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

There are always a Hamelin or two on the coffee table.

Streaming from FLAC ripped CD

Ulrich Schnauss - A Strangely Isolated Place

On vinyl:-

Ultravox - Vienna

Armeinian jazz pianist building himself a good following across Europe....

I collected my daughter from Heathrow Airport this morning after a visit to the US and this, along with four other LPs were in her suitcase. 

Analogue Productions Prestige Mono Series vinyl. Heavenly Miles Davis.

A pedant speaks:

The Floyd never played Hammersmith Odeon/Apollo in 1974 (in fact I don't think they ever played there).They did however play four nights at the Empire Pool (now Wembley Arena) in November...

ACR, Sextet, original 1982 Factory pressing. Just come over all early 1980s again...

I stand corrected.  It's the BBC 1974 Jap Import disc ripped to HDX......don't know where I got Hammermith from.

Anyway, on to this now. G

My usual Sunday morning - Great Sacred Music program on WCPE. 

Mmm...some interesting sounds in Graeme's house and Steve J's house today, although Graeme I prefer Yes with Steve Howe!!

Anyway this has been my musical pleasure so far today:

followed by:

BTW has anyone heard 'Birds of Fire' from the recently released Columbia boxset? I was wondering if it has been cleaned up so that the cymbals at the start sound more like, well, cymbals?

ATB, CB

Orbital, The Middle of Nowhere (London records, 1999). Double vinyl. For old time's sake, and for my old mate Jonesy (Orbital's former press officer) who died two years ago today (IIRC).

Alway had a soft spot for this '58 sextet recording.

G

Streaming from FLAC ripped CD

The Newport Music Festival:  In memory of Sergio Fiorentino

Frédéric Chopin recital (live)

Preludes from Op. 28:

 - No. 15 in D Flat Major

 - No. 16 in B Flat Minor

 - No. 17 in A Flat Major

 - No. 23 in F Major

Waltzes:

- E Flat Major Op. 18

- C Sharp minor Op. 64 No. 2

Nocturnes:

- D Flat Major, Op. 27 No. 2

- F Sharp Major, Op. 15 No. 2

Etudes from Op. 10:

- No. 4 in C Sharp minor

- No. 6 in E Flat minor

- No. 8 in F Major

- No. 10 in A Flat Major

Mazurkas:

- C Sharp minor Op. 50 No. 3

- B Flat Major Op. 7 No. 1

- B minor Op. 33 No. 4

- D Major Op. 33 No. 2

Polonaise in C Sharp minor Op. 26 No. 1

Ballade in A Flat Major Op. 47

Encores:

- Waltz in A Flat Major Op. 42

- Waltz in D Flat Major Op. 64 No. 1

I have Haim to thank for introducing me to Sergio Fiorentino - a very great and important pianist in my view!  His style approaches that of grand old playing that is personable and very genuine - qualities that are nearly absent from those caught up with fame and in the business of marketing and selling records.  He does add the low octave occasionally where the music calls for it.   No, this isn't how it is written but once in a while the music can benefit from highlighting wonderful points of attraction.  I do it occasionally too and it feels really good to do so!  (especially with a 9' concert grand where the long low strings can add such a wonderful character to the sound stage)

I could write all day here about why each piece is very special and why Fiorentino's playing is especially pleasing to me but I'll limit myself only to one - a very special piece to me and one I will resurrect today for myself - the E-flat minor Etude.

Here Fiorentino takes the piece in the direction it needs to go.  This piece evokes sadness and has tragedy written all over it but Chopin doesn't suggest you grab a tissue - it is a profound sadness yet very stoic on the surface.  For this you need to maintain and shape the tune with a melancholy expressiveness, play the secondary layer of notes extremely legatissimo but most importantly you need to hear the music breath.   Fiorentino does this all quite admirably.

And while I hate comparing and criticizing others I find many other pianist (while all interpretations are still perfectly valid) do not suit my own temperament or the same vision I have with this music. In this example, in my opinion, it is speed that kills everything and many well known pianists who are lauded over and over as the best miss the mark on this 6th Etude (there are other pieces which call for virtuosity that speed is of the essence and they may win there).  Pollini comes to mind but I don't want to offend anyone so I'll just think this thought with my inside voice - hee hee. 

In this piece, I think the most interesting aspect of it is what I believe constitutes a musically joke from Chopin.  As you can hear the minor key of E-flat minor and the understand the way I described it above the surprise is on the very last note.  With this sense of dyeing away (in the minor key) the very last note (yes a single note changes the key when heard against some held notes that are dying away) changes the context to E-flat major (major keys being happy / optimistic).  This is ingenious and leaves the listener with many questions and you can discuss the meaning of this for a very long time.  Is there really a silver lining behind every cloud? I think Sergio Fiorentino prepares us well for this surprise by timing the delay and surprise very well and clearly.

Again, I am very happy to have been introduced to Sergio Fiorentino - a new pianist for me that matches my own character very well in many ways.  His life story is very interesting and not the least how he happened to have gotten revived back onto the stage by a fan in Germany.

All the Best,

Doug

I am new to EST, but must say I am really enjoying this retrospective very much indeed ..Vinyl

I know that this album is not to everyone's taste SQ wise! However, the songs & music are superb imo..Vinyl.

Unkle : War Stories

Not the group's best album by any means, but contains two of their best-ever songs ("Regret" and "Special"). On vinyl (orig 1993 pressing):

This LP was also in the small pile of records brought back from the US today. An unusual album but with some very good tracks. SQ spot on as expected from a Classic Records issue. This one only cost $5 from Acoustic Sounds. A veritable bargain.

Haven't played this in a very long time as I tend to go for DSOTM, WYWH, Echoes, Animals etc when I want a bit of Floyd. It's an old CD version on EMI label. Listening now I really should dig it more often.  

Not seen a lot of John on here recently.... Original - Island Vinyl.