[CanadianMaestro]

Anybody here like Kempff's Goldberg Variations?

 

[Christer]

I am a stickler for Mozart, Beethoven, Schumann, and Ravel as well as certain 20th century Americans. I like William Bolcom. Also a big fan of Russian music, notably Tchaikovsky and Borodin. I also love Handel and Bach of course. Handel oratorios are incredible to me.

I discovered a great recording of all of Mozart's symphonies conducted by Jaap Ter Linden and the mozart academy. They are performing the symphonies as a baroque orchestra would, with no vibrato, on period appropriate instruments, and down a half step. It's quite interesting.

I am a violinist myself, and I play in a few regional orchestras. Here is proof:



Schumann symphonies are grossly underrated.

Hello those Mozart recordings you mention do you have a label or site where one can listen to them?
I saw the Orchestra of the Enlightenment play Mozart and Bach and Handel and Vivaldi live about six months ago on gut strings and tuned to 432.
Very interesting indeed.
Much warmer, much darker and very probably also much closer to how they all would have heard their music performed in their day those great composers.
But Mozart mentioned the use of both voice and string vibrato in one of his letters to his father so I suspect it was used more often than we tend to think, by him at least. And the same goes for BIG full size orchestra too.
He was very happy when one of his symphonies, I can't remember which one,was performed with no less than 30 first and 30 second violins and all other sections of basically modern symphony orchestra size too.
Magnifique!
was the word he used to describe such an occasion to his father in another letter.

Imho some of the HIP movement performances do NOT pay good service to Mozart by performing on metal strings and without vibrato. It can sound too steely and wiry, imho again.
But tuned to 432 and with gut strings now that is something completely different!

And at least for the Vienna classics and later, those strings should preferrably be placed divisi on stage, ie first violins on the left and second violins on the right to do the music of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and MANY others full justice.
There is a lot of dialogue that gets lost otherwise.

Unfortunately much too often overlooked by many conductors.
Cheers CC

 

[baskingshark]

Hi, I like Romantic era music, specifically Chopin.

My personal favourites of his are:
1) "Raindrop Prelude", Op 28, No. 15
2) "Minute Waltz", Op 64, No. 1
3) "Fantaisie-Impromptu", Op 66
4) Nocturne, Op 9, No. 2
5) Prelude in E Minor, Op 28, No. 4

Can you guys recommend any other nice Chopin works?

 

[Claritas]

I don't even know where to start with Liszt. Been conditioned to Beethoven, Schubert, and Mozart.
Can anybody help an ignoramus here?

This

is a wonderful place to start. And to end, unless you're more interested in the performer than the composer. In which case, it's worth hearing this

The young Horowitz was as lush and impulsive as ever, but also sweet and unmannered.

 

[CanadianMaestro]

Hi, I like Romantic era music, specifically Chopin.

My personal favourites of his are:
1) "Raindrop Prelude", Op 28, No. 15
2) "Minute Waltz", Op 64, No. 1
3) "Fantaisie-Impromptu", Op 66
4) Nocturne, Op 9, No. 2
5) Prelude in E Minor, Op 28, No. 4

Can you guys recommend any other nice Chopin works?

Try John Field's Nocturnes.

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8547412--field-15-nocturnes

 

[swaffleman]

Hello those Mozart recordings you mention do you have a label or site where one can listen to them?
I saw the Orchestra of the Enlightenment play Mozart and Bach and Handel and Vivaldi live about six months ago on gut strings and tuned to 432.
Very interesting indeed.
Much warmer, much darker and very probably also much closer to how they all would have heard their music performed in their day those great composers.
But Mozart mentioned the use of both voice and string vibrato in one of his letters to his father so I suspect it was used more often than we tend to think, by him at least. And the same goes for BIG full size orchestra too.
He was very happy when one of his symphonies, I can't remember which one,was performed with no less than 30 first and 30 second violins and all other sections of basically modern symphony orchestra size too.
Magnifique!
was the word he used to describe such an occasion to his father in another letter.

Imho some of the HIP movement performances do NOT pay good service to Mozart by performing on metal strings and without vibrato. It can sound too steely and wiry, imho again.
But tuned to 432 and with gut strings now that is something completely different!

And at least for the Vienna classics and later, those strings should preferrably be placed divisi on stage, ie first violins on the left and second violins on the right to do the music of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and MANY others full justice.
There is a lot of dialogue that gets lost otherwise.

Unfortunately much too often overlooked by many conductors.
Cheers CC

Here you go! IF you can't stomach the audio quality, you at least have the information needed to find it.

Yeah, I was thinking, why WOULDN'T Mozart's music sound closer to a baroque orchestra rather than a modern day orchestra? But Mozart was a revolutionary who had big ideas, so it's not surprising he would have loved a massive orchestra. He'd probably be thrilled to hear the Chicago Symphony playing with a full contingent of strings.

The recording I linked, it sounds like they are in fact using gut. It's a softer, warmer sound for sure. The only thing about these recordings I don't like is that the basses and cellos lack some of the power I would normally like to hear.

Interestingly enough, an orchestra I play in, the Paducah Symphony, does that set up with the violins. I love it because as a first violinist, I get to have the basses and cellos near me and it feels great. The second violins hate it haha. Oh well.

 

[TLAS43]

I am a fan of the Baroque era.

 

[gerelmx1986]

I downloaded brilliant classics the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book with Peter jan Belder.

Nice project and effort done to record the music on that book.

 

[Peter Hyatt]

We’re giving the free trial at the Met a try. I had seen “Carmen” live broadcast at University of Maine in Feb. 2019 and was impressed.

 

[CanadianMaestro]

We’re giving the free trial at the Met a try. I had seen “Carmen” live broadcast at University of Maine in Feb. 2019 and was impressed.

Who was singing in Carmen at Maine?

I saw Carmen at the Wiener Staatsoper in 2013. Elina Garanca and Roberto Alagna. Simply sublime. Will never forget that performance.

 

[Light - Man]

Who was singing in Carmen at Maine?

I saw Carmen at the Wiener Staatsoper in 2013. Elina Garanca and Roberto Alagna. Simply sublime. Will never forget that performance.

Yes, Elina is also one of my all time favourites! Would love to have heard/seen her perform live!

How about we combine two people that you have recently mentioned, Elina Garanca and one of John Field's compatriots, Michael William Balfe (composer) and add a dash of Hollywood flare to the mix..............

 

[Peter Hyatt]

Who was singing in Carmen at Maine?

I saw Carmen at the Wiener Staatsoper in 2013. Elina Garanca and Roberto Alagna. Simply sublime. Will never forget that performance.

Clementine Margaine — it was a live broadcast from the Met (New York)

Big screen, excellent sound.

 

[Christer]

Yes, Elina is also one of my all time favourites! Would love to have heard/seen her perform live!

How about we combine two people that you have recently mentioned, Elina Garanca and one of John Field's compatriots, Michael William Balfe (composer) and add a dash of Hollywood flare to the mix..............

Nice song and images. But I am used to hearing Enya singing this song on one of her CDs. And it sounded a bit laboured to hear an opera singer's voice and way of singing, while my "inner ear" heard Enya's version alongside.
I prefer Enya's version honestly.
I am sure Elina is a good Carmen. But for me this tune belongs to Enya.
Did this song feature in the film I suppose the images are from?
Cheers CC

 

[Peter Hyatt]

I purchased Aida Garifullina’s releases (Qobuz) —I struggle to describe her voice.

She seems to hit notes effortlessly.

She made her Met debut Jan. 2019–Zerlina in Don Giovanni


–I hope Met Opera on Demand uploads it.

 

[Christer]

Digital Concert Hall is fantastic. It is so good that after a few months, we took advantage of the 10% discount and signed up for a second year. We'd sign up for a third but it won't let us! The selection, the performance, the camera work, the sound...

They are constantly adding to the archives and the new season begins next month.


For us...


It's magical.

This season I am going to try my free one week code from Digital Concert Hall that I got in the mail this week.
I missed my opportunity to try it last year.
But I'll wait until the BBC Proms are over before logging in.
There is just far too much good music streamed from there for free on a daily basis until mid September.
I can't remember if the BPO will be there this year or not though?
But last night another good German Orchestra the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra played the first of two concerts at the Proms. And tonight they play again.
From the BPO, 21.09 and 28.09 there are two tempting concerts Young Santu Maria Rouvali conducting Sibelius' 1st symphony and Alice Sarah Ott in Ravel's G major Concerto looks tempting. And a mix of Rautavaara, Prokofiev,Debussy and Ravel the 28th are probably going to see me log in unless I am already in Prague or Budapest or somewhere else for live music by then.
Cheers CC