Your Latest CD/DVD/Download Purchase

[Cellini]

The later one...?

Probably total crap.

[pastoralguy]

Probably.

So you've not heard it then?

What I liked about the Rattle version was that he brought out much orchestral detail I'd not heard before. That doesn't imply that the Handley version was in any way inferior. Just different.

[Cellini]

No - I haven't heard it and I was very naughty to have a go at Mr Rattle - but I would surmise that it would not be to my taste, although I'm sure Nige would still play it very well, even with the circumstances.

Have a look at my previous post, I've improved it a touch!!

I will be in touch with everyone again next year, this will be my last day for the time being.

[pastoralguy]

I appreciate that Sir Simons talents are not to everyones tast but I do think this would be worth your while hearing at least once. I'm pretty sure you would get one pretty cheap on either eBay or Amazon.

Go on, give it a try. (I seem to have lost the smilies this morning). Wink.

[Cellini]

Sorry pastoralguy, but I'm snowed in until mid January!! And my broadband line is under a 16 foot snow drift ... I can see it going down as I speak, as I speak, ................ as I write, as I write ...........

[pastoralguy]

I appreciate what you're saying Cellini. I'm in Mid-Lothian and we're pretty much snowed in here too. I did, eventually, get the car dug out this morning but it's been snowing heavily since then and I suspect it'll be the same tomorrow. Oh well, just have to settle down with a pile of cds...

[Uncle Monty]

The last cd I bought was the Hyperion set of Robin Milford's orchestral pieces. I got it for someone as a present, but sneakily listened to it myself, and found it very pleasant. No extreme profundity, I think, but a lovely sound-world. Damn. I'll have to buy my own now

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Robin Milford reminds me somewhat of Michael Head. Very beautiful and worth heading. As you say, no great profundity.

What about George Dyson? We used to sing his "Three Songs of Courage" at school. Wonderful stuff.

[rauschwerk]

What about George Dyson? We used to sing his "Three Songs of Courage" at school. Wonderful stuff.

I can highly recommend his fiddle concerto - a big piece in four movements - and the overture At the Tabard Inn, written to preface the Canterbury Pilgrims cantata and using themes from it.

[rauschwerk]

Arnell. This composer's name crops up every so often.Ive seen discs of his music on amazon etc. But I am not sure about thgis this composer at all! what are his influeneces and as an affecianado of this kind opf music, would I have no hesitation in buying a recording?

Hard to pin down Arnell's influences. Having met the composer and enjoyed accompanying a number of his songs, I bought the CD of symphonies 3 & 4 but have played it only a couple of times. I think Arnell encountered the problems faced by many post-war symphonists - that of saying something entirely individual in a tonal idiom. These pieces are well crafted but not very memorable.

[Cellini]

Dyson?

I understand he wrote it in a vaacum? Some people think it sucks but its hard to find a cleaner concerto. Beats most ...

[Pianorak]

. . . Cherkassky: Nimbus boxed set (it was at a bargain price, so I couldn't resist it). . .

I'll be very interested to see what you make of the Nimbus recordings. A lot has been made of the unhurried and long takes at the Wyastone Leys recording studios, but I find the acoustic ambience rather unsympathetic.
Cherkassky's “Complete HMV stereo recordings” on First Hand Records (FHR04) are a revelation, especially the Chopin Nocturne Op. 7/3.
“Shura Cherkassky” by Elizabeth Carr, who knew him from 1976 until his death, is a well-researched biography .

[Colonel Danby]

The last CD I bought was Philip Glass:Heroes Symphony and the Light on Naxos (Bournemouth SO/Alsop): I love his music.

[BBMmk2]

Strange how different people perceive things. I bought that cd, Colonel Danby, and didn't think much of iot at all!!

BTW, I can thoroughly recomend any of Sir George Dyson's music to anyone. Sir Richard Hickox was a great advocate of this composer.

[Jon Benger]

The last cd I purchased was the Colin Matthews orchestration of Debussy preludes played by the Halle. Some are more convincing than others for me, but overall a worthwhile purchase.

If the scope of this thread can extend to downloads, I have just purchased the Hyperion set of Saint Saens piano concertos with Stephen Hough. I like Hyperion downloads - they are available in lossless flac format and sound great through the squeezebox. They are also very attractively priced compared with the cds.