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

On CD

EJ, I ordered this prior to its release but it is unfortunately being held back due to some other backorders in the group.  I can't wait to hear it though.  Of course, I am not the guy who buys only one pre-1960 recording of a work based on the wisdom of the 1984 Penguin Guide (or earlier) to have the one and only sanctioned recording ever.  As good as they may be I find my views of music are not static and constantly evolve.  I like the bench marks too but for me it is dangerous, if not mind numbing, to listen exclusively to one recording and just stop there.  I am always searching for a new and musically interesting interpretation.

I can understand why some may have reservations with Vinnitskaya.  In a world of preconditioned perfection in recordings, a wrong note can be off-putting to many.  Sadly, many in this day and age think that every time you play something it can only be perfect.  Truthfully, there is nothing that repels me more than slick, glossy, packaged product and image where you can't distinguish one from the next.    She is still young but I already hear something in her character, heart and style that attracts me.  It is deeper and darker and has dimension to it.

I happened to be just thinking of this yesterday so I'll bring it up.  In contrast, one can be initially stunned and taken in by someone like the internet phenom Valentina Lisitsa.  A phenomenal player in her own right.  It is hard sometimes not to be affected by the force of some individuals.  When the smoke clears though, I personally have yet to feel the same passion and connection to the inner voice of music with Lisitsa in the same way as I do with Vinnitskaya (which was almost immediate with me).   This has more to do with my personality than anything else though.  I like the body language of Vinnitskaya when she plays, as it is very telling.  She has a greater vision and the notes are not just the means to an end.  When Lisitsa plays she strikes me as shallower and more focused on technical perfection than music making.  When Vinnitskaya connects it results in reaching for a hanky and feeling engaged emotion.  This seems to me to be the whole point of listening to music.

As a pianist, I wear two hats as a listener.  I am usually first attracted to what I hear first.  I remember in my younger days the various points of enlightenment where I heard something for the first time and the hairs on my neck stood straight up.  Following this is a lifetime of asking how I can play this with the same effect so this leads to studying the score and then work your whole life to technically accomplish this.  Gaspard de la nuit is just one example of a master piece that requires olympian mastery and skill to play.  I am in awe of anyone who even attempts to play music like this.  Even following a score while listening takes a great deal of effort to keep up let alone how this is all being executed with only ten fingers.  A recuring nightmare of mine would be to be the page turner for someone playing this.  Why bother sitting down as you'll be flipping a page every 7 seconds.  If you get lost you'll never find your way back in...

What I really marvel at though is how a composer like Ravel was able to translate his vision to a score when he likely couldn't play it like we so easily hear in any recording.

Vinyl

EJ, you have perked my curiousity with these Mirare recordings with Ricercar Consort / Philippe Pierlot.  What is your overall take on these recordings?

Doug,

I don't think I ever saw you post the same album twice, what I call 'a galactic collection' !!

Playing cd's no. 8, 9, and 10...

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Piano Trio no.1 in E flat

Piano Trio no.2 in G

14 variations in E flat

Piano Trio no.3 in C minor

Piano Trio no.6 in B flat "Archduke"

Piano Trio in B flat Wo039

Piano Trio in B flat Hess 84

Piano Trio no.4 in D "Ghost"

Piano Trio no.5 in E flat

10 variations in G on "Ich bin der Schneider Kalcadu"

Pinchas Zuckerman violin

Jacqueline du Pre cello

David Barenboim piano

Recordings from No.1 Studio, Abbey Road, London 1969 & 1970

EMI classics 17 x CD box-set © 2007

Mates of State - Mountaintops

Indie pop.  One of those couple duos that has been around for a while.  Have a few older albums and I like how the band has evolved.  2nd play today.  

Haim, would it be wrong for me to go out of my way to prove you wrong?

Debs, I spent a bit a time with this one last week as well.  I was spurred on by watching this video which I found very interesting.  Of course, they play to the camera a little but one part where they all switch instruments and start jamming was very funny.  I think it reflects back to a pre-internet age where life was simpler and maybe even more fun.

http://www.gramophone.co.uk/Ha...ArtistPage/Barenboim

I actually enjoyed all the videos that go along with the Hall of Famers listed here.

Doug

The Shins - Port of Morrow

Lynyrd Skynyrd concert via BBC iPlayer.

Managed to get the NAP 500 fan on today with this....

Chief, check this out of you have not already. Produced by Nils Frahm. Greg Haines - Digressions. Similar to WVFTS.

http://greghaines.wordpress.com/biography/

Gale 401

Ah one of the exceptions to the banality of the 80's. Tin Drum is agreat album.

Thanks for the reply on the Rush album, sadly their output seems stuck in the Oasis/Metallica compression rut. I hope the DVD/Blu ray of the tour is better.

Now

Really enjoying this, far better than their last two offerings before the split, 'Stringy Acid' is quite superb, wish I had got so see them live now. Must try for December.

Hi Doug,

Like you I also look forward to new talent bringing their own views to the establishment, but there has to be a sense of commitment, something of a passion communicated to the listener. Vinnitskaya, as evidenced by her previous album with the Prokofiev 2 and Ravel concertos, has passion in spades, really a brilliant record. By that yard stick, this present album is a bit ordinary, like Aleg says, pleasant but not unique. It may be a grower, however, there are seeds of greatness (the gorgeous tone is enough to just listen to the disc).

I hope the record arrives soon - look forward to your views.

BTW I'm not a pianist, but I can play - enough to never volunteer for page turning!

Cheers,

EJ

Andrew Bird - Break It Yourself

new release.

Hi Adrian, I don't think I've heard of Greg Haines before, and haven't looked any of it up, but you can expect a follow-up post some time next week. Ordered - thanks!