What are you listening to and WHY might anyone be interested? (Vol.IX)

Haim, yes I have this.  How can I forget it?  After learning the Schumann last year and "then" they release this after I needed them.  It would have been nice had they released this a year earlier which would have been a nice inspiration.  I've forgiven them and all's well now between us 

CD

D

Breathtaking, vinyl 45 rpm

Adca, excellent news.  Mine is currently being held prisoner in some customs warehouse waiting the usual 2-4 weeks while they figure out how to damage it in someway before throwing it at my front door.

It feels like a Doors afternoon. Started with this.

Original Vinyl

G

This is next.

G

Then this

G

Or this

You can tell its still snowing here! 

G

Joe Henry "Fuse"

no reason needed other than it is Joe Henry, one of the

finest singer/songwriters (and now, producers) on the

planet

CD

Van Cliburn: The Complete Album Collection

CD 24 Rachmaninoff (1960-1972):

Piano Sonata Nr. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 36

Etude-tableaux op. 39 Nr. 5

Preludes op. 23 Nr. 4 through 7

Prelude op. 32 Nr. 5

Here is my confession for the day and a large one in my mind.  I may have one or two recordings kicking around from Harvey Lavan Cliburn, Jr. but I don't remember the last time I listened to Van Cliburn or if I ever listened to them in the first place.  If asked I wouldn't have known how to characterize his playing.  This is a bewildering thing in hindsight and I've finally corrected this oversight.  Sadly though this opportunity coincides almost eerily to the day of his own passing away on February 27, 2013 as a result of bone cancer.   

Cliburn's lineage was very strong.  His mother studied with Arthur Friedheim who of course was a pupil of Liszt.  His main teacher at Julliard was Rosina Lhévinne.  His musical legacy mainly centres on the great composers of the romantic era and this suits me just fine.  This music is no less important than any other period before it.  It also explains why the usual non-musically inclined members of the press would give him a hard time.

Listening to the Etude and Preludes on disc 24 I am made aware of and delighted to hear such a strong and solid playing.  It's old school playing rich in sonority, sincerity and honesty.  No gimmicks,  no antics, not ploys - this is such strong playing right down the centre of the spectrum and it is hard to find fault with anything.  It just makes sense immersed in its own simplicity.

Now I've only listened to this disc so far. The Sonata was recorded in Russia in 1960 and the sonics are not ideal.  But the Etude and Preludes were recorded between 1970-72 in New York.  These latter pieces, at least initially on first listen, just strike me as being a close ideal to what a piano recording should sound like.  Beautifully realistic to what a wonderful 9' Model D Steinway sounds like.  The best thing about a Steinway is its bass register.  From time to time this comes out and it makes me very happy to hear this against the very different character of the upper register.

I think I am going to enjoy working through this and I am glad to finally add some of Van Cliburn's legacy to my library.

Best Regards,

Doug

On Vinyl

Mike Oldfield - Ommadawn

Forced by extreme weather to listen to the Doors.

Can self-cannibalism be far off?

Tomas Koner - Nunatak Gongamur on CD. Given the weather today, it seems kinda appropriate.

Music On Vinyl 2011 reissue : )

On Vinyl