What are you listening to and WHY might anyone be interested? (Vol. XII)
Posted by: Richard Dane on 01 January 2016
2016 has arrived today, so time to start this thread afresh.
Last year's thread (and links to previous years) can be found here;
Nigel 66 posted:
Good prompt. I must dig that album out again. It's one of the few I have on a USB.
The Hagen Quartett's first recording on the Paganini quartet of Stradivarius instruments, which they 'inherited' from the Tokyo String Quartet. Great performances, not revolutionary as their recording of KV 421 and 575 from 20 years ago, which remains essential listening, but wholly persuasive. Sound is close up and brilliant in 24/192.
Cheers,
EJ
Vinyl.
Jeff Anderson posted:
Poco - "Legend" (1978)
Thats an album I haven't played in many a year Jeff.
I met Christy at a Folk Festival I helped promote many moons ago when he was in Planxty. I was taking back a tray full of beverages back to our table and tripped, spilt drink all over him and the band and delayed their set for 40 mins. Audience and the band weren't too happy but everything turned out ok as they played a barnstorming set and I bought him another drink later in the bar so all was forgiven.
If you can find this, I highly recommend.
On vinyl. Well a few sides actually. Five LP sets take some time to get through.
ewemon posted:
Great LP.
EJS posted:
Been listening through the various recordings I have of Schubert's F minor Fantasie, D940. Suffering and in pain from syphilis and typhoid fever, most of Schubert's last are exploring the dark side of the soul in a way that nobody before him and after him achieved, but also invariably contrast the dark with the light. The Fantasie for four hands has all this, but is also one of Schubert's few works which fails to get a grounding: every time I'm ready for a resolution of the musical argument, the music changes tack - and the best performances keep me on my toes, time and again.
So, going through the few recordings I have, I have been freshly disappointed by a few and positively surprised by others. This recording with Lewis and Osborne sharing the stool is outstanding. Lucid, rhythmically alert, serious but crucially not too serious when called for, this duo roundly outplays David Frey / Jaques Rouvier on their recent recording (which is significantly handicapped by the person playing the bass part in a weak, reactive fashion).
I did just receive another, recent, recording of this work, with Ismaël Margain and Guillaume Bellom on Aparté. Based on sampling this promises to be another great performance. At the very least, with Aparté I am expecting a superior piano sound (although not mentioned in the documentation, the duo plays a Steinway grand).
Cheers,
EJ
Been doing the exact same thing myself over the past couple of days. My current favourite is this one:
The sound is a little lean and wiry for my tastes - what you'd expect with a DG recording of a Bösendorfer - but the near-perfect interplay between the two and the sheer poetry of the playing is breathtaking.
Other contenders are Robert & Gaby Casadesus on Columbia, Jacques Février & Gabriel Tacchino on Seraphim and the Schnabel Piano Duo on Philips (all vinyl). I've heard good things about Eschenbach & Frantz on HMV, but I don't have a copy.
C
Start to like it more, during workout...
Streaming | WAV | Download from Bandcamp
(2016)
With the sun splitting the sky again this morning this is a lovely dreamy way to start the day.
The Beatles. Beatles For Sale. I have six different formats/versions of this brilliant album from a weary band (just look at their faces on the cover). Tonight listening to the 1987 stereo CD on the Parlophone label. It's great on any format. I think it contains some of George Harrison's most underrated leads, notably on "I Don't Want To Spoil The Party" and "Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby". Strong Carl Perkins influence to George's playing throughout this album.
From last night and on vinyl:-
The Beatles. Rubber Soul (1965). Another 1987 stereo CD on the Parlophone label. 50+ years old and still stunningly vibrant. Wish I could say the same for myself.