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

Bach's Two & Three Parts Inventions and French Suite No. 5 BWV 816 played  by Fellner with a subtle but lucid reading.

Streaming | FLAC Download

Dronescape 026 by Cousin Silas (2015)

"Dronescape 026 … yes, the twenty-sixth instalment in Cousin Silas’ longform series … is worthy addition to his post-sixty minute canon. In fact, it is a fine addition to his body of work". - Bandcamp Comment

Frédéric Chopin:  Irina Bogdanova (piano)

Etudes Op. 10

Etudes Op. 25

Etudes Op. Posth

Technical competence and clarity is on display here for sure.  Very nice playing for sure but my only quibble would be regarding the recorded sound quality which suffers somewhat for being slightly harsh sounding.

Frédéric Chopin:  Miroslav Kultyshev (piano)

Etudes Op. 10

Etudes Op. 25

Miroslav Kultyshev stepped in at the last minute as a replacement for this Opus 34 Festival recording.  Quite a remarkable recital this recording.

Not better than Bogdanova but very different in style and approach.  Kultyshev is very much more the poet, musician and artist, in my opinion.  He takes his time and make thing happen in the music.  Don't focus on the odd wrong note; don't bother to focus on facial expression - these things unfortunately remain clearly in the domain of the majority of immature 14 years olds who post inane comments on youtube and other such forums.

LISTEN !  That is all you need is two ears that are connected to your heart and soul.  While he has an incredible technique that is not what fascinates me in his playing.  It is actually rare to have both technique and musicality and with Kultyshev, the technique is only there to serve the musicality.  As a result, I personally hear the fascinating things he is doing with the music whereas with the majority of pianist one could say you hear the notes but the music is absent.

I wish I had time to put into words what I hear and that I find very special.  It is really about the little things he does and the time he takes to inflect and work phrasing or put that special extra touch on the musical meaning.

Not Chopin but a couple examples of Liszt studies.  Because of this music's severe technical demands maybe not the best examples to illustrate fully the poetry in his playing but there are a few slower moments and if you care to listen you will still hear the difference (compared to others if you are familiar with this music).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...ge&v=-j6FfOn-hy0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...ge&v=LQPX_r7ifZA

Streaming | CD FLAC rip

(1996)

It's a very long time since I have listened to Sting, putting that right now.

has someone listen to the

2014 - HD Remaster?

Streaming | CD FLAC rip

(1974)

While putting this on I'm wondering where Charwallah previously a regular contributor to this forum has got to? He was a huge 'Zappa,  'Ozrics and Hawkind devotee, it must be fourt months or so since he's posted.

John Mayall: Blues From Laurel Canyon

A Bandcamp item. Diverse.

Delightful chamber music for the afternoon. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_o-pZuHuzo

Lynard Skynard: Second Helping

Because...

Well I heard Mister Young sing about her
Well I heard ole Neil put her down
Well, I hope Neil Young will remember
A southern man don't need him around any how

Richard

Drive-By Truckers - Southern Rock Opera

"Now Ronnie and Neil became good friends their feud was just in song
Skynyrd was a bunch of Neil Young fans and Neil he loved that song
So He wrote "Powderfinger" for Skynyrd to record
But Ronnie ended up singing "Sweet Home Alabama" to the lord

And Neil helped carry Ronnie in his casket to the ground
And to my way of thinking, us southern men need both of them around"

Nice one Gary

Thanks for the reminder,

Richard

Two excellent albums from last year...

Both on vinyl.

Add "War", "Under a Blood Red Sky" and this is all you need to know about U2 (Achtung Baby was actually pretty good, too).

Pendragon, Pure on CD. Seen it on this thread and looked it up. Very glad I did too. I can see some of their back catalogue heading my way

Rush, Roll The Bones, last album before bed.  24 bit flac via Audirvana/hugo

Have both recordings! But 2 of them are enough. Maybe add "October" as well?

hi res 24/96

The Best Of Tommy James & The Shondells. On Roulette vinyl from 1969. I heard Billy Idol's cover of 'Mony Mony' on the radio while driving home and was inspired to play this. Some excellent psychedelic pop songs but sadly the original mono tracks were "electronically rechanneled" to stereo.

I've discovered a new pianist I like!

Ronald Brautigam. This is his 1993 recording of Schumann's piano pieces.

He plays youthful early piece ( Allegro Op.8 ) through one of composers last piece (Gesänge der Frühe Op.133) emotional pains and inner thoughts. Brautigan is able to show the maturing of the composer’s work.

Expressive timing coupled with clear and concise note delivery makes the tune refreshing and direct.

Good stuff Slim68, I can recommend "Not of This World" from 2001 and "Passion" from 2011 to get you  started with some of their back catalogue.