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

Streaming | WAV

(2003)

Unfortunately I missed this excellent album when it came out but have been enjoying it after getting it earlier this year. Good songs, good lyrics, lovely melodies all put together very well.

RUSH - Moving Pictures

DOORS - Strange Days

I am very happy with these new ones, one couldn't predict that the grand master could also sound good...

Florestan posted:

Sergei Rachmaninov:  Trio élégiaque n°2 op.9 

Leonid Kogan (violin)
Fiodor Luzanov (cello)
Evgeny Svetlanov (piano)

What a godsend for me.  An early Christmas gift for me and I cannot stop thinking about this music.  Kogan, Luzanov and Svetlanov are simply magnificent here - unbelievable really.  In listening to each individually I hear miracles of musicianship.  Put it all together and this is beyond astounding for me - actually I just do not think words can ever do this justice.  I spent maybe a year of my life working on this first movement maybe 12 or 13 years ago.  The experience and memory is just as if it has just occurred today when I listen to this.  The exception is that my violinist and cellist would never play it like this.  They were like everyone else and I imagine most people today would find this not a desirable recording as it may be to slow for a society today wacked out on speed (of course, I use a word play here where speed seems to be drug that many need in there music performance these days).  No one has the attention span or patience to spend time with music anymore.  I have many recordings of this and they are all the same.  Overall, about 7 to 10 minutes faster.  That is a huge difference and changes the landscape considerably.  

Anyone who dares listen to this first movement should no doubt be aware of the power of certain sections.  Even my partners who were (are) tough athletic girl types who probably wouldn't show emotion or talk about it (because it was probably beat out of them ;-( by societal norms if you could call it that) could not make it through this movement without some major uncomfortable tension turning all flushed and fighting like anything to fight back the tears.  When you are alone practicing these things it is an entirely different outcome.  You cannot play this without tears.  These are such joyous and special moments though.  It is hard to explain the realm one enters into?  The light, the air, everything is different - a different dimension.  Time stands still and nothing usual is existing anymore nor does any preconceived notions about anything matter.  If you experience this you suddenly don't care what the masses do or think.

 The first movement of this D minor trio is rife with symbolism.  Of course, D is for death (OK, I just made that up but that is what could say).  It is a funeral procession.  The repeated low D in the piano at the opening are the nails being driven into the coffin.  The return of this theme throughout the piece is chilling.  For example, at around 12'-30" mark.  The antithesis of the funeral procession is countered such a moving section where the piano weaves such a beautiful base for the violin and cello at 5'-50" mark or 19' mark.  Yes, morbid maybe but there does not seem to be one Russian composer (solo or chamber mainly) from Tchaikovsky (mid 19th century) to the mid-20th century (Rachmaninov) that did not pay attention to this subject and this is why we have some of the greatest music ever as a result here. 

Now if only I could find this recording.  I have found one listed at around $250.  I certainly hope I don't crack and pay that because I want this so badly.  I'll keep looking.

Music in the car today.

Francescatti: Kreisler Small Pieces & Paganini Caprices Op.1  1947 Recording

I've a few of his records and always liked his easy lyrical style. A bit of a corn ball now but these Kreisler's short tunes were perfect, when 78s were popular as *singles*.   
Recitative & Scherzo Caprice Op.6 is more serious and filled with double and triple stops and dramatic pauses. Interesting there is a bit of Americana thrown in. Francescatti’s handling is lively and precise yet maintaining a certain lyricism and charming playful attitude. Utterly impressed at the back end of Scherzo. Wow! I had no idea he wrote the familiar Liebesfreud. Jazzy Debussy influenced Tamburine Chinnos with many different personalities. It served well by rhythmic dancing hands of Francescatti. I think he just became one of my favourite fiddle player.

And familiar Paganini's Caprice No.24 has pretty much everything in it but a kitchen sink. Here's another Kreisler's lively fun piece 'Tambourine Chinoise'. 

On vinyl. Sounds better to me now than when I first bought the album.

Ansermet/L’Orchestre De La Suisse Romande: Stravinsky Petrouchka 1949 recording

Rather sober but atmospheric scenic reading. It’s done more in a frame work of ballet and the music keeps bouncing one after another in whimsy. More sophisticated suave than Stravinsky conducting. Perhaps a tad polite, missing is that earthy Russian folksy flavours.

The final movement offers dense and rich harmony but no goose bump for the supernatural ending. 

kuma posted:

Ansermet/L’Orchestre De La Suisse Romande: Stravinsky Petrouchka 1949 recording

Rather sober but atmospheric scenic reading. It’s done more in a frame work of ballet and the music keeps bouncing one after another in whimsy. More sophisticated suave than Stravinsky conducting. Perhaps a tad polite, missing is that earthy Russian folksy flavours.

The final movement offers dense and rich harmony but no goose bump for the supernatural ending. 

Where did you find that original Kuma? I'm impressed. I have the 1957 version (I think) but it's a re-edition. Petrouchka is one of my wife's favorites, she keeps asking for it.

Vinyl

ClaudeP posted:

Ansermet/L’Orchestre De La Suisse Romande: Stravinsky Petrouchka 1949 recordingWhere did you find that original Kuma? I'm impressed. I have the 1957 version (I think) but it's a re-edition. Petrouchka is one of my wife's favorites, she keeps asking for it.

ClaudeP,

I picked it up at a local record store. It seems noone wants these old mono records as most would opt for a stereo recording. ( like the one you have ) I love these old cover designs, too.

By far my favourite Petrushca is Stravinsly conducting. It seems controversial and some don't rate it much but I find it refreshing and highly energetic. Just a perfect hting for this fantasy.

He's got so much more expressions to draw from. Stravinsky sets always make me realise how *off* the other conductors' timing is.

Good textures on percussions and more prominent piano give it a macabre *off beat* feel. Use of pauses give colourful presentation throughout. Stravinsky does not try to pretty up the tunes play straight forward but creates a captivating story telling. His approach to conducting is always fresh than many.

Pink Floyd. Soundtrack from the film More (1969). On the 1995 EMI/Capitol CD. Might be described as avant-garde and experimental, but I find the music readily accessible and relaxing overall.

Streaming | WAV | Download | Bandcamp

Ouroboros by Ruby The Hatchet (2012)

Some pretty good and involving female led rock and metal.

bishopla posted:

Vinyl

One of the albums in Stevies golden period and my favourite of his.  Shame he won't let the mastertapes out of his sight (apart from the MFSL cd which was by error) as I would like to hear a SACD of it.

Sheryl Crow. Tuesday Night Music Club. On CD from 1993. One of my wife's CDs that I haven't listened to for a very long time. A worthy debut album.

A good start of the morning..

joerand posted:

Sheryl Crow. Tuesday Night Music Club. On CD from 1993. One of my wife's CDs that I haven't listened to for a very long time. A worthy debut album.

They also originally issued it with a Live album at the time.

Streaming | Deezer Elite

The Cry of Love ~ Hendrix (1971)

Arguably the last real studio album he made and it was very good.

1st listen