[robm321]

Agreed about the Podgers recording. I also got that one when it first came out. It was the recommended recording in Stereophile, and that's what brought it to my attention, but I can say I've enjoyed it for years now. Sonic ally and musically it is very good.

My favorite is the Brahms/Beethoven SACD - Heifetz

 

[Kang]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bunnyears /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Suwanai is certainly not worth the price they are asking for the cd in an economy like this! The price is artificially high as it's a Japanese import. If the yen falls to reasonable levels, then by all means acquire it. However, if you can tolerate the idea of buying it as compressed music files it is more reasonable.

I just ordered the Suwanai CD through Amazon UK. Including shipping to the U.S., it is a steal (less than 1/2 price) compared to the American and Japanese Amazon websites.

 

[DarkAngel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kang /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just ordered the Suwanai CD through Amazon UK. Including shipping to the U.S., it is a steal (less than 1/2 price) compared to the American and Japanese Amazon websites.

Kang
Do you have the Hahn or Fischer Bach VCs to compare it to..........battle of the femme fatales?

I have soooooooooo many violin Cds that have recently arrived, will keep me busy for awhile

 

[Bunnyears]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkAngel /img/forum/go_quote.gif Kang Do you have the Hahn or Fischer Bach VCs to compare it to..........battle of the femme fatales? I have soooooooooo many violin Cds that have recently arrived, will keep me busy for awhile

A quick glance at Amazon UK has not revealed any bargain prices for the cd, to the contrary they are even more expensive than Amazon US (£114 used!)

 

[Henry Flower]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bunnyears /img/forum/go_quote.gif A quick glance at Amazon UK has not revealed any bargain prices for the cd, to the contrary they are even more expensive than Amazon US (£114 used!)

On a second glance, there are two listings - the import for 114, and another at a more reasonable 12 pounds odd: Bach Concerti: Akiko Suwanai, Volkhard Steude, François Leleux, Chamber Orchestra of Europe: Amazon.co.uk: Music

 

[Kang]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkAngel /img/forum/go_quote.gif Kang Do you have the Hahn or Fischer Bach VCs to compare it to..........battle of the femme fatales? I have soooooooooo many violin Cds that have recently arrived, will keep me busy for awhile

DA,

I have the Mutter Bach VC. I'll comment after the Suwanai CD arrives. I'm interested in the Fischer CD but haven't jumped yet.

It will be interesting to hear the sound quality of the Suwanai disc. Over the years, some have said that CDs produced in Japan sound better. I'm not certain if the CD I ordered was made in Japan but I couldn't justify the price through Amazon US.

 

[lwd]

Another Berg Violin Concerto recommendation - Kolja Blacher (former concertmaster of Berlin Phil) with Abbado and Mahler Chamber Orchestra on DG.

This is far and away my favourite recording of this piece. It's coupled with Stravinsky which is also good, but I still prefer Mullova/Salonen for that one.

 

[DarkAngel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lwd /img/forum/go_quote.gif Another Berg Violin Concerto recommendation - Kolja Blacher (former concertmaster of Berlin Phil) with Abbado and Mahler Chamber Orchestra on DG. This is far and away my favourite recording of this piece. It's coupled with Stravinsky which is also good, but I still prefer Mullova/Salonen for that one.

Thanks for the Berg VC info...........
I really enjoy my 2CD Mullova/Phillips collection (contains the Stravinsky VC) as well as her Sibelius VC out on Phillips 50 Greatest series

 

[milkpowder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kang /img/forum/go_quote.gif DA, I have the Mutter Bach VC. I'll comment after the Suwanai CD arrives. I'm interested in the Fischer CD but haven't jumped yet. It will be interesting to hear the sound quality of the Suwanai disc. Over the years, some have said that CDs produced in Japan sound better. I'm not certain if the CD I ordered was made in Japan but I couldn't justify the price through Amazon US.

The Mutter Bach is fantastic!

 

[Bunnyears]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Henry Flower /img/forum/go_quote.gif On a second glance, there are two listings - the import for 114, and another at a more reasonable 12 pounds odd: Bach Concerti: Akiko Suwanai, Volkhard Steude, François Leleux, Chamber Orchestra of Europe: Amazon.co.uk: Music

That is the older incarnation of the album. Universal Music lost the right to use the Philips label, and must either have all stock sold or destroyed by July of this year. The other listing is the newer Universal-Japan incarnation of the same recording. The lower price may reflect the fact that they must sell these cds before the cut off date. When stocks of the "Philips" edition run out, they won't be available again.

 

[Bunnyears]

Meanwhile, I've been listening to Hilary Hahn's recording of the Schoenberg/Sibelius concertos. More accurately, I've been trying to wrap my ears around the Schoenberg first. I put it on my ipod so that my husband won't complain about the "noise."

That is one gnarly piece of music! I'll take all the violinists' assurances that it is technically close to unplayable in its difficulty, especially at the composer's tempo markings, so I have amazing respect for Hahn for her technical accomplishment. However the music is incredibly difficult for a listener, having been composed at the most extremely serial point of Schoenberg's career. After listening to the concerto a few times, I still haven't adjusted to Schoenberg's aural landscape. Maybe I should start listening to the Sibelius, but I can't resist banging my head (and ears) on the Schoenberg tough nut. There's just something there that doesn't let me put it down, or I have a previously unknown masochistic streak. Hard to explain, but I'm helplessly drawn to the piece because of the strange breakthroughs of melodic (or seemingly melodic) interludes in a forest of broken, jagged, edges. It's like eating sour candies that suddenly have a sweetness coming through. Ugh, I can't really say why I keep listening; I just do.

 

[DarkAngel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bunnyears /img/forum/go_quote.gif Meanwhile, I've been listening to Hilary Hahn's recording of the Schoenberg/Sibelius concertos. More accurately, I've been trying to wrap my ears around the Schoenberg first. I put it on my ipod so that my husband won't complain about the "noise." That is one gnarly piece of music! I'll take all the violinists' assurances that it is technically close to unplayable in its difficulty, especially at the composer's tempo markings, so I have amazing respect for Hahn for her technical accomplishment. However the music is incredibly difficult for a listener, having been composed at the most extremely serial point of Schoenberg's career. After listening to the concerto a few times, I still haven't adjusted to Schoenberg's aural landscape. Maybe I should start listening to the Sibelius, but I can't resist banging my head (and ears) on the Schoenberg tough nut. There's just something there that doesn't let me put it down, or I have a previously unknown masochistic streak. Hard to explain, but I'm helplessly drawn to the piece because of the strange breakthroughs of melodic (or seemingly melodic) interludes in a forest of broken, jagged, edges. It's like eating sour candies that suddenly have a sweetness coming through. Ugh, I can't really say why I keep listening; I just do.

Bunny
I picked that up recently from our friends at yourmusic.com and actually liked the Hahn Schoenberg VC much better than I expected, like listening to a Picasso painting with many chaotic elements moving about.........the Sibelius is well known piece and often paired with the Berg VC, although this combo works for me also

 

[Bunnyears]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkAngel /img/forum/go_quote.gif Bunny I picked that up recently from our friends at yourmusic.com and actually liked the Hahn Schoenberg VC much better than I expected, like listening to a Picasso painting with many chaotic elements moving about.........the Sibelius is well known piece and often paired with the Berg VC, although this combo works for me also

I'm still wrapping my ears around the Shoenberg, which for me is more reminiscent of the works of Die Brücke and der Blaue Reiter. In fact, I've gotten so deeply into the whole Weimar School that I've pulled out my old art books to look at the works of Emile Nolde, Vassily Kandinsky, Ernst Kirchner, as well as strolling down Park Avenue to see Mies van der Rohe's Seagram Building. The arts in Germany and Austria were amazing in that brief period between World War I and the rise of Adolph Hitler.

That in turn has led me to Alban Berg's violin concerto. The Berg v/c is a lot easier to listen to, and it's also from the same period. For that one, I think Mutter is probably on top. What's really interesting is how Berg, Schoenberg, Orff, Webern, et al. grew out of Mahler's works. Both Schoenberg and Berg were part of Mahler's circle. In fact, Berg's violin concerto was written in memory of Alma Mahler's third daughter Manon (with Walter Gropius the noted founder of the Bauhaus School) who died of polio. Next up, I will be listening to Schoenberg's Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night), his pre serial period sextet which has also been arranged for string orchestra. If you are interested in that, Karajan's recording is considered the reference.

 

[DarkAngel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bunnyears /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm still wrapping my ears around the Shoenberg, which for me is more reminiscent of the works of Die Brücke and der Blaue Reiter. In fact, I've gotten so deeply into the whole Weimar School that I've pulled out my old art books to look at the works of Emile Nolde, Vassily Kandinsky, Ernst Kirchner, as well as strolling down Park Avenue to see Mies van der Rohe's Seagram Building. The arts in Germany and Austria were amazing in that brief period between World War I and the rise of Adolph Hitler. That in turn has led me to Alban Berg's violin concerto. The Berg v/c is a lot easier to listen to, and it's also from the same period. For that one, I think Mutter is probably on top. What's really interesting is how Berg, Schoenberg, Orff, Webern, et al. grew out of Mahler's works. Both Schoenberg and Berg were part of Mahler's circle. In fact, Berg's violin concerto was written in memory of Alma Mahler's third daughter Manon (with Walter Gropius the noted founder of the Bauhaus School) who died of polio. Next up, I will be listening to Schoenberg's Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night), his pre serial period sextet which has also been arranged for string orchestra. If you are interested in that, Karajan's recording is considered the reference.

When listening to these modern composers I imagine how strange and exciting life was back then. I often find it very useful to examine a composers music in context with the social, political, scientific and artistic changes that will influence the music. The period between WW1 - WW2 introduced tremendous mainstream radical changes to everyday persons life like:

-electricity, phone, lightbulb etc
-automobile
-radio, record players
-modern art trends (Picasso etc)

Radical changes to art/music reflecting the fascination of modern life, science exploding with Einstein theory of relativity etc. In light of this tremendous change and chaos the music of Schoenberg, Berg etc make a lot of sense

I do have that famous Karajan/DG Schoenberg CD and a couple others, and really like AS Mutter's violin concertos of modern composers. I am waiting to see if yourmusic.com carries the new Mutter Bach VCs with the modern music piece attached......a strange combination

 

[lwd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bunnyears /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm still wrapping my ears around the Shoenberg, which for me is more reminiscent of the works of Die Brücke and der Blaue Reiter. In fact, I've gotten so deeply into the whole Weimar School that I've pulled out my old art books to look at the works of Emile Nolde, Vassily Kandinsky, Ernst Kirchner, as well as strolling down Park Avenue to see Mies van der Rohe's Seagram Building. The arts in Germany and Austria were amazing in that brief period between World War I and the rise of Adolph Hitler. That in turn has led me to Alban Berg's violin concerto. The Berg v/c is a lot easier to listen to, and it's also from the same period. For that one, I think Mutter is probably on top. What's really interesting is how Berg, Schoenberg, Orff, Webern, et al. grew out of Mahler's works. Both Schoenberg and Berg were part of Mahler's circle. In fact, Berg's violin concerto was written in memory of Alma Mahler's third daughter Manon (with Walter Gropius the noted founder of the Bauhaus School) who died of polio. Next up, I will be listening to Schoenberg's Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night), his pre serial period sextet which has also been arranged for string orchestra. If you are interested in that, Karajan's recording is considered the reference.

I don't want to get too off topic here, but for anyone interested in the inter-relationships between these composers and the historical background of these works, check out Alex Ross' 'The Rest is Noise'. An excellent write up of music in the 20th century, if with a slightly American slew

One further recommendation for Schoenberg - his 2nd string quartet. Closer to Verkaerte Nacht than the Violin Concerto. Awesome piece which is rarely heard. He also made a chamber orchestra version which works well.