What are you listening to?

[fergus]

I can't offer any comparisons in anything approaching technical terms, but compared to Bernsteins version with the VPO, it's a more delicate less mellifluous affair, that's not to say its in any way "light" it's a wonderfully full bodied and deep chested performance, perhaps considered would be a more appropriate description, the phrasing seems more definite : I'd certainly prefer the Manze version...

Thank you for that; it is just that I have not heard Manze in anything outside the bounds of the Baroque or Classical repertoires.

[fergus]

This music reflects a stark but not too harsh, interesting and exciting sound world.

[jaybee]

still with meister herreweghe...

[fergus]

[Diapason]

Mahler 7. Goodness me, why have I never heard this before? Almost tempted to miss the start of the rugby so I can continue listening. Almost.

This is magnificent music. Maybe I'm finally starting to 'get' Mahler.

[Seán]

Mahler, Mahler, Mahler.....gosh, it's great





Symphony No. 7
Cologne Radio Orchestra
Gary Bertini

In surround sound on the Home Cinema system with SA1530's in the rear

Lucerne Festival Orchestra
Claudio Abbado - conducting.

[Seán]

Mahler 7. Goodness me, why have I never heard this before? Almost tempted to miss the start of the rugby so I can continue listening. Almost.

This is magnificent music. Maybe I'm finally starting to 'get' Mahler.

Feckin' hell! You too! There is no one like Mahler, I love Beethoven but when I come home to Mahler all is well with the world!

[Jared]

Feckin' hell! You too! There is no one like Mahler, I love Beethoven but when I come home to Mahler all is well with the world!

Fergus and I will shortly be commencing our 'Learning to love Bruckner' initiation programme.. ;-)

Brahms: Various Variations.... Julius Katchen...

Variously brilliant...

[Jose Echenique]

I´ll be seeing Un Ballo in Maschera at the MET next week. The cast is the best that can be assembled today: Marcelo Alvarez as Riccardo, Sondra Radvanovsky as Amelia and Dimitri Hvorostovsky as Renato. The new MET production set in the 1920´s was not universally admired, but the singing was, which is what really matters.
The Callas/Di Stefano Ballo is one of the great recordings of the 20th Century. So, who cares if Antonino Votto´s conducting is just good routine when Callas and Di Stefano set the microphones on fire.

[Jared]

I´ll be seeing Un Ballo in Maschera at the MET next week.

Pepe, I will be seeing it at a Met live screening, here in Hereford, on 8th December. Please let me know what you think.

Incidentally, when I went to see Verdi's Otello, there were 500 people in the audience, and I kid you not, at 44 year of age, I WAS the youngest!