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

Bianconi, on a Yamaha but quite a colorful one, in one of the most persuasive sets of Debussy's preludes I know. Sound quality is magnificent.

EJ

While reflectiNg back on high end Munich listening to something I heard today on a AVM - Gauder Set (quite good By the way).

Been having a bit of a Led Zep day today.  I have a particular memory of this album from all those years ago when I and many other Zep fans were awaiting its release. The Radio Times indicated that the Old Grey Whistle Test was going to play something from it, so I and a friend watched the programme with great anticipation.  And Bob introduced the song and played No Quarter, supported by a video. It wasn't at all what we expected but both of us were still 'wowed'. 

Streaming wav  

Cyndi Lauper. Hat Full Of Stars. On vinyl from 1993, UK version pressed in Holland. I came across this, Lauper's fourth album, recently in the used vinyl shop. I have her first two LPs and this one is musically similar, but with heavier percussion and a strong dance-music sound.

Had again a listen to be able to give an educated answer to a fellow forum member

2009 is the right year for the CD remaster, but Abbey Road was issued only in stereo. The White Album was the last Beatles album issued in mono.

Streaming wav..Not played it in ages and first play on the 272 sounding very impressive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H75yUpi5wfw

Love the Sco!

Currently playing

Frederic Chopin:  Louis Lortie

Volume 4:

19 Waltzes

5 Nocturnes

While I'm not a fan of recordings that mix music up (for example, mix the Impromtus and alternate with Scherzi, Nocturnes etc) and I am also not always a fan of the Fazioli piano sound, this criticism ranks as really a non-essential in the beefs department.  Simply my own tastes vs. someone else's.

Now for the hard part.  I support Louis Lortie and always have since I must have every one of his recordings.  The tricky part is that Chopin is a core composer for any pianist (at least for me, anyway) and I feel such a strong tug-of-war in my heart after listening to say the Waltzes here.  Maybe I am so mannered in my view or interpretation (and I don't really care what anyone else thinks because I only play to please myself) already since I am just shocked how straight or unmannered Lortie plays his Chopin.  For better or worse, I simply like a modest amount of character in my music.

So while I am showing my colours, I might as well put on the record that I do not relate well to Chopin played so straight (without emotion) like many would play Baroque or early classical music on a harpsichord.  It amounts to just a pile of notes for me - black dotes on a page that a computer could mechanical and accurately punch out.  Second, I don't like Chopin played by football players (heavy handed and very forward, loud or ultra-masculine).  

While Lortie certainly doesn't fall in to point number 2 he pushes the uncoloured interpretation here.  The Nocturnes for some reason seem to fair better than the waltzes for me.  I think with further listens and time I may regret saying anything here as the playing is quite assured and strong and certainly excels in many aspects.  Today I simply had different ideas and wanted to be inspired in a different way.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart:  Marc-Andre Hamelin (Klavier)

Piano Sonatas

Shana Cleveland and the Sandcastles.

How do you like it ?

This is a brilliant album as is Uberjam. Also try to listen to a BBC R3 broadcast from at least 10 years ago when he performed a lot of Uberjam with the band he had then. I luckily recorded this to cd as one long track.

Thanks for that Joe I should have known that but wasn't sure, I should have taken the time to look it up.

Streaming | Spotify Premium

Hopkinson Smith ~ A Portrait 

Here he plays from a number of composers, as ever making the Lute sound wonderful, a pleasant way to start off the day.

Streaming | Spotify Premium

Hopkinson Smith | Francesco da Milano ~ Il Divino (2009)

My first opportunity to listen to this courtesy of Spotify. An Amazonian commenter wrote the following about the composer(s) and their place in history: 

"Francesco Canona or Canova was born near Milan in 1497 and died in 1543. It was his place of birth rather than his family name which was almost exclusively used when referring to him during his professional life. He was the personal lutenist in Rome to Cardinal Ippolito de Medici and to Popes Leo X (1513-1521), Clement VII (1523-34), and Paul III (1534-1549). Francesco's first printed works date from 1536. In that year, three publications appeared, two of which were devoted only to works by Francesco. The third was an anthology in which his music can be found alongside anonymous dances and pieces by his contemporaries. The works which have survived are of two types, Fantasias or Recercars, and vocal works, of which there are two in this program. Several anonymous dances also appear in this selection which are taken from Castigliono's book of 1536. Also included is one dance by their contemporary, Alberto da Mantova, who is also represented in the 1536 book and who was lutenist to François I in France where he was know as Albert de Rippe"

Steve, if you're into this music and you haven't heard him before, check out Andrew Lawrence King both as a soloist and with his Harp Consort.

He's an expert in renaissance music and plays a lot of lute transcriptions to period harp. 

You can check him out on Spotify here, but his best (IMO) two solo albums "Harp Music Of The Italian Renaissance" and "The Harp Of Ludovico" are on Hyperion (hence not Spotty).

The former album would be a contender for my Desert Island Discs. It's here and is available as a £5.99 download from Hyperion.

Thanks very much Nick for that great information and lead. I have only newly come in to music of this vintage after following the likes of Smith, O'Dette and North via their lute playing, this in turn is leading me to various earlier renaissance work. I shall surely download your Hyperion recommendation (squeezed in between bandcamp music of totally different style and era!) 

Blues Pills...Live  on Vinyl  Great live recording of this fantastic blues/rock/psychedelic band the female lead has a very Janis Joplin vibe worth checking out its got a real 60s/70s feel but still sounding very now.