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

The Best Of Steve Miller 1968-1973. On Capitol orange label vinyl. A 12 song compilation of the Space Cowboy's first eight LPs from 'Children Of The Future' through 'The Joker'.

http://www.gramophone.co.uk/re...as-other-piano-works

RATM - "Calm Like a Bomb" is awesome. Partly because it means that awful movie was over!

Because it is one of the greatest albums of our time.

Moravec's Mozart pieces.

Uchida's early Mozart pieces. 1984 Recording.

This disc covers Mozart's very first No.1 Sonata, No.14 from his middle period and his very last No.18, plus unusual Beethoven like Fantasy No.4.

Unusually theatrical presentation for Uchida. Particularly Adagio reminds me of some Kabuki theatre with sharp angular moves and long pauses ( Ma ) inserted here and there. She offers a greater clariy than Moravec with no stones unturned. Every note is spelt out without any ambiguity. But in turn the spontaneity and freedom are lost.

Stylistically I prefer Joao Pires' fresher, bouncier light hearted approach than Uchida's overly laborious and serious style. She needs to shake it up a bit like Mozart would have. 

She's one of the artist I have not been able to connect and her Mozart here didn't do it either.

Listening to No. 2 at the moment

The Doors. In Concert. On 2CDs from 1991. A lot of music from various venues, each CD is pretty much maxed for playing time, yet the editing is cohesive and the sound consistent throughout. Great music for a Saturday night.

Mozart C Minor Mass K.139: Abbado/Vienna Phil  1975 recording

In spite marked as C Minor, this is not as depressing as his later unfinished Requiem. Jubilant and dignified everything is in a good taste. No wonder I love the soprano voice. It’s Janowitz! That familiar non fatiguing bell like tone is out of this world. 

Beautifully choreographed chorus creates uplifting moods. Atho, musically simple,  Mozart hallmark sound is found on the scores. It’s difficult to fathom this is composed by a 12 year old child.

Streaming | FLAC

Another 'For Collectors Only' releases. Most like a mix of  segments of Encore and Ricochet with an orchestra in the background, strange since it was done around the time TD was working on Stratosfear.  Experimental in that it included an orchestra, It's better than the Oedipus Tyrannus Overture by TD in 1974 but nothing that outshines any of their classic Virgin albums. - Discogs

Slim I'm glad that you are trying Gazpacho. If you are enjoying them (as it seems you are) then I particularly recommend Night followed by March of Ghosts and Missa Atropos. You can listen over on Deezer Elite, so I assume Spotify and the like may well include them.

All The Best

Steve

A great classic album for summer.

Streaming | Bandcamp FLAC Download

(2012)

Very pleasant minimalistic ambient (downtempo) music from this lass, she has a good voice to accompany her own music  that someone described as "like icicles". Hauntingly beautiful, in a rather mournful way.

https://emilyunderhill.bandcamp.com/album/snow

My little playlist of tonight;

Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking (1988) in 24-192

Blood, Sweat & Tears - Blood, Sweat & Tears (1968) [Audio Fidelity 2015] in DSD.

Sounds

Oliver Nelson - The Blues and The Abstract Truth (1961) in DSD

Next in line,

Lee Morgan - Delightfulee (1966) in 24-192

Cheers!

Kuma, you may want to sample Alfred Brendel's last thoughts on this music. Late in his career, he recorded a few solo Mozart discs, which are curiously variable in quality - but the best of them are as good as you'll ever hear this music. And on a different instrument, Kristian Bezuidenhout on fortepiano achieves miracles in his ongoing series for HM.

EJ

Music Matters Vinyl.

A great record and great bunch of guys.

Is this the recent vinyl reissue? And if so how do you rate it?

Clive

Sorry cannot help on the SQ of the reissue, this is a recently purchased 1969 first UK pressing Vertigo Swirl label. However I suspect it will sound better than the reissue..   

Streaming | FLAC

(1972)

Just blowing the virtual dust off this one and giving it an airing.

In 1951, twelve young and promising italian musicians, mainly roman and mostly graduates of the at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome, got together "inter pares" to create a unique chamber orchestra comprising six violins, two violas, two cellos, one double bass and one harpsichord.

They chose the simple, yet nice, name I MUSICI and they deliberately decided to shape the ensemble without conductor. They did so in order to create an egalitarian relationship among the twelve colleagues and friends, which would bring to their music-making a unanimity on technical and interpretative questions. It was a very unconventional but unexpectedly suitable procedure. Notably, maestro Arturo Toscanini, on hearing them rehearsing in April 1952 at the Italian Radio studios, enthused over the young orchestra in front of journalists and musical personalities, and dedicated his photograph to the group with the words “bravi, bravissimi …no! la musica non muore”, (bravo, the music will not die).

I was privileged to see I Musici perform Vivaldi in Jerusalem in the early eighties.