What are you currently listening to (Classical)?
- Thread starter Bachtoven
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Which pressing do you have?
Daniel Barenboim, after conducting a concert of Alisa Weiserstein said that she was next best to his ex wife (Du Pre). She (Alisa) is performing here this Monday (with Sergey Khachatryan)
The du Pre Elgar Concerto was recorded in 1965 when she was 20. It was an instant success and has continuously been in the EMI catalogue. I have a copy of the original pressing (early large dog ER1) but have seen all sorts of pressings over the years. I also have the SACD which EMI released a few years ago, paired with the Delius Cello Concerto recorded about the same time. Recently I obtained copies of the master tapes of both concerti along with several other of du Pre's recordings.
We will be seeing Alisa Weilerstein in Berkeley later this Spring on May 1. She is playing all 6 of the Bach Cello Suites in a marathon 3 hour concert. We were very impressed by Khachatryan a few years ago playing the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto in London. I think it was with the Philharmonia at Royal Festival Hall.
I just saw their program. Sounds like it will be very spectacular. Colin Currie is a fantastic percussionist.
du Pre died in 1987 at age 42 with multiple sclerosis which also greatly shortened her career. Barenboim and she never divorced and he remarried after her death, although he had begun living with his future and current wife Elena Bashkirova in the early 1980's when they had two children. Christopher Nupen produced and directed several great documentaries of du Pre, Barenboim and several other great young artists beginning in the 1960's. They have been released on DVD and are just wonderful. One is a live recording of the Schubert Trout Quintet with du Pre, Barenboim, Itzak Perlman, Pinchus Zukerman and Zubin Mehta paired with a film he did on Schubert's life. Another is of du Pre playing the Elgar Concerto with Barenboim conducting paired with the two of them playing the Beethoven Ghost Trio with Pinchas Zukerman. Both great DVD's - no bluray.
We saw Nupen last year in London at a concert which was in honor of the Trout movie. He talked about making it and then they showed the movie, followed by a performance of the Trout by five young performers, about the same age as the ones in the Trout. It was played in Queen Elizabeth Hall in the South Bank complex on the Thames. The hall had been the site of the original concert, done shortly after it opened 50 years ago. This concert was done shortly after the reopening of the hall after it had been renovated.
Larry
Now on a Haydn Symphony binge (Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra / Dennis Russel Davies). Three days ago: Symphony # 50 and # 54 (and repeat of both).
Two days ago: Symphony # 88, # 89 and # 74.
Yesterday: Symphony # 54, # 89.
Today: Symphony # 89 (evening still waiting).
My favorite for decades had been Antal Dorati with Philharmonia Hungarica. in the above set the recordings are much better in quality, the clarity of playing is greater, and it is in many cases similarly muscular as Dorati's approach (I don't like a wimpy Papa Haydn). I guess I have many, many hours of listening ahead of me.
Can’t beat a bit of Haydn. Cleansing for the mind. I think underrated too tbh.
Yes, underrated. I am just now beginning to appreciate the complexity of the music, and the sheer inventiveness of the composer, even though I have been a Haydn fan for decades. Great stuff for the intellect. And even for a physical kind of enjoyment. I couldn't stop dancing in my chair at the finale of # 88 and the first mvmt. of # 89. And in general it is uplifting to listen to Haydn.
Another thing: many people have commented on the revolutionary nature of the first movement of Beethoven's 5th Symphony, with its short four-note motif that gets tossed around in all kinds of varied ways. It is remarkable indeed, but listen to the first movement of Haydn's Symphony # 88. Clearly a precursor to my ears (from 2 min, after the slow intro):
You might enjoy this box set, featuring symphonies of JC Bach (1-6), Haydn (52/53), Mozart (35/40) and Beethoven (1/2).
Philips 6707 013 w/ a booklet.
These offerings give insight to the development of the architecture of the symphony. Ensembles of the day were smaller in size and without the full complement of modern orchestra instruments. But don't think smaller size means less drive, energy or power.
After hearing the Beethoven Sym. 6 at a Phoenix Sym. O. concert maybe a month ago, I've listening to my recordings of that several times since. My fave is Ivan Fischer/Budapest on Channel Classics (coupled with the Beeth. S4). The MC recording and orchestral playing are simply excellent, and Fischer's conducting seems to be quite natural and nonquirky.
That Roon Radio is taking me to places I’d not thought I’d go.
Usually for Shostakovich I’d veer towards Kondrashin, Mravinsky or maybe Petrenko but tonight Roon Radio snuck in Gergiev and I listened all the way through 5 and 9.
Then it decided I should listen to Van Cliburn and Fritz Reiner and Beethoven’s Emperor.
To be honest I’m very much enjoying Roon Radio as it busts me out of some old patterns and expands my musical horizons.
Usually for Shostakovich I’d veer towards Kondrashin, Mravinsky or maybe Petrenko but tonight Roon Radio snuck in Gergiev and I listened all the way through 5 and 9.
Then it decided I should listen to Van Cliburn and Fritz Reiner and Beethoven’s Emperor.
To be honest I’m very much enjoying Roon Radio as it busts me out of some old patterns and expands my musical horizons.
Kinda spooky... I was just letting Roon Radio rip while I was reading the above posts including the earlier discussion on the wonderous Jaqueline Du Pre and then Roon Radio just put on Jaqueline Du Pre and the Elgar and Sea Pictures... wow, how strange and lovely and one of my all time favourites.
I like the piano concerto 20 Furtwangler/Lefebure very much. The performance and interpretation is excellent to me. But the pressing I have is not at its prime. What concerto 20 pressing that might be good both interm of performance and sound.
Kind regards,
Tang
The Anne Fischer on Columbia Sax is supposed to be excellent. I haven't heard the pressing yet though. Also a couple of others I have to compare. The ERC recording of the Furtwangler/Lefebure over a 1000 GBP. I love it on YouTube.
After watching Uchida perform it at Royal festival hall last month on Thursday I got to watch it at my favorite hall, Sheldonian in Oxford (it was built in the 1600s). It was just phenomenal there
After watching Uchida perform it at Royal festival hall last month on Thursday I got to watch it at my favorite hall, Sheldonian in Oxford (it was built in the 1600s). It was just phenomenal there
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As far as Haydn is concerned I am more and more into his music, cannot find anything which I do not like.
One of best SM hires recordings is Hyperion Cello Concerto with Steven Isserlis, it’s interessting to compare it to native DSD from Fonè with Rocco Filippini
One of best SM hires recordings is Hyperion Cello Concerto with Steven Isserlis, it’s interessting to compare it to native DSD from Fonè with Rocco Filippini
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