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
Played this earlier watching the might Hull City Tigers
Ludwig van Beethoven: Plamena Mangova (Piano)
The 2007 Queen Elisabeth piano competition was a notable year for me. Of course, Anna Vinnitskaya took the first prize and the second prize went to Plamena Mangova. Strong pianists, both in their own right, yet very different still both have that something special thing in there playing. Here, I certainly get on well with Mangova's Beethoven.
It seems if you win or place in the Queen Elizabeth you have that something special quality though for many of the years we don't always continue to hear from the Laureates. Sometimes those who place further down the list fair better than the first place finisher.
For piano, Emil Gilels was the very first winner of the competition in 1938 with Dame Moura Lympany (2nd) and way down in 7th was Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli.
The next competition winner was Leon Fleisher in 1952 but the class of 1956 seems to hold the record for a list of household names - Vladimir Ashkenazy (1st), John Browning (2nd), Cécile Ousset (4th), Lazar Berman (5th), Tamas Vasary (6th).
Other notable names for me are Anton Kuerti (4th) in 1964, Mitsuko Uchida (7th) in 1968, Cyprien Katsaris (9th) and Emanuel Ax (7th) both in 1972. Alexander Melnikov placed 5th in 1991 and from the latest 2013 competition, Boris Giltburg is on my radar and I'm certainly going to latch onto a couple of his latest recordings.
We certainly have some excellent top rank legacy pianists around whom I could not imagine living without but certainly I believe the embarrassment of riches still lays/lies? with so many great living pianist today - whether just starting out or those with 60 years or more on the ivories.
2 x LP - Sony/Legacy 2011 issue : )
Van Morrison "Born To Sing : No Plan B"
Tindersticks "The Hungry Saw"
This recording is sonic bliss. Very interesting meld of rock with classical. Definitely a positive outcome for Apocalytica.
Suzanne Vega "Close-up, Vol. 1, Love Songs"
Chilling out now with a nice glass of the red stuff and listening to this on the original black stuff.
In a similar vein as Tony, glass of red but the disc spinning on the CD3.
My album needs a clean - but I will give it a spin shortly
cd rip
Picking it up a notch now. This re-issue on CD is a fantastic chronicle of The Band playing live.
On Original 1984 Black!
Impeccably recorded, but performance isn't my cup of tea.
Original Living Stereo issues. Outstanding fidelity and pressing quality, one of the best sounding Beethoven's 9th so far.
This reading feels awfully *commercial* but I am thoroughly impressed with Reiner's handing of the CSO. Flashy than Ansermet more modern than Furtwangler. Dynamic and thrilling as Toscanini but not as much of sense of adventure. No wild ride here. I can feel the safe margin in Reiner's work.
I don't love it but I sure respect it.
I read that he was a mean sob, but there has been no conductor like Reiner ever since at CSO.
More 60's Brit blues
... on an 80's re-issue vinyl.