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

What a wonderful debut album! At three hours in length, and featuring a 32-piece orchestra and a 20-person choir, I'd sayThe Epic is a fitting title!

Glenn Gould: Bach The Well Tempered Clavier

Book I Preludes and Fugues 1-8  1962 Recording

Finally found a mint original 2 Eye copy and even after over a half century later Gould sounds fresh and intimate.

Fascinating interpretation and surprisingly his tempo isn't that fast either. As his Goldberg Variations, his enthusiasm is catching and this is a fun rhythmic listen. His Bach is always friendly and much more approachable compared to so many other antiseptic rendition. Lyrical but with a touch of wit, this possess just about the right temperament for this listener.

I also like his Bach playing a lot, I am full emerged in his complete remastered edition on high resolution audio now.

It's indeed an EPIC, and while it's a lot to chew, it's a very special album. I will have a opportunity to see him live in a couple of weeks at a festival...

My listening for the last couple of days.

Streaming | Deezer Elite

(1998)

And earlier...

(2001)

I must admit to dismissing these on a previous listening but something drew me back and a second attempt is proving enjoyable.

Streaming | Deezer Elite

(1990)

Some feint accompanying background hiss in places on this 1960's recording but it takes nothing away from the pieces or Bream's wonderful skills. 

Interesting album on Bandcamp...

Also good - via Bandcamp as well...

Masaaki Suzuki and his Bach Collegium are BIS stalwarts and well on their way of recording just about all music Bach ever wrote. I'm afraid they haven't totally convinced me to the point where I consider them a blind buy - especially with Suzuki on keyboard - but the pearls are very pearly indeed. 

Funny enough, this is one of their best releases IMO. It's a fairly recent recording of Bach's concertos for two harpsichords, with father and son on harpsichord. They clearly light each other up and prove to be a highly effective and inspired team. 

EJ

Great records!

I don't have their records but i saw them live a few years ago and they were great!

Maazel's far-too-underestimated recording of Aida probably remains my single most treasured set of discs. 

EJ

Although I have all their studio albums up to 2010 (Disappear Here), this classic album is a good way of quickly accessing some of their best tracks from those albums. I wonder if they are ever going to create a new album thats not a film or game soundtrack which is all they have done since 2012...

Hyper-articulated but not aloof like Fischer-Dieskau, and with huge charisma, Boesch' second recording of his triptych for Onyx is a most impressive recording of Die schöne Müllerin. On CD.

Regards

EJ

Streaming | WAV

(2002)

I saw one iteration of Kudo back in the very early 90s at Sadlers Wells Theatre. They were truly mesmerising to see and 'feel' at a live gig. This 'Best Of' gives just a taste of their heavilyy drum driven Japanese folk music. If you like your drums big and played fast and loud with what look like rolling pins on steroids, then this is for you. 

A little prep for tonight's Purple Zeppelin concert, LZ4 and Fireball by DP.

Streaming | WAV

(2007)

This release received a fair bit of hype, is quite intensively marketed by Pentatone and got good reviews. But proof is in the pudding: this is quite special indeed, primarily for the interplay between Moser and the (excellent) orchestra. Moser has a sweet, round tone and sings his way through this music. Hrusa doesn't paint with Giulini's autumnal colors in Dvorak and is far more efficient, but that Czech melancholy is there. In Lalo, he's appropriately dramatic. The other item of note is the recorded sound: these concertos are tricky to get right, and Pentatone certainly did. I've listened to this issue in direct comparison with two other recent recordings (Isserlis and Weilerstein), and I found I have a clear preference for the new issue.

Cheers

EJ

Have his collection, and listen every now and then into it...