Record Review: non-BaL discs reviewed, etc.

[vinteuil]

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... the 'Record of the Week' - Pavel Kolesnikov with the Goldberg variations - did others find the piano sound distractingly strange? Muffled, almost as if the hammers didn't move away from the strings cleanly. Or perhaps the tinny radio in the kitchen was at fault...


,

[Keraulophone]

I nearly nodded off during the first variation played.

[Bryn]

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... the 'Record of the Week' - Pavel Kolesnikov with the Goldberg variations - did others find the piano sound distractingly strange? Muffled, almost as if the hammers didn't move away from the strings cleanly. Or perhaps the tinny radio in the kitchen was at fault...

My immediate reaction was that Kolesnikov might make a fine Morton Feldman performer. I wonder whether we'll hear the Aria and first 19 variations tomorrow, or just the first few.

[vinteuil]

My immediate reaction was that Kolesnikov might make a fine Morton Feldman performer. I wonder whether we'll hear the Aria and first 19 variations tomorrow, or just the first few.

... mmmnyesss. And what did you think of the piano sound?

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[Bryn]

... mmmnyesss. And what did you think of the piano sound?

I took it to result from Kolesnikov's touch, rather than anything to do with the particular instrument, microphone placement or post-production treatment.

[vinteuil]

My immediate reaction was that Kolesnikov might make a fine Morton Feldman performer. I wonder whether we'll hear the Aria and first 19 variations tomorrow, or just the first few.

... Hugh Canning in The Times liked Kolesnikov's Goldbergs a lot - "... His playing has the joy and freshness of a new encounter, imbued with Terpsichorean grace and delight, as he revels in the jiglike rhythmic momentum of variation 7, and dashes off the fast variations 11, 21 and 24. /... / his approach here is magisterial, nearing the sublime in the Adagio of variation 25.There are countless great accounts of this music on harpsichord and piano, but this is required hearing... "


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[Bryn]

An 'interesting' price jump on amazon.co.uk for the Warner complete Ravel. Shown as £38.35 when I clicked to order, it jumped to over £44 at the checkout. I cancelled went back to check. The price had changed on the listing, too. However, a few minutes later it reverted to £38.35. Be very wary if ordering from their site. Also, note that the somewhat lower-price offering for the same set on eBay is from over the pond and is very likely to attract hefty import charges from HMRC and Royal Mail.

[Bryn]

The Warner Complete Ravel arrived this afternoon. Good, sturdy slip-case box after the style of the Warner Complete Debussy set. However, the booklet lacks a disc by disc listing, just a decent essay and index of the works and where to find the on the discs.

[Pulcinella]

The Warner Complete Ravel arrived this afternoon. Good, sturdy slip-case box after the style of the Warner Complete Debussy set. However, the booklet lacks a disc by disc listing, just a decent essay and index of the works and where to find the on the discs.

I fear that this may well be too much duplication (of actual performances/recordings) for me (though I haven't checked the contents), but also wonder why this set is 20 CDs whereas Decca's complete set is only 14 CDs: is this an 'original jacket'-type release, with shorter length CDs, or is it really more complete?

[Bryn]

I fear that this may well be too much duplication (of actual performances/recordings) for me (though I haven't checked the contents), but also wonder why this set is 20 CDs whereas Decca's complete set is only 14 CDs: is this an 'original jacket'-type release, with shorter length CDs, or is it really more complete?

No, not original jackets, just very 'complete', with plenty of historical extras and arrangement for alternative instrumentation (as in piano, 2-piano, etc.). You even get a piano version of DeC (presumably the rehearsal reduction). Yes, there is much duplication for me, too, but also lots I do not already have and which is difficult to to find elsewhere. The shortest content on a single disc is a little over 50 minutes, while most are much longer, with three being over 80 minutes.

[Pulcinella]

No, not original jackets, just very 'complete', with plenty of historical extras and arrangement for alternative instrumentation (as in piano, 2-piano, etc.). You even get a piano version of DeC (presumably the rehearsal reduction). Yes, there is much duplication for me, too, but also lots I do not already have and which is difficult to to find elsewhere. The shortest content on a single disc is a little over 50 minutes, while most are much longer, with three being over 80 minutes.

Thanks.
I'm sure that I don't NEED it (for example, I have the Cluytens and Martinon orchestral sets, the 2CD Mélodies set, and the Prix de Rome trio), but.....

[Pulcinella]

Thanks.
I'm sure that I don't NEED it (for example, I have the Cluytens and Martinon orchestral sets, the 2CD Mélodies set, and the Prix de Rome trio), but.....

Now £37.27, but they tried to get me to have a free Prime trial to save £2.99 postage, when all I had to do was click free standard delivery: I'm not that desperate for it (and the last trial I had I must have forgotten to tick the box to get a reminder of expiry, as I didn't get one, so ended up paying for a month). So, it's due on Sunday.

[Nick Armstrong]

“Listen to the way he brings out the notes at the very first note umm yeah just listen to it it’s brilliant” - ‘BBC New Generation Thinker’ on Sibelius 1 (Saturday, Record Review)

How brilliantly insightful & useful

[Tapiola]

“Listen to the way he brings out the notes at the very first note umm yeah just listen to it it’s brilliant” - ‘BBC New Generation Thinker’ on Sibelius 1 (Saturday, Record Review)

How brilliantly insightful & useful

Reminds me, Nick, of the "take away" message from a lecture on Lutoslawski I attended as an undergraduate: "Gosh, it's all so imaginative!"

[Bryn]

“Listen to the way he brings out the notes at the very first note umm yeah just listen to it it’s brilliant” - ‘BBC New Generation Thinker’ on Sibelius 1 (Saturday, Record Review)

How brilliantly insightful & useful

Perhaps you should give him Broad Leahway.