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

Haydn London Symphony. Fischer Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Edwin Fischer (more famous as a great pianist of course), in Berlin in 1938. I is staggering that no commercial release of this has been issued on CD. Its last iteration was on 78s, never issued in UK. It is my favourite recording of it.

All the best from Fredrik

I'd forgotten just how good this album was - Janis Joplin at her best,or is Cheap Thrills, Janis at her best. Either way this is an excellent album.

Art Of Fugue twice, before and after the London Symphony. Funny sort of interval break, that!

Firstly Walcha in Alkmaar recorded in pristine stereo in 1956. This reading gives pause for thought - for though no one can say for sure what instrument or set of instruments Bach had in mind, and also the 16 foot tone issue in the bass, which in any case is totally lucid with this wonderful Baroque instrument - about whether the organ is not the ideal resource for bringing out the music. I think it is, though Walcha spent many years refusing to play the work. Leonhardt argues persuasively that it is 'designed' for the harpsichord, but the fact remains that in some places it is impossible to play exactly what Bach wrote on a two keyboard instrument, as Leonhardt's essay demonstrates. [It is impossible in far more instances on the piano of course!]. In which case my second traversal in one evening becomes a valid option, technically.

Muchninger and the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra. Not just technically though! This is stunningly beautiful music making and like the organ rendition preserves the singing lines. The playing is wonderfully lucid, and also filled with human warmth, as Walcha's reading is of course, but the effect is cooler on the organ. I almost think this is the ideal way in, though no performance can be quite all encompassing in this music.

I also have Davitt Moroney's Harpsichord version, but I find this a strangely uninvolving reading, but will not part with it on account of its perfectly logical response to the text, and technical perfection. Morony is a real virtuoso, and that is worth something. I play that over, maybe once a year!

All the best from Fredrik

Okki Nokki'd Kathleen Ferrier - My favourite Bach & Handel



and Lied von der Erde



Can't wait to listen to these again once the Aro is installed

Not as good as Perl - but some great songs nonetheless sung by Janis as only she could - the Kozmic Blues Band seem to be better musicians than Big Brother & the Holding Company (even though Cheap Thrills is a masterpiece).

The 4th October 1970 was a sad day indeed when the world lost a talent like this - she'd have been 63 now.

Marc Andre Hamelin / Ives & Barber piano sonatas / Hyperion

Excellent interpretations of Schubert

Having just seen 'Being there' for the umpteenth time on BBC1 tonight (Peter Sellar's best film imho)- I googled Eumir Deodato as his jazz version of 'also sprach Zarathustra' is featured brilliantly in the film and downloaded that plus other examples of his work and discovered I like latin jazz! Whoopie, new stuff to explore.

Love it

Michael Fracasso - World in a drop of water.

bought this a few years ago on a Crawdaay recomendation. I'm no good a the " a mix between John Lennon/ Marx Brothers/Siberian Folk" and find it hard to describe music.

a slightly obtuse way of looking at the world lyrically. It's produces by Charlie Sexton who plays drums. I suppose you'd have to call it country rock or americana but these pidgeon holes do very little justice to music. a great minor gem.

Still beautiful after all these years.

I agree about the David Sylvian
I'm mainly listening to Youth in Dub by Matisyahu. Produced by Bill Laswell - one of the greatest musical geniuses ever. And Matisyahu, well a hasidic jew singing reggae. How cool is that?
Also on heavy rotation is Sultan Orhal by Pete Namlook and Burhan Ocal

The mighty one.

At the Club.

Another great ACE compilation, this time having a trawl through the Atlantic vaults

Gianluigi,good for you Time Out is timeless, I have it on vinyl and I think CD. fun Jazz.

Ceremony / Maya Homburger & Barry Guy / ECM

Maya Homburger, baroque violin
Barry Guy, double-bass

Music of Biber and Barry Guy. In the car tonight.

Haim

quote:

Originally posted by Gianluigi Mazzorana:

Gianluigi,

Your next step?

Haim

Anthens in Eden by Shirley and Dolly Collins with The Early Music Consort of London - it never fails, this is a truly monumental album with a superb contribution from Christopher Hogwood. This has to be one of the best albums in my collection. It even has a nicely written Wikipedia entry ( here).

Snapshots is Shirley's new album due out on 20th March.

Brandenberg Concertos, 1 to 4, with the Adolf Busch Chamber Players. As fresh as the day they were played, these lovely reading always lift my soul, even after a ropy day at work. Don't ask please! I almost walked away from the job. Almost! So Bach it will be with a nice coffee, and a nice rolled up cigarette before hitting the hay.

Fredrik

In general I enjoy Angela Hewitt, but her playing of Ravel is way too fast. That sense of rushing prevents me of a relaxed listening that I enjoy so much.

Haim

Excellent recording. Levine and Kissin seem to blend into one

quote:

Originally posted by Wolf:
Gianluigi,good for you Time Out is timeless, I have it on vinyl and I think CD. fun Jazz.

Hi Wolf.
It is a very nice album.
Have had an original print of the original recordings once.
If i think about the old, rare and impossible to find jazz and blues LPs i've gave away i'd bite my tongue to blood!
Some of them are out to stock even in the more hidden small shops of obscure little towns around the world.
Quite a bad lost.
I keep on searching for occasional remasters in small label stocks, but hard as well.

Cheers