What are you listening to and WHY might anyone be interested? (Vol.IX)
Posted by: Richard Dane on 01 January 2013
With 2013 upon us, it's time to start a fresh thread. I've gone back to an earlier thread title because often the "why" is the most interesting part of the post.
Anyway, links:
Volume VIII: https://forums.naimaudio.com/di...nt/12970396056050819
Volume VII: https://forums.naimaudio.com/di...6878604287751/page/1
Volume VI: https://forums.naimaudio.com/di...ent/1566878604097229
Volume V: https://forums.naimaudio.com/di...ent/1566878605140495
Volume IV: https://forums.naimaudio.com/di...ent/1566878605795042
Volume III: https://forums.naimaudio.com/di...ent/1566878607309474
Volume II: https://forums.naimaudio.com/di...ent/1566878606245043
Volume I: https://forums.naimaudio.com/di...ent/1566878607464290
Originally Posted by EJS:
One for the fans. I find her Chopin #2 is OKish but mostly either loud or subdued. She sounds lost in the Rachmaninov sonata. The Berceuse and Barcarolle are really fine.
EJ,
I agree with you on her Chopin and Rach.
You were quite generous with praise.
I found her Barcarolle extremely annoying to listen to. Her keyed up strong touch with a cool tone isn't quite appropriate for this mellow pensive tune. Lack of ambiguity is appreciated but she's a bit relentless with forced in your face phrasing throughout. Needs more variations and feeling in pianissimo. Compared both to say, Richter or even Rubinstein above, it's obvious she's out of depth in phrasing and subtle inflections. Does not show the same maturity of Martha, either.
Her Berceuse is also the same long the line. Sounds like a kid banging on a piano. A female version of Lang-Lang. :/
I am trying really hard to like her stuff tho.
Fair enough, Kuma, although a kid banging on a piano is probably taking it a bit far in the other direction. I gave up on her newer work after her recording of the Liszt sonata. Shallow and relentless to the point where she manages to turn this kaleidoscope of a work into a monochrome practice run. However I do like some of her early work, including a quirky Beethoven 4th.
Cheers,
EJ
Hi Kuma and EJ,
Yes, Grimaud is hit and miss so to speak. I like to think more hit than miss. She does come over a little bit of a pretentious person though...... but that matters not.
Her Chopin, definitely not my (or my Polish colleagues) cup of tea. BUT, I have a bit of an affection for her Brahms solo pieces - surprising considering, as a 'lassie', her hands are probably not so big. 
On CD:-
Good album, but just can't get over listening to the long first track and singing the Beatles song "If I Needed Someone'. It's one of the most blatent rip-offs I have heard. Sorry to repeat what's been commented on many times before by others on the Net, but it is rather embarrassing.
And to think George had to pay SO MUCH money to a nobody who wrote something that had a vague similarity to 'My Sweet Lord' 
On vinyl Mike Metheny Day In Night Out Superb recording/pressing
Originally Posted by EJS:
One for the fans. I find her Chopin #2 is OKish but mostly either loud or subdued. She sounds lost in the Rachmaninov sonata. The Berceuse and Barcarolle are really fine.
EJ,
I agree with you on her Chopin and Rach.
You were quite generous with praise.
I found her Barcarolle extremely annoying to listen to. Her keyed up strong touch with a cool tone isn't quite appropriate for this mellow pensive tune. Lack of ambiguity is appreciated but she's a bit relentless with forced in your face phrasing throughout. Needs more variations and feeling in pianissimo. Compared both to say, Richter or even Rubinstein above, it's obvious she's out of depth in phrasing and subtle inflections. Does not show the same maturity of Martha, either.
Her Berceuse is also the same long the line. Sounds like a kid banging on a piano. A female version of Lang-Lang. :/
I am trying really hard to like her stuff tho.
Fair enough, Kuma, although a kid banging on a piano is probably taking it a bit far in the other direction. I gave up on her newer work after her recording of the Liszt sonata. Shallow and relentless to the point where she manages to turn this kaleidoscope of a work into a monochrome practice run. However I do like some of her early work, including a quirky Beethoven 4th.
Cheers,
EJ
Hi Kuma and EJ,
Yes, Grimaud is hit and miss so to speak. I like to think more hit than miss. She does come over a little bit of a pretentious person though...... but that matters not.
Her Chopin, definitely not my (or my Polish colleagues) cup of tea. BUT, I have a bit of an affection for her Brahms solo pieces - surprising considering, as a 'lassie', her hands are probably not so big.
I have some of her material - based on good marketing....but I am not impressed by her playing. So I will not so easily be convinced anymore to buy something from her to give it again a try. Her latest DUO thing with Sol Gabetta is kind of okish....
First album of the night after power up.
Double Vinyl
Dmitri Matheny
STARLIGHT CAFÉ
1 Stardust
2 When Lights Are Low
3 Twilight World
4 Spring Skylight
5 Whisper, Muse
6 Geneva
7 Soca Nova
8 Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars)
9 Saturn's Child
10 When You Wish Upon a Star
Dmitri Matheny, flugelhorn; Darrell Grant, piano; Bill Douglass, bass
Martha's Lugano Festival 2006
I bought this CD when it came out but this is the first time actually I am *listening* to it for the first time.
Excellent sonics and ambiant. All instruments are close mic'd with great clarity and realistic tonal colours all around.
Good mix of familiar tunes as well as some unknown pieces. The overall balance is spot on and all musicians are working really close together giving the tunes exhilarating and fresh outlook.
George Benson: Body Talk
RVG recording.
To quote John Peel "The most flowing natural music i can remember hearing "
Why? Not played it for years! G
First spin. I like Hamelin's style in these works, so far
Regards,
EJ
On Vinyl
Savall and Koopman in their second recording of Bach's gamba sonatas. In terms of interpretation, this duo isn't as colourful as some but Savall's beautiful sound makes this an essential interpretation.
Cheers,
EJ
