What are you listening to? (Vol VII)

From HDX:



Regards,
Michel

Hristo Stoichkov

Finally coming out on DVD this month at last in 5.1. I was given a copy of this show on DVD about a year ago.

Romario

Listening to her latest made me dig this one out and remember how good it was.

       









KK what is this like as I like both artists? Will drop you a line this week as I have been a bit lazy recently.

       




Totally agree with you Oliver.

Since 12:00:01 January 1, 2011, my credit cards took a much needed (forced actually) rest and were sent into the freezer until they smarten up.  There is an old saying "hunger is the best sauce" and so now, as the last remnants of my 2010 sins show up in the post, I can hardly contain myself.  Yum!  I looked forward to this like no other for one very good reason - I wanted - no, I needed - a new recording of Bunte Blätter Op. 99 (Coloured Leaves).  Hence, this recording which is coupled with Carnaval.

Overall, after a first listen, I can conclude that Eusebius and Florestan have showed up but that they are different characters to what I was expecting (or maybe was conditioned to expect).  Florestan, for a change is more refined maybe and not quite so brash.  We don't get the powerful contrasts and sheer emotional mining of Volodos putting it all on the line, or the rich bass and lyrical qualities of Kempff but we get a holistic, understated view that is the clearest and most precise account I've ever heard - like the musical equivalent of punctilious punctuation.  I think she makes Ashkenazy's Schumann sound positively arthritic in comparison.  Perhaps it is her judicious use of pedal that allows her to snap off accents or sforzandi here and there so clearly and precisely like the tongue of a vipor so effectively stunning its unfortunate target?  

This is a welcome addition for me as it is fresh, intelligent and a beautiful contrast to what I have and it gives me lots of new ideas.  Emmanuelle Swiercz will mingle nicely with the likes of Kempff, Pletnev, Volodos, Kissin etc.

But then again I am starving.  Now on to the second treat of the evening.......
Regards,
Doug

Polly sounds very different in this one....but still so very....soulful.

I am so predictable.  Another fine album here.  This one precedes the Schumann by a year.  As may be expected her Rachmaninov is pedalled generously so there is a different feel to it than in the Schumann.  A solid, mature offering in the Op. 33 Études-Tableaux.  Not quite as schnerpsy as say, a teenage Hélène Grimaud.  A wonderful connection in keys with the Op 23 g minor and B flat major preludes.  I love the absolute precision and effect of the repeated low b flat octaves at the beginning hammered out and throughout the latter.  Very nice Steinway sound.  The highlight is the Variations on a Theme of Chopin.  For me the opening Theme (that of Chopin's familiar C minor prelude) up to the fourth variation is like my favourite musical sandwich.  The top slice being Chopin's theme and then variations I to III in the middle are so reminiscent of Bach that one should be forgiven for thinking it is anything else.  Then in variation IV the bottom piece fills in nicely and opens up in a typical Rachmaninov style for a wonderful climax.

I would say Emmanuelle Swiercz is a very strong, confident player.  I love finding younger players who don't follow the crowd but stay on course in a pursuit of making music and stay true to their vision.

Having a bit of a run on listening to Luciano albums at the moment. I think his could have been one of his best.

Cheers
Flettster

Doug,

On the shortlist, thanks. The Blätter are strangely underrecorded, aren't they? I see you mentioned Pletnev - his Schumann disc may be the best thing he ever committed to disc. If you don't know it, you should also check out Maria Joao Pires' first Schumann disc for DG. 

EJ

I'm really enjoying this. Joyce DiDonato & Anna Netrebko's voices are superb.

Cheers
Flettster

I'll put it on my list.

Black Dub

Hi Miles,

So you've bought it as well. What do you think? Hasn't Trixie Whitley got a wonderful voice?

Cheers

Flettster