[gerelmx1986]

 

 
Try Gulda.. (or Annie Fischer!)

Fischer's is a great set.
 

  Yes i am checking it, i don't say ashkenazy sucks or recorded bad, I really like the sound quality for sure But they were on purpose recorded (or matered later) low volume which the crappy 15mW output of my walkman doesn't helpt that much

Time to upgrade!! 

Yes saving for the more powerful walkmans (70th sony anniversary) 60mW in sinlgle ended and 240mW in balanced

 

[uchihaitachi]

Does anybody have Kovacevich's LVB sonata cycle? Is it worth getting?

 

[icebear]

Does anybody have Kovacevich's LVB sonata cycle? Is it worth getting?

I have his Decca complete recording box on my shelf (haven't had a chance to listen to it yet)
which includes LVB sonatas 8,7,18,28,30,31,32, Diabellis op.120 and bagatelles opp.33,119,126

 

[Quinto]

Does anybody have Kovacevich's LVB sonata cycle? Is it worth getting?

if you can find it cheap....

 

[kostaszag]

   
I think our ears have been tuned/conditioned to the orch versions of LvB's symphs for oh so long, that.....

And so it should be, after all they are  Symphonies and not Piano sonatas. If LvB wanted them to be played in the piano he would have said so and called the pieces Piano sonatas, as he repeatedly did (about 32 times if memory serves). 

 

 

[CanadianMaestro]

  And so it should be, after all they are  Symphonies and not Piano sonatas. If LvB wanted them to be played in the piano he would have said so and called the pieces Piano sonatas, as he repeatedly did (about 32 times if memory serves). 

 

Amen.

 

[Quinto]

First time I heard this one years ago I was surprised how much I liked it, still my favorite Mahler 3..

 

[CanadianMaestro]

^ Mahler's 3 is stupendously good on a floor system.
 
Ordered this: $6 CAD. Can't wait. The Ravel Cto is one of my favorite. Have only Argerich til now. The slow mvt.....BLISS.
 

 

[uchihaitachi]

  ^ Mahler's 3 is stupendously good on a floor system.
 
Ordered this: $6 CAD. Can't wait. The Ravel Cto is one of my favorite. Have only Argerich til now. The slow mvt.....BLISS.
 

This is THE definitive performances of both the Ravel and Rach 4. Michelangeli + Ravel = heaven
 
You should also get his live gaspard recordings, they are magical too 

 

[jdpark]

I actually quite like the Anner on piccolo viola de gamba with the organ played by Bob van Asperen here. It was a third disk in the set with his cello suites. A lot of purists don't like this album because a) it's a higher timbre for the viola de gamba than you would expect, and b) it's not a harpsichord, which is what the texts were written for. To me the combo is delightful despite these objections. The recording is very good, and the playing is excellent, with a lot of emotion relative to the Bach family, but definitely not overly romantic. 
 
As a matter of fact, while I don't own other recordings of these sonatas, I think I am now already biased against a VdG and harpsichord combo--that just sounds like an accident waiting to happen.
 

 
On a second and completely different note, I'm really enjoying some older Wilhelm Kempff recordings of Beethoven's piano works. Wow. That guy could play.

 

[CanadianMaestro]

   
On a second and completely different note, I'm really enjoying some older Wilhelm Kempff recordings of Beethoven's piano works. Wow. That guy could play.

Kempff and Brendel did marvelous Beeth sonatas. I recently heard Brendel's first recs on Vox -- 1962-64. Really ear-opening -- quite less colored, more spirited than his later cycles, although I still go to his Philips 1970s cycle (I wasn't impressed with his 1990s digital cycle).
  But Kempff's second cycle in the 1960s is sublime. Try also Kempff's Schubert sonatas.

 

[jdpark]

  Kempff and Brendel did marvelous Beeth sonatas. I recently heard Brendel's first recs on Vox -- 1962-64. Really ear-opening -- quite less colored, more spirited than his later cycles, although I still go to his Philips 1970s cycle (I wasn't impressed with his 1990s digital cycle).
  But Kempff's second cycle in the 1960s is sublime. Try also Kempff's Schubert sonatas.

I'm starting to realize now, almost for the first time, how wonderful some of the recordings from the early 1960s, and even late 1950s are. Perhaps some of it depends on the rendering in digital (since I don't own vinyl). This was a different era, when classical music was still a 'mainstream' cultural product that was targeted at everyone, not just the few. Obviously, rock n' roll was on the way to the mainstream, and R&B was well developed, and there were an increasing number of Jazz connoisseurs... But most people could listen to classical and were immersed in a soundscape that included classical as a normal part of life in North America and Europe.  
 
On a separate note, someone asked recently what would be a good portable set up. I think I've found it: http://www.shure.com/americas/kse1500 

 

[Quinto]

  Kempff and Brendel did marvelous Beeth sonatas. I recently heard Brendel's first recs on Vox -- 1962-64. Really ear-opening -- quite less colored, more spirited than his later cycles, although I still go to his Philips 1970s cycle (I wasn't impressed with his 1990s digital cycle).
  But Kempff's second cycle in the 1960s is sublime. Try also Kempff's Schubert sonatas.

I slightly prefer Kempff's 1950s mono recordings, they have more depth ..

 

[CanadianMaestro]

  I'm starting to realize now, almost for the first time, how wonderful some of the recordings from the early 1960s, and even late 1950s are. Perhaps some of it depends on the rendering in digital (since I don't own vinyl). This was a different era, when classical music was still a 'mainstream' cultural product that was targeted at everyone, not just the few. Obviously, rock n' roll was on the way to the mainstream, and R&B was well developed, and there were an increasing number of Jazz connoisseurs... But most people could listen to classical and were immersed in a soundscape that included classical as a normal part of life in North America and Europe.  
 
On a separate note, someone asked recently what would be a good portable set up. I think I've found it: http://www.shure.com/americas/kse1500 

 
Yes, I agree. Currently working thru a box set of Mercury Living Presence discs (Vol 1). Most were rec'd in 1950's, and the music is new to me. The sound on my floor system is pure analog!
 
http://www.deccaclassics.com/en/cat/4783566
 

 
I slightly prefer Kempff's 1950s mono recordings, they have more depth ..

 
Might have to check them out. Hope there aren't any reptiles present......(hisssss)

 

[Quinto]

   
Yes, I agree. Currently working thru a box set of Mercury Living Presence discs (Vol 1). Most were rec'd in 1950's, and the music is new to me. The sound on my floor system is pure analog!
 
http://www.deccaclassics.com/en/cat/4783566
 
 
Might have to check them out. Hope there aren't any reptiles present......(hisssss)

The sq is quite good..