Larryi, although it appears to me, there is a goodly sized pool of politicians to draw from who appear to meet the basic qualifications for being castrati singers, I do see what you mean. Maybe there are classical labels that specialize in period instrumentation. Anyone know of any labels like that, other sources, or ways to find that type of thing?
Mike |
You can do research on "historically informed performance." I don't know if there are particular labels that specialize in this, certain performers, such as the conductors Nikolaus Hanoncourt, Trevor Pinnock, Phillippe Herreweghe, Christopher Hogwood, and John Eliot Gardiner are popular practitioners.
There is another performer/composer that is particularly interesting and unique that I personally think is worth looking into--Jordi Savall. He is a student of early music (medieval, renaissance and baroque) and a student of musical practices from a wide range of cultures (European, middle east, african) and has made some amazing recordings that include his own original compositions based on different periods and locales. This is, not strictly speaking "authentic," but his music is based on his research and is so compelling I say "so what?"
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Ask me. I know everything :-) |
Larryi, Thanks for the list of conductors who specialize in this type of music performance. I'll check out Jordi Savall as well. He sounds interesting, especially if he's conversant with early forms of African and Middle Eastern music, another interest I'd like to pursue, but know little about.
I took a course with in college in 1972 titled "Black Music" taught by Phyl Garland, who was a music reviewer for High Fidelity, or maybe it was Stereo Review at the time. I distinctly remember her playing for the class a historic African drum piece where there were seven rhythmic patterns being played simultaneously. The interplay of rhythms was fascinating. I'd love to hear something like that again, with which Mr. Savall might have some familiarity.
I'm really digressing here. Don't know if they still do, but but there always used to be a gathering of Caribbean tin drum players on the weekend in Central Park who would play polyrhythmic music non-stop all day long for anyone to listen to. I used to love hearing them play.
To get back on subject, I really do appreciate you sharing that list of conductors, and I will search them out as I start collecting classical music in earnest.
Mahler123, huh?
Mike |
Listen to anything by Mozart.... |
Three most famous US based world class conductors, Sir Georg Solti and Fritz Reiner, both headed the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Also, Arthur Fiedler of the Boston Pops. A lot of audiophile 50s-80s classical LP/CD pressings were conducted by them. For example, one of my favorite LP/CD, RCA Living Stereo, HI-FI Arthur Fiedler, Fiedler Boston Pops, by BMG Classics (CD). Every audiophile should have one just for the cover picture, music are good too. I don’t know how to add an image, but a must see, Google it and look closer what’s on the floor! As for organist, look for Virgil Fox.
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I recommend the BBC Music Magazine, a monthly with a bonus Christmas issue, $163 annually in print, $63 digital. It is educational, and not too Anglo-centric. The print edition comes with a CD each month, which will give you a good introduction to many genres of classical music. The magazine is not just record reviews; there are pieces on music history, featured composers, interviews with musicians, opinion columns and detailed exploration of a single piece with recommended recordings (and why). It occasionally covers jazz and world music too, to a much smaller extent. Once you have dipped your toe into classical and found genres that you like, it could be a good way to find new music. |
Nnicola, appreciate your suggestion. I was going to bid on his DG Complete Works box set for sale on ebay buts its already exceeded my upper limit.
Hifi28, thanks for your recommends as well
Dpl1, I'll check the library for the BBC Music Magazine. wish I could afford a nice item like that to have in my library. Maybe some back issues will show up on ebay. I'll look. I'll keep a lookout for Virgil Fox too. Thanks.
Mike
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You sure can acquire some Classical music inexpensively. I was looking to try out a CD or so of Mozart recordings as some of you suggested. So I looked on Ebay to see if anything good was available. Well, they had a brand new Brilliant records box set of his complete works, 170 cd’s, for only $79. That comes to about 45 cents per disc, an unbelievable price.
The reviews of the boxed set seemed to be good. So I figure even though there might be better recordings of his works out there, this has to be an easy way for a beginner to be able to sample the full range of his output.
Usually I consider between $5-10 per single CD a good price for used jazz or rock CD’s in "very good" condition. So this seems like highway robbery, not to mention affordable fun, even if Mozart proves not to my taste. I did pay double that from Amazon for the equivalent Brilliant Records Bach set, due to arrive tomorrow, and thought that was an amazing bargain. So live and learn. I can’t imagine ever finding any Miles Davis recordings at that kind of price.
Mike |
I have that Mozart box too, and it is certainly a good way to become familiar with his works. He is one of those composers whose every known works is topnotch. After finding favorites, you can then search for alternative performances. That is a big part of the fun--hearing different interpretations of the same work.
Every collector of classical music collects different performances of the same works. It helps to know learn how a conductor or performer interprets a work and how that interpretation is translated into specific ways of playing the piece. There are recordings that include extra material where the performer discusses the performance. For example, Benjamin Zander has issued some CDs that include an extra CD with such explanation with samples from the performance. I have performances of Mahler's Fifth and Ninth Symphonies with such extras from Mr. Zander and I recommend them highly. |
Larry, I’m glad to hear you like the Brilliant label Mozart box set. The bidding on the 200 CD Deutsche Grammophon Mozart set went well over the $600 mark today and I really couldn’t justify bidding more on an artist I am honestly unfamiliar with other than by reputation and the movie about him a few years back. But you might as well start out with the best.
I did email Deutsche Grammophon last night and asked them if they were going to put out any more of their "Beethoven 2020" complete works set issued last year. That’s already unavailable too. I suggested they reissue the Mozart set as well as there’s apparently a market for it.. You can still get one on Amazon if you’ve $1900 to part with. No chance the suggestion to DG will go anywhere, but I did try to appeal to any avarice they might have. They already today did send back a longish reply written in German, so who knows.
I’ll keep my eyes open for the Zander CD’s you mention, and eventually try to find alternate versions of any especially enjoyable works of Mozart, as you suggest. Complete works sets are valuable, if for nothing else, for including the less well known works of an artist you’d most likely never find anywhere else. How much of your set have you listened to so far? Must take years to make your way through the entire box..
Mike
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I don't know how much of the box I've listened to because I don't make it a point to listen to everything in such a large box; I tend more to pick out favorite works to hear the particular performances contained in the box. It is only when a box contains works I am not familiar with that I make it a point to listen to all of the box (like the amazingly good box of 6 cds of Villa-Lobos string quartets on Brilliant).
For Mozart, I would suggest starting out with the following:
Piano Concerti: (No. 17, 20, 21, 23, 24, 27)
Violin Concerti: (all of them, many complete versions available)
Clarinet Concerto (one of my all time favorite works)
Requiem Mass (another all time favorite)
Jupiter Symphony (#41)
Magic Flute (opera)
Marriage of Figaro (opera)
Don Giovanni (opera)
Serenade #10 ("Gran Partita") for woodwind orchestra.
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Horn Concerti (particularly #4) |
Thanks Larry for your recommendations. So far I’ve listened to one of the Bach CD’s after the set arrived yesterday. Only 141 more to go.
Mike
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