How About This One?

[navneeth]

This thread is for anyone to discuss/recommend/rant about/rate CD's that you enjoy listening to, or are planning to buy/destroy, or do whatever with it. You can also include older formats like tapes, LP's, etc.

Actually, I just wanted to ask about a particular CD, but then this bulb showed up and this thread was born.

First up...
[url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000040XE/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_1/102-6762720-4538525?ie=UTF8]Bach 3 Oboe Concertos
Heinz Holliger, Academy of St.Martin in the Fields, Iona Brown
[/url]

All 5-star reviews at Amazon.

I don't really have too many choices in the shops here, but I see this CD at two places (actually the same chain of stores at different places) along with the umpteen "Best of..." collections and the same 2 or 3 LvB piano sonatas, and almost every Mozart CD containing K525. Of course, there are some composers/works that I overlook as I've not heard much of their work. But before you ask, "But how can you know if you like their work without listening?," I'd like to say that I don't not want to spend 400-500 Rupees on a CD that's going to end up in my 'Don't Like' list. I use B.com as my testing grounds.

So, have you listened to the CD mentioned above? What is your opinon?

[bignaf]

never heard this or any recording of the bach oboe concertos, but Holliger is considered the top oboe soloist nowadays...

[navneeth]

never heard this or any recording of the bach oboe concertos,

Hmm...I requested for one today (none in particular), but it has not been played yet.

but Holliger is considered the top oboe soloist nowadays...

That is quite apparent from the reviews and articles on the net. Have you heard him play any other piece that features an oboe(s)?

[bignaf]

yeah, I have a CD of him playing Schumann and some other romantic stuff. he's very good. I also heard him play the Berio Sequenza that was written for him, very difficult.
something you might want to consider is that the baroque oboe sounds very different than the modern oboe, a more brilliant and harsh tone. I assume Holliger uses a modern one. check if you can find a period instrument one, and listen to samples, it's not everyone's cup of tea.

[navneeth]

Yet another CD that I come across, but never end up buying.

Some big names in here

Hmmm...I find Menuhin somewhat slower that this
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000 ... nce&n=5174

[Catmando]

Yet another CD that I come across, but never end up buying.

Some big names in here

Hmmm...I find Menuhin somewhat slower that this
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000 ... nce&n=5174

I haven't heard Menuhin.

Here is the copy of Beethoven's Violin Concerto and Violin Romances that I have, by Takako Nishizaki. I love it and it's a super price.

http://www.amazon.ca/Violin-Concerto-Romances-Kenneth-Jean/dp/B0000013L2/sr=1-49/qid=1157057572/ref=sr_1_49/702-2749190-7763208?ie=UTF8&s=classical

Whatever you decide Nav, do get Beethoven's Violin Concerto and Violin Romances. I really do think they are "must haves". Also Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto I like too, it's a little on the mellow side. I would like his as well as Tchaikovsky's and Sibelius.

[Shapley]

Yet another CD that I come across, but never end up buying.
Some big names in here

Furtwangler was an excellent conductor, but the quality of the recordings is probably quite poor.

We had some discussion recently on analog vs. digital mixing. Recordings for vinyl were compressed so that the music would not operate outside the limited audio parameters of the vinyl disc. Digital does a much better job of ture reproduction, but when the old tapes are re-mastered digitally, they do not do the music justice.

It's sort of like using those language conversion softwares to convert language from English to Spanish and then back again. The conversion from English to Spanish is probably as accurate as possible, and the conversion back from Spanish to English is probably likewise, yet the comparison of the initial text and the final text usually leaves a lot to be desired.

V/R
Shapley

[bignaf]

Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and Sibelius concerti are definitely must-haves. I'd add brahms to the mix, I wouldn't say Mendelsohn is a must have, IMO.

[shostakovich]

Good topic, Nav.

I'm a big fan of the Eastman Symphonic Wind Ensemble, especially under Frederick Fennell on Mercury records, some of which have been transferred to CD. Holst's Suite #1 for Military Band has never had a better performance, although Fennell's Telarc recording (Cleveland Symphonic Winds) is pretty close with better sound. So, look for re-issues of Fennell-Eastman if you like symphonic band music.

Now, I'm about to tout another Eastman recording ( a stereo Decca record) with Donald Hunsberger conducting. If it's on CD, get it. You won't be sorry. It contains the following:
H. Owen Reed: La Fiesta Mexicana,
Carlos Surinach: Paeans and Dances of Heathen Iberia,
Roger Nixon: Fiesta del Pacifico.

I know nothing else of Reed, but this is a winner. Surinach may be best known for orchestrating the 7 of 12 sections of Iberia that Arbos didn't do. I do have half a dozen of Surinach's works, and can recommend his compositions --- if you can find them. The Nixon work refers to a celebration in San Diego. It may have special meaning for our special Sandy Eggans. All fun music, all terrific performances.
Shos

[shostakovich]

Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and Sibelius concerti are definitely must-haves. I'd add brahms to the mix, I wouldn't say Mendelsohn is a must have, IMO.

OK, I'll add the Mendelssohn. Bruch's first is my personal favorite violin concerto. Don't leave home without it.
Shos

[bignaf]

OK, I'll say the Mendelsohn is not a must have.

[navneeth]

Thanks for all the recommendations. I'll have those names in mind.

Btw, LvB and PIT are two composers who are at the top of my wishlist. I don't remember seeing Tchaikovsky's violin concerto at the store, but I'll defintiely have a look out for it; there's yet another location where I've not yet checked out the WCM section.

[Catmando]

OK, I'll say the Mendelsohn is not a must have.

I agree. Not a must have, but I still like it. How could I forget Brahms? I have his orchestral works, including concerti, and they are ALL must have.

[HandelFan]

I'll second all of the above, and also put in a word for the Alban berg (Memory of an angel) and Stravinsky concerto in D (I like the "Aria" sections). Maybe not must-haves, but definitely why-not-haves. I can't remember which recordings of those I have (they're in the garage somewhere...)

[navneeth]

Someone please explain this

Vivaldi: The Four Seasons / Marriner, Academy of SMF [ORIGINAL RECORDING REISSUED] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

Has this CD been reissued or remastered?

Also, has anyone listened to that CD? No review has anything bad to say about it but at the same time many don't consider it the best.

[Shapley]

Navneeth - Yes, it is a digital remastering of an analog recording, which is what the ADD explains. The A stands for Analog recording.

Not that that's bad, provided that the remastering is done well. It isn't always. As I said in an earlier post, recordings done for Analog playback are mastered in a way to overcome some of the limitations of the medium. If you desire to remaster it for digital, it requires a lot of work - work a lot of companies aren't willing to put into it.

If they use the original 'master recordings', they stand to acquire a better recording than if they use an analog-mixed recording, which is usually denoted AAD on the disk sleeve.

Disks denoted as DDD are digitally recorded, mixed, and mastered. Most few such recordings existed prior to the '80s.

V/R
Shapley

[bignaf]

I'll second all of the above, and also put in a word for the Alban berg (Memory of an angel) and Stravinsky concerto in D (I like the "Aria" sections). Maybe not must-haves, but definitely why-not-haves. I can't remember which recordings of those I have (they're in the garage somewhere...)

hear hear!

[bignaf]

the Berg is an almost must-have. while were here, check out the Penderecki no. 2 with Mutter.

[navneeth]

Thanks for the clarification, Shap. I didn't notice the ADD...will make sure to look at the A's and D's in future.

[Catmando]

I have some of the LVB overtures, however I am missing the following:

King Stephen
Consecration of the House
Nameday Overture

But included on this disc are 3 works that caught my eye for which I am not familiar with:

12 Minuets WoO 7

12 German Dances for orchestra WoO 8

12 Contredanses WoO 14

Overtures Minuets Contredanses German Dances

Can someone who is familiar with these 3 "12" comment on them, please?

Thanks!