What are you listening to?

[Ciaran]

If you are looking it up the cover image has changed over the years; I know of three versions. It is wonderful music and extremely well played here.

As well as different versions of the cover there are two different recordings by the Talich Quartet: 1988, the earlier generation (Petr Messiereur, Jan Kvapil, Jan Talich, Sr and Evžen Rattay) and 2005, the next generation (Jan Talich, Jr, Petr Maceček, Vladimír Bukač and Petr Prause). Both recordings are very good. I have a slight preference for the earlier, but of course the sound is better on the later one. Their label of many years, Calliope, closed down in 2010, but some of their records have become available on Phaia and on La Dolce Vita.

[fergus]

Thank you for that Ciaran....I was not aware of the line up change for those works.

[fergus]

Another CD that comes off the shelf from time to time....

[Jared]

well, our Fergus sent me a Bach calendar, so that I could listen to the right cantatas at the appropriate time of the year... not that i've ever paid the heed to it that I should...

Every year I relive the JEG Cantata Pilgrimage and it is just a very handy way to pinpoint exactly where you are and what is appropriate e.g. today is the twelfth Sunday after Trinity and the appropriate Cantatas for today are BWV35, 69a and 137...

you are far more studious and conscientious about these things than I Fergus.... and put my lack of application to shame. That said, I have had a very busy domestic day and have been accompanied by Bach all morning:

Cantatas: BWV.82, 83, 125, 200, 6, 66, 43, 128, 37 & 11 courtesy of JEG as always...

I have followed that up with Mahler 10, having taken inspiration from our friend Don in the other thread... this for me remains a beautiful version I enjoy playing very much... Don, do you have any personal feelings about it?

[fergus]

Coincidentally I also put on some Mahler this afternoon....





I bought this some time ago and frankly had forgotten that I had it! It is very, very good with wonderful singing and interpretations from Siegfried Lorenz.

[Seán]

I have followed that up with Mahler 10, having taken inspiration from our friend Don in the other thread... this for me remains a beautiful version I enjoy playing very much... Don, do you have any personal feelings about it?

By the way their recording of Mahler's Fifth is splendid. I like the Tenth, I haven't listened to it for quite some time though, Ormandy's recording with the PO is my favourite performance of those in my collection. I have the SSRattle/BPO too and it's not to my liking.

[Jared]

By the way their recording of Mahler's Fifth is splendid. I like the Tenth, I haven't listened to it for quite some time though, Ormandy's recording with the PO is my favourite performance of those in my collection. I have the SSRattle/BPO too and it's not to my liking.

I'll be honest, I never took to the Ormandy in the 10th... I know it was a trail blazer, but the textures were a little too thin for me. Rattle's isn't bad actually, but not my favourite; it is rather big boned and I think it sags occasionally. The Barshai is certainly to my taste; the textures are just right and keep me interested throughout.



the final one for this evening and a real treat...

[fergus]

I am also finishing off with a Mass....

[DonKC]

Barshai did well with his version of the 10th. Cooke only tried to make a "performing version" of the sketches based on what was complete and what scoring and tempo markings Mahler left behind. Others like Mazzetti, Mazzuca/Samale and Carpenter tried to flesh out the sound of the orchestra, make it more "Mahlerian" in tone and concept. Mazzetti and Mazzuca/Smale made a mess of it with splashy percussion (M/S even messed with the Adagio which Mahler had completely scored) and dense textures. Carpenter did about the same, but a little better.

Barshai also calls his a "performing version" and not an arrangement or completion. He built upon the strengths of Cooke and made some changes that he felt made the piece more musical and interesting. He was successful at that. His is the best of the versions outside the more common heard Cooke.

I don't often listen to the Barshai, but I will this week to refresh.

For me, the M10 is like looking at the ruins of Athens or Rome. I just close my eyes and imagine what this incredible work would have been if Mahler had lived to complete it. It does my heart good to know people are listening to the complete 10th and not just the Adagio.

And Seàn is correct, the 5th by Barshai and the Junge Deutsche Phiharmonie (which I got in an I think now OOP Brilliant Classics set with the 10th), is absolutely brilliant.

[fergus]

Vol. 3 of my Boccherini Symphonies survey....