What are you listening to?

[Seán]

I have been listening and talking about this box set for a while. Now I am ready to beg you to get that set before it is too late. This box set is making me fall in love with Sibelius' music all over again. Now I must listen to his Vienna Symphony Orchestra/ Decca recording.

I have Maazel's VPO set and I really like it, Matt, do you prefer the Pittsburgh cycle?

[Jose Echenique]

I do not have any versions at all of that work Pepe.

You should investigate it Fergus, it´s a masterpiece. And the King is the version to have since an earlier one by Gardiner in ERATO is incomplete and no longer competitive.

[fergus]

R. Strauss - Metamorphosen (Otto Klemperer, Philharmonia Orchestra, EMI)

What did you think of the performance Darren?
Do you like the work itself?

[fergus]

I do not have any versions at all of that work Pepe.

You should investigate it Fergus, it´s a masterpiece. And the King is the version to have since an earlier one by Gardiner in ERATO is incomplete and no longer competitive.

Thank you Pepe....another one for the List so!!!

[fergus]

[Seán]

R. Strauss - Metamorphosen (Otto Klemperer, Philharmonia Orchestra, EMI)

What did you think of the performance Darren?
Do you like the work itself?

Well, it's a great Mahler 9, I just don't get Metamorphosen though, I must revisit it again soon as I haven't listened to it for a few years now.

[Jose Echenique]

I just heard this Polish baritone last november singing Don Giovanni at the MET and he was awesome. Now HM brings his first recital and it´s a success. He makes an ideal Eugene Onegin, his high, lyric baritone falls just perfect into this role. Since I don´t speak Russian nor Czech, I can´t say how good his pronunciation is in those languages, but I bet his Polish is very good.
In spite of the meagre 55´duration, this is a most enjoyable recital, and it´s going to be an excellent introduction card for this young singer.

[bombasticDarren]

R. Strauss - Metamorphosen (Otto Klemperer, Philharmonia Orchestra, EMI)

What did you think of the performance Darren?
Do you like the work itself?

I think, like Sean indicated, it can be a tough piece to love but this recording does it full justice for me. I found it to be quite hypnotic and increasingly appealing the further it went along. A wonderful performance. I think this is a piece that needs a dazzling performance in order for it's greatness to be evident (I think along these lines when I consider recordings of Brahms 3

[bombasticDarren]

Prokofiev - Scythian Suite (Walter Weller, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Decca)

[bombasticDarren]

Saint-Saens - Cello Concerto No.1 (Maria Kliegel/Jean-Francois Monnard, Bournemouth Sinfonietta, Naxos)