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;
Bert Schurink posted:Magnus Oström - Parachute...
Bert Schurink posted:Radiohead not remastered version of a ok computer
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Soup, Remedies WAV Download.
Some very good Norwegian Atmospheric Prog. Album cover by Lasse Hoile who also works with Steven Wilson.
A+3 Downloaded from Qobuz. Excellent compositions, performance and SQ. For me it was a great finding.
Only commercial recording of Gounod's unfairly little known dramatic opera, Mireille. Then in her mid-40s, Mirella Freni is in fantastic voice in the title role. By comparison Alain Vanzo sounds a bit worn, but nevertheless this is one of the gems in EMI/Warner's opera catalogue.
Cheers
EJ
Franz Liszt: Gabor Farkas (piano)
Opera and Song for Solo Piano
First exposure to Gabor Farkas on his Steinway & Sons debut and I quite like his playing and style. This music is always welcome in my home and in my heart. Has me now digging to order his debut recording from 2009 entitled, "An Evening with Liszt." While I am generalizing, I feel he has similar characteristics to Volodos which is a good thing.
J.S. Bach: Mie Miki (accordion)
Selected Preludes and Fugues from Das Wohltemperierte Klavier, Books I & II
I don't know why I never had the opportunity to latch onto an accordion and learnt how to play it but somehow my skill and joy is limited to being an accordion aficionado. So it is always a thrill to find another recording and in the case of Mie Miki it seems I have a back catalogue to catch up with starting with Grieg.
The music of Bach seems to fit into any musical box and the accordion seems to be especially fitting.
Could not find a Bach sample...
Inspired by Doug, my first classical accordion recording from 1988 and still a favorite:
A+3, Downloaded from Qobuz. This composer is known only by the music in this album. He has only a couple of works in addition to these sonatas. The sonatas are very varied in terms of content and structure. I fully recommend this album to those that like the baroque music.
Furtwängler/Vienna Phil: Beethoven Symphony No.3 'Eroica'
Excellent digital reissue from 1952 EMI recordings done at Abbey Road Studio from the original master tape. Well balanced, big and warm sound with excellent micro and macro dynamics all around. Massed strings remain civilised for the most part.
This is a typical of what I thought as Beethoven sound. i.e. heavy, serious and no joy. 2nd movement is like eating a heavy German meal. <burp> It's a slower profound narrative approach. 3rd movement rolls in with steel toe shoes. Sufficiently bombastic with great dynamic contrast. Big and beautiful but not the most rhythmically exciting set but a lot going on in terms of story telling than shallow & empty Karajan set. I am curious to hear, however, his war time recording of this with the Berliner.
During workout, always pleasant for a workout....
Breakfast - nice and quiet...
In my world, Klemperer owns Eroica. Especially this early mono recording. The tempo is more brisk than his later stereo recording and it seems more determined and hard hitting. More sense of urgency coming through. Oddly perceived speed is faster than Toscanini's. Simply there's more going on this set.
This Holland pressing of original recording has a low noise floor and above average self noise than many of current reissues. Great dynamics and natural tonal colours and no stress anywhere. This is more dynamic than the CD reissue and this record sounds just so much more effortless. Astonishing amount of ambient and note decays showing even on typically smallish mono recording. A slightly silvery edge heard in the CD reissues are not simply here on this original mono. All the textures on strings and instruments are well preserved.
VladtheImpala posted:Jeroen20 posted:This album has become a firm favourite at Castle Vlad - David Russell is a fantastic musician. Very highly recommended for classical guitar enthusiasts.
For a truly wondrous Chaconne, I strongly recommend this :
This is a fantastic recital.
Haim Ronen posted:Jeroen20 posted:Chet Baker - Crystal bells
- Chet Baker - Trumpet
- Philip Catherine - Guitar
- jean-Louis Rassinfosse - Bass
Jeroen,
It looks like you are on a quest to get the whole label. I found the Baker recording on Amazon but the asking prices for a used copy were in the $300s and a new one was going for over $400. I might as well check leasing options..
Available as a download from Qobuz for £4.79 - excellent !
Trying out. Jazz with an electro dimension...
The new one, I am always looking forward to his albums - while he runs the risk of creating too much...
