SPOTLIGHT The classical music general discussion thread

[skherbeck]

Thank you Ubertrout and humprof... as always, you two are very helpful to classical newbs such as myself

 

[J. PUPSTER]

Discs with more familiar titles--or at least more familiar composers--include Northern Timbre (violin sonatas by Grieg, Sibelius, and Nielsen), the Oslo String Quartet's Minor Major (Beethoven & Schubert) and Trondheim Solistene's Reflections (Britten, Vaughan Williams, Stravinsky). But where 2L really shines is recording choral music. Lindberg long ago figured out how to use microphone placement and the characteristics of a particular room to approximate 3-D "object-placement," even before he began mixing in Atmos and Auro 3-D, and that really shows in the label's vocal ensemble titles. I'm just mesmerised by Tomba sonora by the group Stemmeklang; it was recorded in a mausoleum with amazing acoustics, and the disc replicates that in your listening room. I don't ordinarily go for anything that might show up on "Music from the Hearts of Space," but I'll make an exception for this one. Ditto for Lux and Ljos, which take the same approach to Nordic folksong (the latter title is winter-themed, so in the Northern hemisphere it makes a good holiday disc).

I think there's a thread somewhere about Kleiberg's Mass for the Modern Man, the title that Mike discusses. My recommendation for a 2L gateway disc: Tomba sonora. You can score most of these titles on Amazon or Presto Classical, or download them (not the Atmos or Auro mixes) from NativeDSD.

Mmmmm, Cellos in a mausoleum; it's on it's way - to meeeee!!!

 

[ubertrout]

I noticed that the Budapest Festival Orchestra is on tour in the USA now, performing (among other things) Mahler's Kindertotenleider and the Blumine originally composer for (and removed from) his first symphony. I know Channel Classics already has a recording of Ivan Fischer and (t)his orchestra performing Das Lied von der Erde in the can; I'm guessing they're also going to do another release of Mahler afterwards with these pieces and the Adagio from the unfinished 10th Symphony, effectively bringing their near-cycle to a close.

I still feel like they're missing something without the 8th, but Ivan Fischer has said several times he doesn't have much sympathy for the piece, and the cost of recording it is immense, especially for an orchestra like the BFO which is effectively a band of (hand-picked superb) freelancers.

 

[Lute]

Now listening to this lovely performance of orchestral music by Georg Phillip Telemann, a contemporary of Bach and Handel. Ambient surround.

 

[H.A.L.]

Listening to this (and thanking ubertrout for turning me on to them). Bittersweet loveliness -- their last recording in surround, leaving it to the younger folk, apparently. Make no mistake: this is true 5.1 discreet sound!

 

[4-earredwonder]

Sir Colin Davis/LSO LIVE/ St. John Passion [2 5.1 mch SACDs]

 

[Imbobman]

Sir Colin Davis/LSO LIVE/ St. John Passion [2 5.1 mch SACDs]

Is this a good listen?..I had to check to see if I have it, I don't. Though I have quite a few LSO I haven't listened to yet.

 

[4-earredwonder]

Is this a good listen?..I had to check to see if I have it, I don't. Though I have quite a few LSO I haven't listened to yet.

Imbrobman, here's a review and ordering links from HRAudio.net

https://www.hraudio.net/showmusic.php?title=5719#reviews
The performance is excellent and it was recorded in the dry acoustics of the Barbican in London but to my ears, it's fine.

 

[4-earredwonder]

LINN RECORDS/2 mch SACDs Brilliant Performances

https://www.hraudio.net/showmusic.php?title=5876#reviews

 

[Lute]

Corelli: 6 Concerti Grossi Op. 6 - Il Dolcimelo

Arranged for 2 recorders, these are nice, mellow performances of these pieces. Good for early morning or late night listening. Ambient surround.

 

[Lute]

Another beautiful recital of Baroque/early Classical chamber pieces. This one is for 2 violins (and even a fortepiano on half of them ).
Here is a review for those interested...

https://www.hraudio.net/showmusic.php?title=11036#reviews

 

[4-earredwonder]

Giuseppe Verdi Messa Da Requiem [Hänssler Classics/2 mch SACDs]

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Très bien
Reviewed in France on January 25, 2016
Verified Purchase
Unne très bonne interprétation de cette œvre monumentale. Orchestre, choeur et solistes magnifiques. La qualité sonore est très bonne aussi.

 

[4-earredwonder]

View attachment 46317

Another beautiful recital of Baroque/early Classical chamber pieces. This one is for 2 violins (and even a fortepiano on half of them ).
Here is a review for those interested...

https://www.hraudio.net/showmusic.php?title=11036#reviews

Brett, just ordered AmazonUS' last copy, brand new, for a little over $8, delivered. Thanks for the heads~up! SUCH A DEAL!!!!!!

Hopefully, this disc will put my rambunctious pussycat, Grey Matter, into a Zen State! 禅の状態

 

[Lute]

Brett, just ordered AmazonUS' last copy, brand new, for a little over $8, delivered. Thanks for the heads~up! SUCH A DEAL!!!!!!

Hopefully, this disc will put my rambunctious pussycat, Grey Matter, into a Zen State! 禅の状態

$8 delivered!!? What a deal! Hope your cat appreciates you. The music is full of lovely melodies, stylistically similar to Haydn & early Mozart. Wonderful performances of what appears to be world premiere recordings for many of these pieces.

 

[4-earredwonder]

$8 delivered!!? What a deal! Hope your cat appreciates you. The music is full of lovely melodies, stylistically similar to Haydn & early Mozart. Wonderful performances of what appears to be world premiere recordings for many of these pieces.

Or as we say CATNIP for HUMANS, Brett!

 

[Lute]

Furtwängler: Piano Quintet - Clarens Quintet

An 80-minute piano quintet!! It may not be on everyone's wish list, but I was pleasantly surprised by this massive work of Brucknerian proportions. Actually, the music is closer to Brahms and Fauré. It's dark, brooding and intense but it's also filled with beautiful Romantic themes that are skillfully crafted together. Furtwängler took over 20 years to complete it and in the end decided to withhold it from the public. The Clarens Quintet give a magnificent performance. TACET's recording is immersive.

 

[4-earredwonder]

View attachment 46320

Furtwängler: Piano Quintet - Clarens Quintet

An 80-minute piano quintet!! It may not be on everyone's wish list, but I was pleasantly surprised by this massive work of Brucknerian proportions. Actually, the music is closer to Brahms and Fauré. It's dark, brooding and intense but it's also filled with beautiful Romantic themes that are skillfully crafted together. Furtwängler took over 20 years to complete it and in the end decided to withhold it from the public. The Clarens Quintet give a magnificent performance. TACET's recording is immersive.

Thanks [again] for the heads up Brett. Ordered a copy from AmazonUS. Am a huge fan of Tacet's REAL SURROUND SOUND releases.

 

[4-earredwonder]

For Classical newbies who are just dipping their toes into multichannel classical music, a lot of the classical labels have released generous selections of their works on Mch SACD SAMPLERS:

LINN RECORDS HAS RELEASED 10 SUCH SAMPLERS [including complete selections from their Popular catalogue, as well]

https://www.hraudio.net/search.php?format=0&keywords=LINN&page=15

Pentatone's approach was to release THE FIRST TEN YEARS .... 10 delightful complete works on 11 mch SACDs:

VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED albeit a STEREO RBCD [FREE with any D~V order]

https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CDSPA2008

 

[4-earredwonder]

A Stunning magical performance from Pierre Boulez & The New York Philharmonic [EPOCH/COLUMBIA/Quad SACD]

 

[Lute]

Thanks [again] for the heads up Brett. Ordered a copy from AmazonUS. Am a huge fan of Tacet's REAL SURROUND SOUND releases.

80 minutes is quite a lot to swallow. I suppose a pair of scissors could have been helpful to old Furtwängler, but what can one say... he was a victim of the Romantic age. LOL!!! Anyway, I kind of view it as 3 piano quintets rolled up in one. What a deal!!