Tír Na HiFi

Shostakovich - Symphony No.15 (Eugene Ormandy, The Philadelphia Orchestra, RCA)

on vinyl...


Andre Cluytens/Paris Conseratoire Orchestra

A beautiful recording but I found it a little 'too grand' or large scale in comparison to the earlier Guilini version that I posted. The Guilini version was very restrained indeed and the orchestra just peeps above the choir now and again. At times the choir is just a whisper. In fact it's one of the most peaceful and senstive choral works I've ever heard.

Shostakovich - Piano Sonata No.2 (Emil Gilels, RCA)

Brahms - Symphony No.3 (Rudolf Kempe, Berliner Philharmoniker, Testament)

DaveF wrote:on vinyl...


Andre Cluytens/Paris Conseratoire Orchestra

A beautiful recording but I found it a little 'too grand' or large scale in comparison to the earlier Guilini version that I posted. The Guilini version was very restrained indeed and the orchestra just peeps above the choir now and again. At times the choir is just a whisper. In fact it's one of the most peaceful and senstive choral works I've ever heard.

I think that, IMHO, you have hit upon a key point there Dave in that "restraint" is key in this work. I think that to do so preserves the integrity of the work.

I have now finished listening to this set....





The Violin, Flute and Clarinet Concertos were fine performances but I must say that I was considerably more taken with the other music that is contained in this set. The Helios Overture, Pan and Syrinx and An Imaginary Journey to the Faroe Islands are works that I had not heard before and which I found particularly interesting.

fergus wrote:I have now finished listening to this set....





The Violin, Flute and Clarinet Concertos were fine performances but I must say that I was considerably more taken with the other music that is contained in this set. The Helios Overture, Pan and Syrinx and An Imaginary Journey to the Faroe Islands are works that I had not heard before and which I found particularly interesting.

Nielsen is always difficult. Of his concertos the most accessible is the Flute Concerto, or maybe I think so because my sister in law plays it and I have heard her in that work dozens of times. Besides the Mozart flute concertos, the Nielsen is one of the few that flautists have that is not a baroque concerto.

Jose Echenique wrote: Nielsen is always difficult. Of his concertos the most accessible is the Flute Concerto, or maybe I think so because my sister in law plays it and I have heard her in that work dozens of times. Besides the Mozart flute concertos, the Nielsen is one of the few that flautists have that is not a baroque concerto.

That is an interesting point Pepe. The flute is not an instrument that was regularly written for; lots of chamber music but not so many concertos. I wonder why that is?

These are two very different but very lovely works and they are both given very fine performances here.

I think you will agree that I have been a little quiet in this thread of late, whilst I have been enjoying my traversals of Haydn & Tallis (an unusual combination, I think you'll agree!) however there has been another reason.

Two weeks ago, I popped into the Salvation Army charity shop (which believe me, NEVER has anything worth while in the CD basket), and was most suprised to find no fewer than 7 high quality 20th Century CM CDs, sat next to each other, marked at 50p each....

Not being especially into 20th Cent material, I must admit I was very much in two minds as to what I should do... buy them, give them a listen through a couple of times for the experience and make a profit on ebay, or leave them there for another enthusiast. I hummed and arrrh'ed about it for a little while, thinking a purchase would be selfish... before eventually buying them, for effectively the price of a pint.

Having brought them home, I determined to get the most out of them... 'keep an open mind, Jared... don't write them off immediately; you may find something that you really enjoy'... and well, I have to tell you that although I find some bits really tough going, there are others which are absolutely delightful, and I'll certainly be playing quite a bit. The disks I've found harder work, I will percevere with to see whether they 'click' with repeated listens, if I can find my way into their soundworld.

Like I say, this has surprised me quite considerably and has taught me to keep more of an open mind in the future... I might not build up an extensive collection of 20th century material, but some of the CDs I will be listing in the 'Recent Purchases' thread have gobe some way toward breaking down a psychological barrier... :-)