SPOTLIGHT The classical music general discussion thread

[Lute]

Any 32 ft pipes on this Gothic organ ?

This is a modest-sized instrument, especially compared to later organs. However... warm and full-bodied, it sounds great (regardless of its age). I suppose rather than imagining some massive cathedral organ, this organ's sound is more similar to what one would find in a smaller country chapel.

Joseph Kelemen also made a wonderful multichannel SACD recording on this organ for Oehms. He performed a selection of works from the Buxheimer Orgelbuch collection of keyboard music, created in 1460. On the first half of this recording, Kelemen plays the organ at St. Andreas church. For the second half, he plays another old organ...the Ebert organ at Hofkirche in Innsbruck. You can see the St. Andreas church organ in the photo below.

Here's a video of the organ at St. Andreas church... Hauntingly beautiful

 

[4-earredwonder]

Exquisite minimally miked renderings of Beethoven, Stravinsky, Rorem and Scearce [ISOMIKE/2 mch SACDs]https://www.hraudio.net/showmusic.php?title=2811#reviews

 

[Lute]

LJOS - Fauna Vokalkvintett (SACD)

I found this one on sale at my local record shop, so I took a chance. Glad I did! It's a collection of gentle Norwegian Christmas songs beautifully sung a cappella by the female group Fauna Vokalkvintett. I normally only listen to Christmas music in December. These songs aren't your standard Christmas numbers, so I'm quite enjoying these quiet, peaceful songs even in May!! However, the playing time is a bit short...only about 45 minutes. On a merry note, the surround mix is one of those that keeps on giving. It is a fully discrete, wrap-a-round type that 2L's Morten Lindberg does so well.

 

[4-earredwonder]

Sergei Rachmaninoff/Hermitage Piano Trio [Reference Recordings/5.1 SACD]

Hermitage Piano Trio Plays Rachmaninoff

 

[4-earredwonder]

Michala Petri/American Recorder Concertos/Our Recordings RBCD/ Note Well: This recording has been listed on the various websites as an SACD but it is a RBCD but sounds incredible, nonetheless!

 

[Lute]

Musique and Sweet Poetrie (SACD)

Emma Kirkby (soprano)
Jakob Lindberg (lute)

Listening to an old favorite. Only ambient surround but an excellent album to chill to.

 

[H.A.L.]

This group pointed me to some AWESOME Brahms surround titles (thanks, ubertrout, and particularly love the string quartets). Thank you! I added some Schubert along the same lines, and that was great, too.

So now my new request: What are the best Mendelssohn classical surrounds? And some Schumann, too!

 

[ubertrout]

This group pointed me to some AWESOME Brahms surround titles (thanks, ubertrout, and particularly love the string quartets). Thank you! I added some Schubert along the same lines, and that was great, too.

So now my new request: What are the best Mendelssohn classical surrounds? And some Schumann, too!

The boxset of all the Symphonies from LSO live is a steal, and it includes great other things as well - and both SACD and BD-A in one box: https://lsolive.lso.co.uk/collectio...es-nos-1-5-overtures-a-midsummer-nights-dream.

Also cheap, you can get the Naxos BD-Audio of the mature Violin Concerto plus an earlier concerto that's kind of juvenalia and a violin sonata for under $5 shipped: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mendelssohn-Violin-Concertos-Blu-ray-Audio-NEW/293098490511. The Living Stereo SACD of Heifetz playing the violin concerto is also unmissable.

The Chandos orchestral works cycle and Mandelring chamber music for audite are both very good as well.

Brautigam for the piano concertos on BIS.

 

[windhoek]

I discovered a new favourite last week when I went to a small concert in the West End of Glasgow that featured recent graduates from The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. First up was a Bach cello suite that was played on viola. It was alright. But the star of the show was Stabat Mater by Pergolesi. I hadn't heard of Pergolesi before but what a piece of music. I mean, I was able to clap at the end but it took me about 5 minutes if not more to properly come back to reality as I'd been transported to another dimension, such was the quality of the composition and performance.

Sadly, there were only about 30 people in the audience in a venue that could have accommodated a few hundred: I can only imagine it didn't draw a bigger crowd as Pergolesi isn't as well known as Beethoven or Mozart and being students, the performers didn't have the promotional gravitas of an established orchestra. Either way, anyone who thought about going but chose not to lost out big time.

I haven't bought it yet, so any recommendations (the one by Abbado/LSO sounds good to my ears)?

 

[4-earredwonder]

I discovered a new favourite last week when I went to a small concert in the West End of Glasgow that featured recent graduates from The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. First up was a Bach cello suite that was played on viola. It was alright. But the star of the show was Stabat Mater by Pergolesi. I hadn't heard of Pergolesi before but what a piece of music. I mean, I was able to clap at the end but it took me about 5 minutes if not more to properly come back to reality as I'd been transported to another dimension, such was the quality of the composition and performance.

Sadly, there were only about 30 people in the audience in a venue that could have accommodated a few hundred: I can only imagine it didn't draw a bigger crowd as Pergolesi isn't as well known as Beethoven or Mozart and being students, the performers didn't have the promotional gravitas of an established orchestra. Either way, anyone who thought about going but chose not to lost out big time.

I haven't bought it yet, so any recommendations (the one by Abbado/LSO sounds good to my ears)?

Derek, so gratified to hear you were so profundly moved by the Stabat Mater. Here's one listed at HR~Audio.net https://www.hraudio.net/showmusic.php?title=6448

Pergolesi - Stabat Mater [Hybrid SACD - Plays on all CD Players]

 

[windhoek]

I should have added, having heard the piece sung by two female voices, that's the arrangement I'm after as a male voice seems too heavy for such a delicate piece. There are other Stabat Mater releases listed on HRA so I'll have a look at what's on offer

 

[J. PUPSTER]

I discovered a new favourite last week when I went to a small concert in the West End of Glasgow that featured recent graduates from The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. First up was a Bach cello suite that was played on viola. It was alright. But the star of the show was Stabat Mater by Pergolesi. I hadn't heard of Pergolesi before but what a piece of music. I mean, I was able to clap at the end but it took me about 5 minutes if not more to properly come back to reality as I'd been transported to another dimension, such was the quality of the composition and performance.

Sadly, there were only about 30 people in the audience in a venue that could have accommodated a few hundred: I can only imagine it didn't draw a bigger crowd as Pergolesi isn't as well known as Beethoven or Mozart and being students, the performers didn't have the promotional gravitas of an established orchestra. Either way, anyone who thought about going but chose not to lost out big time.

I haven't bought it yet, so any recommendations (the one by Abbado/LSO sounds good to my ears)?

That’s a very lovely piece; I can see why you were so taken by it.

 

[H.A.L.]

Many thanks again, ubertrout -- ordered the LSO Mendelssohn symphonies (available from the US Amazon, so I'll get it quickly ).

I already had the Heifetz! One of my first OCD excursions into surround was collecting the Living Stereo 3-channels. It truly is a winner, and he's featured on other Living Stereos that I have. Have read some complaints about sometimes "sloppy" playing from him, but his tone is gorgeous, and I'm glad I'm not so much a critic as to find fault .

The boxset of all the Symphonies from LSO live is a steal, and it includes great other things as well - and both SACD and BD-A in one box: https://lsolive.lso.co.uk/collectio...es-nos-1-5-overtures-a-midsummer-nights-dream.

The Living Stereo SACD of Heifetz playing the violin concerto is also unmissable.

 

[ubertrout]

Derek, so gratified to hear you were so profundly moved by the Stabat Mater. Here's one listed at HR~Audio.net https://www.hraudio.net/showmusic.php?title=6448

Pergolesi - Stabat Mater [Hybrid SACD - Plays on all CD Players]

Channel's recordings tend to be exceptional, so I'd gravitate towards that. There doesn't seem to be any multichannel versions with a female alto, anyway. Of course, Pergolesi was only writing originally for male singers, but we don't have male sopranos anymore (probably for the best).

I'd also investigate this, which has ecstatic reviews: https://www.hraudio.net/showmusic.php?title=6020

 

[windhoek]

Channel's recordings tend to be exceptional, so I'd gravitate towards that. There doesn't seem to be any multichannel versions with a female alto, anyway. Of course, Pergolesi was only writing originally for male singers, but we don't have male sopranos anymore (probably for the best).

I'd also investigate this, which has ecstatic reviews: https://www.hraudio.net/showmusic.php?title=6020

While there's many a pun to be had about the coming and going of the castrati, I'll quietly refrain, however, as no pun is worth the pain.

 

[bmoura]

Channel's recordings tend to be exceptional, so I'd gravitate towards that. There doesn't seem to be any multichannel versions with a female alto, anyway. Of course, Pergolesi was only writing originally for male singers, but we don't have male sopranos anymore (probably for the best).

I'd also investigate this, which has ecstatic reviews: https://www.hraudio.net/showmusic.php?title=6020

Here's a new video from High End Munich 2019 where audio reviewer Marco Cicogna and Jared Sacks from Channel Classics highlight why Multichannel is important for Classical Music and Marco's 5 favorite Channel Classics releases.
Some interesting Multichannel DSD selections to consider.

 

[windhoek]

The Podger-Brecon Baroque performance of The Four Seasons that Marco mentions sounds absolutely spectacular as it captures a vividness I've never heard before. He's on the money there, that's for sure. And Mahler 3 by Fischer/Budapest FO? I'm intrigued!

 

[ubertrout]

While there's many a pun to be had about the coming and going of the castrati, I'll quietly refrain, however, as no pun is worth the pain.

The horror. The horror.

 

[ubertrout]

The Podger-Brecon Baroque performance of The Four Seasons that Marco mentions sounds absolutely spectacular as it captures a vividness I've never heard before. He's on the money there, that's for sure. And Mahler 3 by Fischer/Budapest FO? I'm intrigued!

I mean, if you're on this forum and interested in classical, there's not much excuse not to have the whole Fischer Mahler cycle. DLVDE is coming and will close the cycle, unless we can convince Fischer to record the 8th as well (this might also involve someone with deep pockets subsidizing the hundreds of additional performers).

 

[windhoek]

I mean, if you're on this forum and interested in classical, there's not much excuse not to have the whole Fischer Mahler cycle. DLVDE is coming and will close the cycle, unless we can convince Fischer to record the 8th as well (this might also involve someone with deep pockets subsidizing the hundreds of additional performers).

And there was me thinking that the last Das Lied I bought - this one by Kubelik/Baker/Kmentt-Bavarian RSO - would be my actual last. Oh, how I fall into such folly and fanciful thinking, for just as there is no spoon in The Matrix, there is no end to Mahler in this matrix...