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

Szell/London Symphony: Handel Water Music  1961 recording

Szell fast forwarded the clock by about 250 years and added a contemporary flair. Regal but keeping the score rhythmic and lively so never gets stuffy.

This is a Speakers Corner reissue so it's not the most natural sounding but it offers a great dynamics and quiet surface noise and HUGE soundstage. 

The music is realistic and colourful rather than looking at a collection of woodcut prints. So far it has the widest *girth*.

Included here on this album are two short lively pieces. Pastoral Menuet and Largo from Xerxes in particular,  is almost Elgar like flowery piece with a dash of Brahms. Beautifully orchestrated and Szell’s direction again, surprisingly heartfelt. Have a listen.

The Faithful Shepherd - Minuet ( arr. Beecham )

Xerxes - Largo (Arr. Reinhard)

The Doobie Brothers. Stampede. On original vinyl from 1975. After an all CD session yesterday, I've had a wonderful listening session with my vinyl side today. It's all been mid/late-1970s original pressings that to me epitomize the all-analog sound of the era and justify my romance with vinyl, despite its purported shortcomings

So What is the sq like on this? I was a subscriber to AF but stopped it earlier this year.

My go to version is the first Japanese pressing of the cd which is as smooth as silk.

Gentle playing by Javier..

Lee Ritenour: Rio 1982 US reissue of JVC Japanese only album originally released in 1979

This is the last of good sounding analogue album with funk fusion flavour from Ritenour's discography.

Markus Miller provided that groovy funky bass line intro of Rio Funk.

(2010)

Beck joined by a 64 piece orchestra for some tracks and by other artists Imelda May, Olivia Safe and Joss Stone. Tal Wilkenfeld on bass joins the band once again.

Great record!

Very special version of the famous pieces...

(2013)

Thrusting, powerful guitar from start to finish.

A 2003 recording.

Solo Monk

Hard to believe but it is true that this morning for the first time in my life I listened to the first 13 tracks of Solo Monk.  I have seen this album cover for my entire life but somehow never got around to it.  Thanks again Haim !

Leszek Możdżer:  Komeda

Another special treat for me thanks that I may never have heard or known about except through the good graces of Haim.  

If I ever downsize my music library, I think it would simply make sense just to dispose of everything I have and just import everything Haim has on his shelf.  If it isn't there, then it probably is not worth listening to.  I am sure it has something to do with his vetting skills but this without high standards and good taste take you no where. 

On loaned NDS/XP5XS through 2Qute. Very nice!

G

(1976)

A very nice old album from RT, great guitar, good vocals and melodies make up a nicely balanced CD. 

Steely Dan recorded during a session at the Record Plant in LA in 1974. Pre-FM.

Johannes Brahms:   Lars Vogt (piano), Tanja Tetzlaff (cello), Christian Tetzlaff (violin) 

Piano Trio No. 2 in C major, Op. 87

Piano Trio No. 3 in C minor, Op. 101

Piano Trio No. 1 in B major, Op. 8

Chamber music and solo piano music is simply my thing and with Brahms, he is the gold standard on both accounts.  We only have three piano trios from him with his first, the B major also going through a major revision.  Unless stated otherwise, most everyone records the final revision as is the case here.  These three trios offer just a glimpse into the genius of Brahms with a wealth of treasure contained in each.

The marvellous thing about pieces of music written in major keys is that major keys have a relative minor.  For example, the second trio in C major.  The contrast that occurs as you move into the second movement (Andante con moto) is really special for me.  Often, I find the inner movements of Brahms to be so incredibly special actually but will only highlight this one example.  When the theme is reintroduced in this Andante con moto it is from another world.  Brahms simply changes the rhythm and with its distant hushed tone this becomes such a symbol of unspoken beauty for me.  To find like minded people to play this music with is really the ultimate experience.  Moments like this are often short within the music but when it comes together it is very special to experience.  The hair on the back of your neck stands up, you no longer are physically sitting at your instrument as you in elation feel removed from this world and yet you feel the earthly need to fight back the tears.  When it ends, no one speaks for maybe 10 or 15 seconds which does feel like an eternity.  What could anyone say at moments like this?

There are simply too many examples of the miraculous here for me to speak of.  

Early DP.

Their first and my first Gomez album too. I'm enjoying it sounds pretty good to me. CD rip AIFF:-

More classic TD. This one dates from 1980 and is from a concert in East Berlin in the old DDR. Brilliant recording of a wonderful concert and only Johannes Schmoelling's second appearance with the group (his debut was a concert at the same venue earlier the same day).

Hi res. 

On vinyl. An okayish Weserberg Lp. Good background for Saturday morning house cleaning.

Florestan, it's good to see that others have discovered Leszek Możdżer. You might also like to try 'The Time' by Leszek Możdżer, Lars Danielsson & Zohar Fresco. I'm not at all keen on trad jazz but love some of the modern jazz coming out of northern Europe.

Going off at a tangent, can anyone tell me how to insert a screenshot from a locally stored file? The 'Insert/Edit Image' button only gives me the option of inserting a URL.

Happy listening,

David

SQ is good. Not sure if it is the go to copy. I only had a vinyl copy purchased in 1974. I needed a good digital version.

(1979)

You only have to read the back liner notes here to know why I'm listening to this one.