New releases

[Alison]

Cheers PJPJ, I was wondering when the next Ben disc was due.

Quite pleased in a way that we aren't having six releases a year from him ...
making this one very desirable indeed !

[Barbirollians]

I fear he is overhyped . I did not like his Liszt at the Proms all that much .

I reckon he should spend a few more years learning before too many recordings .

[DublinJimbo]

You're really on the ball! This isn't yet featured on Decca's own web site.
Really bad timing, though. I've just downloaded Freddie Kempff's new Gershwin disc with Andrew Litton and the Bergen Philharmonic (from good old BIS).

[PJPJ]

You're really on the ball! This isn't yet featured on Decca's own web site.
Really bad timing, though. I've just downloaded Freddie Kempff's new Gershwin disc with Andrew Litton and the Bergen Philharmonic (from good old BIS).

Tut tut, you're not waiting for the SACD, then? I know the feeling about the duplicate repertoire - of course both purchases are mandatory. I have a definition for "mandatory" which the OED hasn't included, yet, although it is in fairly common use by those who buy recordings.

Certainly Ben has not been over-exposed over the past seven or eight years. A very sensible strategy. I heard a recent concert he gave in New York playing Bach, Chopin, Scriabin, Ravel, one of the encores Morton Gould's Boogie-Woogie Etude, all of which highly impressive, and got from Linn his first Decca recording which I think is so outstandingly good it's one of my discs of the year. The effect it had on me was so uplifting I feel it ought to be prescribed on the NHS. And I mean that quite seriously.

[HighlandDougie]

I started off a bit like Barbirollians in thinking that it must just all be so much hype but like PJPJ downloaded Benjamin Grosvenor's recital (from Qobuz as a 24/96 file) and have been smitten ever since. His playing of, say, the Chopin Op Posth Nocturne in C Sharp Minor is like balm to the soul. And the Gaspard is up there in the same league as Ivo Pogorelich, Martha Argerich and Vlado Perlemuter. He's due to appear at Roque d'Anthéron in August (Bach, Chopin, Ravel) so I'm much looking forward to hearing him there.

[PJPJ]

.....so I'm much looking forward to hearing him there.

I feel an enormous attack of envy coming on...... I hope you have a wonderful time.

[DublinJimbo]

I agree utterly with the praise for Benjamin's debut disc. I also downloaded it in 24/96 from Qobuz and have wondered on several hearings at his maturity and artistry.

I have a ticket for his appearance in our National Concert Hall on 27th March, when he'll play a programme of Bach, Chopin, Scriabin, Granados and Strauss/Schulz-Evler. I look forward with great anticipation to hearing him in the flesh.

[PJPJ]

It's only his debut as far as Decca is concerned. He has made another two CDs and also contributed almost unnoticed to a large box of Chopin for EMI.

[pastoralguy]

It is possible that some ageing CD plays will have a problem playing an 82' 10" disc

I recently acquired a disc called 'Le violoncello parle' on the Harmonia Mundi label. It's a disc of solo 'cello music played by the wonderful Emmanuelle Bertrand and it plays for 82'10". My Meridian cd player has no problems with it despite the machine being well over 12 years old.

[AmpH]

For those who do enjoy some Delius, not a new issue but an interesting reissue on a different label of ' The Delius Collection ' ( 7 CD's ) due at the end of this month -as noted on the attached link these recordings were those previously issued on Unicorn Kanchana.

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Heritage/HTGCD700

IMV it will be particularly good to hear the Ralph Holmes recordings again, especially the violin sonatas.

At this price, this could have gone on the Bargains thread

[Parry1912]

That set also includes the 'Gramophone Award' winning 'The Fenby Legacy' unless I'm very much mistaken.

See http://www.gramophone.net/Issue/Page...offrey+Barton.

[BBMmk2]

For those who do enjoy some Delius, not a new issue but an interesting reissue on a different label of ' The Delius Collection ' ( 7 CD's ) due at the end of this month -as noted on the attached link these recordings were those previously issued on Unicorn Kanchana.

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Heritage/HTGCD700

IMV it will be particularly good to hear the Ralph Holmes recordings again, especially the violin sonatas.

At this price, this could have gone on the Bargains thread

Especially at the pre-order price tag!! :)

[HighlandDougie]

I think that I want to be told that I am mad even to be thinking about it (I don't even hugely like Wagner) but this forthcoming release seems to have a particularly siren-like appeal:

http://www.mdt.co.uk/blog/latest-news/der-ring-des-nibelungen-solti-limited-edition-decca/?utm_source=Decca_Ring_Cycle&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter-24-07-2012

The price is ludicrous, although German Amazon, with the current exchange rate, is a bit cheaper.

So what's the party line on re-mastered Solti?

[Barbirollians]

Especially at the pre-order price tag!! :)

Indeed . Bargain and the Holmes recordings are unmatched.

[PJPJ]

I think that I want to be told that I am mad even to be thinking about it (I don't even hugely like Wagner) but this forthcoming release seems to have a particularly siren-like appeal:

http://www.mdt.co.uk/blog/latest-news/der-ring-des-nibelungen-solti-limited-edition-decca/?utm_source=Decca_Ring_Cycle&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter-24-07-2012

The price is ludicrous, although German Amazon, with the current exchange rate, is a bit cheaper.

So what's the party line on re-mastered Solti?

I was going to post this under "bargains" as the Esoteric SACD set was very, very much more expensive at £495. And it sold out in no time at all.

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2010/Feb10/Wagner_Ring_ESSD90021-34.htm