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

Original Mono! Vinyl

On cd.

I love everybody. 

A new artist on ECM and her first release is a self titled double album - Mette Henriette

Streaming | WAV

(2000)

Super album with the two main players complementing each other really well. 

Currently in my new music pile waiting for its debut so I'm keen to hear what you think?

Doug,

Who was the remastering engineer?

Just downloaded, and really super. 

On CD:-

Jobim for a coffee break. The day is dedicated to leaf raking.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Svx_iS-wuaY

Streaming | WAV

(1970)

This 2013 Razor & Tie double CD remaster with extended outtakes and previously unreleased tracks is sounding extremely good, better than I have ever heard this album before (vinyl included). 

A  blast-from-the-past that I've played in quite a while. Has reminded me what a distinctive sound The Groundhogs had.

M 

Great album.

Spent about half an hour watching Groundhogs on Youtube last night.

Back when I was a lad, I used to mainly listen to Purple, Zeppelin and Sabbath. These days I listen to more Groundhogs music than those three put together.

A change of pace with Ray Lamontagne. The glorious reproduction quality of his albums always impresses me.

Try her Stones in the Road album which IMHO is her best.

Kuma,

I'm not 100% sure on this.  All I could find is that the present sound engineer was Thorsten Wyk.  They claim to be faithful to the original and add nothing and change nothing.  

Original recording involved Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer, Willi Fruth, and Rolf Donner.

It is interesting how much variation there is from track to track.  At times soft and beautiful and other pieces are loud, thin, and clangy.  It was said that this was intentional as Gulda wanted a specific sound for each work as he was trying to emulate a harpsichord, clavichord, or organ.  I suppose the ugliest noises were that of a harpsichord.  I find it all silly when artists do these things although for some this might be important..  When I realized how much variation there was I thought it was just me but am glad to find out I haven't lost my mind yet.

Overall, I wouldn't recommend this to anyone unless you are truly a nut for Bach, the WTF, or Gulda.  I am not a true fan of Gulda but fall in to the former two camps so I had to try this and have this.  Where it is at its best is in the clavichord and organ when on the softer/slower side.  In the percussive, fast, & loud preludes or fugues it is grating on the nerves for sure - at least for me.

En Plein Air:  David Kadouch

Bach, Schumann, Bartók and Janácek

Robert Schumann:  Imogen Cooper

'Abegg' Variations

Davidsbündlertänze, Op. 6

Novelletten, Op. 21, Nos 2 and 8

'Geistervariationen'

I very fine Schumann disc overall.  I especially was very fond of the Davidsbündlertänze - one of the masterpieces of the Romantic period without question.   Filled with so much imagination, colour and fascinating characters.

Johannes Brahms | Franz Liszt:  Alexander Gavrylyuk (piano)

Outstanding playing here from Alexander Gavrylyuk - a true virtuoso.  It seems he can do anything he pleases with these works and makes child's play out of some of the most technically difficult music around.

A very  enjoyable evening with Mrs Sloop listening to this as a group of 18 year olds took over the rest of the house. 

SJB