What are you listening to?

[bombasticDarren]

Ravel - Piano Concerto in G major (Cecile Ousset/Simon Rattle, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, EMI)

Cool!!!! How is that recording Darren? Do you think that the conducting of Rattle is good on that recording? I always thought that he was a great conductor. At least not as bad as you know who proclaims. Ravel is in my top 5 favorite composers (thus my nick) and I always thought that I should get at least 2 more recording of the two piano concertos. Suggestions anybody?

As for Le tombeau de Couperin, I could never have enough recordings of that beautiful work.

It's a very good recording of both concertos, but not my favourites. Rattle does very well and I admire greatly his work with the CBSO.

I have many recordings of the concertos to recommend, but for the sake of space I will highlight only half a dozen:-

Jean Efflam Bavouzet/Yan Pascal Tortelier
Zoltan Kocsic/Ivan Fischer
Philip Fowke/Serge Baudo
Anne Queffelec/Armin Jordan/Alain Lombard
Samson Francois/Andre Cluytens
Krystian Zimerman/Pierre Boulez

I am pleased to see another Ravel afficionado here!

[fergus]

I always consider the Sawallisch set as a possible second one. But then Darren's suggestion of the Kubelik set makes me doubt. I still have to listen to one recording of Kubelik that is not amazing.

Both are very good sets Matt but I personally would give Kubelik the nod.

[fergus]

That is the recording that I will listen to shortly to start off a weekend of music that will conclude with a live concert on Monday evening. I am currently trying to listen to one piece or two of Schubert per day.

String quartets are generally not among my favorite genre but once in a while I enjoy it a lot. Both 'Death and the Maiden' and 'Quartettsatz' are beautiful pieces. It is a shame that the 'Quartettsatz' in unfinished because I think that it is a pretty amazing piece.

Matt.

I did own that very recording many years ago.
You are quite correct to say that it is wonderful music. One of my Concert/Recital highlights of 2011 was hearing a performance of Death and the Maiden by Ireland's premier string quartet....it was quite a powerful performance. I hope that you enjoy your recital on Monday as much as I did mine!

[fergus]

[ravel30]

I always consider the Sawallisch set as a possible second one. But then Darren's suggestion of the Kubelik set makes me doubt. I still have to listen to one recording of Kubelik that is not amazing.

Both are very good sets Matt but I personally would give Kubelik the nod.

Super. Many thanks for your recommendations to all of you. Just to make sure that I understand both of correctly. You both recommend Kubelik conducting the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, right?

Because if that is the case, then I have to jump on the following boxset:



It seems amazing. Not only it has the symphonies that you both recommended but also Mozart's 35th to 41st, Bruckner 3rd and 4th and Wagner's Sigred Idyll.

Seriously? That seems too good to miss that. What do you guys think ? It's only 20 canadian dollars.

I don't know about you but the recent box sets released by Sony are tempting me beyond belief. I recently purchased the following two:




Both are terrific.

I have my eyes on the following:











Any comments on any of them are more than welcomed.

Regards,

Matt.

[bombasticDarren]

^^ yes Matt, that is is Schumann cycle by Kubelik. It seems like a box set worth having, so go for it!

I have the Saltkin VW box set but haven't played it through as yet. I am interested in Leinsdorf's Prokofiev set though...

[Jared]

I always consider the Sawallisch set as a possible second one. But then Darren's suggestion of the Kubelik set makes me doubt. I still have to listen to one recording of Kubelik that is not amazing.

Good morning Matt... it's good to see you're becoming a bit of a regular over here...

I think the Sawallisch Schumann is one of his finest achievements, and is a standard in this repertoire, however I tend to agree with you about the quality of Kubelik's output, although I don't own his Schumann.

[Jared]

Both 'Death and the Maiden' and 'Quartettsatz' are beautiful pieces. It is a shame that the 'Quartettsatz' in unfinished because I think that it is a pretty amazing piece.

agreed. do you own versions of the Nos 13, 15, String Quintet, Trout or Octet, Matt?

I think they are all genius... Schubert really excelled in this repertoire.

[Jared]

lovely pieces Fergus, although I don't own the Rostropovich...

[Jared]

I don't know about you but the recent box sets released by Sony are tempting me beyond belief.

I'm afraid I can't comment on any of the boxsets in particular (other than this one):



however, Sony have gone to town in re-issuing outstanding vfm boxsets.. there really never has been a better time to be collecting music, imho..