What are you listening to?

[bombasticDarren]

Schubert - Piano Sonata No.20 (D.959) (Paul Lewis, Harmonia Mundi)

[Jared]

[bombasticDarren]

Mahler - Symphony No.7 (Michael Gielen, SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiberg, Hanssler)

[Jared]

Fergus, haven't you been listening to the Chilingirians (Helios) in this repertoire recently? what do you think? The Third Ear gives them the edge in the interpretations here... believeing they have a greater understanding of the structure, which Grieg intended for the main piece.. the Kontras are very free flowing and spontaneous (perhaps to the point of being too loose in places) but it's certainly very well recorded. I guess the only way to find out would be to hear both side by side, but I'd be interested in your thoughts...

[Jared]

Fergus, you really do need this one in your collection; it's an absolute delight from beginning to end..

here you are, let me help you along:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hummel-Serenade ... 728&sr=8-1

;-)

[fergus]

Fergus, haven't you been listening to the Chilingirians (Helios) in this repertoire recently? what do you think? The Third Ear gives them the edge in the interpretations here... believeing they have a greater understanding of the structure, which Grieg intended for the main piece.. the Kontras are very free flowing and spontaneous (perhaps to the point of being too loose in places) but it's certainly very well recorded. I guess the only way to find out would be to hear both side by side, but I'd be interested in your thoughts...

I have it bought Jared and it is sitting on the shelf....I have not heard the Kontras and I would be betting that I will not in the future, in this music anyway. I am sure they are a fine ensemble but the problem is the music itself. I honestly do not think that these works are very exciting. I find the textures too dense and perhaps that is the problem for any ensemble trying to get a grip on them. That in itself is a big issue for a string quartet and if you are battling with the music itself one's problems are only going uphill. Just my humble thoughts on this one Jared.

[fergus]

Fergus, you really do need this one in your collection; it's an absolute delight from beginning to end..

here you are, let me help you along:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hummel-Serenade ... 728&sr=8-1

;-)

Thank you for that Jared. I certainly find the choice of instrumentation very intruiging!

[Jared]

I have it bought Jared and it is sitting on the shelf....I have not heard the Kontras and I would be betting that I will not in the future, in this music anyway. I am sure they are a fine ensemble but the problem is the music itself. I honestly do not think that these works are very exciting. I find the textures too dense and perhaps that is the problem for any ensemble trying to get a grip on them. That in itself is a big issue for a string quartet and if you are battling with the music itself one's problems are only going uphill. Just my humble thoughts on this one Jared.

you're spot on in that it's densely layered, but I actually find it to be a very fine piece of work, which slowly reveals its layers with repeated listening... I do appreciate it's not everyone's cup of tea however... it's more than a little Brahmsian, in that there are a great many notes, tightly compacted...

[Jared]

Thank you for that Jared. I certainly find the choice of instrumentation very intruiging!

have I let you down yet, when I've strongly recommended something? it is indeed quite unusual in its combination of instruments, but I'd say without doubt that this is the finest disk of Hummel's 'chamber' music I have heard...

[fergus]

I have it bought Jared and it is sitting on the shelf....I have not heard the Kontras and I would be betting that I will not in the future, in this music anyway. I am sure they are a fine ensemble but the problem is the music itself. I honestly do not think that these works are very exciting. I find the textures too dense and perhaps that is the problem for any ensemble trying to get a grip on them. That in itself is a big issue for a string quartet and if you are battling with the music itself one's problems are only going uphill. Just my humble thoughts on this one Jared.

you're spot on in that it's densely layered, but I actually find it to be a very fine piece of work, which slowly reveals its layers with repeated listening... I do appreciate it's not everyone's cup of tea however... it's more than a little Brahmsian, in that there are a great many notes, tightly compacted...

I will not give up on it Jared hence the Chilingirians purchase in the hope that they will lighten those textures somewhat.