Good grief!!!!!!

Do you have this set, Opus 67? Do you know of any reviews of it? And are there any bargain sets appearing where they pay us to take the box away?

PS: I still haven't progressed beyond CD3 in the Versailles set. Simply fascinating - and so many surprises.
Vive le Roi!

Finding I could no longer resist Vänskä's Sibelius symphony cycle (in part because of Kuhlau's suggestion of buying it from eclassical), I bought the third symphony for about US$2.50. So yeah. I'll be posting about that soon.

No.

Not that I know of. All the CDs are from Sony and other labels owned by them. So I think you can expect some quality performances to be included.

Let's hope that happens not too far in the future.

Mahler: Symphony No. 9 in D major
John Barbirolli/Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

I'll listen to it over tonight and tomorrow and be back with a thing to say about it later tomorrow, I think.

Well, buoyed up by my fabulous evening out with I Capuleti, and Opera North, I've decided I'd be crazy not to delve deeper into Bellini, so I'm now awaiting the arrival of this:



Deciding which version to go for was not a clear-cut business, and I'm not normally much of a Joan Sutherland fan - so this is a bit risky, despite being a three-star Penguin Guide recommendation. Even so, this is really new territory, so it's exciting stuff.

Barbirolli/Mahler 9 one of the finest performances of that work i have ever listened.

I definitely agree.

So now I have this thing:



Mahler: Symphony No. 5 in C-sharp minor
Sir John Barbirolli/New Philharmonia Orchestra

So tonight I went on a CD-buying spree... here's what I ended up with:


Figuring that I should get another recording of the German Requiem, since I never really got into my older one (Klemperer/Philharmonia):

Brahms: Ein Deutches Requiem
Robert Shaw/Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus; Arleen Auger, soprano; Richard Stillwell, baritone

Figuring that I was depriving myself by not having listened to this by now:

Bach: The Goldberg Variations
Glenn Gould (1955)

(my mom) Figuring that we all need a laugh sometimes and that I really do like P.D.Q.:

The Wurst of P.D.Q. Bach

__________________
"Aufersteh'n, ja aufersteh'n
wirst du, mein Herz, in einem Nu!
Was du geschlagen
zu Gott wird es dich tragen!"
-Gustav Mahler

Now that's quite a recording. I've got the Shaw version, too, but Klemperer will always have a special place in my heart (if there's any room left )

That, is timeless. Gould recorded it again before his untimely death in 1981, way slower than the 55' version. I prefer the 55's. Absolutely stunning.

I listened to it last night and was lost in it entirely. My mom was trying to tell me to go to bed but I wouldn't . Seriously, though, this has a flow to it that is utterly hypnotizing.

I've heard the '81 version as well, and while I do like it, this one is far more "in your face" while the other is more poetic and introverted. I can't say one is better, or I prefer one better.

__________________
"Aufersteh'n, ja aufersteh'n
wirst du, mein Herz, in einem Nu!
Was du geschlagen
zu Gott wird es dich tragen!"
-Gustav Mahler

--I have about five recordings of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, and I am highly inclined to say that this is the best interpretation that I own. I even believe it surpasses Karajan's legendary recordings. What amazes me is that every instrument can be visibly heard! None of the soloists are from Europe, but their sonority is so dead on and crystal clear. The third movement has always been a challenge for me to fully appreciate, but I can easily and actively enjoy it with this recording. Another great thing is that this is live in the Barbican (with no audience sounds in the background), which adds to the overall excitement. For a symphony that has been used in millions of annoying ways, I highly recommend this fresh and innovative interpretation with Bernard Haitink and the LSO!

__________________


Music is the one incorporeal entrance into the higher world of knowledge which comprehends mankind but which mankind cannot comprehend. -- Beethoven

Just back from a trip & able to post a bit for what that's worth . My latest classical purchases past month or so I'm still checking out & haven't fully absorbed are:

Janet Baker EMI Box Set-- 5 CDs, well priced if no translations a minus, but pretty well
known stuff. Good sound-- many treasures & good cross section esp. of lieder and
Elgar 'hits' & some Baroque stuff.

On Atma Classique: Susie LeBlanc (w. Laura Andriani, violin/Robert Kortgaard/piano/Lawrence Wiliford, tenor), Messiaen 'Chants de Terre et de Ciel.'
This is an amazingly beautiful album I think mostly early, 'Debussyian' works that were
done during OM's 'happy' era in the '30's, when he was wooing/just married, before
WWII obviously and before his wife sadly had a mental breakdown. In any case,
SLeB, basically known for Baroque/early music, is good vocal choice here. Very flowing, 'ethereal,' 'chromatic,' light-infused work that is to me just beautiful. And a bit different
than many of his later works, if ok perhaps less 'complex.' I love it anyway-- def.
a fave album this year (top 20 anyway-- I haven't really stopped to think of my
faves for '08 yet!).

Some nice chamber music:

A couple on Hyperion:

Angela Hewitt/Daniel Müller-Schott Vol. 1 of Beethoven cello/piano sonatas. These are
early ones, Opus 5, numbers 1 &2-- they're def. closer to Haydn/'classical' trad. & I
really like their overall quick pacing in that context-- a contrast to, say, Casals
and such, but very lyrical/appealing.

Takács Quartet, Brahms String Quartets 1&3 (op. 67 & op. 51). A complement to the recording last year of no. 2 (op. 51) and the piano quintet (feat. Stephen Hough).
I think this is brilliant. I really like the balance they achieve-- all the instruments are
very clearly differentiated but good blend too. Fine balance between lyrical/dramatic.
I think their Brahms recordings rank with the Beethoven cycle they did.

And very new:

On Zigzag Territoires Label (div. of Harmonia Mundi), Young Russian quartet, Quatuor Atrium w. interesting pairing of the Beethoven 'Les Harpes' quartet (No. 10, op. 74 in E Flat Major) w. the Shostokovich No. 5. Both significant & major 'departure from earlier work' innovative if ok transitional. They are quite dramatic in sound but for these works, in which I think 'texture' & elements of disonance (esp. in the DS) are important, it works. And they don't neglect the lyrical and quiet 'charm' aspects in either, esp. the Beethoven. I def. need to check out more this record.

On Sony/BMG: Recital of Schubert Lieder by soprano Elizabeth Watts w. pianist
Roger Vignoles. 1st impression-- very charming-- all the songs (w. a couple exceptions) are from FS's early 'happier' era, pre 1822, and her charming 'soubrette' voice (a little
like Barbara Bonney) suits. She does go a bit shrill at the top on a few & I was wishing
for a little more variety of choices. Vignoles is excellent throughout however-- enhancing and underscoring beautifully IMO. And she does interpret and phrase very well on most.
Not an easy choice for a debut album & pretty well pulled off if a few reservations. But
I need to listen more certainly.

Ed

Ive heard many great performances of the 9th, but some have disappointed me somewhat because it seemed the conductor used the soloists more as instruments instead of vocalists--making the words difficult to discern (too much legato). In that aspect, the best I've heard is Vanska/Minnesota. How would you compare Haitink's to that?

There is another reason that I enjoy this interpretation so much. I do feel like Haitink uses the voices as what they are meant to be used for. I don't understand German and I can clearly hear what each of the soloists are saying! There were a few times that the music seemed to be overpowering the voices and it did make it a little bit hard to discern the words, but other than that they are easily understandable. There seems to simply be something different in the sonority of the voices, like they have been magnified or something that I can't easily put into words.
I only vaguely remembering Osmo Vanska's interpretation of the piece, but I have heard many people love it. Therefore I don't think I should even attempt to compare the two since I only vaguely remember Vanska's. If you have iTunes you should type in "Haitink Beethoven 9" and you can listen to preview's of his entire cycle of Beethoven. They are all fresh interpretations.

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Music is the one incorporeal entrance into the higher world of knowledge which comprehends mankind but which mankind cannot comprehend. -- Beethoven