What are you listening to?

[bombasticDarren]

Shostakovich - Symphony No.9 (Vasily Petrenko, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Naxos)

[Seán]

Ludwig van Beethoven
Trio for Piano and Strings no 1 in E flat major, Op. 1 no 1
Beaux Arts Trio

[Seán]

Ludwig van Beethoven
Piano Concertos 2, 3 & 4
Dresden Staatskapelle
Christian Zacharias - piano
Hans Vonk - conducting.

Simply marvellous.

[Jose Echenique]

There are plenty of marvelous recordings of the Haydn Cello Concertos in period instruments, including versions with Pieter Wispelwey, Anner Bylsma, Ivan Monighetti and Christophe Coïn, all gorgeous, and this version is equally good. What gives this cd an advantage is that it includes the lovely Sinfonia Concertante for violin, cello, bassoon and oboe, available in period instruments in other versions but only paired with the cello concertos here.
The booklet doesn´t mention the maker of Hidemi Suzuki´s instrument, but it sounds exquisite.

[Jose Echenique]

Ludwig van Beethoven
Piano Concertos 2, 3 & 4
Dresden Staatskapelle
Christian Zacharias - piano
Hans Vonk - conducting.

Simply marvellous.

I´m especially fond of the Triple Concerto. The soloists are excellent, but it´s the Gewandhaus Orchestra that gives the performance a very special flavor.

[Seán]

Ludwig van Beethoven
Piano Concertos 2, 3 & 4
Dresden Staatskapelle
Christian Zacharias - piano
Hans Vonk - conducting.

Simply marvellous.

I´m especially fond of the Triple Concerto. The soloists are excellent, but it´s the Gewandhaus Orchestra that gives the performance a very special flavor.

It's a lovely set Pepe. Now that you mention it I haven't listened to the Triple Concerto in a long time, I must listen to it tonight.

[fergus]

On vinyl....








....a thoroughly enjoyable listening session!

[Seán]

On vinyl....

I bought a copy of that performance in the late seventies shortly after I bought the HvK/BPO version of Le Sacre. I have never warmed to the Planets at all, perhaps I shpuld revisit that recording.

....a thoroughly enjoyable listening session!

Fergus enjoying Stravinsky! Well I am pleasantly surprised. Good on you!

[fergus]

Indeed, Seán, I was surprised myself. It has been quite a while since I have played that Maazel recording and I had forgotten how good it was....and perhaps I was just more receptive to it this evening.

I think that the Stokowski version of the Planets is quite a good one and I would be interested in your honest opinion after another listen.

[Jose Echenique]

This is Simone Kermes third recording of Neapolitan Baroque arias. The first 2 were extremely successful albums, well planned, well executed and extremely well played by Le Musiche Nove, a different group from this new offering. Simone Kermes is a problematic singer. Technically she is well equipped to handle even the most demanding fioriture that crosses her way, but on the other hand her voice tends to be a little monotonous and she is not the warmest or most imaginative of singers.
In the first 2 albums her low points were minimized with the help of conductor Claudio Osele, here concertmaster and conductor Isabella Longo is not quite as successful. The group La Magnifica Comunitá is well known thanks to their Boccherini Quintet series for Brilliant. It´s a good ensemble, but Le Musiche Nove was much better.
In spite of Kermes´shortcomings "Dramma" is valuable for many never before recorded arias by De Majo, Porpora, Hasse, Leo and Pergolesi.