What are you listening two?

[fergus]

I wonder should I get that set.

There are three factors which will influence one’s decision here Seán: performances, sound quality and sound reproduction. Different people put these factors in various orders of priority.
The performances are universally excellent the highlights, for me, being Nos. 3, 5 & 7. There is a bonus CD which offers 2 other versions of Nos. 3 & 5 which are also very interesting. Walter takes, for the most part, the assertive approach with the music sometimes really driving the orchestra but not at the Szell or Toscanini levels. However the slow movements are played expressively, the string section sounds gorgeous. Walter’s pacing throughout is also very successful with his chosen tempi. His interpretations are true and unaffected i.e. not nuanced.
These are vintage 1940’s and 1950’s recordings and do show their age sometimes. The transfers are excellent but are not the pristine digital recordings that people seem to want these days.. I feel that this helps with the atmosphere of the performances.
Finally these are mono recordings which I know does not bother you but may affect other people's’ decision.

So, in conclusion, if one is affected by points two and three then one misses out on some very fine performances. The box set comes with my warm recommendation but I like Walter in general and I like the historic value of sets like this.

[fergus]

I am enbarking upon another cycle of Shostakovich String Quartets [a recent purchase] with the Emersons playing Nos. 1-3....

[Seán]

I wonder should I get that set.

There are three factors which will influence one’s decision here Seán: performances, sound quality and sound reproduction. Different people put these factors in various orders of priority.
The performances are universally excellent the highlights, for me, being Nos. 3, 5 & 7. There is a bonus CD which offers 2 other versions of Nos. 3 & 5 which are also very interesting. Walter takes, for the most part, the assertive approach with the music sometimes really driving the orchestra but not at the Szell or Toscanini levels. However the slow movements are played expressively, the string section sounds gorgeous. Walter’s pacing throughout is also very successful with his chosen tempi. His interpretations are true and unaffected i.e. not nuanced.
These are vintage 1940’s and 1950’s recordings and do show their age sometimes. The transfers are excellent but are not the pristine digital recordings that people seem to want these days.. I feel that this helps with the atmosphere of the performances.
Finally these are mono recordings which I know does not bother you but may affect other people's’ decision.

So, in conclusion, if one is affected by points two and three then one misses out on some very fine performances. The box set comes with my warm recommendation but I like Walter in general and I like the historic value of sets like this.

Fergus, thanks very much for your detailed response.

[Seán]

I am enbarking upon another cycle of Shostakovich String Quartets [a recent purchase] with the Emersons playing Nos. 1-3....

You obviously love these works. I should pay more attention to Shostakovich.

[Seán]

Excerpts from this morning's CD Review on BBC Radio 3:

10.00
Brahms: Violin Concerto in D, Op 77 (1st movement, Allegro non troppo)
Leonid Kogan (violin)
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Pierre Monteux

Janacek: Taras Bulba (excerpt)
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Edward Gardner

10.30
Another chance to hear an interview Andrew did with the conductor Alan Curtis, who died recently. Curtis specialised in the performance of baroque opera, especially Handel. He talked to Andrew about the changing nature of baroque performance over the years, including excerpts from his recordings of Handel's Admeto and Giulio Cesare.

11.10
Schubert: Piano Sonata in G major, D894 (1st movement)
Andras Schiff (fortepiano)

[Seán]

Ludwig van Beethoven
Piano Trio in B flat Opus 97 "Archduke"
Borodin Trio: Rostislav Dubinsky - Violin; Luba Edlina - Piano; Yuli Turovsky -Cello
Lovely performance.

[Seán]

This is a FANTASTIC box set from Membran. I bought it for a tenner in Tower Records in 2011.



Maurice Ravel
String Quartet in F major
Quartetto Italiano

This is a superb recorded radio performance from September 1968. The Italian Quartet recorded a Mozart, Dvorak and Ravel SQ on the same day in September. This is marvellous, it is full of energy, emotion, subtlety and tenderness; it is a wonderful musical performance.

[Seán]

I'm having a ball!



Antonin Dvořák
String Quartet No. 12 in F major opus 96 "The American"
Quartetto Italiano

I really must get more recordings of Dvořák chamber music, this is great music. Any recommendations?

[Seán]

And then it was back to Ravel:



Maurice Ravel
String Quartet in F major
Quatuor Ebène

[fergus]

Fergus, thanks very much for your detailed response.

Cheers Seán.