[rroseperry]

Quote:

I have no standard of comparison, but I'm enjoying some cello music right now on my modded SR-60's. The gear doesn't have to be that high tech. It's the music that matters the most. But despite that, I have little standard of comparison (a sony mdr-v6), am I missing something?

No, your Grados are more than up to the task. (What's the mod, btw?)

 

[Syan25]

Awesome piece!

 

[juman231]

any du Pre CD recommendations? i tried to buy some on amazon but i see reviews that complain on the quality of the recordings, although they love her performance.

 

[DCofficehack]

I couldn't resist. Du Pré doing Bruch's Kol Nidre. This is spectacular:
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfSMVPJg35A&feature=related
 
I just picked up this du Pré/Barenboim set and think it's great, despite the coughing:
 
http://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Sonatas-Variations-Ludwig-van/dp/B0002XV30G/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1301455311&sr=8-11

 

[Brent Hutto]

My recordings of Rostropovich won't be here until the end of the week but in the mean while I've been relistening to David Finckel and Wu Han doing the Rachmaninov sonata in G-minor (Op. 19) which is, frankly, the only one of their three Russian cello sonatas (Rachmaninov, Shostakovich, Prokofiev) that do much for me. And I also grabbed a download (320K MP3) of Janos Starker doing the Rach. 19 for comparison.

Here's an interesting thing. Finckel/Wu Han is recorded with a stereo pair of microphones basically recording the hall. I think they have the mics set up maybe 8-10 feet back from the performers. It definitely has a not-close-mic'd feel to it, lots of ambience and a certain lack of immediacy and detail to each instrument. The Starker recording conversely is obviously close-mic'd as you can hear every breath of the cellist and every creak of the piano. So there's of course studio-perfect balance between the instruments and the timbre and articulation of every cello note is clear as day.

For something like the third movement (Andante) of the Rachmaninov sonata I find that the Finckel/Wu Han performance does much more sort of taking me outside of myself, if you know what I mean. It just really sets my mind off in various directions every time I listen. Still gorgeous of course but the emotional experience is more about other things than just the beauty of the playing and the composition. With the Janos Starker version I can't help but just admire the sheer beauty of the sound. Little details of the playing and of the tone of his cello just swallow you up and make you listen intently.

But I think I prefer the "bigger" experience of the more indirect recording technique. Or maybe it's just a difference in how the particular performances strike me. All this also probably says something aboutt the pursuit of Head-Fi "gearhead" stuff at the expensive of listening...or maybe that's just me...

 

[juman231]

Thought one of these two CDs would be a good intro into Du Pre's cello.
 
http://www.amazon.com/Jacqueline-du-Pr%C3%A9-lasting-inspiration/dp/B00000K4F9/ref=sr_1_5?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1301493406&sr=1-5
 
and 
 
http://www.amazon.com/Favourite-Cello-Concertos-Jacqueline-Pr%C3%A9/dp/B000002S1F/ref=sr_1_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1301493406&sr=1-3
 
They both contain the Elgar Concerto, which is what I am most curious about. But their remastering was done in different years, one in 1986 and the other 1995. Is it too simpleton to think the later remastering would be better? Or would the remastering do little to the SQ since du Pre's performances were recorded before advanced digital recording technology?
 

 

[Syan25]

I love DuPre - there was definite fire there - but I will say that I prefer the tone and body of Yo Yo Ma's sound completely. And how can we talk of Cello with mentioning Casals...

 

[rroseperry]

Quote:

Thought one of these two CDs would be a good intro into Du Pre's cello.
 
http://www.amazon.com/Jacqueline-du-Pr%C3%A9-lasting-inspiration/dp/B00000K4F9/ref=sr_1_5?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1301493406&sr=1-5
 
and 
 
http://www.amazon.com/Favourite-Cello-Concertos-Jacqueline-Pr%C3%A9/dp/B000002S1F/ref=sr_1_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1301493406&sr=1-3
 
They both contain the Elgar Concerto, which is what I am most curious about. But their remastering was done in different years, one in 1986 and the other 1995. Is it too simpleton to think the later remastering would be better? Or would the remastering do little to the SQ since du Pre's performances were recorded before advanced digital recording technology?
 

The mastering's going to be ADD at the best (meaning transfer from analog to digital). I don't think that's a problem. I don't obsess over mastering, unless it destroys/distorts the performance I'm not sure about classical, but in the case of many rock albums, later remastering is not as good.
 
 

 

[juman231]

I was just hoping the later remastering would get rid of the rather audible background hiss found in many classical recordings...do you know anything about this?

 

[revolink24]

I love DuPre - there was definite fire there - but I will say that I prefer the tone and body of Yo Yo Ma's sound completely. And how can we talk of Cello with mentioning Casals...

Truth. When I was a cello student, Casals was my teacher's teacher's teacher, so I play very much in a similar style. I even have some music with his writing on it.

It could be said that that makes me a Casals fan, but I love du Pre and Rostropovich just as much.

 

[Syan25]

Lovely to hear that. We have been blessed by many great cellists of the years.

 

[rroseperry]

Quote:

I was just hoping the later remastering would get rid of the rather audible background hiss found in many classical recordings...do you know anything about this?

No, I was going to get that EMI set in April anyway, so if you can wait that long, I'll let you know.

 

[Brent Hutto]

I've ordered up some examples of Rostropovich's cello playing. I'm getting the complete Beethoven works for piano and cello with pianist S.T. Richter. That will be interesting because I have the exact same collection of works played by Rostropovich's pupil David Finckel and Wu Han. Also the solo Bach suites as well as two CD's of Rostropovich with Benjamin Britten. And the Brahms with R. Serkin, my favorite piano soloist, which is also a parallel with a Finckel/Wu Han CD I got last week. Interesting comparisons, I hope.

I just got the first of my Rostropovich CD's yesterday and more today. But I've done some listening to the same Beethoven sonatas with him and Finckel and they have very different styles, for sure.

At this early stage of my listening I'd say "Slava" is the more fun to listen to, as expected. If one wanted to be critical of David Finckel in comparsion you might characterize his playing on (for instance) the Beethoven Op. 102 late sonatas as more careful and precise. Rostropovich sounds like he's telling a story he knows so well that he can't wait to tell you good parts. Finckel wants to make sure you hear every word of the story clearly because he's telling you something important.

That's the "Rostropovich is more fun" version. One could just as easily say that David Finckel gives you a better experience of Beethoven. It comes across to me as a declamation of Beethoven, voiced by Finckel and Wu Han. Rostropovich gives you equal parts Rostropovich and Beethoven, which can detract from really sinking into the piece as it develops.

So both have good and bad points. If you like good cello playing, you'd want to listen to the Rostopovich. When he gets it rocking along real good on the more upbeat passages it's just wonderful. But if you really, really love Beethoven I think David Finckel's version gives it to you straight and in full. How's that?

 

[WhiteCrow]

 
Quote:

i saw your signature... all i'll say is keep saving up (or get a credit card). it's worth it.
 
im listening to the cd you posted... sounds good to me. 
 


 
 

Don't do this
 

 

[juman231]

Do you guys know of any CDs that's somewhat similar to the Claude Bolling's Jazz Suites that I posted earlier? I don't know if appreciation for classical music is a learned one, but I don't really have the "wow" moments when I'm listening to cello in orchestra setting...