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

quote:

Originally posted by Graham Russell:

Julia!
What a great album this is!
'Genius' is such a happy tune.

quote:

Originally posted by PJT:
Brahms Violin Concerto in D (Nigel Kennedy)

... one of the worst perfromances of that great concerto on disc!

EW

quote:

Originally posted by Earwicker:

quote:

Originally posted by PJT:
Brahms Violin Concerto in D (Nigel Kennedy)

... one of the worst perfromances of that great concerto on disc!

EW

Dear earwicker,

I have never heard it, but out of interest, what aspect of it so vexes youthat you condemn it so thoroughly?

Fredrik

Partitas 1 and 2 of (actually you will guess the composer by now!), played by H Walcha...

No need to comment on the music or the performance. Perfect late listening!

Fredrik

I then did some emails and now intend to listen to the A minor Concerto Grosso of old Handel (Adolf Busch, Ernest Drucker, violin soloists, and Hermann Busch on solo cello), with the Busch Chamber Players. Quite the most beautifully humain and stylish readings I know off! A bit rare as only four sets of the original 78 albums survived before the Pearl transfer finally arrived at the instigation of Adolf Busch's wife a few years ago. It was only in print on 78s for a few months before US Columbia changed to LP, and deleted it. I missed two important details: The harpsichord continuo is wonderfully realised by M Horszowski, who was one of the great pianists and a great friend of Cassals, and that there are seventeen strings including the soloists, so not a vast romantic reading, but something very special and intimate. More or less unique, and Busch's Viennese sense of rhythm allows for a gentle swing that is now considered (notes inegales) absolutely correct, though it was natural enough for all artists brought up in the pre-1914 period! The rhythmic and musical approach is far more expressive (in a correctly stylish sense), flowing, and natural than any of the allegedly better 'historically informed performance' of more rececnt years that I have encountered, though of course the HIP movement has its roots right at the begining of the twentieth century as these wonderful recordings demonstrate so clearly, whatever pre-conceptions there might be about Handel recorded in 1946!

Good night all, from Fredrik

came back from a nice dinner with a friend, fired up my valve amp.
boy.. do I appreciate my hifi.

quote:

Originally posted by Fredrik_Fiske:

Dear earwicker,

I have never heard it, but out of interest, what aspect of it so vexes youthat you condemn it so thoroughly?

Fredrik

It's extremely slow and sloppily played, and has a sort of morbid, dreary quality to it. A depressing view of what is one of the greatest concertos ever written.

EW

bird singing, baby sleeping, computer humming

Computers humming, birds singing, thanksfully no infant noises.

Ah - Viktoria Mullova: beauty AND genius!

quote:

Originally posted by Earwicker:
Ah - Viktoria Mullova: beauty AND genius!

Yes a rather pleasant way to spend an evening - nice glass of wine as well.

quote:

Originally posted by kuma:

quote:

Originally posted by Graham Russell:

Julia!
What a great album this is!
'Genius' is such a happy tune.

Seconded, its a great recording too!!

quote:

Originally posted by Earwicker:

[On Kennedy's Brahms Violin Concerto; a question from Fredrik].

It's extremely slow and sloppily played, and has a sort of morbid, dreary quality to it. A depressing view of what is one of the greatest concertos ever written.

EW

In that case I would dislike as much as you. There are too many excessively slow and fairly dreary performances of great music today.

Thanks, Fredrik

On my iPod, while I crunch some numbers at work, are the very fine Misty in Roots at the Counter Eurovision - need to get home early to experience the full bass effect. Fond memories of Uni nevertheless.

Now home and indulging in a nice cup of tea and some French lunacy - Les Negresses Vertes "Mlah"

Currently a remastered version of the 3 disc set that was previously the Blanton-Webster years but is now Never No Lament.

At first, I was a little disappointed as the tape hiss was more noticeable and there seemed to be some excessive sibillance, however, some A/B listening (whilst the missus was out) suggests that this is indeed an improvement over the origianl discs. Fabulous music making and a must for anyone interested in Jazz.

Wagner Die Walkure, the Furtwangler/La Scala recording. Fantastic stuff (particularly given I picked up the whole cycle brand new in a german pressing on ebay for under £20).

regards, Tam

Patricia Barber Live - A Fortnight in France, double LP. Very nice indeed.

Inspired by another thread in the Music Room. I dug out some vinyl: New Cross, New Cross and Remorse Code.



The absolutely wonderful favourite of John Peel. the Desperate Bicycles, still sound as good as ever. "It Was Easy, It Was Cheap... Go and Do It!" - that was the call to arms at the end of the first Desperate Bicycles single in 1977. In the world of late seventies DIY punk, the Desperate Bicycles are up there with the best of them! They took the three chord idea of 'anyone can start a band' and for the next few years produced their own fantastic music totally outside the confines of the record industry. They have now developed a mystique based around the fact that none of their records have ever been re-released on CD! The music ranges from angular, trebly punk like Smokescreen (their first single), to mature, compassionate left-field rock on Remorse Code. If your interested their entire output has been posted on the web here

Mint Condition MFSL Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Deja vu

I seem to stuck on Michel White and George Duke again.
This time, the LP12 with the Whest phonostage 20 / Corda Aria/W2002. Stageline taking a break.