Classical Music Only | What You're Listening to Now, Or Very Recently | Any Mediums :

[bart]

Vivaldi - The 4 Seasons - Violin Concertos
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Itzhak Perlman
via Tidal

This was highly recommended in another thread.
It is a top performance.
However, I find the sound a bit dated, meaning: I do not like some of those early digital recordings very much.

 

[Kuoppis]

Vivaldi - The 4 Seasons - Violin Concertos
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Itzhak Perlman
via Tidal

This was highly recommended in another thread.
It is a top performance.
However, I find the sound a bit dated, meaning: I do not like some of those early digital recordings very much.

I agree about the sound, an unfortunate era.

It would be intriguing to hear whether MQA would be able to sort out that mess. Have not seen a version though.


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[bart]

Debussy - Quatuor & Danses
Caplet - Les Prières & Conte Fantastique
Quatuor Debussy - Marielle Nordmann - Françoise Masset - Yann Dubost
via Qobuz

We just heard the Danses and the Conte Fantastique live, albeit with another string quartet, the Quatuor Zaïde, and for the harp pieces, with Anneleen Lenaerts, a Flemish harpist, soloist of the Wiener Philharmoniker (!).
They also played a piece from her brother Wouter Lenaerts, similar in style, Visions.
And a, splendidly played, Ravel String Quartet.
Lenaerts brought Claire de Lune, arrangement for harp, by herself.
All 5 young ladies were outstanding.

This album is very enjoyable too.
Good recording.

By the way, Caplet is a composer that I didn't know before this concert, but that I am going to examine closer.
The work they played and that I'm listening to right now is very beautiful (Conte Fantastique, after a tale from Edgar Allen Poe).

 

[bart]

Forqueray - ...ou les tourments de l'âme Vol. 1
Michèle Dévérité
Qobuz 24/48

Marin Marais, Lully, Couperin, Sainte-Colombe.
In this group of composers Forqueray is to be situated style-wise.
Good music to go into the night.

 

[bart]

Strohl - Poulenc - Franck - De La Tombelle - Sonatas for cello & piano
Edgar Moreau & David Kadouch
Qobuz 24/96

Rita Strohl, a composer of whom I'd never heard, wrote a wonderful chamber music work. Wow!
Fernand de la Tombelle is another new name to me.

 

[bart]

Bach - Sonates pour flûte et clavecin
Marc et Pierre Hantaï
Qobuz 24/88.2

Pierre on the harpsichord, his brother Marc on the traverse flute.
Pierre has played with Kuijken, Savall (Tous les matins du monde!), Minkowski. Marc with the same forces, also Leonhardt, and many others.
You really get the sensation these two deeply understand the composer.
Heartily recommended.

 

[bart]

Schubert - Die schöne Müllerin
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau & Gerald Moore
via Qobuz

Standard performance of this so delicious masterpiece.
Fischer-Dieskau is technically as perfect as it can get.
He sings it in a sober, solemn way, and Moore is the perfect to accompany him.
The sound is very decent for a '62 recording.

 

[bart]

Schubert - Die schöne Müllerin
Christian Gerhaher & Gerold Huber
Qobuz 24/48

I listened twice to Fischer-Dieskau, and now again to this version.
This small comparison is hard work!

The sound is impeccable, it is of course a recording that is 55 years younger than the one above.
Gerhaher is equally very very good technically.
Huber also does a great job supporting this wonderful singer.
Fischer-Dieskau's voice maybe a little bit superior in absolute terms.
But I prefer this version.
It touches me more.
It provokes tears in my eyes more easily.
This goes right to my heart...

 

[Jozua]

Tchaikovsky - Violin Concerto - Sérénade mélancolique - Valse - Scherzo Op. 34 - Souvenir d'un lieu cher
Russian National Orchestra, Yakov Kreizberg
Julia Fischer, violin

What a delight!
Fantastic music, fantastic performance, wonderful recording.
I have the original SACD (same recording).
Good to see that PentaTone reissues multi-channel SACDs. :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Based on the above comments I imported the SACD- very nice.

My impression is that the Julia outplays the orchestra at times which at times can be distant sounding compared to the closed miked violin.

 

[bart]

Based on the above comments I imported the SACD- very nice.

My impression is that the Julia outplays the orchestra at times which at times can be distant sounding compared to the closed miked violin.

Jozua, you might be right.
We don't have that impression, as we usually have tickets for the 4th-5th row, so 8 feet from the solo violinist.
Which gives us about this sound.
We're spoiled, I know. :happy:

 

[bart]

Dag Wirén - Sinfonietta - Serenade for strings - Symphony No. 3 - Divertimento
Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Rumon Gamba
via Qobuz

I like to try new things.
Wirén was a Swedish composer.
These works were written in the 30s, as reaction to the modernism of the 20s.
So here you have lighter and more entertaining music.
Good enough to buy the SACD?
Hmm, maybe. :scratch2:

 

[bart]

Piotr Ilyich Tchaikowsky - Symphony No. 6 'Pathétique'
MusicAeterna, Teodor Currentzis
Qobuz 24/96

The beauty of this symphony is that it combines romanticism with power, lots of power, and depth.
I think this is very well conveyed by this recording (performance and sound).

 

[Bachtoven]

 

[bart]

Cecilia & Sol - Dolce Duello
Cappella Gabetta, Andrés Gabetta
Qobuz 24/96

I do not always love la Bartoli.
But in this small ensemble, she's great.
As is Sol Gabetta (we saw her earlier this season, she's gorgeous to hear and to look at).

Delicious music from Caldara, Vivaldi, Händel, Porpora, Gabrielli and Albinoni.

 

[Bachtoven]

Spectacular playing and sound.

 

[Kuoppis]

Saint-Saëns Symphony no. 3 “Organ”.

45 rpm Reference Recordings Mastercuts, half-speed recorded Prof. Johnson recording.

Very nice dynamics and massive organ depth, no loudnessing on this record. RR is typically a good choice in that respect.

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[Conanb1]

[h=1]Haydn / Solberg / Grieg: String Quartets - Engegard Quartet[/h]

[h=3]Hybrid SACD[/h]​

 

[joeinid]

Welcome to the forum, thank you for joining.

 

[Bachtoven]

 

[Kuoppis]

Henryk Górecki, Symphony No. 3.

Starting with deep low-end growl, gradually rising higher during the opener. Getting in the flow.

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