Classical Music for Aficionados

Gabetta is a first class cellist if a little wayward, I heard her in a Proms about 3 years ago and thoroughly enjoyed her so I’m looking forward to tomorrow.

jim204674 posts10-08-2021 8:40amI think Western Classical music is falling in on itself and being dumbed down day by day. Every time I hear New Music I despair, Discordant, single lines with no harmony attached, written from a keyboard attached to a computer and then it goes through the Sibelius program to sort out themes and harmony then. The whole thing is bereft of any soul and then has to be played by orchestras who hate every note but who won't get funding if they don't play it.

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Hard for me to follow up on this  bullseye comment.

It never occured to me, to investigate other 21st C composers, , not after my discovery of 
Pettersson, Schnittke, Elliott Carter and last but not least  Hans Henze.

What all began with Correli, Vivaldi, Bach , has, like all good and great things, now have come to its finale.
What a  genre of  muisc. From Bach to Mozart (can I skip over my least fav composer Beethoven, when in fact I HATE all his **music * with a  passion,,)
Then on to Puccini, Wagner, Debussy many others, and the finale to this magnificient art form, with the 4 previous mentioned composers. 
But I must say, what a  finale, what a  fireworks show at the end.
If Correli , Vivaldi and Bach could could hear what musical works, that Schnittke, Pettersson, Henze and Carter has accomplished, they  would be in shock of when they began and  to where  these 4 giants have ended this art form.


Modern day composers, what is their inspiration??
This i would have to know.
Undoubtable , what they find as motivations to score, is nothing I am in the least bit interested. So like yeah, outside those 4 finalers of the tradition, , I have no interest in anything *modern*.
No thanks.

History of music is like history of philosophy and like any other cultural histories a reflection about consciousness and his own evolution and history...

Then the history of music like other histories mirror the heart and souls of the times we lives through, nothing less and nothing more.....

Then the painting, the music and all other traditional esthetical practice became nowadays more "technical reflections" of the overpowrering and idolatry of technology ...

Now, where on the world scene transhumanism, define, resume and incarnate the tragedy of our times; Art itself became a dying "human" activity which has been replaced by a more powerful craft, soon itself to be play by a Non-Human intelligence....

Human art is merely becoming the dust beside the emerging new magical craft.....


When all this is said.....

I strongly oppose to someone who would claim that ALL contemporary artists are degenerate, or meaningless...

Even in our epoch there is giants in art....But they are buried under the mass of con-artists or by the mass of good artisans who seek the hype and the idols of our times.....These great contemporary artists are not well known save very few of them and for very few "amateurs"...

A living interval of times is an Aeon...Each Aeon is able to recognize only what is dear to his heart, like all living entities....Our Aeon promote what is in his heart: the idolatry of technology and his "magical" craft....

he Minnesota IS the best Sibelius in the world .
Of course they have the best Finnish conductor in the world .

One thing will still be here , as this is the ground zero for Choral Music.
As it is also ground zero for the Lutheran brand of Christianity , count on it

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Skrowaczewski was the only great conductor the Minnesota orch ever had  on the podium as far as recordings. I know the finnish conductor you are refering to .
His Sibelius is the very worst I ever heard.
The only Sibelius I have left in my collection are a  few of his tone poems and his great Kullervo sym
His syms, after 5 full sets, are now long gone.

So Minnesota , LutheranISM is popular there. 
I too you up on that and googled 
*Lutheran churches Minnieapolis** 
and what do you know,,, There are dozens if not at least 100 Lutheran hits.
This is good to know, as a  student of religious studies/mediveal, etc.
Luther was a  rascal, and thats being nice. 
I can not say what i really think about that guy on a  public forum.  
And we have ostenisible christian groups employing this guys name.
.
My mother was german from Ohio, I think there are lots of germans up there in MN.
WOW those germans, 
I guess they choose not to read  what Jung has to say about them. 
Modern man, not much different from medieval man. 

Josquin des Prez is without doubt one of the Greatest composers of all time .




https://youtu.be/bU3FonSN4R0?list=OLAK5uy_ntEayt6TF0RAP0EYd_YkiVJXPJqpyDnZg

Josquin des Prez is without doubt one of the Greatest composers of all time .

I cannot concur enough....

Well, you did have the luck of Quebec schools ,

My luck was I never had to go American High School . (no joke) 

Well, you did have the luck of Quebec schools ,

My luck was I never had to go American High School . (no joke)

I had great luck or the misfortune, it depend of the perspective, to study Latin and Greek, English and French writing and reading for all my college years....

In sciences we studied basic but in our college it was not so worthy than learning how to read....I hated science course and particularly mathematics... Funny because i study mathematic by myself for decades   beginning the year i quit college with my first chosen english book about numbers...

I guess learning to read was the goal or something fateful  for me.... I go playing my all life work with this gift....

I was in ectasy after Bach discovery with Josquin Des Prez very young .. A music so spiritually high that it add something to my life forever...

My best to you....

Yes, when you come to the top of the mountain you don’t want to skip-rope .

This Perahia Brahms Op 79 I’m about to put on is because IMO he understands
Brahms perfectly as both don’t have a phony bone in their body .
There might be better takes , I don’t care , for ME this is the best .The little fills and great bass of Brahms,,,,,,,,,,

Same with say , the Beethoven 5th with.Bernstein might well be the best,
I would not ague with anyone or call him anything but to ME he seems
phony waving about hither and yon .

I would go to and do go to Herbert Blomstedt,, in his 90’s and still wanted world -wide .
He uses his baton no more than needed and I know he is a very pious
Christian .
For ME he is the best !


https://youtu.be/0h2uIaHwJrU

I would go to and do go to Herbert Blomstedt

Yesterday I received LvB Nine Symphonies, Staatskapelle Dresden, Blomstedt.

They stuffed 5 CDs in one jewel box!! What’s wrong with putting them in cardboard sleeves in a cardboard box?

Cheers

I listened to most of the Beethoven Blomstedt set on Qobuz.
Outstanding!

Has a lot to do with fact the players love him .

After rehearsal  he asks what do they think.
And he means it ! I have seen him say " good ideal"  and change 
to the players idea .RIAS Berlin .

That's easy rok. the Staatskapelle Dresden is  a Jewel !
For a person with education , culture and class Dresden is the best city 
in Germany .

Yeah, rok2, rvpiano & schubert. The Blomstedt/Staatskapelle Dresden recordings have become my automatic go-to when I sign onto Idagio for some orchestral.

Beethoven

Staatskapelle Dresden - Blomstedt

If you want to hear the Bass lines and the Woodwinds, esp in the 2nd and 4th Movements of the 9th, this is the place.  Excellent recording.

Cheers

The Man himself conducting a Symphony always loved in casa Schubert, Sebelius 2.

That long thing after NDR =Hamburg Symphony , which is about as good as it gets .

https://youtu.be/wb3gsiKBAjA?list=RDwb3gsiKBAjA

When you see profs of that level giving the conductor all he wants you are at a Masterpiece !

One of the most moving Mozart Piano Concertos I have heard !
B flat major KV 595

https://youtu.be/vlooWcPIakY

The sound is as good or better than anything I have heard on You Tube .
 The strings are better than most live concerts I've been to and every thing else is superb !

Facts are facts , you want to hear a Germanic  concert get a Germanic band .

A big plus 1 for Blomstedt and one of my favourite new pianists Piemontesi. I  attended a live concert with him as a young BBC young musician and he played Beethoven's Piano Concerto No 4 in G Major and it was wonderful for someone so young , I knew straightaway that I was listening to someone special. I am so glad he is now such an accomplished pianist.

@schubert. Listening to it/watching it now. Thanks! A treat!

Very, very true.   There is a serious packaging / marketing problem with CDs.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33_Szpz2l-o

Cheers

With streaming sounding as good as it does I don’t see how the CD market is going to survive much longer..
Already Amazon has many titles only available as downloads.

Glad you like it gents!

Esp, Jim 204 , The walking Scot keyboard  expert ! .

I thought Piemontesi was very Lyrical which is what I wanted on Mozart's
 last .I don't try to judge piano other than how I like it.

I give my opinion  my on a symphony and will argue on a String Qt or Quintet .

Thanks for this very great Mozart youtube schubert.....

Thank you . This is IMO the greatest of all Symphonies done by the best
rendition ever made !

https://youtu.be/Vi85_BDRFXo

The elegance of classicism melded with romanticism, only he could do that  in such glory !

With streaming sounding as good as it does I don’t see how the CD market is going to survive much longer..

Possibly.  But remember, they said the same thing about LPs.  In any event, most Aficionados would have all the great works and performances already in hand.

Cheers

P.S Foolish folk say that that was wrong at .28 , that at. 40 as if humans could do the same every time .

This LP was from 1958 , Krips was their leader before and the players
of the Great LSO wished he still was.

They gave their him their all and loving soul will win .
 P.S.S 
I'm sure you all noticed that Schubert  backed off the strings in favor of the brass and wind , PURE genius .

Gorgeous recording!
Schubert knows his Schubert.

Thanks,
I'm honored boss,

+2 for @schubert 
Len knows his stuff !!

Not as good as Jim204.

Of course Jim has the big advantage of Scotland ’s air , sky and folks .

I’m looking to get a new copy of Stravinsky’s "Rites of Spring" to replace one that was stolen years ago. Could you recommend your favorite recording of this work, Hopefully one that is still available to be purchased, or maybe not too difficult to find on the used market. I’m not looking for a high priced audiophile pressing, just a good, if not great, performance to enjoy. Thanks,

Mike

Antal Dorati with the Detroit Symphony on Decca.
‘My favorite version in outstanding sound.
if you do a Google search for it find Amazon’s listing where you can have it used for as little as $0.49.
19 used copies available at various prices.

@skyscraper
Since you say "pressing" I assume you are looking for vinyl. Two that I have enjoyed are Solti/Chicago on London/Decca and Davis/Concertgebouw on Philips. These are true analog recordings. Both are fine performances with great, but very different, sound. The Dorati/Detroit is an early digital which I found kind of harsh sounding. Good performance though. Dorati’s Stravinsky was excellent also. If I wanted Dorati I would look to Mercury or Golden Imports.

The Dorati/Detroit IS early digital, but on my current equipment it sounds great.

I also have to say that I have listened recently to the Dorati recording but on Qobuz digital  stream and it sounded great.

Rvpiano, melm, and jim204, thank you for your suggestions. Either digital, used or new, or vinyl new would be fine. I’ll search out all your suggestions. Maybe I’ll have to get a couple of versions, one in either format.

Mike

Update: I found a $2.50 "Like New" CD copy of the Dorati on Amazon and ordered it. That 49 cent "Very Good" copy was still available, but now I’m feeling like a big spender. I’ll look into the two vinyl versions Melm suggested next.

Enjoy!

I like piano but also all plucked strings instruments...


My last discovery is a master of highest order on guitar...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEPecRFP17o


I listen to his stupendous Russian guitar album... and i will go with his other albums if i can pick them...


A great guitarist can play guitar like you never listen to it ever...

Jimi Hendrix, Grant Green or Joe Pass, or Segovia or Julian Bream and many others gods...

Investigating Indian guitar players is also one of a threat to our notion of the guitar playing...

And because it is a classical thread i invite all of you to plunge in the marvel of Paganini guitar works....




Sometimes beautiful only music work better than a deeper one...
Paganini is not Bach nor Scriabin, but a god in his own way....

Dervoed is a bit deep for me.

More important is him coming to the truth that Humans need Nature 
to be what they are.
I live in a large city but there are trees , flowers, waters and large parks all around me, 
I need just to walk out the door,
Last night  I saw 3 deer on my walk , I saw 4 wild turkey 
hunting the worms coming out after this morning rain about out my window  an hour ago .

Praise Creation !

All the Baltic Lands have been noted for their Choirs since time immoral .

This one in the Lithuanian Capital is a favorite of mine and, God Willing,
I hope to be there and St Saviour’s in Riga, Latvia at Easter time .
This is the start of a Sun Rise Mass,


https://youtu.be/carPlb8SbY8

A  small Latvian Church Choir .


https://youtu.be/TrLcNdL3CuQ

Here is one for all you Brahmsians out there , A young Frenchman who has just won the Queen Elisabeth Prize in Belgium and other prestigious awards. His name is Johnathan Fournel and I predict he is going to be a big hit. He plays  Brahms Piano Sonata No 3 in F Minor and his Handel Variations and What a delight it is.
The Sonata is a delight in virtuousity with Fortissimo chords at the start and watch your speakers as this recording takes no prisoners. The second movement which is an open secret of unrequited love to Clara Schumann which he does take rather literally but the playing is an utter delight. The other piece is a favourite of mine The Handel Variations  which show just how good Brahms was as a young man if he could spawn these but unfortunately as he got older he was very lapse at keeping his technique in shape. Anyway Fournel is very adept at these with not too fast speeds taken to let the music breath. But he can take things at a fair lick when he feels like it. All in all a very good first recording and the first of many. It is streaming on Qobuz just now .  

To add to mahgister’s great list of great guitarists:

https://youtu.be/9RkHwFoew-Y

https://youtu.be/Rvvbh_L3pQg (Scarlatti)

Surely in no small part due to its proximity (geographical and others) to the Baltic Lands, Hungary also has a very rich and interesting choral tradition which draws heavily on its traditional folk music:

https://youtu.be/lSHxigDUfls

https://youtu.be/Tl7Pf44-Uz0

Speaking of the unfortunately neglected Zoltan Kodaly. To paraphrase a previous comment by (our) Schubert, if one wants the spirit of a culture’s (Hungary) folk music, one needs a Hungarian band:

https://youtu.be/nCdU0ev_WuI

Speaking of the neglected , I don't think Martinu's music is allowed outside  Prague .
And he made some sweet tunes !


https://youtu.be/FWOl064qqKk

I always liked this little Sonatina from Martinu , misery stick and Bosendorf (I wish .}


https://youtu.be/nimUHDxxgFQ


P,S , I have all Dances of Galanta  and many others , I love Op7 but most seem not to .

Lovely piece and one of the sleepers of the clarinet rep. Seldom mentioned outside the clarinet world, unfortunately. I have a feeling you’ll like this rendition:

https://youtu.be/CBkbGZ49EhM

https://youtu.be/Ctyr8k5juew

https://youtu.be/weacq1L0tmg

As a technical aside, in a way, the upload of your clip is truer to the composer’s intent. Typical of Martinu, who was known for unorthodox use of form, he wrote the piece as a single movement with three sections; as opposed to three distinct movements. A subtle, but important distinction when considering the shape of the entire work.

It is with very great sadness that I have just found out about the death of Bernard Haitink aged 92. Mr Haitink was a conductor that I greatly admired but only heard live once at an Edinburgh Festival conducting Mahler's Third Symphony and like all Haitink performances totally devoid of showmanship but getting right to the heart of the music. I hope the celestial podium is ready and waiting for him. RIP.