What are you currently listening to (Classical)?

[Bachtoven]

That's a tricky one! If you want the complete Sonatas in one set, then Hamelin is your man. Sudbin seems to be slowly recording all of Medtner's works, so, if you're patient he would be the one. Kholodenko plays with amazing passion and power, but Delos' sound is oddly boxy and dry. I think they licensed it from some other source, as their recordings usually sound very good. BIS always provides excellent sound, so that's another point in Sudbin's favor. He, too, plays with great passion.

 

[LL21]

That's a tricky one! If you want the complete Sonatas in one set, then Hamelin is your man. Sudbin seems to be slowly recording all of Medtner's works, so, if you're patient he would be the one. Kholodenko plays with amazing passion and power, but Delos' sound is oddly boxy and dry. I think they licensed it from some other source, as their recordings usually sound very good. BIS always provides excellent sound, so that's another point in Sudbin's favor. He, too, plays with great passion.

thanks! With all the great music out there...i might just wait for Sudbin to possibly complete all the works. I have his works in the cart, and may put Hamelin on hold. There seems to be something quite special about the way the Sudbin sounds on the snips from allmusic.com vs Hamelin.

 

[Bachtoven]

thanks! With all the great music out there...i might just wait for Sudbin to possibly complete all the works. I have his works in the cart, and may put Hamelin on hold. There seems to be something quite special about the way the Sudbin sounds on the snips from allmusic.com vs Hamelin.

Oh, Sudbin is a vastly more imaginative player, and his technique is nearly as good, too. His brand new Scarlatti disc is a must-have, too.

 

[Bachtoven]

This Analogue Productions SACD arrived today. Heifetz' playing is of course phenomenal, but the sound is rather dry and lacks depth. I don't have the original RCA for comparison, but I assume AP has wrangled every drop of sound out of the master tapes that was available. Too bad he didn't record it with Reiner and the CSO.

 

[Fiddle Faddle]

This Analogue Productions SACD arrived today. Heifetz' playing is of course phenomenal, but the sound is rather dry and lacks depth. I don't have the original RCA for comparison, but I assume AP has wrangled every drop of sound out of the master tapes that was available. Too bad he didn't record it with Reiner and the CSO.

Agreed. I just bought the vinyl version a few weeks ago and I have the same opinion - you will see from previous posts that I even used the exact same terminology - "dry". So I think it is safe to say there is nothing wrong with our systems or our ears! Actually the qualms regarding the sound extend to the last batch of four this 25 disk series - the Rosza, the Mendelssohn, the Lalo and the Debussy Iberia. They all share the same dryish sound lacking in depth - perhaps though the Mendelssohn is a little warmer and more "hall like" in it's sound.

I do not think anything has "gone wrong" with the remastering compared to earlier reissues - I think it is just the way these particular titles are. It was a similar story with the SoundMirror SACDs so I suspect we are hearing a pretty accurate rendition of the original masters, flawed as they are by the best RCA standards.

Actually, if anything, I strongly prefer this Rosza reissue to the Classic Records one. The Classic Records one exhibited significant tape deterioration and had a very anaemic sound compared to this Ryan Smith reissue. Mind you, the very flaws in these releases means they become excellent disks for optimising an audio setup. If a system can make these sound really nice without the listener being distracted too much by the sound, the system is doing extremely well in my opinion so long as it still sounds good with a wide range of other material. I have actually used this last batch of four disks to make some extremely subtle, final tweaks to my setup which of course have made my "good" disks sound commensurately better too.

So I definitely recommend these four disks if you want to obsessively tune your system to get the best out of it. When I first put these on a few weeks ago I was disappointed. Now they are quite listenable, though nowhere near the standards of most Deccas and a good number of RCAs as well. But as I say, go through all of the SoundMirror SACDS done a decade ago and you have the same (very mixed) sound quality across the titles. What annoys me a little though is that Analogue Productions boasted of these titles being picked for sound quality and it is on that note I have to disagree (many of them are indeed great but a good number are merely "so so". I could have given them any number of RCAs that score great for sound quality and that they did not release though I am grateful to have any of these since I was too young to buy the originals.

Great performances though - the Benjamin Romantic Fantasy is the standout (sonically too - it does not suffer the ills of the Rosza and has the RCA sound that we have come to love).

 

[Fiddle Faddle]

Here is a brief one and a bit minute excerpt from the Analogue Productions Rosza (from the vinyl version). This is one of the better sounding bits and there are definitely even drier RCAs around (Cesar Franck's symphony being one of them!).

https://www.sendspace.com/file/4vm8s2

 

[LL21]

Oh, Sudbin is a vastly more imaginative player, and his technique is nearly as good, too. His brand new Scarlatti disc is a must-have, too.

Thanks! I have already ordered the Sudbin new Scarlatti as well!

 

[Bachtoven]

I have numerous versions of Art of Fugue, but I think this one is my favorite. Feltsman treats it as far as possible from an academic exercise by using rubato, dynamics, and amazing articulation. Some tempos are slower than usual, but his playing is so expressive that they don't bother me. Very good sound, too.

 

[ChrisH]

 

[LL21]

I have numerous versions of Art of Fugue, but I think this one is my favorite. Feltsman treats it as far as possible from an academic exercise by using rubato, dynamics, and amazing articulation. Some tempos are slower than usual, but his playing is so expressive that they don't bother me. Very good sound, too.

Thanks! i listened to it...i am comparing Feltsman with the "drier, more academic" Fugues...and when on solo keyboard, i seem to favor them over Feltsman (for now). Feltsman particularly seems to have a slightly looser sense of timing on his notes...or perhaps i am used to more 'metronome-like' beats in Bach's music on keyboard. I will try to listen to Feltsman again and see.

 

[Bachtoven]

Thanks! i listened to it...i am comparing Feltsman with the "drier, more academic" Fugues...and when on solo keyboard, i seem to favor them over Feltsman (for now). Feltsman particularly seems to have a slightly looser sense of timing on his notes...or perhaps i am used to more 'metronome-like' beats in Bach's music on keyboard. I will try to listen to Feltsman again and see.

He's living proof that there are multiple ways to interpret music, and especially Bach! Some prefer to play him more metronomically, while others try to "humanize" his music. Neither is right or wrong necessarily: it all boils down to taste. For me, a bit of rubato adds expression. I'm not, however, in favor of doing something differently just for the sake of being different! (Sometimes Gould made perverse choices just to mess with people's expectations!) I just ordered Feltsman's set of Bach's Well Tempered Klavier--I'm very curious to see how he approaches those pieces.

 

[LL21]

He's living proof that there are multiple ways to interpret music, and especially Bach! Some prefer to play him more metronomically, while others try to "humanize" his music. Neither is right or wrong necessarily: it all boils down to taste. For me, a bit of rubato adds expression. I'm not, however, in favor of doing something differently just for the sake of being different! (Sometimes Gould made perverse choices just to mess with people's expectations!) I just ordered Feltsman's set of Bach's Well Tempered Klavier--I'm very curious to see how he approaches those pieces.

Agree entirely, and i will go back to listen to Feltsman again for that very reason. Meanwhile, please do post about Feltsman's Well Tempered when you have heard it!

 

[Bachtoven]

 

[Fiddle Faddle]

I wonder what violin she is playing? It looks Neapolitan school - like a Gagliano. Do the liner notes say anywhere?

 

[LL21]

Anyone heard this one? Sanderling? Anyone have the CD? Trying to find a copy that's not insanely priced...View attachment 26318

I found it! Hope it is the correct one as it is hard to find and often confused. I have just ordered it.

 

[Bachtoven]

I wonder what violin she is playing? It looks Neapolitan school - like a Gagliano. Do the liner notes say anywhere?

No, they don't. Her name is Angela Golubeva if you want to research her!

 

[ChrisH]

View attachment 26456
I found it! Hope it is the correct one as it is hard to find and often confused. I have just ordered it.

That is the correct one. You are in for a real treat. Hope you enjoy it, when it arrives.

 

[LL21]

That is the correct one. You are in for a real treat. Hope you enjoy it, when it arrives.

Thank you! in fact, i just communicated with the seller on Amazon who was kind enough to send photos of front/back and spine to confirm it is indeed the correct one. Very excited...this thing was super tough to find. i tried amazon.com, .co.uk, .es, .de, .ie, .fr and .co.jp. i randomly checked up on Amazon again today, and it appeared and voila...ordered.

 

[Bachtoven]

I enjoyed a non-commercial (broadcast on NPR ages ago as part of the "Grand Piano" concert series) recital by pianist John Ogdon recorded in 1977. It might be one of the most mind-blowing displays of virtuosity I have ever heard. At the end, the series' announcer said, "I doubt that Bosendorfer Imperial Grand will ever be the same." No kidding.

Program:

Busoni: 6 Sonatinas
Liszt: Totentanz (solo version)
Alkan: Concerto for Solo Piano

 

[DaveyF]

Some great performances on vinyl: Blue back-- and the Mercury ORG 45rpm reissue: