What are you listening to?

[Seán]

Lovely music. I should spend more time listening to Mozart!

That pic looks like one of the sleeves from that gigantic Mozart boxset from Brilliant Classics. I have it too and as you said I should really dip into it more often.

It is. There is some really good stuff in there and some mediocre efforts too. The Bern ensemble are really well worth listening to. The piano sonatas are performed by Klara Wurtz....simply gorgeous.

[DaveF]

Bernstein's NY Mahler 3 is one of my favourites. For years I could only listen to it on warped badly pressed LPs, so being able to listen to it on CD now is a great luxury!

These new CD remasters have even better sound than the original CD release so it would be well worth getting again Ciaran.

[Seán]

It sure is Seán. However if I was to recommend just one of the Bernstein cycles my vote would go to the earlier cycle. I just listened to the 3rd Symphony(one which I've had some difficulty with in the past) and it really is a great performance.

Perhaps it's old age, but I never had any difficulty with any of Mahler's Masterpieces (that's all of his music) to my mind they are all....well simply perfect.

If you are looking for something different in Mahler from what you have already, I'd certainly give the early cycle my top recommendation. There is enough 'newness' or 'freshness' in it to peel back a few more layers of Mahlers music. I just love the way Mahler's music never gets 'old'. There is always something new to be got out of it everytime you listen to it.

Yeah, I'm always looking for something different in Mahler, however, last year I made a conscious decision not to buy any more Mahler recordings...for a wee while, 'tis difficult though.

[fergus]

....I should spend more time listening to Mozart!

Everybody should....never a waste of time!!!

[fergus]

....if I was to recommend just one of the Bernstein cycles my vote would go to the earlier cycle. I just listened to the 3rd Symphony(one which I've had some difficulty with in the past) and it really is a great performance. If you are looking for something different in Mahler from what you have already, I'd certainly give the early cycle my top recommendation. There is enough 'newness' or 'freshness' in it to peel back a few more layers of Mahlers music. I just love the way Mahler's music never gets 'old'. There is always something new to be got out of it everytime you listen to it.

Thanks for the thought and the recommendations Dave....indeed, I had decided that if I should purchase a Bernstein cycle it would be the earlier one for the very reasons that you have outlined! It is that rawness or freshness that I would be after.

[fergus]

Beethoven – Symphonies 1-4 Cluytens....



I am not sure where I first came across this set but it has been on my list for a long time. I finally got around to it and it has most definitely been worth the wait! These are big band performances and Cluytens brings great power, drive and energy to the works.
I think that Seán would enjoy Symphony No. 2.

[Seán]

Beethoven – Symphonies 1-4 Cluytens....

[I am not sure where I first came across this set but it has been on my list for a long time. I finally got around to it and it has most definitely been worth the wait! These are big band performances and Cluytens brings great power, drive and energy to the works.
I think that Seán would enjoy Symphony No. 2.

I had never heard of the Cluyten's set until you mentioned it. I have the Zinman & Vänskä sets in my basket. Perhaps I should drop one in favour of the Cluyten's then? And yes I do love Beethoven's Second Symphony.

[DaveF]

A simply splendid CD!

That one was the first of the Vivaldi series from Naive that I bought. It was a bit too much for me at the time but now that I've gotten into some cantatas from the likes of Bach, Telemann and Weckmann, I ought to go back to this disc soon.

[DaveF]

Symphonies 84, 85 & 86

[DaveF]

this one's been in its wrap for a while.