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

..2nd spin - really something special..

..the 1st song is a bit difficult to digest if you expect Pat Metheny, but if you listen well you will find another gem being produced..

..just before the movie, an easy to like jazz record..

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

Excellent music and performance.

Sound quality.

Well, it's one of the very few of my CDs what is really unlistenable.

Scandal.

Harmonia Mundi works perfectly - but not now.

Naims can't handle it - others either.

Highly recommended - on laptop only...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=citC0rb_nms

Highly recommended

..I am falling in love with this one..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM51e8Stat8&sns=em

On vinyl

I have never been a big Nick Cave fan but loving this album.

..his Bach is also a treat, the sonatas..

Before sunrise.

While doing the ironing........... time for some sweet female vocals.

and

Vlad

What's 'ironing'?.....

It's what you do when listening to Iron & Wine. You might have to do it again later without the wine.

Ludwig van Beethoven:  Yundi Li (Piano)

Sonata for Piano no 8 in C minor, Op. 13 "Pathétique" 

Sonata for Piano no 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27 no 2 "Moonlight" 

Sonata for Piano no 23 in F minor, Op. 57 "Appassionata"

Scene 1: Post something of Yundi playing Beethoven [or Lang Lang playing...etc.]

Scene 2: Expect the immediate judgement of the illuminati along with the collective cacophony of cackles and turned up noses to follow.

Scene 3: Defend music and / or said musicians.

First off, I have no need or desire to defend anyone, especially and including a Yundi or Lang Lang etc.  Sadly, there was a time in my own life where I was among the masses behind scene 2.  Today, I consider those to be evil characteristics.  Well, evil is a harsh word - settle on passionately misguided.  It was also a time where I was young and didn't alway 'listen' to music.  Instead, I based my musical worth and values on meaningless things like connecting only with 'big' names (THEE right ones, that is) and hype.  A kind of addiction to white squishy bread and a saccharin diet.  In the end, at its root, it always has some cloaked elements of racism, nationalism and arrogance.

Never judge a book by its cover, we are always told and so this is where I come from on this.  Would anybody be so wise and judgemental if we were all blind and had only our ears to listen to music (without knowledge of who was playing)?  I'm almost certain that if I took this recording and put Richter's photo (or whomever you esteem) on most listener's views would be vastly different than when connected to someone they can easily trivialize.  Secondly, I'm almost certain most who judge based on who it is make judgements without ever having "read the book".

So in the end, for me, this is Yundi's view of things as it was on the day he recorded it.  It is not meant to be the last word on the subject.  I accept that and have no issue that it may be different than even my own views.  There is lots to like in this recording and I also happen to not hold the view that there is only one way to interpret music.  I can find vast amounts of good stuff and learn from most anyones interpretations.   I enjoy it for what it is and I enjoy music by these great composers under any guise.  Although Beethoven and Bach didn't specifically write for those who hum or whistle it is allowed (contrary to those who believe in dogma about certain instruments only).  Besides, if I thought I could do better I'd pick up the phone and call DGG to offer my correct views and demo tape.  Ha, Ha, they never return my calls.   This is why I remain ardently humble and respectful of the playing of others - no matter who it is.

Always listen first,

Doug

Interpretation of great maturity, refinement of timbres and transparency even if not of the deeper relief for this native 24/96 downloaded from Qobuz. 

Chag -

Quatuor Ebène:

Quartet for Strings no 6 in F minor, Op. 80 by Felix Mendelssohn 

Quartet for Strings no 2 in A minor, Op. 13 by Felix Mendelssohn 

Quartet for Strings in E flat major by Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel 

http://www.npr.org/event/music...-through-mendelssohn

Previously:

Marillion - Fugazi

Now:

Ry Cooder - Bop 'Til You Drop

Both vinyl.

Jeremy Denk (Piano) 

Etudes (6) for Piano, Book 1 by György Ligeti 

Sonata for Piano no 32 in C minor, Op. 111 by Ludwig van Beethoven 

Etudes (8) for Piano, Book 2 by György Ligeti 

http://www.npr.org/event/music...y-denk?autoplay=true

This was my transition into the Goldberg Variations via Dinnerstein.  I really enjoy Jeremy Denk and his amusing but interesting thoughts on everything music http://jeremydenk.net/blog/ 

I can only say if you have any interest in the music of Bach and in this case the Goldberg Variations, I implore you to spend the next half hour going through these.  I have paid for lessons with teachers that offer no insight into anything and for this reason, I would love to have a teacher like Jeremy Denk, who has an abundance of interesting ideas.  Here you get a free sense of how inspiring a good lesson can be like.  Notice he only ever talks about the music (intrinsic values) and its inner workings (history, counterpoint & theory etc.)?  Does it matter how you spell keyboard?  No, I think rather that Bach would be happiest knowing you too got joy out of solving the puzzles he created and experienced the real joy of music as a result.  There is a lifetime of fun and challenge here in this music.  The DNA video takes some time to load so be patient.

http://www.npr.org/event/music...ations?autoplay=true

http://www.npr.org/event/music...al-dna?autoplay=true

http://www.npr.org/event/music...ntrasting-variations

http://www.npr.org/event/music...rg-variations-pt-iii

1st play. Sounding very good

..liking it more in my 2nd spin..