What are you listening to?

[Jared]

Franz Schumann
Piano Quintet
Piano Quartet
Beaux Arts Trio with
Dolf Bettelheim Violin
Samuel Rhodes Viola

what are you making of those performances collectively, Sean?

I really like them, and if I had to single out one piece in particular I might say that the quintet is marvelous.

absolutely, the Quintet is the gem amongst jewels... to me, it portrays an overflowing radiance and optimism; a bouyancy which I don't seem to be able to detect in many of his other works...

[Seán]

I really like them, and if I had to single out one piece in particular I might say that the quintet is marvelous.

absolutely, the Quintet is the gem amongst jewels... to me, it portrays an overflowing radiance and optimism; a bouyancy which I don't seem to be able to detect in many of his other works...

I love Kreisleriana and some of his other piano works too. His symphonies are fine and Mahler probably improved them.

[fergus]

Nos. 6 & 7....No. 7 was a beautiful, magnificent yet unsentimental version that was sumptuously played; a real stand out performance.

[DaveF]

Symphonies 5 & 7



I've listened to all the symphonies from this set over the last few days. For the most part, I've enjoyed most of the performances although symphonies 3 & 6 didnt really do much for me and I had the same problem on the Jarvi set also.

[Jared]

^^ Dave, you might consider trying the Blomstedt set; he is a very strong interpreter of Sibelius & Neilsen.. others also rate Berglund, Vanska & Segerstam highly, aswell...

[DaveF]

^^ Dave, you might consider trying the Blomstedt set; he is a very strong interpreter of Sibelius & Neilsen.. others also rate Berglund, Vanska & Segerstam highly, aswell...

Thanks Jared. Blomstedt and Vanska are already and the list.

[Ciaran]

BIS have finally brought out Volume 12 of the Sibelius Edition, which has the excellent cycle of the symphonies with the Lahti SO under Vänskä, including both versions of the 5th and also a disc of draft versions with a different conductor. Wish I'd held off until now!

[DaveF]

On LP.....



Nice performances but the sound is a bit muffled. Apparently the EMI transfers were not good as they could have been and other transfers such as Dante set is the one to go for but it seems that it's discontinued now???

[fergus]

Symphonies 5 & 7



I've listened to all the symphonies from this set over the last few days. For the most part, I've enjoyed most of the performances although symphonies 3 & 6 didnt really do much for me and I had the same problem on the Jarvi set also.

Interesting Dave, as I liked those two performances especially the third so, as you say, perhaps the music just has not grabbed you yet.
I also plan to get the Blomstedt versions.

[fergus]

I finished listening to this set with the String Quartets Op. 131, Op. 132 & Op. 135