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

Some more folk after spending the afternoon at Crawley Folk Festival:-

Leo and Anto -Shovin' It,

Christy Moore - Live at the Point,

Touchstone - Winebarrel Jigtarrel, we saw this local Sussex band today. It's their 24th consecutive appearance at the Festival.

Doug, thanks again.

Poco Legend 1978 release.

The cover illustration by Phil Hartman. ( yes *that* same Phil Hartman )

Hit single "Crazy Love' is nauseating as I remember.

Argerich/Abbado: Prokofiev Piano Concerto No.3 1967 recording

Fearless young Argerich and round earthy Abbado combo works so well. LIke Rogers/Astaire paring where Rogers gave sex appeal and Astaire gave class.

Lang/Rattle/Berliner Prokofiev Piano Concerto No.3 2013 release.

Lang seems to shine in showy program like this than Chopin pieces. Altho, most of dynamic interests seem to be provided by the orchestra as piano comes off rather bland. I think I still prefer the *bad arse Martha* over goody two shoes Lang in overall attitude. 3rd movement has a tidal wave like tremendous dynamics and scale.

Not a bad all digital Sony production but no all analogue Decca.

I wish Sony would release more of new classical program on records. 

A very good interplay between piano, cello and French Horn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDqk_Y6J-WM

Thought it would be interesting to hear Katchen and Maag Mozart.

Wrong wrong wrong. Too heavy handed and flat. Katchen plays them like a typical girly overly sweet Mozart. 

Another vintage Mozart Piano Concerto from 1948 recording.

Schnabel/Süskind and Philharmonia

Fluid orchestra leads the 1st movement. There is no strong note definition so more of legato style in somewhat irregular tempo. PIano equally non committal and blends right into the orchestra. Schnabel’s fingering is blazing fast but note separation is not firm so somewhat unsatisfying feeling everything is hanging in the midair.

Romanze is more aristocratic than heart felt. Altho Schnabel’s delicate handling is quite skilful and intimate without sounding saccarine sweet. The final movement sounds too busy as if he lost any interest and just wants to end the tune and hurry home.

These vintage Mozart did not age well.

(2014)

Just playing CD 1 of 2 for now

 'Sir John Eliot Gardiner's Hebrides must be one of the most thrilling ever recorded, adding volleys of sea-spray to well-navigated execution' -- Rob Cowan Gramophone Editor's Choice, January 2015

Demidenko's single Schubert album for Hyperion includes, amongst others, a performance of the Wanderer-Fantasie that, in its subtlety and buildup of momentum, has to be heard to be believed. A very impressive set of discs.

EJ

Streaming | CD FLAC rip

(1999)

Appliance have been one of my favourite finds of recent times. They only made four albums but all to a consistently high standard, this one was their debut.

"The songs are deliberate and patient, building on steady rhythms. Appliance handle repetition as deftly as Stereolab does. The washes of synth and subtle textures of their homemade devices are perfect additions to the clean, chugging guitar and bass rhythms. The vocals are somewhat detached, coldly and smoothly filtering through the music..." - An Amazonian

Schulhoff's works on this release are a real find - excellent modern classical music, and played with passion by the colourful Dutch/British all-female Ragazze Quartet. The recording, here in its hires PCM guise, is excellent.

EJ

I have a strange fascination with these works - these three sonatas seem to capture Schumann's tortured and split soul better than any other work in his output. Tetzlaff/Vogt play these works with a combination of technical accomplishment and hypersensitivity to the musical line that recalls the Zimmermann Trio's Beethoven recordings. You have to be really, really good to be able to impose this level of micromanagement and still let the music speak for itself. These guys pull it off.

EJ

Hi Guys, I have now downloaded this from the Barrow website in both Flac and 320k mp3. My Nac172 can see the mp3 file but not the Flac. Some learning to do!

The Stranglers. On vinyl

Streaming | CD FLAC rip

(2000)

Another Appliance.

Often 'super groups' or pairings of jazz 'giants' can fall a bit flat. Not this one.

G

From the Mono vinyl box set.

I'm Alive

He definitely was on this 1993 release

Sounding great on the original vinyl

Streaming | Deezer Elite

(2012)

My first listen to this one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...st=RDlkeaU2zFE1A#t=0

 The two sonatas, originally written for clarinet, marked the end of an intense period of depression for Brahms, during which his creative energies had all but faded. Kashkashian's viola is carrying us into new depths of this arresting music.

Great choice, Steve. Must revisit this album sometime. 

I would be very, very interested in having this disc but alas, it does not seem to be available at any of my usual sources of new product (at normal prices).  Of course, you can buy it used for hundreds of dollars.  I could get an Archive cd from Hyperion I guess and it might come out to $50 or $60 which is looking like a deal now.