What are you currently listening to (Classical)?

Bachtoven · Jun 19, 2016

Jazzhead said:
Listening to Paul Lewis , certainly a very pretty tone ... Too beautiful ? Like it though !

Yes, his sound and musicality are very alluring.

Bachtoven · Jun 20, 2016

A powerful performance, beautifully recorded. Apparently, the Concerto is a live recording, but I heard no extraneous noise nor is there any applause. The Ballades, also wonderfully played, are studio recordings.

LL21 · Jun 21, 2016

Ordered. Of the various Zig zags that I managed to hear briefly on Amazon, this one intrigued me the most. Just listened to the Penguin Recommended one yesterday, also excellent.

LL21 said:
How is this zig zag? seemed promising to me...

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Bachtoven · Jun 21, 2016

I bought this just for the Diamond Piano Sonata. My, it's quite a powerful and challenging 30 minute piece! Written for Tureck, one can assume this is an authoritative world premiere performance. Decent 1948 mono sound, but it cries out for a modern performance and recording. I wonder if any major artists have it in their repertoire.

Jazzhead · Jun 21, 2016

The Definitive Ring ? Great Sound for sure !

Bachtoven · Jun 21, 2016

No.30-32 today. Magnificent.

Bachtoven · Jun 21, 2016

This is my first recording by this composer and I like it very much. Dramatic, late-romantic in style--think a cross between Reger and non-12 tone Schoenberg, with some Martinu drive. Excellent sound.

Jazzhead · Jun 22, 2016

LaDivina comes home !

Jazzhead · Jun 22, 2016

Bachtoven · Jun 22, 2016

Some off the chart playing. Not sure if this is inspiring or depressing to listen to! He includes the original (even harder) and the more common revised Paganini Etudes.

Bachtoven · Jun 23, 2016

Disc one:

Migo · Jun 24, 2016

Fiddle Faddle said:
I just got a PM from another member asking if I had bought any recent classical vinyl reissues that I like since I last posted. Their inbox is too full to receive any replies so I will put them here:

Two excellent Speakers Corner reissues of Isaac Stern on Columbia - Bartok and Stravinsky violin concertos. Fully analogue reissues as is always the case with this label:

http://www.speakerscornerrecords.com/products/details/60022/bartok-violin-concerto

http://www.speakerscornerrecords.com/products/details/6331/stravinsky-violin-concerto

And also two fantastic releases from Universal under the DGG label. These are from 24/95 masters made from the old analogue tapes but they still sound great and the performances are excellent in my opinion. These sound much better than when this material was released on CD (at least to me). I'm not even a Strauss-y type of person but even I got enthusiastic about this release.

http://www.deutschegrammophon.com/au/cat/4795890

And then this one. An eclectic program of Mozart, Beethoven, Smetana and Liszt that you might think was a "programmed" concert but it is a late 50s "studio" recording. There is a strange left / right intermittent balance issue in the Egmont at the end of side 1 but it exists on the digital download and I suspect it was like that fresh from the recording session. Does not detract too much from a really wonderful hour of listening:

http://www.deutschegrammophon.com/au/cat/4795889

Thanks. Wonderfull music choices.

Migo · Jun 24, 2016

APP said:
Yes, I agree, a very impressive recording.
And interesting what they write about the hall; liner notes:http://www.soundliaison.com/studio-masters/224-levan-tskhadadze-izhar-elias-carrousel

Very interesting to hear how one of the top ''Jazz engineers'' approach a classical chamber music setting. It is more intimate, very real but still one can fell the big hall. I hope they will release more classical music in the future. I find the download a very welcome addition to my classical collection and a steal for that price( introduction offer).

http://www.soundliaison.com/

Bachtoven · Jun 24, 2016

This set arrived today. I started with Chopin's Scherzos. I can see why he's so polarizing! Many would find his "take no prisoners" approach to be too impetuous. Parts of the left hand sections are definitely hammered out more than by any other pianist I've heard. Time will tell if he's too impetuous, but I like a lot of intensity, so I'll see how these do over time. All 3 discs derive from live concerts in Moscow, and they cheer him to the rafters! Very good sound.

SCAudiophile · Jun 25, 2016

Having a great time with these recordings the last couple of days,...revisiting some old favorites and experiencing a couple of newer arrivals as well....