The classical music thread

+1, I have this box set since 1979 and still listen to it :slight_smile:

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Presto are currently selling lots of Harmonia Mundi albums at half price, so treated myself to this. I already have the Op 3 set conducted by Christopher Hogwood, who founded the AAM. What strikes me is how much original instrument bands had come on by the time this recording was made. Good recording, too.

Roger

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This is one of the best sounding albums in my collection.

For the Lise Davidsen fans on this board, some great news from an interview with the singer in The Wall Street Journal published over the weekend:

“What role that you haven’t yet played is on your bucket list?

Isolde in Tristan and Isolde. Brünnhilde in Wagner’s Der Ring. It’s planned that I’ll do [both] at the Met, but it’s still in the future. And after Covid, I’ve got this [mentality] that life can change, things can change. I don’t believe it until I’m there.”

I can’t wait!

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Dave Hurwitz just reviewed it today on his YT channel
It was his choice as one of the Greatest Recordings Ever.
I’m streaming it from Qobuz atm and liking it very much

Yeah, this is one of those magical great recordings.

Another is the Handel Op.4 and Op. 8 on Harmonia Mundi France by the AoAM with Richard Egarr.

I’d love to see those. Not just for her voice, but the way she uses her body on stage, which would be perfect for those roles.

I really hope Decca are going to take the chequebook out and properly record her in some operas, just like Sony have done with Jonas Kaufmann. We haven’t had a Wagnerian soprano of that caliber for perhaps a generation. Please let not her go to (recording) waste!

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Picked this up at a local auction yesterday. Spent today cleaning them. Now listening Walkure. Stunning sound. So pleased.

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Ah, the green box of wonder! It is a stunning presentation and has great sound. I am the proud owner of the same set and love it. Enjoy!

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I guess it’s a classic :wink:

Apologies wrong thread obviously! Now removed

I’m listening to this right now! I opened the Naim thread and was surprised to see this. I am not familiar with these pieces. I at first thought he had been influenced by Chopin, but have learned that it is actually the other way around! Lovely pieces, lovely playing. A very pleasant listening experience and worth the time.

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BBC Radio 3 played an extract of V W’s Sinfonia Antarctica and I had to play my Chandos version. It seemed appropriate with this cold weather and the 1911 photo of the Terra Nova!
Some reviewers think it is not a symphony but the best bits from the John Mills’ film but I find it very enjoyable whatever is the correct description. Another reviewer commented on the subtle bass parts and it something I love in the way VW used deep bass in many of his symphonies to create an underlying mood.

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The debate over whether VW7 stands up as a symphony has been going on since the first performance. I’m on the “yes” side. I do think it has internal symphonic logic. But it’s also a sonic spectacular, particularly heard live, and the conductor needs to avoid that aspect dominating the performance.

I do also enjoy hearing the original film music and this is a good version IMO:

Roger

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Anyone wanting some bargains if you’re a download/classical fan. Qobuz has in its sale a box set - Stanislaw Skrowaczewski’s 90th Birthday collection’ a 29 ‘CD’ collection which includes his complete Bruckner Symphonies, Beethoven Symphonies, Brahms Symphonies, Schumann Symphonies etc for £8.70 in CD quality. Stan’s recordings are exceptional imho. They are under the Oehms Classical label. Also from BR-Classics are many half price high res downloads of Mariss Janson’s live recordings with the Bavarian Radio SO. His Shostakovich 5 is superb.

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Agreed completely. An absolute bargain. Sadly, I am a CD man :slightly_frowning_face:

I’ve been looking for a vinyl copy of his Brahms No. 1 on IMP for years. Can’t be that rare, but it’s not listed on Discogs and I’ve yet to come across a single NM copy anywhere.