What are you listening to?

[Jose Echenique]

It is true that Harnoncourt´s Porgy and Bess may be the least well sung of all major recordings, but to compensate it is easily the best conducted and played of all. The Chamber Orchestra of Europe gives a supercharged, virtuoso performance, but at the same time they are totally idiomatic, no wonder Harnoncourt claims that he heard Jazz at home when he was a child, even before a single note of Bach.
What a pity he didn´t have Leontyne Price :-(

[bombasticDarren]

Haydn - Symphony No.98 (Thomas Beecham, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, EMI)

[Jared]

a few more string quartets, and so to bed...

[ravel30]

My dear friends,

It is nice to be back here after such a long time. Very sorry about that. My interest in classical music was not as vigorous as it used to be due to many things that are happening in my life at the moment. But it is slowly coming back as of late and hope to listen to lots of music in the near future.

Today I listened to Schubert piano sonata D.850 (one of my favorite) played by Wilhelm Kempff. I have always been very fond of this sonata. In my mind, it has not weak movements and is splendid from beginning to end.

Hoping that you are all doing well and I shall read you more once again.

Best wishes,

Matt.

[Seán]

My dear friends,

It is nice to be back here after such a long time. Very sorry about that. My interest in classical music was not as vigorous as it used to be due to many things that are happening in my life at the moment. But it is slowly coming back as of late and hope to listen to lots of music in the near future.

Today I listened to Schubert piano sonata D.850 (one of my favorite) played by Wilhelm Kempff. I have always been very fond of this sonata. In my mind, it has not weak movements and is splendid from beginning to end.

Hoping that you are all doing well and I shall read you more once again.

Best wishes,

Matt.

Hi Matt,

Welcome back. Kempff's Schubert makes a for a lovely return to Classical Music, I love that set.

Seán

[Jared]

It's good to see you back, Matt... ;-))

[fergus]

My dear friends,

It is nice to be back here after such a long time. Very sorry about that. My interest in classical music was not as vigorous as it used to be due to many things that are happening in my life at the moment. But it is slowly coming back as of late and hope to listen to lots of music in the near future.

Welcome back Matt....you are always welcome here.

[Jose Echenique]

Anna Tomowa-Sintow was a lyrical spinto soprano. With a voice large enough to sing Aida and Tosca, but not large enough for Isolde or Brünnhilde. She was Karajan´s favourite soprano for 2 decades, and it´s not difficult to see why: her voice was of rare beauty, and her musicianship of the highest order, she was indeed an extraordinary soprano.
In this 1983 recital she goes from Mozart to Giordano with ease, and though everything is great, the highlight is Amelia´s aria from Un Ballo in Maschera. You just don´t hear Verdi singing like this these days.

[Jared]

quite simply, these are absolutely stunning...

[Jared]

equally lovely. I also have the original 1973 recording of 'Missa L'homme arme super voces musicales' with Bruno Turner and Pro Cantione Antiqua; a small all male choir of 10 singers, which obviously has quite a different feel from the TS version here...