1983. Hmm. Definitely one of my least favourite G&S. 25% good bits, 75% fairly tedious. ... probably worth it for the good bits.

Erkki-Sven Tuur - Architectonics IV. On an ECM CD. Wow. Truly weird modern stuff - but entrancing. One of my fave 'modern classical' recordings.

[morris_minor]

My recent listening ...

Gilbert & Sullivan, The Gondeliers. Canadian CBC live DVD from 1983. Hmm. Definitely one of my least favourite G&S. 25% good bits, 75% fairly tedious. ... probably worth it for the good bits.

Erkki-Sven Tuur - Architectonics IV. On an ECM CD. Wow. Truly weird modern stuff - but entrancing. One of my fave 'modern classical' recordings.

I've never warmed to G&S. Neither opera nor operetta are my favourite types of music. I blame being dragged along, as a young teenager - to see/hear Die Meistersinger. Five bloody hours Never quite recovered. (Brain, or bum )

Mr Tuur has definitely not been on my radar - though I do like a lot of ECM stuff - Scandinavian jazz, Jan Gabarek & the Hilliard Ens. etc.

Will PM you about Berkeley

So far today:

Walton - Choral Music, Christchurch Cathedral Choir (Argo)
and, er
Spyro Gyra - Freetime.

(Just trying out my eBay'd and Vantage Audio serviced SL-Q1 - now considering the mods to be applied to it while Richard's away servicing my SL7 - what a guy! )

[jandl100]

I've never warmed to G&S. Neither opera nor operetta are my favourite types of music.

Yup, I can entirely sympathise with that. I'm not an opera/etta fan at all ... the previous exception being Philip Glass's Akhnaten.

But .... I recently discovered a step-brother (long story, don't ask! ) and he is mad keen on G&S so, for family's sake, me and the missus thought we'd give it a go, if only to shut Gareth up!

Has to be the full audiovisual thing - but, yup, we've been totally converted.
If you'd like a reccie or two to give G&S the best shot, then try this Pirates of Penzance if you can play Region 1 DVDs.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pirates-Penz...2565042&sr=1-4

or this Mikado, cheaper and Region 2!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gilbert-Sull...2565208&sr=1-2

It really is worth a go, imho!

[morris_minor]

Has to be the full audiovisual thing - but, yup, we've been totally converted.

DVDs it is then

I was listening to more Berkeley at lunchtime (gotta love working from home) - the Serenade for Strings op.12 (another splendid Lyrita disc). I'd almost forgotten how "classically" elegant and well-crafted his music is, with harmonic twists to keep you guessing, and - melodies too.

[morris_minor]

Not too much traffic to this thread . . .

Anyhow.

Have just dug out an Argo LP - ASMF/Marriner playing American pieces - Barber, Ives, Copland, Cowell and Creston. . .

[MartinT]

Ill be listening a lot more in the evenings once the current work stresses die down. Right now I'm going home and collapsing

[morris_minor]

Ravel - String Quartet (Parrenin Quartet on Pathe Marconi)

[jandl100]

Yesterday ...

Mainly listening to a batch of minty LPs acquired from a charity shop tour ...

Ivan Rebroff sings Russian folk songs on CBS LP. What an astonishing voice! 4 octaves from a basso profundo to a genuine soprano. Lovely songs, too.

Butterworth - Shropshire Lad, Banks of Green Willow. Dilkes / English Sinfonia / EMI LP.
Bridge - "There is a willow grows aslant a brook". Soppy title, but actually quite challemging and adventurous, in the Frank Bridge manner. Same LP as previous.

Vaughan Williams - The Wasps overture. Chandos LP with Vernon Handley. Mmm ... a bit laid back in the Handley and Chandos manner. I much prefer Previn on RCA, but Handley is interesting if not exactly bubbling with energy.

Bach organ works with the inimmitable Carlo Curley on RCA LP.

And ending the evening with a CD of Antonio Soler's 4th quintet for harpsichord and strings.