Really digging Bax 6, especially the 2nd movement. This cat has a really great way with harmony - very colorful and quite English sounding. Going to have to delve into more of his symphonies for sure. Loving it.
Was also digging a bunch of Sibelius choral works from the box last night. That is some of my favorite choral work by anybody - really beautiful and I love the way it sounds in Finnish. Check out a piece called Snöfrid, you may actually chuckle at the beginning - sounds like a spy movie segment - but then it goes to some very interesting and unexpected places! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sn%C3%B6frid
If it isn't Krautrock, it's krap.
"And it's only the giving
That makes you what you are" - Ian Anderson
I'm doing 6&7 by Vanska. I've listened to these before by Berglund but I don't remember much. I do appreciate the great sound on this set, and the dynamics don't bother me. I remember buying a bunch of Telarc classical CDs back in the mid 80s and I loved the realism of the wide dynamics.
Also listened to Shostakovich No.11 by Andris Nelsons/BSO the other night. Wow! That's one of the best recorded versions I've heard. Other than that I've been listening to Martinu symphonies. Those are great if you haven't heard them. There are quite a few cycles. I like the live BBC set by Belohlavek.
Listening to Snofrid on disc 10 now. BTW, if anybody else is interested in the Essential Sibelius set, there are two used copies in good condition at Amazon for 20 dollars and under. Wish I had seen these before spending 50 bucks.
Aside from the dynamics - the recording quality and overall consistency in this set is pretty remarkable. Not only did they learn ALL of his shit, but they played the cream cheese out of it too.
I'll have to check out that DS11 - LOVE that piece! My favorite is Haitink/Decca but I love hearing other interpretations. Martinu is largely unknown to me, although when I studied in the UK back in the day, I met a guy who was nuts for Martinu - his fav composer ever.
If it isn't Krautrock, it's krap.
"And it's only the giving
That makes you what you are" - Ian Anderson
For me, the two essential recordings of the Goldbergs are both by Glenn Gould. The first is his first classical recording, a young artist on fire. The other, his last recording, looking inward to the depths. Both astonishing and profound, and as different as they can be.
I think the subtext is rapidly becoming text.
I'm not a big fan of string quartets or chamber music in general, but all the talk about Sibelius had me spin the BIS Sophisticated Ladies performing his String Quartets in A & D Minor. Good stuff! I may have to go back to 'collecting' all the BIS releases (prefer the individual CD's so I have the full liner notes). --Peter
I'm listening to the violin concerto. I've never heard the string quartets but they're in the box so I'll be listening to them. I became a fan of the concerto through Hilary Hahn's CD which I bought for the Schoenberg.
Gonna cost an arm and a leg that way, of course depeding on how deep you dig. The entire BIS collection can be bought, but the best bang/buck is The Essential Sibelius set that half of PE has bought within the last month . It has decent liner notes on the pieces. Can't go wrong either way - the music is phenomenal and the recordings/performances are equally as good.
Yes - love that disc. Might be my fav version still. The Schoenberg piece is amazing as well - possibly an overlooked piece even within the classical snob crowd.
Yes - love both of those. Also been loving Murray Perahia (Sony Classical) for a long time as well......beautifully engineered and played (he does the repeats).
If it isn't Krautrock, it's krap.
"And it's only the giving
That makes you what you are" - Ian Anderson
I've collected quite a few of the Glenn Gould 2012 editions. But I still don't have the Goldberg's. I'm becoming a fan of his Beethoven recordings. I really like the variations CD, and I'm becoming a fan of the concertos which I never cared for in the past. I'm taking a break from late 20th century modernist stuff and listening to more romantic music. And some baroque stuff by Bach, Biber, and Corelli. There are a zillion versions of Art Of The Fugue, so I just bought the Marriner on Philips for starters which I really like due to the varied instrumentation.
I just finished playing one of my two most recent acquisitions. Here's a little chunk of it.
Although it's been over a year since I've made one of my buying trips to Princeton Record Exchange, the Sibelius BIS discs are almost always in their $1 bins...so not as pricey as you might think --Peter
Fantastic - especially towards the end
The composer explains the piece https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfxTJ8gGgCI
French marathon this morning.
Ravel_Martinon_5008922.jpg
Ravel/Martinon:
Daphnis et Chloe
Ma Mere l'Oye
Valses nobles et sentimentales
Le Tombeau de Couperin
Ravel/Munch: Concerto for the Left Hand, Alfred Cortot piano 1939
Munch/Dutilleux: Symphony No.2, Metaboles, Honegger: Symphony No.4 1965-67
Dutilleux no.2, and Metaboles available in the Centenary Edition, and the Munch Warner Classics box.
The other Nielsen.
Last edited by Rick L.; 12-08-2019 at 11:35 AM.
Got 2 hours to kill? Try this British masterpiece on for size.....
"Well my son, life is like a beanstalk, isn't it?"--Dalai Lama
Yuja Wang, arguably the best concert pianist these days. The Prokofiev 2nd and 3rd concertos helped build her reputation.
I think the subtext is rapidly becoming text.
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