Your collection

[bignaf]

the Mravinsky recordings were recorded in the USSR, with USSR technology, so sound isn't the best (all theie technology was directed towards the space program and weapons, I guess). otherwise, they're very exciting.

I beg your pardon. I have several Melodiya recordings in my collection, including a couple of sets that I purchased while I was in Leningrad (when it was called "Leningrad") and they are outstanding, both in performance and in technical (analog) quality.

well, my bad. I should check first. they were recoded in London in 1960. the sound is slightly below average for 1960.

[Catmando]

First additions of the new year...

PIT Syms 4,5 and 6 - Karajan & BPO

[url=http://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Piano-Concerto-No-12-Quartet/dp/B00003J6ME/sr=8-1/qid=1168754012/ref=sr_1_1/102-7548569-9684903?ie=UTF8&s=music]Mozart
piano concerto and piano quartet - Brendel and ABQ[/url]

The second CD contains a piano concerto transcribed for piano and string quartet. Only heard the 1st movt. of PIT's 4th.

How are the CD's so far Nav? Have you listened to the Mozart piano concerto and quartet yet?

[navneeth]

How are the CD's so far Nav? Have you listened to the Mozart piano concerto and quartet yet?

Yes, I did listen to the first movt of the concerto and the whole quartet (only once). But I found the combination of the instruments and Mozart's music very beautiful, especially in the quartet.

[Shapley]

I picked up a couple more selections for my collection yesterday.

Gustave Mahler Songs Thomas Hampson Weiner Philharmoniker/Bernstein
Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen (Songs of a Wayfarer)
Kindertotenlieder (Songs on the Death of Children)
5 Rückert-Lieder

Tan Dun Symphony 1997 Yo-Yo Ma/Yips Children's Choir/Imperial Bells Ensemble of China/Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra

It is divided into three movements:
I Heaven
II Earth
III Mankind

V/R
Shapley

[Shapley]

Having given both of these new CD's a listen, I'll say that I'm very pleased with the Mahler Songs, but then I expected no less from Lenny.

I was less than thrilled with the Tan Dun Symphony. It has its' moments, but I guess I was looking for something along the lines of his movie soundtrack music such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero. I had not heard the piece before, and the in-store preview was very limited (only 2 tracks available for preview). Over all, I was not impressed.

V/R
Shapley

[Catmando]

Some recent purchases (to satisfy my first CD binge since October ):

At the local mall (purchased last week):

Tchaikovsky

Piano Concerto No. 1 and Violin Concerto, Eloquence label (original Decca label)

Mozart

Requiem (conducted by Herbert Von Karajan), Eloquence label (orginal Deutsche Grammaphone label)

DeBussy
Nocturnes, Printemps, La Mer, Prelude d'un apres-midi d'une faune (EMI label)


On-line shipment from B&N received yesterday:

Mendelssohn

Complete String Quartets and Octet (Emerson String Quartet) Deutsche Grammaphone label.

Complete Symphonies, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Decca label

Schumann

Complete String Quartets (Fine Arts Quartet) Naxos label

Complete Symphonies (David Zinman, Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich) Arte Nova Classics label

Piano Quartet and Piano Quintet (Emerson String Quartet and Mehahem Pressler), Deutsche Grammaphone label

Brahms

Trios (Piano, Clarinet, Horn) Beaux Arts Trio, Philips label



The main problem now is what to listen to first. Although I couldn't wait to listen to Schumann's 3rd String Quartet in A major, twas the first thing I listened to from the CD's I got yesterday.

[Shapley]

Cat,

Excellent additions!

I could definitely use more Mendelssohn in my collection. I have a recording of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in my vinyl collection in the basement. I used to listen to that one a lot. I also have at least one recording of his fourth symphony, which is excellent.

I'll have to put it on my (rather lengthy) wish list.

V/R
Shapley

[Catmando]

Cat,

Excellent additions!

I could definitely use more Mendelssohn in my collection. I have a recording of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in my vinyl collection in the basement. I used to listen to that one a lot. I also have at least one recording of his fourth symphony, which is excellent.

I'll have to put it on my (rather lengthy) wish list.

V/R
Shapley

Well, I had no Mendelssohn or Schumann in my collection, other than the odd movement here and there on mixed compilation CD's. It was time I added them to my collection.

I'm enjoying Schumann's Symphony No. 1 "Spring" right now.

Can't wait to get into the Mendelssohn symphonies, but I think I am saving the best for last.

[navneeth]

Very Nice.

I didn't know Ashkenazy conducted.

[Serenity]

Just picked up Mahler Symphonies 3, 4 & 7 by San Francisco Symphony conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas. The 7th just won a an academy award. I already had Symphonies 1, 2 & 6 on CD and 4 & 9 on cassette. I feel like a guilty, compulsive buyer!

I love the first movement intro of the 3rd and the 4th movement of the 4th. I'll save the 7th for tomorrow......Just finished reading Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People while listening to Mahler's 3rd. I just love it when music enhances your activities!

[navneeth]

Life's pretty tough, especially when you are made to choose from the best of the best.

I made a casual visit to one of the stores to check out the CD's, and lo and behold, there's a whole bunch of Heifitz's recordings with all the top-notch violin concerti. For the violin-addict-of-sorts that I've become, this was too much! Bach's sonatas and partitas by Milstein. And then there was Brahms' string quartets+Dvoark's for a great price by the Amadeus Quartet. Beethoven cello sonatas by Du Pre, Symohonies 5 and 7 with Kleiber (that was SACD, though ). So what did I buy at last?
None of them. Didn't have much time to spend at the store, so I had to leave. One thing I noticed was that all the boxed sets next to the CD rack had been shifted, and there - Bach's complete organ works, Beethoven's violin sonatas, etc. Phew!

I did confirm with the guy at the store that they would be able to get me CD's/sets even if it werw not available at any of their three locations. So, yay!

Most definitely, when I visit the store next time, I'll get a CD with two violin concerti.

Should it be Beethoven/Brahms - Heifetz-Reiner, Mendelssohn/Tchaikovksy - Heifetz-Reiner, Brahms/Tchaikovksy - Heifetz-Reiner, or Brahms' violin concerto/sonata - Oistrakh-Szell and Beethoven/Mendelssohn - Menuhin, Furtwangler? I already have a version of Tchaikovsky (the reason behind all this violin craziness), and I certainly want Beethoven's.

Opinons or suggestions are most welcome.

[Catmando]

Life's pretty tough, especially when you are made to choose from the best of the best.

I made a casual visit to one of the stores to check out the CD's, and lo and behold, there's a whole bunch of Heifitz's recordings with all the top-notch violin concerti. For the violin-addict-of-sorts that I've become, this was too much! Bach's sonatas and partitas by Milstein. And then there was Brahms' string quartets+Dvoark's for a great price by the Amadeus Quartet. Beethoven cello sonatas by Du Pre, Symohonies 5 and 7 with Kleiber (that was SACD, though ). So what did I buy at last?
None of them. Didn't have much time to spend at the store, so I had to leave. One thing I noticed was that all the boxed sets next to the CD rack had been shifted, and there - Bach's complete organ works, Beethoven's violin sonatas, etc. Phew!

I did confirm with the guy at the store that they would be able to get me CD's/sets even if it werw not available at any of their three locations. So, yay!

Most definitely, when I visit the store next time, I'll get a CD with two violin concerti.

Should it be Beethoven/Brahms - Heifetz-Reiner, Mendelssohn/Tchaikovksy - Heifetz-Reiner, Brahms/Tchaikovksy - Heifetz-Reiner, or Brahms' violin concerto/sonata - Oistrakh-Szell and Beethoven/Mendelssohn - Menuhin, Furtwangler? I already have a version of Tchaikovsky (the reason behind all this violin craziness), and I certainly want Beethoven's.

Opinons or suggestions are most welcome.

Nav, I would go with Beethoven/Brahms, your first listed choice. Since you have Tchaikovsky's Violin concerto already.

And both the Beethoven and Brahms' VC's are must haves!

[navneeth]

Nav, I would go with Beethoven/Brahms, your first listed choice. Since you have Tchaikovsky's Violin concerto already.

And both the Beethoven and Brahms' VC's are must haves!

Beethoven; Mendelssohn: Violin Concertos / Furtwangler, Menuhin

Schubert:The Last Four Quartets - Quartetto Italiano

I would've bought the Brahms VC if it not were for my craving for chamber music.

[Catmando]

Nav, I would go with Beethoven/Brahms, your first listed choice. Since you have Tchaikovsky's Violin concerto already.

And both the Beethoven and Brahms' VC's are must haves!

Beethoven; Mendelssohn: Violin Concertos / Furtwangler, Menuhin

Schubert:The Last Four Quartets - Quartett Italiano

I would've bought the Brahms VC if it not were for my craving for chamber music.

I probably would have done the same Navneeth! Excellent choices!

[Shapley]

I picked up Mendelssohn's Songs Without Words (Complete) performed by Ilse von Alpenheim (Phillips). I listened to the first CD, and found it quite enjoyable.

I also picked up Schickele's WTWP Talkity-Talk Radio CD (Telarc), which I found to be hillarious.

I also found this:
Schickele Shoppe

In case you can't enough Peter Schickele/P. D. Q. Bach, or can't find it in your local music store.

V/R
Shapley

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

I recently bought a couple of Empire Brass CDs (again, another purchase that directly resulted from something on b.com. The RIAA are nuts!) and I'm in awe. Rolf Smedvig can play trumpet notes faster than most people can move their eyelashes!

It's the Class Brass CD playing right now, and it's a Smetana piece that earned that remark. I stil have the Class Brass: On the Edge to play when this one's done. I should be grateful that we're having internet issues, or I might have put off playing the CDs until next week.

[Trumpetmaster]

I recently bought a couple of Empire Brass CDs (again, another purchase that directly resulted from something on b.com. The RIAA are nuts!) and I'm in awe. Rolf Smedvig can play trumpet notes faster than most people can move their eyelashes!

It's the Class Brass CD playing right now, and it's a Smetana piece that earned that remark. I stil have the Class Brass: On the Edge to play when this one's done. I should be grateful that we're having internet issues, or I might have put off playing the CDs until next week.

Selma,
Yup! Agreed...

Smedvig also has one of the most beautiful sounds!!!

[Catmando]

Had the day off yesterday, so I went "browsing" at the HMV music store in the mall.

I bought 3 discs at $7.99 CDN each.

Grieg - Peer Gynt Suites I & II, Piano Concerto in A minor

Schumann - Piano Concerto in A minor, Cello Concerto in A minor, Introduction and Allegro appassionato in G major for Piano and Orchestra.

Brahms - Ein deutches Requiem.

All 3 are Eloquence Label (Universal Classics) discs, re-issues of Deutches Grammaphon for the Grieg and Brahms discs, while Decca for Schumann.

[Shapley]

I picked up some Karl Jenkins music yesterday. The first is called Diamond Music, presumably because it contains the Palladio which is heard in those DeBeers commercials. It also contains the Adiemus Variations, the Passacaglia, and String Quartet No. 2.

I also bought The Armed Man, subtitled A Mass for Peace. It's an interesting work, one I was not familiar with. I'll have to give it another listening before I pass judgement on it. I did enjoy it somewhat, but since I had already listened to the Diamond Music CD, I think my listening ear was getting tired.

I also picked up a CD of Rachmaninoff's Vespers, which I haven't listened to yet.

[barfle]

I first ran across Palladio on an airplane when I lived in California. I wrote it down and eventually got the CD. I believe this was before the DeBeers commercials, but I wouldn't put much money on it. I recall requesting the piece from beethoven.com, and was told they didn't have it. So I bought another copy for them. It seems to be the only one they play with any regularity (except perhaps the Davy Crockett's fiddle Star Spangled Banner).

I just picked up an audio DVD of Holst's "Planets." Clearly, I have to modernize my audio system.