What Classical Music Are You listening to Now? III

[Bryn]

Surprisingly scrappy Pulcinella Suite, imho.
I would have expected something sharper/more precise from Boulez.

I can't be doing with the suite. It needs the voices, as far as I am concerned. There again, Boulez was not, for me, the ideal Stravinsky or Varese* conductor.

* Don't know how to do accents on this phone.

[Pulcinella]

I can't be doing with the suite. It needs the voices, as far as I am concerned. There again, Boulez was not, for me, the ideal Stravinsky or Varese* conductor.

* Don't know how to do accents on this phone.

[Bryn]

I can't be doing with the suite. It needs the voices, as far as I am concerned. There again, Boulez was not, for me, the ideal Stravinsky or Varèse conductor.

I bought the 1965 Stravinsky conducts LP at the time of its release, I learned the word by heart. A couple of decades later I tried singing some to my then girlfriend from Piacenza. At first was perplexed, then, on my showing her the text, advise it was not standard Italian but a Neapolitan dialect.

[pastoralguy]

Schubert. Symphony No.5

Orchestra of the 18th Century conducted by Franz Brüggen. Philips.

99p charity shop find!

[Petrushka]

Brahms: Piano Concerto No 1
Rudolf Serkin (piano)
The Cleveland Orchestra
George Szell

[interval]

Mussorgsky orch. Ravel Pictures at an Exhibition
The Cleveland Orchestra
George Szell

Superb rendition of the Brahms PC1 here, absolutely outstanding performance from all concerned - including the engineers. This was recorded in 1968 but might have been set down yesterday. Thrilling music-making! On now to Pictures!

[Pulcinella]

Brahms: Piano Concerto No 1
Rudolf Serkin (piano)
The Cleveland Orchestra
George Szell

[interval]

Mussorgsky orch. Ravel Pictures at an Exhibition
The Cleveland Orchestra
George Szell

Superb rendition of the Brahms PC1 here, absolutely outstanding performance from all concerned - including the engineers. This was recorded in 1968 but might have been set down yesterday. Thrilling music-making! On now to Pictures!

Both well liked here too.
I have the Brahms c/w PC2 (and extras) and the Mussorgsky/Ravel c/w Kije and Hary Janos.
The Szell box is very tempting, despite all the duplications I'd have.

[Petrushka]

Both well liked here too.
I have the Brahms c/w PC2 (and extras) and the Mussorgsky/Ravel c/w Kije and Hary Janos.
The Szell box is very tempting, despite all the duplications I'd have.

By contrast, I had very little duplication but by the same token purchase of this huge box was a bit of a leap in the dark and at £199.99 it doesn't come cheap. I'm so glad I took the plunge, though, as there is treasure galore here. I've only played a fraction of the 106 CDs so far and am well pleased with what I've heard.

My philosophy with these boxes is not to bother too much about duplications. All collected together, usually in fresh re-masterings and high production values they are unlikely to come my way again while I'm around. Get them while they're here is my view!

[cloughie]

Brahms: Piano Concerto No 1
Rudolf Serkin (piano)
The Cleveland Orchestra
George Szell

[interval]

Mussorgsky orch. Ravel Pictures at an Exhibition
The Cleveland Orchestra
George Szell

Superb rendition of the Brahms PC1 here, absolutely outstanding performance from all concerned - including the engineers. This was recorded in 1968 but might have been set down yesterday. Thrilling music-making! On now to Pictures!

Were you tempted to play the Khovanschina Prelude before the Pictures - the Szell performance is beautiful! I think your philosophy on getting big boxes when they are here is very sound. The Szell price has stubbornly remained!

[Pulcinella]

By contrast, I had very little duplication but by the same token purchase of this huge box was a bit of a leap in the dark and at £199.99 it doesn't come cheap. I'm so glad I took the plunge, though, as there is treasure galore here. I've only played a fraction of the 106 CDs so far and am well pleased with what I've heard.

My philosophy with these boxes is not to bother too much about duplications. All collected together, usually in fresh re-masterings and high production values they are unlikely to come my way again while I'm around. Get them while they're here is my view!

My partner is away for a month soon, so perhaps I'll be able to sneak it into the house then.
Mind you, it will be a bit difficult to disguise.

[Petrushka]

Were you tempted to play the Khovanschina Prelude before the Pictures - the Szell performance is beautiful!

Haven't had that pleasure yet. Pictures is coupled with Liadov's Enchanted Lake as per the original LP.

[cloughie]

Haven't had that pleasure yet. Pictures is coupled with Liadov's Enchanted Lake as per the original LP.

Another lovely piece - not had the pleasure of hearing Szell’s recording!

[Edgy 2]

Brahms: Piano Concerto No 1
Rudolf Serkin (piano)
The Cleveland Orchestra
George Szell

[interval]

Mussorgsky orch. Ravel Pictures at an Exhibition
The Cleveland Orchestra
George Szell

Superb rendition of the Brahms PC1 here, absolutely outstanding performance from all concerned - including the engineers. This was recorded in 1968 but might have been set down yesterday. Thrilling music-making! On now to Pictures!

I’ve got a set of Szell/Serkin Brahms PCs with overtures somewhere.
Szell/Cleveland are so good in Brahms aren’t they ?

[Joseph K]

Ferneyhough - Inconjunctions

[BBMmk2]

Indeed I can! Interestingly, I listened to Lazar Berman's recording last week (via you-tube) and I thought it was great! It was flagged as the reference recording. Recently, Dinara Klinton's set is excellent but I wasn't impressed by Trifanov - too polished for my tastes. I caught Boris Giltberg's Chasse Neige on the radio last week and wasn't sure what to make of it. I'll have a proper listen at a later date...

I used to have that on vynl!

#6329 JLW, I’m so glad you like this set. Have you Blomstedt’s on Decca?

Carrying on with my listening of the recent box set that DG has published.

Gustav Mahler
Symphony No.3 in D minor
Anna Larsson(soprano),
LSO Chorus, CBSO Youth Chorus,
Berliner Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado.

Symphony No.4 in G Major
Renée Fleming, (soprano)
Berliner Philharmoniker
Claudio Abbado.

[BBMmk2]

I used to have that on vynl!

#6329 JLW, I’m so glad you like this set. Have you Blomstedt’s on Decca?

Carrying on with my listening of the recent box set that DG has published.

Gustav Mahler
Symphony No.3 in D minor
Anna Larsson(soprano),
LSO Chorus, CBSO Youth Chorus,
Berliner Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado.

Symphony No.4 in G Major
Renée Fleming, (soprano)
Berliner Philharmoniker
Claudio Abbado.

Carrying on with this great Mahler canon.

Gustav Mahler
Symphony No.5 in C# minor
Symphony No.6 in A minor
Berliner Philharmoniker,
Claudio Abbado.