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

Music of the cousins:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyMb0eqcOdA

Awadagin Pratt Beethoven Piano Sonata No.30 1994 recording

Soft, dainty and boring. 

His articulation can be a bit vague and in spite frequent dynamic shift, it appears very little emotional take away. The tunes have no tension or anticipation they sound lazy.

On vinyl.

I'll take that as a non-recommendation.

matt,

I think that everyone should try it and see if he/she likes it.

It's utterly torturous for me but there are other people who would like this. By listening to bunch, I know I prefer others which keep me closer to this score.

This stuff is so subjective as a hifi.

Alboran Trio: Meltemi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLxGL9rNKa4

Another try for Marin Alsop. This time her Brahms Symphony 1 with London Phil. 2004 recording

Alas, this is worse than her Prokofiev!

Insipid and uninspired. 

Just about the only time there is any interest is an intimate solo fiddle in the 2nd movement yet minute the orchestra joins it ruins it. Dynamically challenged this is murky as running dirty dish water.

Reflected by you I still treat it as no go, I respect your judgement on these matters....

First spin: Symphony #1 this morning, from a fairly recent complete set by the BBC Philharmonic, under John Storgards. Storgards has some interesting views - the effect of timpani and brass is more pronounced than usual, the string sections seems dialed back in relative terms. In approach, he follows in the footsteps of Colin Davis - a fundamentally bleak, but not overdramatized account, and - at first listen - slightly episodic. Sound quality I'll be able to judge better when I get the chance to run this at proper volume. Good times for lovers of Sibelius and Nielsen.

EJ

Streaming | FLAC Download from Bandcamp

(2015)

Ambient, experimental longform drone that's very reminiscent of music used in sci-fi movies. This one is very tranquil and quite hypnotic.

Streaming | CD FLAC rip

(1970)

Hardly a fitting album cover at the moment but just looking at it cools me down

:-), you just delivered another argument to not check this one out, perhaps I will listen to it on a streaming service....then at least it doesn't cost me anything.....

I do not own this or even know which sonatas are being played but me thinks that Kuma & EJ are being a tad harsh in the judgements?  I don't know but I can't imagine that it is as bad as is being projected.

If smoothness or lack of aggressiveness is its only fault then I would be willing to give this a go.  I wouldn't say that this is the end of the world.  Possibly not to everyones tastes or expectations for sure but not agreeing with an interpretation doesn't mean that it is necessarily unworthy.  Who knows, I may not get on with this either but I think that anyone who can play this music or have the guts to even play this music deserves some praise.  I'm weird this way and so I make a terrible music critic which is a bit of an oxymoron in the first place.

I like the colour blue and strangely some have the audacity to like periwinkle instead?  Everything is open to interpretation.

Superb southern soul. Highly recommended.

Streaming | CD FLAC rip

(1970)

Nice to listen to this again.

I would like to audition the ATC SCM 40 V2 speakers to the above album and see what happens..

It's strange, I have always liked Santana and have tried to get into this album on and off for over forty years. Unfortunately it still does not do it for me. 

Streaming | CD FLAC rip

(1969)

No. it's not. Alsop's Brahms is worse.

This sounds superbly musical, clear and present with the new TQB speaker cable in place of the NACA5. An album I know really well reveals new pleasures.

FLAC from NAS via UQ2 & Chord 2 Qute.

G

Maybe we should start a thread on this... could be a blast until it will turn nasty, around post #8

EJ

Yes we could start a thread on the worst recording of all time.....

Hip-hop/jazz fusion - classic sounds by Art Blakey, Horace Silver, and Herbie Hancock remixed