The Classical Music Guide Forums

I don't personally check on GMG, but I know some of our CMG members also lurk there. If you know people who contribute well to GMG, perhaps you can text them to join us here and let me know they may be coming. I am very careful in adding new members to avoid any "sales calls," if you get my drift.

I have never been a fan of Luciano Berio's [1925-2003] original music. But I am discovering him as an arranger in "folk songs" and four selections from Mahler's Knaben Wunderhorn plus another song he arranged. All of this is included in Supraphon CD [3264] 11 folksongs from various countries (includ...

Have to tell you, this new DGG "Rachmaninoff for Two" is overpowering. Had had a chance to audition both discs. These two pianists work together superbly, a perfect match for performers. For Rachmaninoffians, this must surely be a must-have release.

Here's another top-notch pianist in Berezovsky. For those that may want a physical copy of him playing these, Teldec/Erato/Warner 98415, sometimes those Warner-owned discs show all these label names but I filed it under Teldec. Seems everyone these days is playing or recording the Transcendental Etu...

Our "what are you listening to" thread contains some wonderful information and suggestions. I first learned of the Australian pianist/composer's [Mirian Hyde, 1913-2005] two piano concertos (performed by her) from an ABC-Australia Eloquence CD [463 735] and listened to the YouTube reference on the o...

I see Miriam Hyde (1913-2005) had quite a career as a pianist and composer, especially in her native Australia. I am curious about her two piano concerto s. How would you describe her music, i.e., it's "similarity" to perhaps another composer? In listening to the YT presentation, I thought the music...

Trpceski was quite a "hot" pianist a while back. He made around four recordings for EMI around 2019 that I acquired—and was imipressed with—after which he was on the roster for other labels such as Avie (he recorded the four Rachmaninoff concertos for them), did some chamber music for BIS (Grieg th...

Garanca has no fans? I think it is an important voice in today's world of singers.

I got mine from Amazon/USA for about $19 (2-CD set) but had to wait for a while. This is a new release that may not be on Australia's shores as yet. Presto in the UK has it for $22.50/US price plus shipping. This is a great place, good service, huge catalogue, but shipping costs are decent if you ha...

Understand. I, too, would not consider moving from my abode ... very comfortable here, lots of friends. I used to go to NYC frequently for concerts, buying LPs and books at some of the best stores (most all gone now). Having a sister living in Manhattan (and later a daughter) made it a great place t...

Yes, that is a very young Martin Stadtfeld at the piano - and it's amazing to hear play so perfectly in these three works. Vogler, too, outstanding. I have played this disc a number of times all the way through, not only for the sonatas but the other works included. People will be pleasant surprised...

Have many recordings of these two concertos, probably among my favorite Shostakovich pieces - that second concerto's second movement is to die for, eh? I have Shosty playing these on that wonderful 22-CD EMI set [17575], "Composers in Person," where we hear the composer playing these two concerti wi...

Gave it a listen today - and as stated: "great fun." Susan Tomes is a natural for this music. Excellent piano - and recording as well. Thanks for the suggestion Very good listening if your mood is flat! That one looks interesting - Loose Elbows! Much of what I see with Susan Tomes is chamber music ....

What a lovely Austrlian lady! She is giving me ideas about moving to Spain. "The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain," etc. Outstanding healthcare at reasonable cost, respect for older people, lots of sunshine, cost of foods about half of what Australians pay? Why are not more folks considering ...

Among present-day mezzo-sopranos I find enormously attractive is that of Elina Garanca , the Latvian singer born in 1976. To her credit is already an extensive catalogue of recordings on DGG, and a few on other labels. This particular new recital on DGG [486 4809] is lent to music for nightime. As ...

My copy of the DGG "Rachmaninoff for Two" arrived today, Sunday, thanks to Prime! I will be anxious to hear the whole two discs today. Also interesting about this set is that Babayan plays a Steinway and Trifonov plays a Bõsendorfer. I once had to match a Baldwin with a Bechstein - and received comp...

Well, you've got two great ones! Try to hear some of Pecková's Supraphone recording if you have a chance. I was really impressed and will be interested to know what you think. Hers is a rich, powerfully expressive voice. Plus you get her Songs of a Wayfarer as well and some of the Rückert lieder. Wh...

Sorry if I overdid it on recommendations. When people ask those questions, what's left of the brain goes into full action. I love talking about recordings and performances, so appreciate your always interesting comments and questions. Music is life! The Triff and Babayan, but I'll definitely look at...

Somewhat of a discussion of Mahler's two great song cycles with Kindertotenlieder going first. Kindertotenlieder translates to Songs on the Death of Children, hardly a subject anyone might want to talk about. It took Rücket's 428 poems (!) written between 1833-1834 to inspire Mahler to compose this ...

I was listening today to Kiri te Kanawa singing an all-Strauss program including the Four Serious Songs and a group of lieder all with Andrew Davis leading the London Symphony Orchestra. Such splendid singing. I was thinking how the human voice stands alone . Many of us can recognize a voice by its ...

So, which way are you going to go? I think I know!

Belle wrote: ↑
Sat Apr 27, 2024 2:00 pm
Thanks for these two recommendations, gentlemen. I'll get onto it today.

Indeed, Vronsky & Babin - one of the great piano duos of all time. The two Rach Suites appeared on RCA LP LSC-2648. Fortunatley, in 2016, RCA issued a huge set [32174] called "Living Stereo Collectors Edition" and included the Suites as CD #52. Another one called "176 Keys" [LSC-2417] appears [CD #2...

Szell - a master of this music. I'm just very much into conductors such as Szell, Mitropoulos, Reiner, Mravinsky, Fricsay, Koussevitzky, Rodzinsky, Stokowski, Walter, Monteux, Furtwangler, Toscanini, Lehmann, Beecham. Indeed, there are so many great conductors of the past - and the present. But the ...

Dear Belle: There's that new DGG CD [486 4805, 2 CDs] coming out soon (mine should be here Monday) with Trifonov and Babayan, which includes the two Suites (Nos. 1 and 2), a transcription of a movement from Rach's Second Symphony, and the Symphonic Dances. Trif is your cup o' tea anyway, and the set...

Reading diegobueno's/Mark's post, I gave a hearing today to A Hero's Song , Op. 111 - something I have not heard in a long time, and being a very late piece in Dvořák's output, I find it much darker than we hear in many of his compositions, though it has a happy mode or two as well, though, for sure...

That one looks interesting - Loose Elbows! Much of what I see with Susan Tomes is chamber music ... this one goes to the other side. I may try to get a copy. Looks pricey on Amazon at $129! Cheaper elsewhere, of course. Her piano playing of these Billy Mayerl pieces...great fun! https://m.media-amaz...

Yes, but I'm unfamiliar with Tamami Honma 's work. Dare I go for it? (I said no more Beethoven 32s ... but you know what happens.). Indeed, the Annie Fischer/Hungaroton set [41003, nine CDs] is a must-have. I read, somewhere, that it wasn't released until after she passed away because she was not ha...

Hey - I could go for THAT!

Modernistfan wrote: ↑
Thu Apr 25, 2024 4:53 pm
An example of what I am talking about--I just ordered two 10-CD box sets (!!!) of the music of Dror Feiler, a composer originally from Israel, now living in Sweden, who could be said to make Iannis Xenakis sound like "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik."

Even if we double our lifetimes, we will never hear everything we have acquired, but still, at least some part of it will be heard, whatever may have been of interest at the time. Think Beetoven's five piano concertos of which there are countless complete versions (some more than one by the same pia...

Agree, there are those that want to hear the music as it was conceived and heard by the composer - those are the historical performance enthusiasts, of which there are many. On the other hand, Bach's WTC was not written for a modern-day concert grand piano, but a harpsichord. I like it either way, b...

Indeed, the Annie Fischer/Hungaroton set [41003, nine CDs] is a must-have. I read, somewhere, that it wasn't released until after she passed away because she was not happy with her Beethoven project. That set has garnered some high praise since it was issued. As I've mentioned elsewhere, most record...

Well, I agree with you. Costco, however, says it is a "perk" for members only . Others, non-members, do not buy anything else from Costco. Police it? You have to show a membership card in order to get the "deal." Members complain that lines are too long and it takes more time to get the mission acco...

While historically correct insofar as being "trio sonatas," most people hear them live or on recordings as cello and keyboard (piano or harpsichord) sonatas. I suppose that's now these works get the sonata nomenclature. Nonetheless, wonderful works they are! It seems peculiar when people refer to Ba...

All of these "situations" seem to eventually emerge. Think of them: Dutoit, Levine, David Daniels, Pletnev, Domingo - can't think of the others at the moment.

I never got that one, but thought enough of the great Abbado (who is sorely missed) that he was one of the conductors of my time that I invested in heavily as much as the wallet could stand. I have the 39 CD set of all his RCA and Sony recordings [04505] and his 41 CD set on DGG [479 1046], but oddl...

Unfortunately, no. But there's an idea for YOU! You could fill that gap.

By the way, did you see my post hereon about Joe Patrych? So happy you be involved in that Gramophone magazine tribute!

WOMEN OF THE PIANO by Susan Tomes The book finally arrived offering "a history in 50 lives." I suppose when you limit yourself to only 50 lives, some will be left out. There were more female pianists over the years than you might think, but not as many men. I was disappointed not to find Gina Bachau...

Mark, congratulations on the performance of your piece at Carnegie Hall in January 2025!

Belle - I've updated my original post showing available recordings I have. How did you make out in wanting to hear any of these pieces? Dvořák was quite the diversified composer! Always uplifting to hear his music regardless of the genre.

Lebrecht is right on! The "other" Davis ... too bad, and while I have more Colin Davis recordings, I didn't avoid Andrew and wondered, too, why he wasn't recording more for the Yellow label, or other major labels. It is obvious that music came first in his heart and the rest happened as fate would h...

Well, when you consider collecting CDs from their emergence, roughly 1985, that's almost 40 years of acquisition. The "problem" for me is that I am artist prone, hence so many renditions in all that time, and it becomes helpful in planning radio programs for the last 56 years. I don't discard CDs, t...

Lucky me ... I found that set on Pantheon for $10 (preowned copy) back in 2017. Nice to know somebody else has it as well. She's a fabulous pianist.

Tharaud is becoming among my favorite present-day pianists. I have dug deep into his recorded work and uncovered quite a few things that are, these days, hard to find, such as on the Dante label. This all-French recital looks interesting. Of the Couperin, my favorite is the Mysterious Barricades - a...

MRAVINSKY: Now there's a name in great conducting! The only recording I have with Mravinsky of Symphony #8 is the 1947 Melodiya, which was included in the second 10-CD set volume of the RCA/Melodiya edition [29459]. I have quite a few other Shostakovic symphonies with the conductor. The 8th must be ...

Some days are made for hearing Mendelssohn's music - there are many, in fact. But it was piano concerto night. If Mendelssohn's music can be considered highly virtuosic, it would be in his two piano concertos, No. 1 in g, op. 25 and No. 2 in d, Op. 40. My favourite recording of these works has alway...

Well, of course, I know the "proper" answer, too. Twenty years ago (maybe more) we wouldn't even think of asking such a question. How our world has changed!

Of course, and good advice. Like you, I have no particular personal worries except worring about my friends who seem to be failing, as are some family members. I do worry about the situation in the world but try not to let it get personal. You're right: we have everything around us that we love ... ...

Could these be the same performances that appeared on Testament 3167 , 3 CDs, mono, recorded in London, 1952? Includes all four Brahms symphonies plus Haydn Variations and Tragic Overture. Strange as it seems given Toscanini's notariety as a conductor, few people seem to listen to his recordings the...

I was very sad to learn this, too. Fortunately, have some great remembrances on discs of the man as a conductor and pianist. He was 80 - when I hear that number, I began to "tremble!" [as in Messiah] Anything can happen especially at that age or shortly thereafter. Nobody escapes.

Thanks for reminding me about that Giannini recording; I've had that since 2009 but haven't given it a hearing for some time. I have a number of recordings on the Arabesque label with Gabriela Imreh , Bach, Liszt, transcriptions, and another Naxos disc of music by Howard Hanson, the latter of whom ...

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