Record Review: non-BaL discs reviewed, etc.

[silvestrione]

Curious. If I did not know the pianist, I think, after listening to this programme, I would have thought, 'not for me'.

But I am a Richter enthusiast! My shelves are littered with his discs.

I would not go to Richter for Bach, except for the 'live' Bk 1 Well-Tempered, once on Revelation and now reissued on Melodiya.
I would not go to Richter for Mozart sonatas either!
If you want Richter in Liszt, you wouldn't, I hope, want anything as ghastly as that Scherzo they played. Go for the Sonata (several great live versions), or of course Feux Follets in one of the 1950s live versions, spell-binding.
There are probably hundreds of live Richter recordings in much better sound than those in the Sony box from Carnegie. Explore BBC Legends (oh, nla?), Doremi, Parnassus, Music and Arts, or the Richter in Hungary set.
Having said that, the Sony Carnegie are of immense historical interest, as KH brought out. I have long loved the studio Beethoven Sonata Op 26 with the funeral march, which comes across from Richter (and from Pollini, Michelangeli, and Gould) as a great work. The live recital version is a fascinating comparison! More 'give', more expression and poetry, or even more, I should say.
I mcuh prefer Richter live to Richter studio. I won't be buying the big box, but it does contain some of his greatest recordings, including in the studio, e.g. the Rachmaninov Preludes group from DG in late 50s, the DG Schumann from the same time, and the Beethoven 'Cello sonatas with Rostropovitch. And, live, the most successful of his 'slow' Schubert, in my view, the C Major Sonata, unfinished movements and all, ending in mid air.
The late Beethoven sonatas come off better in other recordings, such as in the Brilliant Classics Sonata box, or in Leipzig.
KH is not a Richter aficionado, or he would never say Debussy is not a composer associated with him. He is a justly admired exponent (as Stephen Plasitow has testified over the years).
Especially fine versions of most of the Preludes on BBC Legends, and 'Estampes' is wonderfully played live on an early DG recording, in the big box but available elsewhere.

[Nick Armstrong]

I would not go to Richter for Bach, except for the 'live' Bk 1 Well-Tempered, once on Revelation and now reissued on Melodiya.
I would not go to Richter for Mozart sonatas either!
If you want Richter in Liszt, you wouldn't, I hope, want anything as ghastly as that Scherzo they played.

I would agree most particularly about all three on the basis of the evidence in the CD Review segment. I had to fast-forward through the Liszt, it was unbearable - but I thought that might have just been me, what with me weakness an' all

[verismissimo]

Curious...

Wonderful, illuminating post, thanks, silvy.

[MickyD]

I still deeply regret not having gone to one of Richter's last, spur of the moment concerts given here in a small chapel in Arles.

[Nick Armstrong]

I very much liked what we heard of Petrenko's Elgar 1 with the RLPO this morning .... anyone heard the whole thing?

Ditto the Julian Lloyd-Webber directed Introduction & Allegro and Sospiri. Sounded like The Real Thing to me....

[Nick Armstrong]

Real magic in the 'record of the week' - the Grieg performance that's now featured two weeks in succession on CDR is truly a bit special - not one of my favourite pieces, but couldn't take my ears off this!



Was anyone at the Barbican for the performance? Here's a review of the concert: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/m...w-radiant.html

Also: I was very interested to hear the new McCreesh 'L'Allegro, &c.' on CDR this morning: spirited orchestral playing, an astounding treble soloist but the two main adult soloists not as convincing to my ears as they appeared to be to the presenters e.g. in 'As Steals the Morn'.

Terribly difficult to rival the sublime Padmore/Crowe duo though, on the HM CD

[vinteuil]

... the new Rameau [Castor & Pollux] sounded good ; I shall be getting it

As one of the French reviewers put it - "Tous les raméliens passionnés se doivent d'acquérir séance tenante cette ultime mouture d'une apothéose de l'amour fraternel."

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00TGKEF42

.

http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B00TGKEF42

[Flosshilde]

Also: I was very interested to hear the new McCreesh 'L'Allegro, &c.' on CDR this morning: spirited orchestral playing, an astounding treble soloist but the two main adult soloists not as convincing to my ears as they appeared to be to the presenters e.g. in 'As Steals the Morn'.

Terribly difficult to rival the sublime Padmore/Crowe duo though, on the HM CD

Although presumably that recording isn't of the full l'Allegro ..., but just has arias from it?

I thought the boy treble was exceptional; his voice sounded quite mature, in that it seemed to have a depth and richness that one doesn't normally associate with boy trebles. I wonder if he might grow up to be a counter-tenor, if he continues singing? It's a work I haven't got, so I might be 'investing' (as they say) in this recording (the Milton poems were on my A Level English syllabus, many years ago).

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I thought the boy treble was exceptional; his voice sounded quite mature, in that it seemed to have a depth and richness that one doesn't normally associate with boy trebles.

- women singing parts originally written for boys are occasionally described as having "boy-like" voices, but he reversed this trend!

(And, like Cali, I greatly enjoyed the Grieg Pno Conc; it's been many, many years since I last listened to the work - this recording reminded me why I fell in love with the work as a teenager.)

[Nick Armstrong]

... the new Rameau [Castor & Pollux] sounded good ; I shall be getting it

As one of the French reviewers put it - "Tous les raméliens passionnés se doivent d'acquérir séance tenante cette ultime mouture d'une apothéose de l'amour fraternel."

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00TGKEF42

.

http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B00TGKEF42

Haven't yet heard that earlier part of CD Review, look forward to a listen tomorrow

Although presumably that recording isn't of the full l'Allegro ..., but just has arias from it?

Indeed, only that one; the rest are arias from Samson, Tamerlano &c.

I thought the boy treble was exceptional; his voice sounded quite mature, in that it seemed to have a depth and richness that one doesn't normally associate with boy trebles. I wonder if he might grow up to be a counter-tenor, if he continues singing?

Judging by his twitter page, and in particular the photo of a letter from his singing teacher (post dated 19 May), he's a promising tenor these days:

https://twitter.com/laurence_kilsby

[MickyD]

I still have a fondness for the Gardiner recording of 'L'Allegro'...he seems to get the tempo just right for 'As steals the Morn'...soloists Patrizia Kwella and Maldwyn Davies.

Oh dear, ANOTHER recording of "Castor et Pollux" which beckons - I already have four!! And the old Charles Farncombe recording is probably my favourite.

[Flosshilde]

[COLOR="#0000FF"]Judging by his twitter page, and in particular the photo of a letter from his singing teacher (post dated 19 May), he's a promising tenor these days:

https://twitter.com/laurence_kilsby

Interesting - according to the Times review it was his last recording before his voice changed, hence, presumably, the maturity. He, (& McCreish) is lucky the change didn't happen in the course of the recording sessions

[Nick Armstrong]

Some ear-opening choices in the 'contemporary' segment of today's programme. I enjoyed the Partch extract (Daphne of the Dunes) especially.

[teamsaint]

Some ear-opening choices in the 'contemporary' segment of today's programme. I enjoyed the Partsch extract (Daphne of the Dunes) especially.

As Partch now has official mod approval, a general thread of his own is in order I think.

[Nick Armstrong]

As Partch now has official mod approval, a general thread of his own is in order I think.

(Though perhaps it should await said mod actually being able to spell the bloke's name )