Schubert,
I just did a search on Amazon with the search words “Glazunov Oistrakh” and it came up as the first listing. If you can’t find it, I’ll be happy to buy it and send it to you gratis if you PM me with your address.
I have the Shaham recording. Excellent, but not the passion of Oistrakh.
No, I haven’t heard any of that Royal Scottish Glazunov set. Sounds interesting.
I’ll look for the Steven Coombs set.
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Thanks rv, kind of you But I did find a Russian one of several of his concertos where folks said the Glazunov was the star .I already had a CD of his 6 with Royal Scottish which is very good .Barton-Pine is very easy on the ear at worst .
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David Oistrakh Edition Vol 3 / Oistrakh, Richter
here http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=93218&album_group=14includes
19.
Sonata for Violin and Piano no 2 in A major, Op. 100 by Johannes Brahms
Performer:
David Oistrakh (Violin),
Sviatoslav Richter (Piano)
20.
Sonata for Violin and Piano no 3 in D minor, Op. 108 by Johannes Brahms
Performer:
Sviatoslav Richter (Piano),
David Oistrakh (Violin)
21.
Sonata for Violin and Piano in A major, M 8 by César Franck
Performer:
David Oistrakh (Violin),
Sviatoslav Richter (Piano)
22.
Sonata for Violin and Piano no 1, Sz 75 by Béla Bartók
Performer:
David Oistrakh (Violin),
Sviatoslav Richter (Piano)
23.
Sonata for Violin and Piano, Op. 134 by Dmitri Shostakovich
Performer:
David Oistrakh (Violin),
Sviatoslav Richter (Piano)
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@schubert Len you are dead right about Fischer she is a stunning violinist. Have you heard her on the piano she is superb, I’m of the opiion she could have made it on either instrument she is that good. A few years ago she was concertising with the Grieg Piano Concerto in the first half of the concert and the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto in the second. Not so long ago she did a concert in I think The Wigmore Hall with her on piano and accompanying Alina Ibragimova who is no mean fiddler herself. One of my memories going back I think about five years ago was her on The Proms and she played a spellbinding Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto. When it was over she came back onstage to play an encore and tha place went hushed and after a good pregnant pause of about 20 seconds she suddenly said "I am sorry for taking so long but there are twenty four of these and I am trying to decide what one to play" . No guessing what it was she was deciding on the Paganini 24 Etudes. Playing one of those finger twisting devilish things is bad enough but deciding from the twenty four that you have up your sleeve is surely rubbing it in. |
Amen jim . She is the epitome of all that is good about German music .
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Sergei Lyapunov, Etsuko Hirose
I read that Lyapunov's Trancendental Etudes were incredibly difficult to play. They are a continuation/completion of Liszt.
So I tried to find a recordning, and found Etsuko Hirose.
Fabulous recording, highly recommended.
Hirose was born in Japan, and gained fame first in France.
Most recently she has studied with Brendel.
I cannot find any other of her recordings.
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Just discovered Grigory Sokolov. Not very well known in the US, and not many recordings to choose from. But his live performance of Schubert and Beethoven on DG is unparalleled. Full video available on Amazon prime. I can not stop listening to this guy. His sound and tone are truly unique.
Also, check out his Mozart Salzburg recital, also a live performance.
Has anyone heard this guy live? |
I had the pleasure of listening to Grigory Sokolov a number of years ago at the Edinbugh Festival in the Queen's Hall. He came on and did a medley of Wm. Byrd pieces.That one set was enough for me to see how great he was / is. He then played Beethoven's Piano Sonata Op.2 No 3. and unfortunately I can't remember the rest of his progam except for an encore a Brahm's intermezzo Op.117 which was absoloutly divne. What made me love his playing was that no matter what he played in the repeats when thing can get a little taxing he did not slacken the pace any and he just threw the decorations as if flicking a piece of fluff off his sleeve. Last year I purchased his CD of Beethoven's Hammerklavier and Schubert's Piano sonata D960. l love the Schubert but hate his Hammerklavier as I find the playing slow and leaden which is very unlike him but I am afraid he does polarise opinions.
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Any Prokofiev lovers out there might want to investigate a set of his compositions (mostly ballets) recorded in the sixties by Ernest Ansermet and the Suisse Romande on Decca Eloquence. Incredible performances AND sound. |
Benjamin Grosvenor
I was searching for young pianists, and found Grosvenor.
His album "Dances" is very nice, and the finale is superb:
Bach's sonata for flute and harpsichord BWV 1031, as arranged by Kempff.
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Jeremy - I love the playing of young Grosvenor, he has a lot of charm to his playing. I have a stunning Ravel - Gaspard di La Nuit that I recorded from BBC Radio 3 last year and the playing is phenoninal. He also has some super recordings also, have a look on Discogs and you will see some lovely recitals there. Jim.
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jim
listening to Grosvenor's "Homage" album, outstanding!
and technically it is as good as it gets, credit Decca
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Yes Jeremy he has quite an arsenal of technical ability , let's hope he never takes up the baton as I'd hate to hear that technique dissipating as it did with Ashkenazy and now I notice in hia last concert Mikhail Pletnov has lost a good bit of flexibility in his playing. What I mean is he is relying on muscle memory which happens when you don't ge enough time to practice on your instrument . I remember Menuhin in his later years when he was spending so much time guest conducting and with his roll in Unesco his playing was awfull through lack of practice.
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This is a remarkably interesting and erudite thread containing both mainstream and offbeat suggestions. But reading through it, I did miss two of my favorite recordings.
There are a few recommendations for Nielsen’s music, but nothing praising his Third Symphony which is well deserving of all the praise its fans send its way. Frankly, I think it is a masterpiece, and since there are few recordings available, I may as well recommend the one where I first heard the piece: Leonard Bernstein conducting the Royal Danish Philharmonic Orchestra on a CBS recording released in 1965.
The second of the "missing" recommendations is a very recent recording on the 2L lablel of two song cycles for voice and orchestra by the Norwegian composer Henning Sommerro: Ujamaa and the Iceberg. This might be a little weird for some, but it is tonal, attention grabbing, stunning, and simply the best recording I have ever heard. |
Jim
I think some pianists turn to conducting as they age and are losing their physical skills. Physically, it is easier to conduct than play a piano. I recall reading that Sv Richter was despondent in his 80's for this reason, and stopped playing in public. He also once said that he did not want to conduct because that would mean taking a 6 months break from his piano practice, and he doubted he could recover after that.
As you say, Ashkenazy is a good case in point. Barenboim is another.
Many first rate pianists are fully capable of being conductors, but it is hard to do both.
In USA we have very few athletes who succeed at two professional sports.
Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders are the only two that I recall. Danny Ange played baseball just enough to get some leverage about which basketball team he would play for. Remember when Michael Jordan quit basketball to attempt pro golf? It did not work out for him.
In college I knew a guy who lettered in 5 sports in his freshman year, went on the play on the Davis Cup tennis team. But he never played but one sport professionally (tennis).
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pardon me, correction
Michael Jordan quit basketball to play baseball (not golf)and it did not work out for him
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Beatrice Rana
saw a rave review in nyt, so found her Chopin/Scriabin cdsounds great
and she's only 26, so more to come
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Resumed piano concerto survey.
Here's a delightful couple that are clearly underrated.
Lyapunov 1 and 2.
Fine pianism from Shorena Tsintsabadze and good sound on Naxos CD. Thoroughly enjoyable.
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Jeremy - Beatrice Rana , have a listen to her Liszt B Minor Sonata, it is utterly spelbinding from start to finish and I don't usually say that about pianists under thirty.I will have to give the Lyapunov's a listen to again, must be thirty years since I listened last.Nielsens Symphonies have been quite sporadic with me sometimes when the mood hits me I will give No 6 an airing as I like some of the jaunty tunes in it as well as that nice touch of vinegar.
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jim204, Can you provide details on the recording by Rana that you mentioned. I don't have it and can't identify/locate it. I have her Van Cliburn Competition disc and will be getting her Chopin/Scriabin disc. She really is quite good and I look forward to following her a bit. |
Ernest Ansermet and the Suisse Romande, I remember great recordings of opera ballet music from them.
Le Cid is one that I still recall.
And, yes, well recorded.
bob |
Jim
I have not found Rana's Liszt Sonata . . . yet.
But I am listening to her Bach Goldberg variations, and it is excellent. Confident, unhurried.
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Hi Jeremy I had a look at Rana on your link and it is not the same performance of the Liszt Sonata as I have one from The Wigmore Hall and recorded by the BBC which is maybe not recorded as per normal standards of the up to date quallity but is perfectly acceptable. I’m afraid I recorded it onto my PC and I listen from there so it is not availlable to the public as a CD or download file.
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jim
did you watch the interview?
Rana praises Martha Argerich as a "lioness".
Love it.
Also includes several performances.
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Rana couldn't have anyone any better than Argerich to look up to. I always remember a quip by Barenboim who was having lunch one day with Arthur Rubinstein when old Rubinstein brought up Martha Argerichs name when they were discussing pianists. Arthur said what a fabulous player she was but why did she always play so fast and Barenboim was quick to reply say ing "because she can!!" Barenboim heard a muffled whisper from Rubinstein "Touche".
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In the interview, Rana describes her childhood and family. She lived with her parents until she was 18 years old, and outside of being a prodigy, her life was very normal.
Argerich had a very different childhood. Recognized in Argentina as a prodigy, Peron created a job for Argerich's father as a consular officer in Vienna so that she could study with recognized teachers (Gulda was first). So she had no continuity of social life or friends, and she has explained how difficult this was for her.
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I'm just listening to a very well recorded and executed Mahler - Symphony No 9 from Herbert Blomstedt and Bamberg Symphony Orchestra. I have to say I am enjoying it as it is not as frenetic as Solti and not as leaden as Klemperer . It is very well recorded except for a bit of squeezed dynamics which is perfectly understandable considering the massive dynamics of the work in the first place.
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At over 90 Blomstedt is still in heavy demand world-wide , a true master ! On records his Nielsen Symphonies 1,2 and 3 with the San Francisco on Decca is utterly magnificent ,one of the best outings I’ve ever heard . Live , his Bach B Minor Mass with the Gewandhaus is burned into my soul .
Bamberg is not only one of the worlds most beautiful cities, its Symphony is outstanding and has been so for a long time . A great recording of the Bamberg is a Schubert 9th under Jonathan Nott on Tudor 7144 . If you can find it you won’t regret it .
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Re: Mahler Ninth, my preferred version of the some dozen that I own is, believe it or not, by a Russian: Kirill Kondrashin.
The Mahler Ninth may be my all-time favorite symphony.
The Kondrashin is probably still available on a marvelous sounding HDTT offering. |
At over 90 Blomstedt is still in heavy demand world-wide , a true master On records his Nielsen Symphonies 1,2 and 3 with the San Francisco on Decca is utterly magnificent ,one of the best outings I’ve ever heard
Let’s hear it for Nielsen, an under performed composer who deserves more attention
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+ I for the Flor Mendelssohn ! In Russia Kondrashin was considered the ultimate conductor of Mahler . |
Mahler 9: on the shelf I have Walter, Barbirolli, Klemperer, Karajan, Bernstein, Zander, and Fischer. Where would KK lie; what does he bring to the table? |
It’s difficult to make comparisons.
Kondrashin just seems to communicate the essence of the music to me better than anyone else.
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Now listening to Kondrashin Mahler 9, downloaded last night.It is in a set of Mahler Symphonies 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9.
Also downloaded the Bamberg, but with Jonathan Nott. Tudor 7162 (Austria)
There is another download that has 40 different orchestras!
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I don’t think I’ve ever gone out this far on a branch , in private or in public as I am about to . I’ve listened to about every Glazunov Violin Concerto(and others) ever made in the last month or so . Julia Fisher is the greatest violinist in modern times , She simply makes, name who you will , seem like an also ran . She does things no one else can .Never forces a note , tone steady form the lowest to the highest note, nonpareil control of harmonics, a natural ability to balance with the orchestra , magnificent dynamics with vitality and perfect inflection in every note . Similar to Mozart in her ability to make you think it could be no other way . For starters . Of course I could be wrong and we all like who we like .
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my favorite violinist this week is Scarlet Rivera!
(hope i don't get banned from this blog)
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Schubert,
Thank you so much for alluding to Julia Fisher and the Glazunov.
Her performance made me fall in love with that magnificent concerto all over again.
The very pinnacle of Romanticism! |
Schubert
You are bang on about Julia Fischer she is by far the greatest violinist of ourtimes with musicality in every stroke of the bow. I can only name one more in her class and to me that is Maxim Vengerov who is every bit her equal technically but she I think has it in tone control . I have never heard he play a wrong note and her intonation is spot on ( I cannot say that for a lot of her superstar pals).
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Thank you rv and jim . It not that I don’t like other violinists , I am in love with Nicola Benedetti, almost broke my dial finger when I heard she was coming to Minneapolis last year and bought the best seat in the house . Of course the fact that she is 200% Scottish and has done so much in general for my DNA land had something to do with it . But I could make a list of dozens of others . I went hundreds of miles to hear Milstein and Oistrakh both of whom who I still listen to often and so on and so forth .
The simple home truth is than God gave Julia Fisher the entire package . Thank you Lord !
P.S . rv, I put the Glazunov toward the top as well though Brahms is my smack dab tops . What makes the Glazunov so great is the same thing that makes the Brahms great , it is in superb taste . So many sound like honey dripping off Perlman’s bow .
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Schubert
Funny about Benedetti but she was educated in my hometown of Ayr and I have seen her many times in Ayr as well shopping with her mum. She went to a swanky private school for girls in the town and I am glad she won the BBC competition Young Player of The Year as that got her away from the stupid education system of this country and into a whole new area where art is first and foremost. A couple of years ago she helped The international composer now James McMillan with a festival that he organised in his hometown of Cumnock about 13 miles from our town. I went to one of their concerts and Miss Benedetti played the Chaconne of Bach and very well she did it. The other stuff in the program was definitly not to my taste, I cannot stand music that I cannot hear at least the gist of tonallity in it. I have often been chided about my tastes in music but I really have no interest is any music after Shostakovitch. I used to go to subscription concerts in Glasgow and they used to have the experimental music on first and after the piece was over there was a scramble of people rushing into the hall to get their place for the next piece on the program. I am glad I am an old retired gentleman now as I won't have to stomach that swill for too much longer.
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UK public education is similar to US model . If your economy rests on buying scraps of paper from someone who then sends you an I.O. U . you’d better keep them dumb . Even in private schools they neglect that . I like some composers , like the Great Leos Janacek ,who use dissidence but with him it is logical with what he has to say which is a lot . Simple truth was revealed to me at uni by an eminent French philosopher . She said none born in the age of TV and rock will ever have the clarity of mind to write something like Bach or Mozart . Brain is rewired .
I spent a night in Ayr after landing at Preswick for the sole purpose of the Bobby Burns museum , you could do a lot worse laddy .
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Schubert
You should see Ayr today Len it is a very sad place . The unemployment rate is huge and there are hardly any shops open in the High St. The pavements of the place are begging points for Romanians and Roma gypsies. I had a laugh the other day when a known MUSLIM tried to sell me a pro Christian pamphlet which in itself is freely given out for nothing and when I told her to piss off she literally swore every swearword known in Arabic. So I don’t think I shall get into her version of heaven ( Lucky me )
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Well jim , IMO England and the Royal Racket have always used Scotland as cannon fodder and cheap labor . Simple . The entire UK acts like the Queen is their mother , high road to never growing up .Makes a loser think he’s a winner . I’m truly sad that Ayr has fallen on hard times . But , though we may never see it the match is not over .If Norway can do it , certainly Scotland can do it as well .
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