What are you listening to?

[Seán]

Rachmaninov - Symphonies 1-3....

what are the orchestral textures like on this one Fergus? are they on the 'noticeably thin' side, as with his Mahler?

They are good readings but I prefer Svetlanov's.

[Jared]

Yes, Fergus, yesterday was a good day. I just woke up early and plugged myself straight into the music. One of those things you can only do as a single man with no family commitments.

you and me both, Paul... I just have other people's children to worry about, downstairs in the Youth Hostel...

If I had the choice and the means to do so I would listen to music for several hours a day every day.

yes, but you have a lovely family which is certainly one of the few things in life, more valuable than music... ;-))

[Seán]

yes, but you have a lovely family which is certainly one of the few things in life, more valuable than music... ;-))

Thank you, yes I do, you are right and I am very fortunate indeed.

[mcq]

I spent today listening to some really wonderful music.

First of all, I listened to Rene Jacobs' definitive recording of Buxtehude's masterpiece, Membra Jesu Nostri (on Harmonia Mundi). A very intense piece and a coruscating experience.

Paul, your posts are very inspiring indeed.. :-))

I also really love the Buxtehude, however I have two different versions to you:



I don't know whether you are familiar of either of these recordings, and where you would rate them?

I will, in due course be in the market for another recording of the great Mass in B minor... it is probably my favourite choral work by Bach so far... however at present, I only own the Gardiner...

This morning, I am giving relistens to all the Cantata disks I posted yesterday, so I won't bore you with the details again... suffice it to say that Jared, like all small children, enjoys repetition... ;-))

I haven't heard those versions, Jared, but I have a lot of respect for both conductors and I imagine that both of those versions are very satisfying. Gardiner's version of the B Minor Mass is one of the best around (and will last you a lifetime) but I'm also very fond of other versions conducted by Konrad Junghanel (Harmonia Mundi), Marc Minkowski (Naive), Frans Bruggen (Glossa) and Frieder Bernius (Carus). The Bernius version is particularly noteworthy for the finest version of the beautiful Agnus Dei that I have ever heard. It's sung by Canadian countertenor Daniel Taylor and is very special. Incidentally, the Junghanel version will shortly be re-released by HM as part of their budget HMGold range. Another version of the Buxtehude which I highly recommend is directed by Konrad Junghanel and available on Harmonia Mundi.







And here's a link to Daniel Taylor singing the Agnus Dei. The Bernius version is not on YouTube but I found this from a different performance conducted by John Nelson which I also own on DVD and which is very fine indeed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DNfXgJ8UoY

[Jared]

^^ you've listed a number of first rate interpreters there Paul, in particular Bruggen & Minkowski... future investigation is an inevitability.

at present, I'm revisiting my new Minkowski/ Handel disk... the Saeviat telklus inter rigores HWV.240 is very delicately and sensitively performed with stunning clear vocal lines from Massis.. as I mentioned yesterday, the recording & production level are also up to Archiv's usual high standards.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Handel-Dixit-Do ... 265&sr=1-2

;-))

[mcq]

I've been listening today to Martha Argerich's and Gidon Kremer's traversal of the Beethooven violin sonatas (DG). Exceptionally powerful playing and one of the very best of the complete sets. Their version of the mighty Kreutzer might just be the best. It is a quite breathtaking experience.

And then I listened to Isabelle Faust's intensely fiery rendition of a selection of Bach's unaccompanied Sonatas and Partitas (released last year on HM) twice. There have been some extraordinary versions of these masterpieces over the years but these may just be the most emotionally visceral I have heard. Ms. Faust's version of the Ciaconna from BWV 1004 is particularly unforgettable. Hopefully she will record the remaining Sonatas and Partitas post-haste.

[Jared]

I've been listening today to Martha Argerich's and Gidon Kremer's traversal of the Beethooven violin sonatas (DG). Exceptionally powerful playing and one of the very best of the complete sets. Their version of the mighty Kreutzer might just be the best. It is a quite breathtaking experience.

And then I listened to Isabelle Faust's intensely fiery rendition of a selection of Bach's unaccompanied Sonatas and Partitas (released last year on HM) twice. There have been some extraordinary versions of these masterpieces over the years but these may just be the most emotionally visceral I have heard. Ms. Faust's version of the Ciaconna from BWV 1004 is particularly unforgettable. Hopefully she will record the remaining Sonatas and Partitas post-haste.

Paul, I find that to be an interesting post... given everything you've said, have you heard this rendition yet?



I'm willing to wager that you find the Kreutzer equally, if not more breathtaking...

[mcq]

Yes, I have that Faust/Melnikov set and it is quite superb. Easily the best I've heard since Kremer/Argerich. I just have a slight preference for the latter's Kreutzer but it is close.

[fergus]

I'm not sure how much of this will make sense, but within the first few weeks of having been introduced to all kinds of flavours of CM by Bob & Christine, Bob tried me out on Schubert's Winterreise, which I simply didn't get, as lieder was completely new to me. I had been used to a natural 'rock' voice and nothing more, so I left it. About 9 months later, after having expanded my Orchestral repertoire no end, I bought the 5CD Barbirolli boxset of Elgar's Orchestral works on EMI. Unbeknown to me, the Baker 'Sea Pictures' is the addendum to this set, and I started listening... a couple of weeks later, just before leaving Herefordshire, I visited Elgar's birthplace. When I went into the small house, they had one of the Sea Pictures playing, and it kind of clicked that 'these songs really are lovely'.

I think I became attracted to the warmth of Baker's voice, the power yet simplicity of the songs, and the fact that they weren't something which required a background in music and a degree in German to fully appreciate... from there, I moved onto songs by Butterworth, RVW, Finzi, Britten and eventually into the German repertoire I initially hadn't understood...

does that make any sense??

No, that all makes sense all right Jared....something of a natural progression there!

[fergus]

Wow, Paul, that is some line up there and you must have started listening at about 7.00 am and continued through non stop all day! I know that it is all pleasure but I admire your stamina!!!

Yes, Fergus, yesterday was a good day. I just woke up early and plugged myself straight into the music. One of those things you can only do as a single man with no family commitments.

I have to be honest and say that if I was in your position I would do exactly the same....I would play music constantly while I was at home for every waking moment!!!