GoodSoundClub - Romy the Cat's Audio Site - The Trout Quintet of the 21 century

02-01-2010

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Romy the Cat

Boston, MA
Posts 10,184
Joined on 05-28-2004

Post #:	61
Post ID:	12838
Reply to:	8359

Could soprano duet be ever better?

Spinning tonight the record of Dvorak’s Moravian Duets, Monteverdi and Carissimi with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and Irmgard Seefried, Gerald Moore plays piano. It is EMI 1956 recording, I guess mono. A wonderful singing, particularly Dvorak. Insanely beautiful women. If you can then find the BIS CD release of this record and see the cover image with young Schwarzkopf and Seefried with Cats make up. Out of this world sexy!

The Cat

"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche

08-11-2010

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Romy the Cat

Boston, MA
Posts 10,184
Joined on 05-28-2004

Post #:	62
Post ID:	14221
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Cool new upcoming Japanese Wand release

A new compete Set of Bruckner symphonies by Günter Wand with WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln will be released this fall:

http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/product/detail/3889437

The Cat

"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche

11-07-2010

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unicon

Posts 74
Joined on 10-14-2009

Post #:	63
Post ID:	14880
Reply to:	14221

Dorati and LSO doing The Firebird

That was surprising to hear the Firebird complete Ballads in CD conducted by Dorati
I can be sure to say it was mastered perfectly and no compression ever used ...
If anyone is interested in Stravinsky Complete Firebird work should get this on LP or the CD :

http://www.amazon.com/Stravinsky-Firebird-Complete-Fireworks-Nightingale/dp/B0000057KU

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11-07-2010

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Romy the Cat

Boston, MA
Posts 10,184
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Post #:	64
Post ID:	14881
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Dorati is a fruit.

Great conductor but you never know what you get from him. I was listening tonight the FM recording from SymphonyShare of Dorati with CSO doing Mahler 6. Chicago Symphony play not well but whole together it is strangely powerful performance. As the performance of the weekend today CRB Broadcasted the Chicago under Yan Pascal Tortelier. The program was very cool Bruch’s first Violin Concerto by Joshua Bell and Saint-Saens’ Third Symphony. Joshua Bell “just for fun” played also Saint-Saens’ Rondo Capriccioso - what might be more fun?!

The Saint-Saens’ Third Symphony was the true celebration of my new midbass horn. It was not the Myung-Whun Chung’s Organ Symphony of cause but it still was entertaining in a way…

The Cat

"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche

12-25-2010

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Romy the Cat

Boston, MA
Posts 10,184
Joined on 05-28-2004

Post #:	65
Post ID:	15285
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Stravinsky as a great piano composer?

I am not so wild about Stravinsky as piano composer. His is OK, but no Liszt and no Rachmaninoff. His sonatas and etudes are not so exiting in my view, Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments is boring and his piano version of Petrushka is “not there”, I actually do not care too much about orchestral Petrushka as well.

Today I was cleaning my hard drives on my DAW – I had 120G of off air recordings that I did not listen and I come across a phenomenal work that I did not paid attantion before. It was sometime in 2009, Peter Serkin played it with BSO under button of Ludovic Morlot, the BSO assistant conductor at that time. The work was Stravinsky capriccio for piano & orchestra.

The work is kind of a bit jazzy to my taste but the way how Stravinsky orchestrated it is a pure brilliance. The way how pianos talks with other instruments and orchestral sections is insufferable beautiful. It is shame that Stravinsky did not write a full blown piano concerto.

The Cat

"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche

01-03-2011

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Romy the Cat

Boston, MA
Posts 10,184
Joined on 05-28-2004

Post #:	66
Post ID:	15369
Reply to:	8359

Another Wand’s Bruckner 8

I got today two new recordings, Bruckner 2 with Giulini and Wiener and Bruckner 8 with Gunter Wand. The Bruckner 2 was very much not what I expected, not to mention that sound on this Testament CD was horrible, but the Bruckner 8 was a truly something different. Gunter Wand recorded the Eighth for zillion times, I usually discard him with Asian orchestras. I have one preface with Munich Philharmonic from 2000 – very very very nice. But here it came even more interesting: the Wand’s with Berlin Philharmonic from 2001. It is live recording, Sounds is more or less OK (after Septa), too hard limited but what would one expect from those people. However, the Bruckner Sound that Gunter Wand creates in there is phenomenal.

With all “primitivism” of Bruckner lash thyme gliding very few orchestras and conductors keep the sanity of Bruckner presentation in sane scale. The Bruckner shall unfold majesticly and leisurely, the Bruckner culmination shall be executed with precision of brain surgery and the most important the Bruckner wade out from the culmination shall be cared without any sentimentalism and without losing the grace or even without self-gratifying happiness.

Gunter Wand with his Berlin Philharmonic has it all. Just beautiful owning of the Bruckner score, the beautiful playing, what else one can ask?

The Cat

"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche

01-15-2011

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Romy the Cat

Boston, MA
Posts 10,184
Joined on 05-28-2004

Post #:	67
Post ID:	15422
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Georg Tintner’s Bruckner Second.

I was listening today before MET broadcast the Tintner’s and Ireland National Symphony take on Bruckner Second. It is very nice, not to mention that Tintner plays Bruckner original version.

http://www.classicalnotes.net/columns/tintner.html

http://www.scena.org/lsm/sm5-7/tintner-en.htm

It is in away a shame that Georg Tintner did not record with greatest Germano-Austrian orchestras. Still, he does his best with Ireland National and it is a noble endeavor. The Tintner’s Bruckner 2 is not the best out there but it is very good Bruckner…

The Cat

"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche

01-26-2011

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Romy the Cat

Boston, MA
Posts 10,184
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Post #:	68
Post ID:	15477
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Bruckner No.2 by Horst Stein

Eventually I have found the Bruckner Second symphony that is played how I feel it need to be played. The recording is from 1973: Horst Stein lead the mighty Wiener Philharmoniker. I got my CD on Decca Eloquence. This is unspeakably wonderful and I hear it 3 times today.

Somehow Stein was able to keep absolutely amassing balance between overly Vaselino- romantic presentation of Bruckner and some kind almost pop-presentation. Under Horst Stein Bruckner 2 does not sound like a Broadway musical but in a way it is it but not any musical. The Stein is entertaining Bruckner, but making it “entertaining” Stein doe not loose absolutely anything from Bruckner itself. The Vienna Philharmonic plays wonderfully and the whole experience from this CD is absolutely phenomenal.

The Cat

"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche

02-01-2011

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Romy the Cat

Boston, MA
Posts 10,184
Joined on 05-28-2004

Post #:	69
Post ID:	15529
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The Trout Quintet of the 21 century

Tonight I enjoy tremendously a vengeful recording on EMI Virgin of Schubert’s celebrated Quintet and Variations on "Trockne Blumen". The Schubert is played by French band of Frank Braley, Alois Posch, Renaud Capucon, Gerard Causse, Gautier Capucon. Kill me if I know who they are but I love what they do. It is not the Trout that we know from the mid of the 20 century played but great musician on great instrument. In this French version there is no sight of softness and delicacy. What it has however is very contemporary high-pressure, almost “compressed” interpretation of the Quintet, almost the “Quintet for sale”. However, it rendered so tastefully and so I would say professionally that it is a lot of fun to listen it. I would like more nuances and more shadow phasing but they do not play fragile Schubert but rather “Schubert’s in your face”. If to accept the premise, why not, then this French CD is truly wonderful. I would play /record double bass for ½ db softer but it is me…

Phenomenal music during the snow blizzard….
The Cat

"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche

02-28-2011

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Romy the Cat

Boston, MA
Posts 10,184
Joined on 05-28-2004

Post #:	70
Post ID:	15666
Reply to:	8359

The phenomenal Brahms 4!

In my search for my own sound of Schubert 9 (BTW I did found what I was looking for) I was listening the Mengleberg’s play from 30. The record I have in a part of a 4 records album dedicated to 80 anniversary of Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. I did not practically was pleased with Mengleberg and then I discover that the album has Brahms Symphony No. 4 by Eduard van Beinum. I couldn’t recall that I heard this 1958 concert and I decided to listen it. That turned out to be truly supernatural Brahms.

The Beinum sucks in instantly and what is spectacular that he never lose you. The whole 4 movements, from the first bar to the last it is continue pressure building. The Concertgebouw is truly insane in there and I so much enjoyed it that I listed it twice right from the start to the end. To insult the injury it has absolutely stunning sound. Nope it you look for high-end audio style sound with distinct and separated instrument and section then it will be not it. It has my kind of type of sound when orchestra sound like a large could and you can’t sense if it mono, stereo, recording, live and at complete lost what is going on. You just sit in your chair and do not give shit about anything besides the swimming across the waves of Concertgebouw pressure, Brahms metaphors and Beinum expressions. Here is where the true high-end begins…

The Cat

"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche

08-30-2011

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Romy the Cat

Boston, MA
Posts 10,184
Joined on 05-28-2004

Post #:	72
Post ID:	16892
Reply to:	8359

Stanislav Skrowaczewski’s Bruckner

For the last couple weeks I have been enjoying the Stanislav Skrowaczewski’s Bruckner. I got a box set with all 11 symphonies with Deutsche Radio Philharmonic and it is very pliant. Now it is not the best Bruckner I heard and Saarbrücken Radio Philharmonic is not the best Bruckner orchestra I heard but as a box set it is extremely pleasant and it is in way different Bruckner I am accustom. Skrowaczewski play more like concert version of Bruckner, something that I would like do not do in Bruckner. Still, in what he does he does very well – a truly enjoyable box set.

The Cat

"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche

10-24-2011

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mats
Chicago
Posts 87
Joined on 09-18-2005

Post #:	73
Post ID:	17213
Reply to:	16892

Hilary Hahn at Symphony Center

A lovely afternoon yesterday with Hilary Hahn in Chicago's Symphony Center.
Playing Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms, with over a dozen of her new encore pieces interspersed,
Ms Hahn created a very enjoyable recital. I'll leave it to the experts to review, only to say here
that her perfect pitch on the Bach Sonata No. 1, coupled with her delightful consciousness was supremely charming.
Her tour continues to Atlanta, Davis CA, LA, and Ft. Lauderdale. Not to be missed IMHO.

http://theclassicalreview.com/2011/10/hilary-hahn-to-focus-on-small-things-with-encores-project/

Mats

10-31-2011

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Romy the Cat

Boston, MA
Posts 10,184
Joined on 05-28-2004

Post #:	74
Post ID:	17263
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Bruckner by Volkmar Andreae

A local audio guy brought yesterday a box set with all Bruckner symphonies by Volkmar Andreae, all the 1953 broadcasts with Wiener sympony

http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/SESSIONID/70bce9d83bda5c76444fda02d6ad605a/classic/detail/-/art/Anton%20Bruckner%20%20Symphonien%20Nr.%201-9/hnum/1057836

I enjoy them tremendously, what a beautiful thing! I feel like a Cat locked up in dairy store overnight….

The Cat

PS: Volkmar Andreae's recordings: http://www.fonoteca.ch/green/discographies/Phonographie_VAndreae_FN.pdf

"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche

11-19-2011

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Romy the Cat

Boston, MA
Posts 10,184
Joined on 05-28-2004

Post #:	75
Post ID:	17390
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Morning Bruckner

One of the wonderful things about Bruckner that Morons do not buy Bruckner records. Last night I attended the “Hydra” concert and stop by in city record shop.

http://classical-scene.com/2011/11/11/sound-in-space-festival/comment-page-1

Here it was the brand new, still sealed, Bruckner No.9 by Hamburg Philharmonic under Joseph Keilberth from 1963 by Telefunken. Love this performance and love to get brand new record for $5. The Keilberth’s Bruckner is not evening Bruckner but rather morning Bruckner. It is Saturday 9 AM, guess what I am playing now…

"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche

11-29-2011

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Romy the Cat

Boston, MA
Posts 10,184
Joined on 05-28-2004

Post #:	76
Post ID:	17441
Reply to:	8359

The tales of two Bruckners.

Got two recordings from Tokyo and from London yesterday.

The first one is Wand’s live recording with Berlin in 1999. It was Bruckner Seventh. I heard a few Wand’s Bruckner Seventh and I do not like any of them. This one from 1999 is the best Wand with Bruckner 7, however it does not rises to the pantheon of the greatest Bruckner 7. The sound of this recording is quite horrible. If it was not Wand’s Bruckner I would probably trash this CD, even I paid for it $40. Partially the sound is bad due to the idiots from BMG Japan re-master the recordings from original source in 192K. They use Sound Works K2, the industry leading tool and this crap destroys Sound like a nuclear bomb. It is unfortunate as this Wand’s Seventh is so bad…

The second one I got from UK is John Barbirolli’s Bruckner 8. I do have very soft spot in my for Barbirolli and I love pretty much whatever he made. This recording from 1970 with his own Hallé Orchestra and it was made a few weeks before Barbirolli died. This is very interesting Bruckner 8 and like most of the other Barbirolli recordings it is not as much Bruckner but rather Barbirolli own take on the work. It has no lash sound or I would ay not elegance in play but it is very idiosyncratic and powerful. It is BBS live broadcast.

The Cat

"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche

12-05-2011

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Romy the Cat

Boston, MA
Posts 10,184
Joined on 05-28-2004

Post #:	77
Post ID:	17484
Reply to:	17441

Idiots!

Romy the Cat wrote:
The first one is Wand’s live recording with Berlin in 1999. It was Bruckner Seventh. I heard a few Wand’s Bruckner Seventh and I do not like any of them. This one from 1999 is the best Wand with Bruckner 7, however it does not rises to the pantheon of the greatest Bruckner 7. The sound of this recording is quite horrible. If it was not Wand’s Bruckner I would probably trash this CD, even I paid for it $40. Partially the sound is bad due to the idiots from BMG Japan re-master the recordings from original source in 192K. They use Sound Works K2, the industry leading tool and this crap destroys Sound like a nuclear bomb. It is unfortunate as this Wand’s Seventh is so bad…

Got today the same CD, not the Japanese pressing “remastered from original sources” but the first German release from 2000. The sound is fine. I can’t believe that Japanese so vandalized the recording. I am sure however that the idiot who did it is well celebrated sound engineer and if he show up at the forum like this then he will behave with arrogance and superiority. Well, to me his expertise juts cost $40 and now the result of his expertise is going to the garbage can.

The Cat

"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche

12-28-2011

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Romy the Cat

Boston, MA
Posts 10,184
Joined on 05-28-2004

Post #:	78
Post ID:	17613
Reply to:	8359

M3: what a beauty!!!

What has happed did really happen?

Today I left a grocery store today, sat in a car, tuned to WCRB and discovered that they were playing the opining of the Mahler 3rd. I got instantly hypnotized how beautiful it was. It was slow enough and it was incredibly smart. It was expressive, it was meaningful, it was elegant and it was like never before. It had some second underlying super-meaning, so seldom happening with performance of Mahler 3rd. It had almost that Stanislavsky super-task feeling and I was immediately taken with the play.

I quickly dove home which was just a mile away. The playback system was up and running and I spent next hour truly enjoying the performance. They never collapsed neither orchestra nor the conductor. The discipline of musicians was phenomenal but it was not constrained but superbly natural. It was like orchestra was breathing with Sound. All six movements flew like a dream and it was absolutely gorgeous. It was the best Mahler 3rd I heard and I eagerly was waiting the host to announce who it was. It turned out that it was Semyon Bychkov leading the WDR Symphony Orchestra from 2002 with Marjana Lipovšek signing along with Köln Cathedral Choir. It turned out that the performance is available on CD: Avie AV0019, not in US but this is kind of expected.

The event took place during the WCRB program by James David Jacobs, I have no idea how he dug it out! Thanks James!

All my searches of the CD were not successful but I was able to find it directly at the recording studio site:

http://www.avie-records.com/album_detail.php?id=91

They even accept PayPal

Meow!!!!

"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche

12-30-2011

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Romy the Cat

Boston, MA
Posts 10,184
Joined on 05-28-2004

Post #:	80
Post ID:	17629
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Gurdjieff and de Hartmann

I was really enjoying for the last few weeks the CD with Gurdjieff’s harmonies. It is bit “new agey” but it seldom-talented “new age” and it does has some mysterious hunting quality that I LOVE. It was wonderful played by Vassilis Tsabropoulos Anja Lechner and available on ECM label.

The caT

"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche