What are you listening two?

[Seán]

Oh gawd I do love Dvořák’s symphonies and this recent acquisition is very good indeed.



Antonin Dvořak
Symphony No. 7
Symphony No. 8
Staatskapelle Berlin
Othmar Suitner conducting.

I love it.

[Seán]

Cheers Seán. I hope that you and yours are keeping well.
It is indeed an excellent disc.

We are indeed, thank you. I will retire in July 2024. I'm looking forward to it

Best Wishes for that Seán!!

Thanks Fergus, I’m ready for it, it will be a great way to celebrate my 67th year

[fergus]

Faure’s Piano Quartet No. 1 [Domus]:





This is a wonderful work, filled with robust and expressive music. Domus do not let this music down with this presentation. There is a great sense of forward momentum and and also a great sense of excitement, energy and drive in the opening movement. The Scherzo is well paced and suitably energetic and the music is well driven. The slow movement is meditative. The music is captivating and its performance is both intense and well delivered here. The final movement contains very energetic and exciting music and this is delivered in a suitably buoyant, robust and exciting performance here.

[fergus]

Oh gawd I do love Dvořák’s symphonies and this recent acquisition is very good indeed.



Antonin Dvořak
Symphony No. 7
Symphony No. 8
Staatskapelle Berlin
Othmar Suitner conducting.

I love it.

Yes Seán, wonderful music indeed! I relatively recently wound my way through the Kertesz cycle.

[fergus]

Wagner [Dressler]: The Symphonic Ring [Darlington





I do not know the music of Wagner intimately. However, I do know that I like it a lot. This particular set contains terrific music making and it contains a wonderful representation of the music of the Ring.
I know that many people will be turned off at the mention of Wagner. However, this is Wagner with a difference. Dressler, here, has extracted the symphonic music from the Opera of the Ring, excluded all of the singing and essentially amalgamated each Opera into a Tone Poem which works very well!
There is wonderful depth here in this presentation coupled with terrific emotion and general empathy for the music. It contains both the requisite intensity and drama inherent in the music. The recorded
sound is of a wonderful quality and the orchestra is very well balanced in the recording. The sound is rich with great depth in a very appealing warm acoustic. The lower register strings and the brass are
wonderfully highlighted throughout. Some of the music descends into an inky dark blackness and this aspect is wonderfully portrayed in the recording. To my ears this is magnificent music making. Any
lovers of the music of Wagner should really appreciate this set.

[Derek]

After listening to, I admit, a short section of this work, the first thing that got me was the scope of dynamic range, from chasm deep bottom register to the sweet delicate top end, it’s a huge piece of musical magic. If you intend listening, I recommend buckling up and strapping in.

[fergus]

Chopin: Nocturnes Vol. 1 [Rubenstein]





This LP has been consigned to the Charity Shop Donation Bin.

[fergus]

After listening to, I admit, a short section of this work, the first thing that got me was the scope of dynamic range, from chasm deep bottom register to the sweet delicate top end, it’s a huge piece of musical magic. If you intend listening, I recommend buckling up and strapping in.

Cheers Derek. It is a truly wonderful feat of recording! I am pleased that you were impressed.

[cybot]

Firstly a huge THANK YOU goes out to Fergus for giving me the inspiration and courage to go where I haven’t gone in a long, long time. That is to actually play my vinyl classical collection. I restarted last night and everything that you described about the Wagner set was exactly what I experienced with another composer. The sonics were frightening to say the least. The music life changing. The blast of the trumpets completely obliterating the usual electronic stuff I listen to. There are definitely times where only real instruments will do! The composer and indeed the piece shall remain nameless as I’m fully aware that the real classical fiends out there have absolutely no time for this poor unfortunate individual. All I’ll say is this however; if a certain David Crosby thinks one of this composer's famous pieces is worth salivating about then that’s good enough for me.

[Seán]

Faure’s Piano Quartet No. 1 [Domus]:

This is a wonderful work, filled with robust and expressive music. Domus do not let this music down with this presentation. There is a great sense of forward momentum and and also a great sense of excitement, energy and drive in the opening movement. The Scherzo is well paced and suitably energetic and the music is well driven. The slow movement is meditative. The music is captivating and its performance is both intense and well delivered here. The final movement contains very energetic and exciting music and this is delivered in a suitably buoyant, robust and exciting performance here.

Good man Fergus, you are probably the only one I know who has always been unfailing in expressing your love for Fauré's music.