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

Posted by: Richard Dane on 31 December 2013

Posted on: 13 April 2014 by Geofiz

Posted on: 13 April 2014 by Stevee_S

Streaming FLAC

Posted on: 13 April 2014 by matt podniesinski

Posted on: 13 April 2014 by Geofiz

On Rhino Vinyl

Great recording and great before heading off to play some hockey.

Posted on: 13 April 2014 by matt podniesinski

Posted on: 13 April 2014 by bishopla

Jean Sibelius Symphony No. 5 in E Flat Major, Op. 82; Original 1915 Version, En Saga, Op.9 Original 1892 Version

Lahti Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra), Osmo Vanska (Conductor) | Format: Audio CD

Posted on: 13 April 2014 by ewemon

Posted on: 13 April 2014 by Bert Schurink

..during workout...

Posted on: 14 April 2014 by Richard D

Posted on: 14 April 2014 by kuma

Originally Posted by George J:

I wonder though ... After all we don't serve Beethoven up in Brahms sized loaves, as a rule, and sometime I think Beethoven's Concertos at least have as much in common with Mozart's as anything that followed Beethoven.

But the prospect is fascinating all the same.

Neither Solti nor Ashkenazy are artists I warm too, and not even Solti in Wagner, but i would bet that the two together might make a supreme case for a romantic [thessis/antitheseis] reading of the classical Beethoven's Piano Concertos!

Thanks for the heads-up as I had never heard of these long ago made recordings!

My latest recordings - this weekend on CD though replacing LP parted with 24 years ago - are the Klemperer legacy EMI "bleeding chunks" of Wagner, and very dramatic and powerful they are from a real Beethoven exponent!

George,

I am not certain this Ashkenazy/Solti paring is entirely successful. There is certainly a slight disconnect, particularly on the No.1 & 2 where those early works are closer to Mozartian smaller compact feel than this gigantic super-sized orchestral backdrop. Decca's Kenneth Wilkinson was the engineer on this set so the fidelity is excellent.

There isn't much of a POV so I start to wonder. A huge tub of textures and thunderous lower strings created by Solti feels like being inside a cave. All those sound effects do not help their stilted cardboard like performance.

Speaking of Solti's Wagner, I have his complication Cd with ( CSO ). I don't care very much for his busy rendering with obligatory CSO brass blaring gets in the way of story telling. Solti gets the bigness and lofty feel but it's rhythmically stilted and laboured over. Sounds like an elephant trying to get up whilst someone dropped a thousand china on a marble floor. :/

I love the Klemperer Conducts Wagner. He manages to retain the grand scale and polish yet the music does not sound commercial or common.

Posted on: 14 April 2014 by kuma

Brahms Piano Concerto No.2: This reissue off the 78's ( 1940 recording ) isn't hifi yet I get the drama and scale of the score well. Toscanini/Horowitz pairing created a remarkable musicianship and creative artistries that even today their performance is refreshing.

Posted on: 14 April 2014 by Kevin-W

On CD. A collection of ads, jingles and other works by the great Barry "Thunderbirds/Capt Scarlet/Joe 90/UFO/Stngray/Space 1999" Gray: