Tír Na HiFi

Peter wrote:

Seán wrote: Ugh, I don't think that I will ever acquire a taste for Elgar.

I have taken a fancy for Elgar's first symphony over the last few years (especially Barbirolli's rendition). You don't like that piece at all? The reoccurring theme seems to work its magic as a strange nostalgic parade....

I haven't liked much of what I've heard by Elgar and I can't afford the time to listen to more of his output in an attempt to find something I like, I just don't have the time or inclination to be honest.

Seán wrote:

Peter wrote:

Seán wrote: Ugh, I don't think that I will ever acquire a taste for Elgar.

I have taken a fancy for Elgar's first symphony over the last few years (especially Barbirolli's rendition). You don't like that piece at all? The reoccurring theme seems to work its magic as a strange nostalgic parade....

I haven't liked much of what I've heard by Elgar and I can't afford the time to listen to more of his output in an attempt to find something I like, I just don't have the time or inclination to be honest.

So you keep his cds in your garage? LOL

Simon or Ciaran, if you consider it worth doing will you please put a sticky on the original 'What are you listening to?' thread, otherwise it will disappear into the bowels of the Classical Music set of threads and be lost.

Done.

Jared wrote:

fergus wrote:I have that cycle in a lovely vinyl box set Jared and I only finished listening to it last week....

sorry Fergus... CD box with cardboard sleeves... not quite the same, is it?

Nothing wrong with CDs Jared; it is just from a presentation and tactile point of view I have always preferred the LP. It has the obvious big problem of adequate storage requirements for any size of a collection but I spent last winter converting my attic into a storage room for my LPs and my books so they are all stored up there safely out of the way.

Jared wrote: as ever with Nielsen and me:

really like 1&2, have to be in the right mood for 3&4, can't really get on with 5 and 6 does nothing for me ...

I was of that mind over a year ago Jared but the work that was done as part of the Listeng Project Calendar on Symphonies 5 & 6 changed my mind once I sat down and worked at them. I appreciate both of them considerably more now, in particular No. 5.

Peter wrote:Revisiting some of my early Bach listening experiences. I was cleaning house yesterday and came across one of my "corner storage units". "The Musical Offering" really made me interested in Bach (especially as I came across numerous versions from small chamber oriented ones to larger symphonic ensembles). It was fascinating to encounter the fugues in this fashion. This Naxos version was not my first one ( I am still trying to recall which one it was - it was a small chamber version), but I truly enjoyed listening to this one once again this Sunday.

Interestingly a similiar thing occurred to me recently and I have been re-exploring some of my very early Naxos purchases. There was a bit of snobbery in relation to Naxos when I first started out collecting but I have always found it, by and large, to be a very good label particularly in Early Music, Baroque and Classical era music.

Seán wrote:

Peter wrote: Anyway, enjoy the Nielsen sojourn!

One of the best Nielsen symphony cycles has Herbert Blomstedt conducting the SFSO, it's unbeatable:

Ole Schmidt with the London Symphony Orchestra is a really very good cycle if anybody cares to explore Nielsen further.

fergus wrote:

Seán wrote:

Peter wrote: Anyway, enjoy the Nielsen sojourn!

One of the best Nielsen symphony cycles has Herbert Blomstedt conducting the SFSO, it's unbeatable:

Ole Schmidt with the London Symphony Orchestra is a really very good cycle if anybody cares to explore Nielsen further.

Michael Schonwandt's Nielsen cycle on Da Capo is also very rewarding and Theodore Kuchar has recorded a very fine - and very inexpensive -  cycle for Brilliant Classics. Among other Scandinavian composers of note, I really have to recommend Vagn Holmboe from Denmark.  Da Capo and BIS have contributed many wonderful recordings of his unjustly neglected works to the catalogue and I personally find him one of the most rewarding composers of the second half of the 20th century.  The first Holmboe recording I ever bought was the complete set of his string quartets on Da Capo (performed by the Kontra Quartet), which collectively stands in my mind as one of the major contributions to the chamber repertoire of the 20th century.  "Nourishing" is the word that comes to mind when I think of Holmboe's music.  This is music of great substance that rewards deep and sustained listening over time.  I have also enjoyed his symphonic output as conducted by Owain Arwel Hughes (for the BIS label) who has been an ardent and passionate advocate for Holmboe's music over the past 20 years.