What are you listening to and WHY might anyone be interested? (Vol. XIII)
Posted by: Richard Dane on 01 January 2017
2017 has arrived today, so time to start this thread afresh.
Last year's thread can be found here;
The Gene Harris Quartet - Funky Gene's
If I could just play the piano like this gentleman I would be a very, very happy man! 
David Oistrakh/LSO/Horenstein. 1962 - Bruch Scottish Fantasia/Hindemith VC (1939). AP SACD. Good one.
Quite a good set from Bronfman/Zinman and the Zurich band. They symphonies under Zinman are worth a listen as well...
kuma posted:
Yo Yo Ma/ Maazel/Berliner
Dvořák Cello Concerto in B minor, B.191 Op.104
1986 Recording
Great performance! On my original issue CD, it's Yo Yo Ma, supported by the Berliner in the distant background. But nevertheless, so few other performances capture the magic of this work. There is one recent one, which I feel comes close (and is infinitely better recorded): Christian Poltera, on Bis.
Cheers,
EJ
Florestan posted:Franz Schubert (1797-1828): Louis Schwizgebel (piano)
Piano Sonata No. 19 in c-minor, D.958 | Piano Sonata No. 16 in a-minor, D.845
My first recording from Louis Schwizgebel and it won't be my last. A solid recording under the steady, unwavering hands of Schwizgebel. His choice of a Yamaha piano is my only reservation. Fine enough for most ears I am much too picky about these things. Strangely enough though the two youtube samples below are both played on a Steinway. To these ears there is a difference (albeit a small difference but the character is different). On the clips Schwizgebel seems more open and warmer vs. the recording where he seems more careful and unwilling to take risks.
Doug & Bert - if you can, try and grab a copy of his recording of Saint-Saëns piano concertos. They are game changing, in making me open ears to music I found rather irrelevant before.
Cheers
EJ
On CD:-
Gong - I See You
An excellent album by Steve Kuhn.
Two jaw-droppingly good albums (the last she made) on one CD. No reason really, but fancied listening to some BG (always a pleasure)...
Duran Duran - "Seven and the Ragged Tiger"
I've just cleaned this with my Loricraft PRC4 and it sounds amazing. If you have never listened to Duran Duran then you may at least have heard the theme music to "James Bond - With a View to a Kill". The instrumental stuff on this album, which was their only number No 1 hit, is really good and imaginative. It needs the PRC4 to open up the sound.
A + 3 | WAV
(1970)
On vinyl...
On vinyl...
On vinyl...
Frederic Mompou (1893-1987): Arcadi Volodos (piano)
Prelude Nr. VII (Palmier d'etoiles) | Damunt de tu nomes les flors (Mompou / Volodos) | Kinderszenen | Hoy la tierra y los cielos me sonrien (Mompou / Volodos) | El lago (Le lac) (No. 2 from Paisages) | ...pour appeler la joie (No. 6 from Charmes) | Prelude XII | Dialogues 2 | Dialogues 1 | Musica callada I Angelico | Musica callada II Lent | Musica callada XXVII Lento molto | Musica callada XXIV Moderato | Musica calladaXXV | Musica callada XI Allegretto \ Musica callada XV Lento - plaintif | Musica callada XXII Molto lento e tranquilo \ Musica callada XVI Calme | Musica callada VI Lento | Musica callada XXI Lento
A new Volodos album is coming out soon and so I am playing this to remind myself to order it soon ! Volodos has never failed to impress me so I look forward to this new album with great anticipation. He doesn't record a whole lot but maybe this is a good thing with the low supply creating high demand for me. He also has the album naming down with the new album (Brahms) predictably going with "A guy with only a last name" plays "a composer with only a last name."
Checking out this album from Steve Kuhn via Tidal.
I'm liking it so far. It was recorded in 1968, but sound quality is fine.
Vinyl
Why? Time to rock it up a bit.
steve
A+ 3 | WAV
(1971)
I need to scratch that Curved Air itch a bit more, following up their debut album with this one.
Kandace Springs - Soul Eyes
So classy, so mature, so spot on for one so young. This is a very touching piece of work, well it is to me. I guess these things are rather personal.
This young lady should have a bright future. 
Vinyl
Why? And now a change of pace.
steve
Dinu Lipatti - Icon box CD2-rip. Really low prices on these boxsets these days. I should mention that the sound is uneven on some recordings but worth it for the performances.
