What are you listening to?

[Seán]

I'm struggling to justify the expense at the moment and indeed find the listening time in what is already becoming a new recording packed 2013 for me.

That was my justification for slowing down dramatically on my rate of purchases last year. I need to listen to several wonderful sets in my collection and become intimately familiar with the music before I start buying again. That said, I am interested in filling in gaps in my collection, hence the splurge on Herreweghe's Bach and my buying the complete orchestral works of Grieg last year too.

I am going to build my Bach collection (off topic I know but I will buy Jazz cds too).

[Seán]

I beg you guys to consider the Frans Brüggen recordings both with the Orchestra of the XVIII Century and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. His Haydn is something very special.

I have. For the past few years I have monitored the price of the Haydn: "Strum Und Drang", "Paris" & "London" Symphonies box set and it's available for silly money, I cannot get it at a reasonable price anywhere.

[Jose Echenique]

Good as all these recordings are, I beg you guys to consider the Frans Brüggen recordings both with the Orchestra of the XVIII Century and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. His Haydn is something very special.

I have and enjoy his boxsets of Beethoven & Schubert Symphs, so this wouldn't at all surprise me... I've seen you say this before and will certainly bear this in mind...

the problem we have with FB over here Pepe, is principally one of price...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sturm-Drang-Lon ... 728&sr=1-4

sadly, I think we might have to wait for (another) reissue....

Yes, I understand, many of his recordings are now deleted, and it was a barbaric decision from Universal to give him the boot as they also did with John Eliot Gardiner. Go figure, they kicked out Brüggen and Gardiner and sign Dudamel. Is the World going crazy or what.
Still, if you happen to come across some of his Haydn recordings I urge to get them, you will not regret it.

[Seán]

Yes, I understand, many of his recordings are now deleted, and it was a barbaric decision from Universal to give him the boot as they also did with John Eliot Gardiner. Go figure, they kick out Brüggen and Gardiner and sign Dudamel. Is the World going crazy or what.
Still, if you happen to come across some of his Haydn recordings I urge to get them, you will not regret it.

Good manners and people's objection to the use of profanity prevents me from responding to that piece of information.

[Jose Echenique]

Yes, I understand, many of his recordings are now deleted, and it was a barbaric decision from Universal to give him the boot as they also did with John Eliot Gardiner. Go figure, they kick out Brüggen and Gardiner and sign Dudamel. Is the World going crazy or what.
Still, if you happen to come across some of his Haydn recordings I urge to get them, you will not regret it.

Good manners and people's objection to the use of profanity prevents me from responding to that piece of information.

Come on Seán, don´t hold back, say it as it is LOL!

[Jared]

^^ it's all down to where the market lies, I'm afraid. I know we've talked about it before, but over the past 20 years, CM sales have reflected personalities and physical looks just as much as talent, at the 'crossover' end of the market... I think it's very sad.

speaking as a newbie, I'd prefer to hear Kempff than Lang Lang, regardless of the repertoire

[Jose Echenique]

^^ it's all down to where the market lies, I'm afraid. I know we've talked about it before, but over the past 20 years, CM sales have reflected personalities and physical looks just as much as talent, at the 'crossover' end of the market... I think it's very sad.

speaking as a newbie, I'd prefer to hear Kempff than Lang Lang, regardless of the repertoire

I´d rather see Kempff taking a nap in a comfortable couch than Bang Bang banging the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto #1.

When DG was an independent company it was run by musicians and people who really loved and understood music. Now it´s obvious that it´s people alien to Classical Music who decide who gets signed and what they record. So you´d better be young and pretty, this is a tough world.

[Jared]

^^ yeah, it's tough to think that these days, Emil Gilels and Cliff Curzon wouldn't get record contracts....

... let alone Clara Haskil...

[Seán]

^^ it's all down to where the market lies, I'm afraid. I know we've talked about it before, but over the past 20 years, CM sales have reflected personalities and physical looks just as much as talent, at the 'crossover' end of the market... I think it's very sad.

speaking as a newbie, I'd prefer to hear Kempff than Lang Lang, regardless of the repertoire

You sir are the best informed newbie I've ever met. I, too, would prefer Kempff to Lang Lang.

[Seán]

^^ yeah, it's tough to think that these days, Emil Gilels and Cliff Curzon wouldn't get record contracts....

... let alone Clara Haskil...

One of my favourite pianists of all time.