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

Osborne's pictures surely start off too quick and polished? However he soon tunes into the right mood and the series of miniatures builds up to a thunderous gate of Kiev. In terms of approach he is closer to Ashkenazy than the more interventionist Richter or Pogorelich. The unknown Prokofiev is delightful.

Cheers,

EJ

On CD:-

1997 - Excellent recording and an energetic live performance.  Turn up to 11. G

Wonderful recording, Adrian and I saw him in Brighton a few years back.

Still listening after a bit of interuption.  The bass pedal on 'Lucky Man' has just sucked my eardrums out - and thet's at moderate volume from PMC .23.  

You'd swear there was a sub hidden in the room. Amazing from such a discrete loudspeaker. G

Puson-The Circle and the Blue Door

New Rise Above vinyl release

Alina Rotaru on the harpsichord playing Froberger's Suites & Toccatas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xm68Dx4vFrU

Highly recommended.

Debs,

Love the Chabrier. Hewitt has a very good touch with French compositions. Her Ravel, Messiaen and Rameau discs are all very good.

Regards,

Haim

Oliver,

Good of you to revisit us here. I saw Brahem perform eight years ago playing in a trio (with percussion and Turkish clarinet), one of my all time favorite live performances. It has been quite some time since he came up with a new recording.

Frédéric Chopin:  Jan Lisiecki, (piano)

Etudes, Op. 10 

Etudes, Op. 25

I have been a follower of Jan Lisiecki for most of his life even though, in years, this is only a handful so far.  This seventeen year old has a solid track record so far and with this release it seems he is ready to run the gauntlet within elite territory.

What’s not to like about a young player who is smart, seems to have no technical limitations, has his own vision (although narrow at this point) and with his quiet demeanor and focus on the music, fits nicely within the realm of musicians I respect the most? 

While I secretly look for opportunities to rewrite The Picture of Dorian Gray from my perspective to gain eternal musical youth, I also begin to understand that while youth has so many advantages that it also has some major disadvantages.

I tend not to want to criticize other peoples playing but merely want to understand it in order to broaden my own perspective.  Yes, part of this requires subversion of my own personality or preferences which isn't entirely possible.  So overall, a splendid recording.  If I could play all twenty-four even half as good as this I'd be ecstatic.

I know Lisiecki is not nor wants to be the grand showman and that is a good thing.  He seems to want to get at the heart of the music without letting emotion take over.  I think this is a stylistic choice which mostly drives this outcome.  Age, or lack thereof, might play a minor role but here is where my stylistic is driving my comments.

The quicker, technically more driven studies work brilliantly.  The ones that do have the potential for a deeper, more considered, passionate, soul-searching approach fair much poorer.  The former is much more suited to youth and the latter tends to only be possible through age and after the hard knocks of life.

For example, Op. 10, Nr. 4 (c# minor) works but Op 25, Nr. 7 (c# minor) with its broad canvas waiting to be painted, not as well.  The viscously difficult Op. 25, Nr. 6 (g# minor) study in parallel thirds comes off OK whereas the tragic desolation of Op. 10 Nr. 6 (c-flat minor) is not there and comes off as rather cold and heartless.

 The coldness factor is not even close to the driven, icy realm of Pollini and the warmness / depth aspect I'm not even sure who to state as my own ideal other than myself.  This is the beauty of music.  There is an art to technic and there is an art to individual interpretation.  Either singularly or a more balanced unification of both defines each ones unique fingerprint.

A nice album overall and one I'll place near the top and ahead of many others despite some minor shortcomings.  For a first outing as a seventeen year old it is remarkable.  Recording quality is above average.

Cheers,

Doug

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AB_ietnfBDE

One of the gambas and Andueza's voice are  in the same spectrum exactly; in choir.

Real 'Voix Humaines'.

Mozart's violin concertos are early works, pleasant and rather lightweight. Mullova plays them straight, on gut strings - excellent performances.

Cheers,

EJ

Because I really like it - and we have some friends over from New york

The cars

Born to be Wild

Paolo Pandolfo - viola da gamba

Amélie Chermin - viola da gamba

Thomas Boysen - theorbo & baroque guitar

Markus Hünninger - harpsichord

Couperins Pieces de violes were composed exclusively for women who after a hard day of work in the garden would enjoy fine musical relaxation while soaking in the bubble bath : )

Debs

Count Basie

Dave Clark Five

Music To Sell Cars By