Spinning Today (Classical version)

[jandl100]

Unusual music!



I played the 7th. As recommended by MartinT.

Interesting!
Not your conventional "apotheosis of the dance" as described by Wagner. Ashkenazy didn't have me on my feet twirling round the room. More of a serious 'symphonic' interpretation which put me into 'musical analysis' mode, carefully listening. Enjoyable nonetheless, once it had ended I scurried onto Amazon to pick up the rest of Ashkenazy's cycle (I already have the 6th on order) only to discover that Decca only seem to have recorded him in 5,6 & 7. How strange - I guess the recordings of those didn't sell well?
5 & 7 are in the Penguin recommended series, now though.
Ashkenazy did record more with the Japanese NHK SO, but those are stupidly expensive.

Anyway, thanks for the reccy, Martin - I look forward to hearing the Vlad's 5th and 6th now.

[MartinT]

Nice one, Jerry. I'm glad you found it at least interesting. For me, it was the first recording that made the 7th make sense as a whole, apart from the lovely 2nd movement which I first heard in the film 'Zardoz' and have loved for very many years.

[jandl100]

Hmm. Not sure about this, quite 'modern'!
-- certainly worthy of another play or two to see if it starts to appeal more.


Ahhh -- Bach!
Lovely CD with some rare works.



This set has been on my shelves for a while, but I've only started really exploring it in the last few days.
The 1st symphony seems a bit insipid, but the 3rd is much more powerful and may well turn out to be quite a find.

[jandl100]

Wow - I am starting to get seriously blown away by this Melartin guy. The 1st symphony seems a bit uninspired (but may repay further listening) - but 2, 3, 4 & 6 are very powerful.

[Marco]

Never heard of him. I must investigate!

Marco.

[Eremite]

The Halle "Elgar Edition" seems to have been picking up a lot of praise, so I finally gave in and bought a copy of Gerontius:



The Dream of Gerontius is one of those pieces for which I have my perfect performance going on in my head; so I'm ultra critical of anyone else's performance ; but this is a pretty good one. Based on two listens through, I'd say that the choir is spectacularly good and the orchestra is not far behind them. If there is a weakness, it's the male soloists: Both Paul Groves as Gerontius and Bryn Terfel (amazingly) seem to be under strain in places. Both of them seem to be trying to sing too loud. Alice Coote is the strongest of the soloists and gives an excellent performance.

It always seems to be the soloists in Gerontius that are the weak link; I wonder why?

Still, I mustn't stop on a negative note; overall this is a fine recording.

[Eremite]

Wow - I am starting to get seriously blown away by this Melartin guy.

Thanks for this; I'd never heard of him. Now I must investigate

[jandl100]

I don't listen to Rubbra's music often enough - every time I do, I think I must listen more often!



very modern string quartets - not for the faint of heart.
But not weird avantgarde noises either - I find these quite moving and definitely reward repeat listening.
They even have a techno-remix track after each quartet.

[jandl100]

[jandl100]

this goes straight on to the 'to be sold' shelf.



Oh dear - so does this - I thought I'd try it but not my sort of thing at all! urgh, horrible.



At last! - I really enjoyed this piano performance of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition by Pletnev. Very powerful, good recording.