The Classical Music Guide Forums

Belle

I love this soprano and am familiar with her work in the baroque repertoire, especially with Les Arts. She's superb.

Belle

This is a treat. The maestro; I loved the way he tried out the piano first!! What class, what panache, what je ne sais quoi!! His playing is wonderfully idiosyncratic - even mannered - at times, and it all seemed so effortless! I appreciate his Mozart and I never listen to this composer these days. ...

Belle

You think so, Lance? "Tax dodgers", "wealth", "hiding". Hardly the badinage of the Algonquin Round Table and typically laced with bitterness and bile, sans facts.

Belle

Thanks for the heads up. I'll listen now if it's on YT.

Belle

The Copenhagen Stock Exchange, which is over 400 years old (and is referred to by Dr. Niall Ferugson in 'The Ascent of Money'). Such a beautiful city (with an Aussie as queen) and it's always a huge loss when something like this happens. One person interviewed said "this is our Notre Dame". I hope t...

Belle

Again, no argument, no facts, just hysteria and screaming. If you are representative of your nation then this explains A LOT.

Belle

This is one of the world's biggest cats. The Norwegian Forest cat, along with the Maine Coon. https://i.pinimg.com/564x/e2/63/72/e263728d52d303936d7589abf328e6b9.jpg We have a wild dog problem in Australia. And wild horses (Brumbies). Our son lives on an acreage and wild dogs attacked and killed a s...

Belle

I don't know these "Biblical Songs" and I must say I can't seem to get enough of Dvorak these days. Been watching on YT some performances from the late Vaclav Neumann.

Belle

The excellent and admired British pedagogue Katharine Birbalsingh talks to Peter Boghossian about her amazing inner-city London school and its stunning academic performance . She's drawn the ire of the Left and progressives because it is based on conservative traditions and she refuses to engage wit...

Belle

More asinine commentary from the giant chip on the shoulder. Infantile, narcissistic comments. As I said, bitterness has a long tail and is very very resilient - especially when there are zero friendships in the real world to temper extremist views. In my experience on music boards all the trolls - ...

Belle

That finding is NOT in dispute . The Liberals NEVER denied a rape; how could they when nobody knew about it? She only told about it days later when forced to 'explain' her security breach before being about to be fired. What they denied was a calculated cover-up by the former government's staff. Do...

Belle

Oh, what a tragic!! A biased left wing organization like the ABC prints something to cover its own backside when they were up to their eyeballs in the original "get Morrison" brigade over this!! I suppose you could put your political rivals on trial during a Presidential campaign and jail him. That'...

Belle

Just like you, we're all celebrating cultural enrichment and diversity!! And, god, it feels so good!!

Belle

Bigger isn't better. It's the same as saying something is good because it's popular. Doah!! People are moving away in droves from California for the reasons you state, Lance. Mainly to Texas and Florida (Rubin says there's no income tax there). My doctor and her family wouldn't leave their hotel roo...

Belle

This article is about the infamous rape trial which has filled the news in Australia for the last few years. It was a contributing factor in the loss of government by the Coalition in 2022 and the monumental lies and beat-up created by the then (Labor) opposition. They stood in moral judgment of the...

Belle

It's the opportunity cost, Lance, of having people do as they please without fear of the law and an ideology which calls for 'de-funding the police'. Well, who in the world would have thought business would leave the state of California!!?? My 12 year old grand-daughter, maybe? One million people ha...

Belle

Dvorak, Stabat Mater , Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Schoenberg Choir/Harnoncourt. This was recorded in 2012, just less than 4 years before Harnoncourt's death. You can already see the symptoms of advanced Graves Disease (badly bulging eyes). The poor man was valiant to the end. I'm not usually fond o...

Belle

Gold is indeed a volatile investment. It can literally go years before moving, suddenly going backwards and always costing money to store. I remember a fellow from a Gold Bullion company coming to a meeting of shareholders several years ago spruiking the benefits of gold. He said, "it's an excellent...

Belle

Not to mention Hitchens would have drunk Buckley under the table.Perhaps Buckley knew. I saw Buckley live give a talk in 1971 at Ripon College in our Wisconsin, and have his book, "The Jewelers Eye". He had numerous debates with famous lefty professor Noam Chomsky, on YT.Chomsky usually got the bet...

Belle

This program has only recently been made about the life of William F. Buckley Jnr. Even his moniker sounded pompous, but there was obviously far more to the man than the eponymous ring-tone. Christopher Hitchens once opined that Buckley was essentially "shy"; either that or he kept running from one ...

Belle

Regine Crespin; the French soprano par excellence.

Belle

Systemic failures, just as we suspected. This is an absolute tragedy all round; for the victims, the survivors, the rampaging killer and his family. It is doomed to be repeated because, as my son says, " you need to understand the system will not protect you ". What made him make that statement? He ...

Belle

More victims of a failing and overburdened mental health system? Yes, Holden, it probably will be. This man was 'known to police'. The police officer who took him out acted decisively and bravely. Surviving victims and their families are in for more misery in the coming days, months and years. Year...

Belle

Don't think this for a moment. I have this CD by Peter Hurford, which I love. When in Europe I purchased CDs at cathedrals like Stephansdom, Passau. Every Wednesday we went to Peterskirche in Wien for the weekly 3.15pm practice sessions of students from Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst W...

Belle

You have one enormous chip on your shoulder. It comes across in everything you post. Bitterness is a resilient trait.

Belle

PM Luxon and his voters now know what many of us already did; we should beware the empath with the head tilt. This is what Luxon needs to do now about the NZ Left: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKC8pSFg1Vw Matter-of-fact Kiwi leader’s shaking off Ardern fairy dust PM Christopher Luxon is brimming ...

Belle

I've just been reading your comments while listening to Hamelin playing Kapustin!! I share all your concerns because we have 5 adult off-spring (one of these is my spouse's). And, between us, 8 grandchildren ranging from 6 months to 34 years!! And, importantly, neither you nor they should ever have ...

Belle

Fabulous, fabulous pianist and wonderful music. Great fan of this superb artist.

I must have this in my CD library. I note that Bruce Liu plays this repertoire too. The Canadians are right at the forefront of wonderful classical musicians!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYG02qQ3Iro&t=321s

Belle

Here is a wonderful discussion from the UK between Dr. James Lindsay from the USA with Winston Marshall. Dr. Lindsay commented on what he thought was the precarious state of the UK at present (and I agree), and he displayed great concern about this. When Marshall rebutted that the USA was much the s...

Belle

This is very concerning, Lance. It's perfectly understandable that you love your country. You are so right that you cannot continue paying for the defense of the rest of the world. I think the international 'nanny' role has actually hollowed out your own prosperity. Trump was right; nations need to ...

Belle

Our health system is 'equitable' only to an extent, but you'll still wait well over 2 years in the public system for those knee prosthetics - often in a lot of pain. Same with every other procedure. Where our public system is good is in an accident or emergency; private hospitals aren't really equip...

Belle

This guy's really got IT. English interview following German introduction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzvzYZ_3pp8

Belle

Ah, this is more like it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHRet0CDWw4

Belle

Our idiot Foreign Minister in Australia, fulfilling the Labor left's ideology of the "Two State Solution" - which has been in place for decades. NOW she want to do this????

Belle

This recital was held last night and the comments posted below suggest that the audience in the Wiener Konzerthaus 'went wild'. The recital may be posted on YouTube or become otherwise available, but from the very brief excerpts here I feel she is becoming very mannered as a pianist. I've noticed th...

Belle

Heartbreak!! I adored Dmitri and his beautiful voice and perennial smile.

Belle

Rob Henderson talks to Dr. Peterson about his dysfunctional family background: drug addiction, poverty, prostitution, homelessness. And yet - who'd have thought - he was able to make a success of himself. Watch how it's done!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgnIb04y3WM

Belle

Hey Igor, the hard left Greens support Palestine and don't like Israel!!! You couldn't make this up! :lol: He probably does not consider the deaths of Palestinians worthy of a Smilie. Yeah, absolutely makes you wonder why he'd sign onto a group which despises Israel and cares nothing about its suff...

Belle

Szymanowski, Violin Concerto #2, Szerying, Bamberg Symphony, Krenz. I prefer this one to the composer's First Violin Concerto. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBWpxZizM4A This town in Germany has a population of circa 78,000 and has its own (renowned) symphony orchestra which attracts important solo...

Belle

In a recent lengthy interview with Igor Levit on a German podcast I learned that Levit is an enthusiastic supporter of the Greens Party in Germany!

Hey Igor, the hard left Greens support Palestine and don't like Israel!!! You couldn't make this up!

Belle

Lots of people seemed interested in Kennedy but many, on the other hand, didn't want a re-run of the Kennedy dynasty - according to what I've heard and read about it. Though this Kennedy seems a decent man his voice was the deal-breaker. Too much infirmity in the White House already. But the real en...

Belle

Agree. I have a CD of Popp singing these with Klaus Tennstedt on the podium. Hers wasn't a big voice like Jessye Norman.

What a tragedy Lucia Popp died in her mid 50s of a brain tumour. A great loss.

Belle

.....and the Swiss will simply turn around and say "Stick it where the sun don't shine!" These global courts are basically powerless and this applies to Switzerland who are not part of the EU so applying any form of pressure would be hard. Yes, Holden; "you paper tigers are all alike; your roar is ...

Belle

I buy recorded performances because of the artists; these performers revolve around certain works and composers as the planets do in the solar system. Bach is our sun, Beethoven the stars and Brahms the moon. What excites me is how well musicians navigate their orbits illuminating them with their ow...

Belle

Great comments, especially those relating to composers not necessarily being virtuosic and playing their own music. Schubert was one such composer. But Rachmaninov is an example of a virtuoso who did record some of his own work. I'd feel intimidated by that were I a modern concert virtuoso. People s...

Belle

Yes, I was aware of the "problem" with her husband. Flagstad continued to have and enjoy a glorious career, especially where Wagner was concerned. Few have compared with her vocally in her repertoire. I don't know how "involved" Madame was with the Nazis (same for Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, but this di...

Belle

As usual, you dazzle me with your knowledge of recordings! I found that recording of Widor amazing as the composer was 88 years at the time of that performance. One thing crops up time and again; aged composers and musicians do not seem to suffer the depredations of dementia to the degree the rest o...

Belle

Meantime: Schubert for 4 Hands a la Jussen. Movie star looks and talent but, men, keep still during your playing. Arthur actually rises from his seat during one section of the piece here, just as Igor Levit(ation) does!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jG_E6ljUyw4

Belle

Holden, you might enjoy the Curtis Coursera I've described, with Biss on the Beethoven Sonatas. Caution; the site is somewhat byzantine but you can navigate to see which of the series on these sonatas you'd like to do. One or all. There's a quick quiz at the end of every section. I loved it but, as ...

Belle

I just found this recording from 1933 of Widor playing his own Toccata from the 5th 'Organ Symphony' on the Cavaillé-Coll organ of Saint-Sulpice, Paris. Widor was 88 years old when he made this recording and it was his final year as Organist Titulaire at that Cathedral. https://www.youtube.com/watch...

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