BaL 12.11.11 - Fauré: Nocturnes

[verismissimo]

Exemplary BaL from Stephen Plaistow. Recommendation purchased.

[Don Petter]

Seems you picked the winner there, Silvestrione. I had never heard of this recording before, nor indeed the artist (to my great shame). The playing is just incredible. And the slightly mellower piano sound (probably partly the old recording) seems to suit Faure's transparent textures rather well.

Sir! Sir! Please, Sir! Me, Sir! I was the first to mention her! Silvers minor was just agreeing with me.

Seriously, I'm gratified that both our feelings were confirmed, and hope that this extra publicity will lead to a much wider audience for a great pianist.

(And how nice to have a straightforward BaL, with a single presenter of excellent delivery and knowledge.)

[ardcarp]

Sorry Don! Three Hail Marys already said.

[VodkaDilc]

Disappointment in the Vodka household: I set my Sky+ to record the BAL on Belshazzar's Feast this morning. Now I've settled down to enjoy it - and all I get is a lot of piano music! I must check my dates in future.

[Don Petter]

"Mene, mene, tekel, upharsin!"

[ardcarp]

Slain...to rest on this thread. Suggest future BF allusions, puns, etc go on BF thread. Absolutely agree, DP, about the straightforward and first-rate presentation of this week's BAL. Just hope JS will be allowed to do likewise next week.

[Don Petter]

Sorry, ac. (But it wouldn't have applied on the other thread!)

[ardcarp]

So it wouldn't...I am definitely found wanting.

[gradus]

Terrific BAL with the excellent Mr Plaistow introducing much of this music to me. First rate in all respects.

[Nick Armstrong]

IMHO opinion this is a joy - bringing pieces I don't know to life.

I just caught up with this, and totally agree, anton - a wonderful wise journey into these pieces which as mentioned above I have never managed to 'get inside' (in contrast to GF's chamber works).

I'm still not totally sold on them, and the reason became apparent during BAL - there's a bit too much Lisztian influence in some of them But I heard some glorious passages that were new to me, which are going to send me back to the pieces. I think it may be the case that some I will love and some I won't - it is hardly a unified set of works, being composed over such a wide space of time over a long life. The ones that struck me particularly were nos 5 (Rogé) and 7 (I think Hubeau). Maybe it's the middle group that will appeal to me most.

The Hubeau readings did sound wonderful to me, some glowing comments about the set on amazon.fr... But having just bought the Collard set on Brilliant, I'm hesitating before getting another complete set

Because I agree that the Thyssens-Valentin set is an imperative!! I want her to take me by the hand and guide me further into these works - accordingly Calum, many many thanks for:

sound quality may be a bit of an issue but price is not for the lady's complete faure works for piano here

Do you think that the sound quality on that nameless label might be inferior to the Testament version? Maybe at that price one has no right to question it!

Hang on.....



How do you know when you've got too many CDs?

Answer: when, after wittering on like that, you walk across the room and take from the shelf (as I've just done) the Thyssens-Valentin Testament CD which I'd forgotten I've got

So the only things to do are (i) decide whether to add the Hubeau; (ii) listen to the music !!!

[Nick Armstrong]

Germaine's done it! I can't stop listening to these pieces !!

[Serial_Apologist]

Germaine's done it! I can't stop listening to these pieces !!

Thereby hangs the lesson preached by my great friend Percy Verance, Caliban. Had you waited, I've no doubt this set would have appeared in some second-hand rack somewhere or a charity shop. As much as he is popular for his Requiem and "Pelleas et Melisande", in some people's minds Faure is one of those cultural must-be-seen-to-haves; they buy the songs and the chamber music, and because much of this side of the oeuvre takes some getting into, give up prematurely.

Yes, Liszt is a fairly prominent influence in Faure, as his harmony and pianistic techniques were on Franck and his successors - in most if not all cases a matter of silk purses out of sow's ears, I think.

S-A

[Nick Armstrong]

Had you waited, I've no doubt this set would have appeared in some second-hand rack somewhere or a charity shop.

Not sure I follow, S-A... Had I waited for what?

[Serial_Apologist]

Not sure I follow, S-A... Had I waited for what?

I meant, had you waited for a set to become second-hand, Caliban.

[Nick Armstrong]

I meant, had you waited for a set to become second-hand, Caliban.

Ah! Well as it was, the copy sitting on my shelves had to wait for me to get around to appreciating it. I recall I bought it years back when a Fauré-phile friend raved about it, but I wasn't ready....

I'm glad I remembered I already had one before shelling out afresh!!