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

CD

On vinyl:-

Local s/market - £3.00. Recordings are not that brilliant but good enough for the car.

this morning at workout..

I've had Seal's first two albums for a long time and I play both quite often as they are favourites of mine. Thought it was about time I explored some of his later albums. This one arrived today. Early impressions are favourable.

MDS 

on vinyl, followed by:

Also on vinyl.

Any new recording of St-Matthew's Passion is an event, and HM evidently didn't cut on expenses for this one. Jacobs adopts the same format as Veldhoven two years ago, by placing first and second chorus across from each other. It's a lot more audible this time, however with chorus II clearly behind I on the stereo layer. As for the performance, I'll allow it to sink in a bit. Jacobs has made many choices which makes this performance stand out from the pack, including quite novel tempos and instrumentation. By taking a more varied approach than usual, the performance definitely gains energy and subjective speed, but maybe there is a cost in the sheer emotional impact the work is capable of. Too early to tell, but in any case there is a lot here to admire. The work has been described as Bach's most operatic work, and that certainly comes out with Jacobs. All singers are Jacobs regulars, and sound committed. No counter tenors in the main line-up; presumably Jacobs enjoys the company of Bernarda Fink too much, and who can blame him. Her voice no longer sounds a pristine as a few years ago but she still has that magnetic quality and her intense Erbarme dich (a tad faster than usual) is a highlight. Recording quality is exceptional.

Cheers,

EJ

^ Agreed EJ.   I'm with you on your assessment.  In the last week I've been thinking about this recording too and I'm starting to think part of me likes this since it feels infectious since all the players in it seem passionately connected and of one mind.  Watching Bernarda Fink in the DVD and listening to her Erbarme dich certainly has resonated with me and in a very nice way.

Doug

Piers Lane (Piano), Goldner String Quartet 

Quintet for Piano and Strings in G minor, Op. 30 by Sergei Taneyev 

On vinyl.

Car music today.

Mahler, who hated all extraneous noise, threw out singers’ fan clubs, cut short applause between numbers, glared icily at talkative concertgoers, and forced latecomers to wait in the lobby.

Still chipping away at Mahler's Symphonies.

I need a cheat sheet to remember all.

The Doors. The Soft Parade. On 180 g Rhino Vinyl from 2009.

The Doors. The Doors. Electra butterfly label 1971 pressing.

Earlier:  Heather Masse & Dick Hyman - Lock My Heart

A member of the Wailin' Jennys doing a jazz album. 

Now:  M.Ward -  Post-War

Two very different approaches on Impromptus.

I am pleasantly surprised I am enjoying Andreas Staier playing a copy of 1827 Graf pianoforte. This was not what I expected from a period instrumentalist.

It is Warm and atmospheric but nice intimate recording. Perhaps Slightly closed down and does not have a crystal clear perspective but no peakiness in upper registers. It gives a realistic tonal colours and presence. Surprising that period instrument has this much bottom end.

This piano player is unknown to me. He's got a really nice lyrical and unassuming attitude and tonal warmth that gives the tunes intimate and personal feel. There are no virtuoso moments which in my head, is closer to the composer's own playing. He's got the singing hands and the piano becomes almost like a time machine going back in Schubert's time. There is a fair amount of blooms than say, a modern Steinway, so Staier lets the note breath a bit longer which creating a lovely life like living soundscape. I also very much like the way he ends the final movement without a definitive closure.

Lewis' Op.142 is a macho Schubert with an exceptional clarity which at times feel too heroic. Refreshing but astringent.

Blimey! That's a blast from the past Tony.

I love your posts, they always prompt me to dig out something I haven't heard in decades.

Two from this morning on original vinyl.

A Floyd boot on CD

This is one of the very best recordings from the June 1973 US tour. Energetic performances of "Obscured by Clouds", "When You're In", a superlative "Set the Controls...", "Careful with that Axe, Eugene", "Echoes", "DSOTM" and "One of These Days".

A pretty good recording for the time - not hi-fi of course, but perfectly listenable. What makes it is the intensity of the performance. Gilmour, especially is on fire. Probably the best show of this particular tour (at among the ones I've heard).

OK, now working my way through Arve Henrickson's "Solidfication" 7-LP box set:

Recordings: Bergamo, May 1985

Nothing not to like about this splendid Quartet version, delving deep into sincerity with fluid rhythmic pace.

Very enjoyable for my first listen : )

Debs

Original Vinyl