What are you listening to right now? (VOL I)

Posted by: Tam on 06 June 2005

Anyway, to kick things off, I'm currently, and probably for most of the rest of this week, listening to Radio 3's Beethoven Experience. They're doing one of the piano concertos at the moment and (number 2 with Glenn Gould). Anyway, the experience thing probably needs its own thread, but, even on this cheapo radio it's proving fairly enjoyable.

So, what are you listening to right now?

Posted on: 11 March 2006 by HR

Holly Cole / Temptation / Alert

Posted on: 11 March 2006 by smiglass

Creative interpretations of other musician's material

Posted on: 12 March 2006 by pe-zulu

quote:
Originally posted by Fredrik_Fiske:
Easily the grandest, most subtle recording I know is the Leonhardt set on DHM.
Consider the Leonhardt set, though. No doubt it is still very expensive.

Seconded wholeheartedly. My favorite version too.

http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/hnum/5014813/rk/classic/rsk/hitlist

Posted on: 12 March 2006 by u5227470736789439

Dear pe-zulu,

Not even expensive now, so that no one should be without it, who loves the Matthew Passion, even on grounds of expense.

I enjoyed it more this time than ever, even in concerts. That is the marvel. One never stops learning the depth of it in a whole lifetime, I am sure.

Thanks from Fredrik

Posted on: 12 March 2006 by Gianluigi Mazzorana

Posted on: 12 March 2006 by Sloop John B

35 years ago!

Posted on: 12 March 2006 by Sloop John B

Posted on: 12 March 2006 by HR

quote:
Originally posted by Gianluigi Mazzorana:

Gianluigi,

How do you like Schiff's Goldbergs?
I own this Cd for quite a while , but I do not listen to it a lot. I always find myself listening to other performers.

Regards,

Haim

PS

I looked for and could not find Insen by Alva Noto. On what label is it?

Posted on: 12 March 2006 by Huwge

Christine Collister - Love

Sorry, no picture but a great album. Seen her live a few times and her voice never ceases to raise the hairs on the back of my neck.

Huw

Posted on: 12 March 2006 by HR

What a difference in sound, interpretation and style between the the women pianists.

Hewitt's piano is bright, fast-flowing and and self-assured, sounding like it is being played early in the morning.
Duran's Toccatas are more of a late afternoon style, with a warmer, more meditative and romantic style.
I wonder if Bach played the Toccatas always consistently or was he affected by his own moods and the time of the day.

Haim

Posted on: 12 March 2006 by Earwicker

quote:
Originally posted by HR:
I wonder if Bach played the Toccatas always consistently or was he affected by his own moods and the time of the day.

I think the Toccatas represent the more improvisatory nature of Bach's early style, and improvise he certainly did. During his life he was probably better known as a keyboard virtuoso than a composer, and in those days improvisation was a highly prised skill in "classical" music, which has now sadly all but been lost in the profession.

So yes, in a nutshell, I would imagine Bach was quite a free performer, with each performance being a new, unique inspiration. It's probably generally the case that the "classical" performances of the past were much freer and less consistent than they are today - for better and for worse.

EW

Posted on: 12 March 2006 by Gianluigi Mazzorana

quote:
Originally posted by HR:
How do you like Schiff's Goldbergs?
I looked for and could not find Insen by Alva Noto. On what label is it?

Hi there Haim!
I've met Schiff the first time with Beethoven's Piano sonatas.
I think that his Bach's Goldberd Variations is very virile but very emotional at the same time.
I do prefer it to Glenn Gould's one which is, at my ears, too much tidy (if i can use this word) with very few highs.
Ups and downs are closed in his body.
Schiff playing is very humoral and takes you where the music has to.
In Schiff Variations i don't like the quality of the recording, but this surely depend on my system and room.

Regarding Insen.

http://raster-noton.shoppingserver.de/shop.mv?Suchworte=cdr065&NoSearchText=on

I've sent you the direct link to the shop server, but the label has a very large catalogue of electronic performers.

http://www.raster-noton.de/start.html

There are some very delicate and engaging recordings.
I think probably one of the purest electronic label i've had the chance to meet.

Cheers Gianluigi

Posted on: 12 March 2006 by Sloop John B

quote:
Originally posted by Huwge:
Christine Collister - Love

Sorry, no picture but a great album. Seen her live a few times and her voice never ceases to raise the hairs on the back of my neck.

Huw

Absolutely, I saw her supporting Richard Thompson and then playing with him and Danny for the main act. A wonderfull night all told. A superb trio.

Then I saw her in Whelan's when only about 30 people turned up so it was like she was playing in your front room, great banter, phenominal gig.
She even makes a Michael Jacskon song (human Nature) sound decent!

I must order the album.

anyone one get Thompo's new retrospective?

Posted on: 12 March 2006 by Gianluigi Mazzorana

quote:
Originally posted by Gianluigi Mazzorana:
quote:
Originally posted by HR:
How do you like Schiff's Goldbergs?
I looked for and could not find Insen by Alva Noto. On what label is it?

Hi there Haim!
I've met Schiff the first time with Beethoven's Piano sonatas.
I think that his Bach's Goldberd Variations is very virile but very emotional at the same time.
I do prefer it to Glenn Gould's one which is, at my ears, too much tidy (if i can use this word) with very few highs.
Ups and downs are closed in his body.
Schiff playing is very humoral and takes you where the music has to.
In Schiff Variations i don't like the quality of the recording, but this surely depend on my system and room.

Regarding Insen.

http://raster-noton.shoppingserver.de/shop.mv?Suchworte=cdr065&NoSearchText=on

I've sent you the direct link to the shop server, but the label has a very large catalogue of electronic performers.

http://www.raster-noton.de/start.html

There are some very delicate and engaging recordings.
I think probably one of the purest electronic label i've had the chance to meet.

A little add to message.
If you want and have time to browse i personally get a lot of good records at www.dotshop.se
This on-line store comes often in my posts, but i think is one of the best resources i' ve found around and where music is selected of course by genre but by quality as well.
Another important thing: very low prices and all the links to the labels.
Very honest people in Sweden.

Cheers Gianluigi

Posted on: 12 March 2006 by Rubio

quote:
What a difference in sound, interpretation and style between the the women pianists.

Hewitt's piano is bright, fast-flowing and and self-assured, sounding like it is being played early in the morning.
Duran's Toccatas are more of a late afternoon style, with a warmer, more meditative and romantic style.
I wonder if Bach played the Toccatas always consistently or was he affected by his own moods and the time of the day.

Haim

So, do you prefer one of these recordings over the other?

Posted on: 12 March 2006 by Guido Fawkes

Posted on: 12 March 2006 by sjust

Again and again and

Again !
Stefan

Posted on: 12 March 2006 by kuma

Crusaders: Chain Reaction

Posted on: 12 March 2006 by Sloop John B

as a result of the Beatles thread

Posted on: 12 March 2006 by HR

quote:
Originally posted by Gianluigi Mazzorana:
Hi there Haim!
A little add to message.
If you want and have time to browse i personally get a lot of good records at www.dotshop.se
This on-line store comes often in my posts, but i think is one of the best resources i' ve found around and where music is selected of course by genre but by quality as well.
Another important thing: very low prices and all the links to the labels.
Very honest people in Sweden.

Cheers Gianluigi

[/QUOTE]

Gianluigi,

Thank you for all the information. You should credit Stefan fot the JPC site. He gave it to me I and use them to get recordings that are not available in the US.

Regards,

Haim

Posted on: 12 March 2006 by HR

quote:
Originally posted by Earwicker:

I think the Toccatas represent the more improvisatory nature of Bach's early style, and improvise he certainly did.EW[/QUOTE]

Earwicker,

That makes a lot of sense, especially if you are playing with emotions on top of just technique. The styles of Durran and Hewitt is so different that in the case of some toccatas (BWV 911 for example) their duration varies up to two minutes, depending on the performer.

Regards,

Haim