What are you listening to and WHY might anyone be interested? (Vol. XI)
Posted by: Richard Dane on 31 December 2014
On the cusp of 2015, we start a new thread...
Anyway, links:
Volume X: https://forums.naimaudio.com/to...-be-interested-vol-x
Volume IX: https://forums.naimaudio.com/to...16#22826037054683416
Volume VIII: https://forums.naimaudio.com/di...nt/12970396056050819
Volume VII: https://forums.naimaudio.com/di...6878604287751/page/1
Volume VI: https://forums.naimaudio.com/di...ent/1566878604097229
Volume V: https://forums.naimaudio.com/di...ent/1566878605140495
Volume IV: https://forums.naimaudio.com/di...ent/1566878605795042
Volume III: https://forums.naimaudio.com/di...ent/1566878607309474
Volume II: https://forums.naimaudio.com/di...ent/1566878606245043
Volume I: https://forums.naimaudio.com/di...ent/1566878607464290
200g AP vinyl - no particular reason, except that I think it's the best of the Floydian solo albums
Streaming | FLAC
(1990)
Dusty's so called come-back album produced and influenced by the Pet Shop Boys. As ever with all things Dusty, her unique voice continues to shine through and reaches out to all who want to listen to her.
Still my favourite late night record, particularly the last two tracks:
One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer
The Waterfront
Franz Liszt: Marylin Frascone (piano)
Après une lecture de Dante (Fantasia quasi Sonata)
Au lac de Wallenstadt
Funerailles
En rêve S 207 (Nocturne)
Waldesrauschen (Dans le bois) S 145,1
Gnomenreigen (Ronde des lutins) S 145
Nuages gris (Trübe Wolken) S 199
Totentanz (Danse macabre) (Paraphrase über Dies irae) S 525 (für Klavier)
Lacrimosa (nach Mozarts Requiem d-moll KV 626)
I first came across Marylin Frascone a few weeks ago and this is the first CD I received from various orders. I have a few Transart Live recordings and this one, like the rest, is very good indeed. The recorded capture is stunning in fact as is the playing. I love the bass sections and I would be surprised if she isn't playing on a Steinway as I hear the perfect Steinway bass character here. Just wonderful. So if this disc is a hint of what is to come then I have found yet another gem with Marylin Frascone.
I am so glad I never really bought in to the notion that Richter or Fischer and all the great artist from a period of 100 or 75 or 50 years ago were the only ones to offer something special to us as musicians. Yes, these men were phenomenal artists but to go alongside them we have such a wide choice of equally stunning living artists today. Why not experience them too and support them?
The dog barking at the beginning sounds like he's in the yard next door. My speakers are in phase!
Yes, that effect on this album has caught me out a few times as I have a dog in the house and I've got up thinking he was barking at the back door wanting to get into the house!
From a huge pile of things I'm supposed to review, so I'm tackling them. On CD - a (thus far, three tracks in) superb collection of Florida funk and disco from the 1970s:
Streaming | FLAC
(1969)
I have been having a real problem getting Santana's music out of my head these past weeks, failing badly, I have got to scratch that itch (yet again)!
Quality CD collection of rare jazz vocal records from the 1960s, on the estimable Jazzman label:
Gazpacho, Tick Tock on CD through some new B&W P7 headphones that are amazingly good. First listen. I have seen this group pop up on here a few times so thought I'd give them a try. So far so good.
Then onto Demons. I like this from the first listen, but think it will grow on me even more.
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
Hi Steve,
I feel another order is on the cards 
. It is so good seeing what others are listening to and checking them out, I have found a couple of great groups because of this forum. Love it.
Simon.
Great box set.
This is his last studio recording and compared to his earlier D960 recorded back in the 50s, it is more intimate and NOT *show time like. Subtle Horowitz touches particularly on the back end of the program.
Horowitz, the show man, still remains not as intimate and bare all as Richter set.
He's more at home with a dreamy Schumann program.
Good god. I should have looked at what I wrote before posting. :/
DP,
Hope you find the CD. I think this and his earlier Carnegie concerto recording back in the 50s is the only commercially available. A lot of bootleg recording off his concerts but this is only Horowitz's studio recording of D960.
Originally Posted by EJS: 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,
Which Brendel Mozart pieces do you recommend?
Never heard of Kristian Bezuidenhout. I often wonder how Mozart's piece sounded on his fortepiano over overly muscled Steinway.
Piano has developed and progressed from Mozart era to Beethoven's classical period but interestingly, some of these Mozart pieces played on a modern piano sounds a bit like a Beethoven!
My ideal Mozart player is Gulda attitudinally it feels he's got the right pizzazz for the composer to me.
Bu I can't claim I have done an extensive survey on Mozart sonatas.
Streaming | FLAC
Gazpacho, Tick Tock on CD through some new B&W P7 headphones that are amazingly good. First listen. I have seen this group pop up on here a few times so thought I'd give them a try. So far so good.
Then onto Demons. I like this from the first listen, but think it will grow on me even more.
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
Hi Steve,
I feel another order is on the cards . It is so good seeing what others are listening to and checking them out, I have found a couple of great groups because of this forum. Love it.
Simon.
Yep Simon, It can be a good place to discover music both new and old or even to be encouraged into trying stuff you never thought that you might actually enjoy. It does unfortunately make my wallet wince from time to time though! 
Neil's 36th studio album
On vinyl,
Richard
Streaming | FLAC
Join you with the original US vinyl record. It still sounds magnificent after all these years.
More from Jazzman records, on CD, this time a compilation of indie-released Brit-jazz from the 1970s:
Vinyl
Just back home from trip to the Netherlands, standard test to check if everything is still working - after switching off the system....
Originally Posted by EJS: 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,
Which Brendel Mozart pieces do you recommend?
Never heard of Kristian Bezuidenhout. I often wonder how Mozart's piece sounded on his fortepiano over overly muscled Steinway.
Piano has developed and progressed from Mozart era to Beethoven's classical period but interestingly, some of these Mozart pieces played on a modern piano sounds a bit like a Beethoven!
My ideal Mozart player is Gulda attitudinally it feels he's got the right pizzazz for the composer to me.
Bu I can't claim I have done an extensive survey on Mozart sonatas.
Kuma, this is probably my favorite of the group.
Cheers
EJ
Streaming | FLAC
(1999)
Absolutely definitely... probably... possibly, my last Santana for this evening...
Hi Sebastiaan:
I really like it; it was a CD I bought before I heard because it contained 2 things I like; Cannonball Adderley and Bossa Nova. (Sergio Mendes also plays on this album.) While that is not a guaranteed recipe for success, in this case it worked out quite well. I know critical reception to this disc was lukewarm, but I kind of like it. I'd rate it a 3.5 to 4 stars out of 5.
Streaming | FLAC
I really love Toussaint L'Overture and No One To Depend On off this album.