I don't remember any recording from the Czech's that was not at least very good .Many are superb .
Classical Music for Aficionados
I would like to start a thread, similar to Orpheus’ jazz site, for lovers of classical music.
I will list some of my favorite recordings, CDs as well as LP’s. While good sound is not a prime requisite, it will be a consideration.
Classical music lovers please feel free to add to my lists.
Discussion of musical and recording issues will be welcome.
I’ll start with a list of CDs. Records to follow in a later post.
Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique. Chesky — Royal Phil. Orch. Freccia, conductor.
Mahler: Des Knaben Wunderhorn. Vanguard Classics — Vienna Festival Orch. Prohaska, conductor.
Prokofiev: Scythian Suite et. al. DG — Chicago Symphony Abbado, conductor.
Brahms: Symphony #1. Chesky — London Symph. Orch. Horenstein, conductor.
Stravinsky: L’Histoire du Soldat. HDTT — Ars Nova. Mandell, conductor.
Rachmaninoff: Symphonic Dances. Analogue Productions. — Dallas Symph Orch. Johanos, cond.
Respighi: Roman Festivals et. al. Chesky — Royal Phil. Orch. Freccia, conductor.
All of the above happen to be great sounding recordings, but, as I said, sonics is not a prerequisite.
I will list some of my favorite recordings, CDs as well as LP’s. While good sound is not a prime requisite, it will be a consideration.
Classical music lovers please feel free to add to my lists.
Discussion of musical and recording issues will be welcome.
I’ll start with a list of CDs. Records to follow in a later post.
Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique. Chesky — Royal Phil. Orch. Freccia, conductor.
Mahler: Des Knaben Wunderhorn. Vanguard Classics — Vienna Festival Orch. Prohaska, conductor.
Prokofiev: Scythian Suite et. al. DG — Chicago Symphony Abbado, conductor.
Brahms: Symphony #1. Chesky — London Symph. Orch. Horenstein, conductor.
Stravinsky: L’Histoire du Soldat. HDTT — Ars Nova. Mandell, conductor.
Rachmaninoff: Symphonic Dances. Analogue Productions. — Dallas Symph Orch. Johanos, cond.
Respighi: Roman Festivals et. al. Chesky — Royal Phil. Orch. Freccia, conductor.
All of the above happen to be great sounding recordings, but, as I said, sonics is not a prerequisite.
3,872 responses Add your response
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@rvpiano I couldn't agree more RV as I like my particular composers too, but there was a time when I would not listen to the likes of Stravinsky and Prokofiev . Over the course of 40 years though I have come to like a lot of their output and like you I still cannot listen to the Second Viennese School. My allegence to Bach is still per eminent though and I don't think that shall ever change. |
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I want to pose a sort of philosophical question about our listening to music. The obvious answer to the question is that we should listen to whatever we damn please. But the query is: should we be happy listening to our favorite composers and compositions, or should we feel guilty about not exploring new horizons and music we’re prone to hate? For me, the obvious bitter pills are such as Liszt, Neilson and Bruckner, not to mention the Second Viennese school. We run the risk of close-mindedness by ignoring that which we don’t know and missing out on what what glories might be out there. On the other hand, we only have so much time, and there is a universe of more accessible music available. I just wonder if this dilemma has crossed anyone else's mind. |
Just about finished this set of dvd's Great musicianship, and the camera work follows appropriate sections. Documentaries are in german with english subtitles. Beautiful venues with apparently good acoustics as well. Especially liked Barenboim and Rattle concerts although didn't as much prior to seeing this box set. https://www.euroarts.com/labels/6098-europakonzert-25-dvd-anniversary-box-1991-2015 |
Angela Hewitt’s unique F278 Fazioli was destroyed in an attempt to lift it on to a trolley Hewitt said her F278 Fazioli, the only one in the world fitted with four pedals, and worth at least £150,000, was “kaputt”. She said: “I hope my piano will be happy in piano heaven.” “I adored this piano. It was my best friend, best companion. I loved how it felt when I was recording – giving me the possibility to do anything I wanted.” He said: “Every single piano is different and you grow with them and they change as they age and you develop together. For a pianist at that level a piano becomes an extension of your body and that’s why she dragged it around for her recordings.” . “Paolo [Fazioli] says he will never fit four pedals ever again to it [a F278] because it was such a pain in the arse.” https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/feb/11/virtuoso-mourns-beloved-150000-piano-smashed-by-movers |
Jim . Did a little Plane spotting today because of European storm. Giant USAF C-17 transport coming into Preswick looked like a rock dancer, and USAF only uses pilots on those monsters with mucho miles in their log book. At my usual target , Amsterdam Schiphol, which is always windy , commercial liners were taking a dozen or more go-arounds to get them down . I was scared watching them ! I would estimate gusts from 80 to 100 miles . To top it off a BA flight rode the storm jet- wind and set an all time record from JFK to Heathrow , less than 5 hours . Is your house OK ? |
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I just saw Paul Lewis in Chicago last night, playing the Beethoven PCs 1/4 with Andrew Davis conducting. He is a great player. I had only heard one recording of his a few years ago that left me a bit underwhelmed but last night was wonderful. btw, the Brendel recording of the last 3 Schubert Sonatas are not only great performances, but one of the most natural sounding recordings of a Piano made in the analog era |
You guys who have access to Idagio there is a lovely concert with the Vienna Phil. and Gergiev conducting exclusive to Idagio . It's Tchaikovsky's Lovely 1st Symphony "Winter Daydreams" and Rimsky-Korsakov's Sheherezade in a lovely interpretation by Gergiev. @twoleftears You are right about Paul Lewis I have been watching him for a number of years and I like your comment aout the playing being more human and I think that is because Alfred Brendel had a hand in finishing off his musical education. If it is of any interest he also has some really nice Haydn Piano sonatas available also. |
Sudbin came up in the context of good recorded piano sound (BIS, SACD). Here's another recording whose piano sound I'm enjoying, the acoustic is different, there's a bit more resonance, but it does sound very much like a piano in a room. Paul Lewis: 2 CD set of Schubert: Sonatas D. 840, 850, 894, plus Impromptus D. 899 and Klavierstucke D. 946. See what you think if it's available streaming somewhere. The playing seems somehow more "human" to me than some Schubert recitals I've heard. |
For the last weeks I listen to the Bach trio sonatas at the organ with Helmuth Walcha, by far the more spiritual interpretation of Bach, with the likes of cellist Fournier, violinist Henryk Szeryng and few others... When I compare with Hurford, a good organist by all standard, I am way less moved... It is like the blind master summon his prolific god behind his hands.... My best... |
Host David Dubal begins a new series on two keyboard masters born in 1685: Johann Sebastian Bach and Domenico Scarlatti. These two composers were the titans of the late Baroque period, and their work has continued to inspire ever since. Tonight's program features some of the greatest players of Bach and Scarlatti, including Andras Schiff in Bach, and the renowned Scarlatti interpreter Vladimir Horowitz. Program Playlist: Scarlatti: Sonata in C, K. 502 Scarlatti: Sonata in F, L. 384 Bach: Three Part Invention No. 9 in E Minor Scarlatti: Sonata in B, L. 224 https://www.wqxr.org/story/masters-baroque-bach-and-scarlatti-part-1/ |
A beautiful rendition of a Quartet that I had forgotten how beautiful it is . https://youtu.be/Nuu1Ak9G6fQ?t=8 |
Thanks Jim . I think no country should have one . To me it's it's a way to keep the masses from ever really growing up . The things I've seen Charles in lead me to the same conclusion as yourself .I flew on a KLM jumbo from Chicago to Amsterdam few years back .The pilot was the King of the Netherlands . That's a real job ! |
Quite honestly Len the Scots couldn't give a stuff about the Royal family.I think the Queen and the prince of Wales should be the only ones that the state should keep, the rest get out and find a job ( too many hangers on ). In fact Len the Prince of wales is the only one who works and pays tax, he has the Dutchy of Cornwall and he has turned it into a very profitable place through farming and tree production. Yes I do like Prince Charles he is a very intelligent and astute man. Ask any true Scot who should be on the throne and they will always come up with the Stuarts. |
Jim , all you hear in US is former Prince Harry soap opera , do Scots care that much that The Queen bared he fangs ? Both countries are similar IMO because all spins around the City and/or Wall Street . The circus keeps the poor folk occupied . Hope he can get by in Canada ( a good country) on his 50 million pounds pittance . |
@jcazador Hi jeremy yes I have heard and have his new piano album and I think it gives a more tangible link to the 19th century piano playing and I think it also has a wonderful tone. Yes the dark side was meant to be a bit flippant because one side of me says we already have enough wonderful conductors and one says without these pianist's contributions we would be bereft of the benefit these pianist conductors. I do hate though going to concerts where the pianist in a concerto would be thoroughly triounced pianistically by the conductor. I'm afraid the Scot in me says I am being short changed. |
While we are on a Liszt theme at the moment I have been listening lately to some stunning piano playing from Daniel Barenboim from 1973 to 1983. It is called The Romantic Piano 1 and it is on Idagio at the moment with a complete set of the Chopin Nocturnes , Mendelssohn's Songs Without Words and some stunning Liszt. He plays the Swiss Pilgrimage and also most of the Itallian one and some of the list Wagner transcriptions. There is also a superb account of the B Minor Sonata which I had never heard from him before. He really was some player before he went over to the dark side ( conducting ). |
Here's one final Liszt recommendation: Geoffrey Tozer, Liszt Piano Transcriptions [just about everything/everyone other than the set of Schubert transcriptions] on Chandos. Very natural, good piano sound, and some fine pianism. Tozer is mainly a Medtner specialist, but he ventures into a number of quite different composers. |
I know this is almost a year old but I recently discovered this sad news and did not see any mention here on Agon. One of my favorite conductors growing up. https://www-nytimes-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.nytimes.com/2019/02/28/obituaries/andre-previn-de... |
I presume you guys saw this news too. https://www.classicfm.com/artists/vladimir-ashkenazy/russian-pianist-conductor-retires-public-concerts/ |
We will miss Haitink ( now retired ) and Blomstedt very much when they go. In the summer of 2019 I watched some BBC Proms performances and one I really loved was Haitink at the helm of the VPO and he played Bruckner 's Seventh and after a few curtain call you could see he was quite upset as that was to be his last performance in the UK. I remember the last parting shot of the back of his head as he recieved a standing ovation from the audience and the orchestra. Very touching and the end of a very great career. |
I just purchased a used set of Haitink’s Shostakovich cycle, which was split between the Concertgebouw and the LPO. I had owned a couple of them on lp, none digitally. All I can say is wow. Not only is BH inside of DSCH idiom, but the late seventies Decca analog recordings are superb in their impact |
I went with the Rhapsody In Blue: Saint-Säens, Ravel, Gershwin performed by Benjamin Grosvenor and The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, James Judd. It's a fantastic performance. Secondary to this was Gershwin Plays Rhapsody In Blue (First Recording 1924 from Rare Piano Rolls). I like this performance, especially the 'music history' significance and story, however the quality (for the recording I have access to) isn't high quality. The Benjamin Grosvenor recording helped with my component and power cable evaluations. Thanks to all who helped out with their suggestions and guidance. |
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@jcazador Hi Jeremy that was a very informative piece that you wrote about Godowsky . Have you got Constantin Scherbakov playing Godowsky's Baroque transcriptions on the Marco Polo label I love it, notably the Musette and Rondeau in E Major I find it hypnotic and I usually play it at least three times in a row when I am in the mood. |
The famous (notorious) Etudes
Godowsky's most famous work in this genre is the 53 Studies on Chopin's Études (1894–1914), in which he varies the (already challenging) original études using various methods: introducing countermelodies,
transferring the technically difficult passages from the right hand to
the left, transcribing an entire piece for left hand solo, or even
interweaving two études, with the left hand playing one and the right
hand the other. The pieces are among the most difficult piano works ever written, and only a few pianists have ventured to perform any of them. Among such pianists are Marc-André Hamelin, who recorded the entire set and garnered a number of prestigious awards. Other pianists who frequently perform Godowsky are Boris Berezovsky and Konstantin Scherbakov. |
Leopold Godowsky
It is during these early years of the 1930s that Bolet had some sessions with the legendary pianist Leopold Godowsky, going up to New York City for lessons. JB’s teacher at Curtis, David Saperton was Godowsky’s son-in-law and had arranged the connection. (Godowsky resided in the luxurious Ansonia Hotel on the Upper West Side, at 2109 Broadway, between West 73rd and 74th Streets, but moved into an apartment with his daughter Dagmar on Riverside Drive overlooking the Hudson River after his wife Frieda’s death in December 1933.) Bolet would practise some of Godowsky’s fiendishly difficult music (few other of his contemporaries were up to the task) and then play it to the composer.
‘Jorge’s scores of these pieces bore Godowsky’s markings in red crayon—the daunting “Passacaglia,” based on themes from Schubert’s “Unfinished” symphony; the “Fledermaus” and “Kunstlerleben” symphonic metamorphoses; the “Java Suite”; the Sonata in E minor; pieces from the “Triakontameron.” ’ [Albert McGrigor]
Bolet listed these lessons for 1932-3 in a submission to Grove's Dictionary; but they do not seem to have been systematic lessons. Gregor Benko has said, 'I remember a party at Sidney Foster’s house when he, Bolet and Abbey Simon reminisced about Leopold Godowsky, who apparently used sarcasm and insults with students..., and it left an indelible impression on these great artists, who had all played for him and suffered abuse.' Godowsky's biographer, Jeremy Nicholas, states: ‘Occasionally, Saperton and Bolet would go to New York and visit Godowsky, and Bolet would play Godowsky to Godowsky, as it were, and get advice from him. He said that in that sense, yes, he had studied with Godowsky. Of course he also, in the same way, had advice from (and played for) Hofmann as he was head of piano at Curtis. But his main teacher was Saperton, though Bolet told me the greatest purely musical influence was the French musician Marcel Tabuteau, first oboe with the Philadelphia Orchestra – the greatest musical mind I have ever known.’ Who was Godowsky?more here, including pictures https://jorge-bolet.webs.com/1930s |