What did Santa Claus bring you?

[hmvman]

The Peter Pears Anniversary Tribute set (Decca) and EMI's Great Cathedral Organs Series box set.

Well satisfied!

Merry Christmas all.

[Mahlerei]

No CDs at all, but then I'm awash with unplayed discs. Some good DVDs/Blu-rays though, including Wenders' Pina. Anyone seen it?

[LeMartinPecheur]

Santa returned for a second delivery today: Aimard's disc called 'African Rhythms' with some late Ligeti Etudes that aren't on his Sony Ligeti edition disc of what was then the complete set. Plus some Reich and some African music by the Aka Pygmies.

At least I think that's how it works: the booklet legend PIERRE-LAURENT AIMARD/ AKA PYGMIES might stand another interpretation...

Is M. Aimard one person or a small tribe?

[mikealdren]

Hi Pastoralguy,
Let me know how you get on with the Heifetz box, especially interested in your view of the sound quality compared with any other versions you have.

If you don't know it, try the Tchiak trio.

Happy listening and happy New Year.
Mike

[pastoralguy]

Hi Mike. Best wishes to you too!

As I'm sure you can imagine, I had a lot of Heifetz stuff already, most of which I've given to Dick since it's all duplicates now. The only set I have now is the 10 disc 'Original Jacket' which I'm thinking of selling on eBay. However, I'll do a side by side comparison and report back.

I also got an ex-library copy of Ida Haendel's biography 'Woman with Violin' which has taken me MANY years to track down at an acceptable price. Do you know she's doing a talk with Steven Isserlis in the Wigmore Hall at the end of February next year? I've got my ticket booked!!

[Karafan]

Good afternoon lads and lasses,
Well Santa was a kindly old soul once again (and since the wonderful advent - no pun intended - of the Amazon wishlist, the socks-and-hanky-brigade's days are numbered!) and I have had a lot of very welcome goodies in the bottom of the sack nestling against the Clementine and the obligatory lump of coal...



The Krauss '53 Ring's sound is very impressive in its remastering by Orfeo from the original Bayreuth mastertapes. I have seen it described as "muddy sounding" elsewhere. Not any more!

Hope you all had a good haul as well.

Best wishes for 2012 to one and all!

Karafan

[Karafan]

Oops - forgot the Barenboim/Chereau DVD Tristan und Isolde, as well....anyone else seen/like this?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The Krauss '53 Ring's sound is very impressive in its remastering by Orfeo from the original Bayreuth mastertapes. I have seen it described as "muddy sounding" elsewhere. Not any more!

This is good news, Karafan; I have the old Rudolphe (seriously; no pun intended!) set which uses each of the separate stereo tracks to carry the Mono original, getting two discs' worth of Music onto one disc. Fine idea (and Philips/Sony were so unnerved by it they took out a copyright injuncture against it) except that you have to mute one of the speakers to listen. And sound quality wasn't their foremost concern: not so much "muddy" as recorded in a Bayreuth Chip shop!

Great performances, though: this should keep you out of mischief well into the new year!

Best Wishes.

[Caliban]

the wonderful advent - no pun intended - of the Amazon wishlist

It has transformed Christmas and birthdays, as happily key family members all use the facility now. And it doesn't spoil the magic, as I had forgotten two or three of the things I'd put on there, so was delighted and surprised when actually unwrapping them!

[Petrushka]

It has transformed Christmas and birthdays, as happily key family members all use the facility now. And it doesn't spoil the magic, as I had forgotten two or three of the things I'd put on there, so was delighted and surprised when actually unwrapping them!

Same here. In the old days I used to type up a wish list and hand it out to family members. This year, as last, I've cheated by buying a lot of what was on my wish list myself! Anyway, among them all was:

Rafael Kubelik Conducts Great Symphonies (Sony box)
EMI Treasury of English Church Music - superb bargain as highlighted on the 'Bargains' thread by Rauschwerk
Mahler 1 Pittsburgh SO/Honeck - fantastic recording, strongly recommended
Bruckner 4 LSO/Haitink
Wagner: Act 3 of Die Meistersinger Dresden Staatskapelle/Bohm - the 1938 recording
Chailly's new Leipzig Beethoven set
Shostakovich 15 Concertgebouw/Haitink

and a couple of DVD's of two unforgettable performances I attended just released on the excellent ICA label

Mahler 5 LPO/Tennstedt (13/12/1988)
Bruckner 5 BBCSO/Wand (9/9/1990)

Needless to say, not had much chance to listen to much yet but all these will tell you all you need to know about my tastes!