Record Review: non-BaL discs reviewed, etc.

[Barbirollians]

I am very fond of the Perlman Elgar - with the two Menuhin recordings , Kennedy/Handley,the Haendel/Rattle , Bean , and Sammons it is one of my favourites .

[Nick Armstrong]

Two more absolutely outstanding piano concerto discs on yesterday's CD Review - both downloaded and currently being revelled in:

Poulenc Piano Concertos &c. - Louis Lortie, Hélène Mercier, BBC Philharmonic/Edward Gardner

Saint-Saëns Piano Concertos 2 & 5 - Louis Schwizgebel, BBC Symphony Orchestra/Brabbins

Stunning pianism all round - and great work from BBC ensembles

What a golden age it is for piano playing (contrast: singing!!!) - all this, and that Trifonov Rachmaninov 'Variations' disc too...

[Black Swan]

Two more absolutely outstanding piano concerto discs on yesterday's CD Review - both downloaded and currently being revelled in:

Poulenc Piano Concertos &c. - Louis Lortie, Hélène Mercier, BBC Philharmonic/Edward Gardner

Saint-Saëns Piano Concertos 2 & 5 - Louis Schwizgebel, BBC Symphony Orchestra/Brabbins

Stunning pianism all round - and great work from BBC ensembles

What a golden age it is for piano playing (contrast: singing!!!) - all this, and that Trifonov Rachmaninov 'Variations' disc too...

Thanks, Caliban.... I have been sitting here for 2 days vascillating on whether to download the Poulenc....So I guess, I will...

[Nick Armstrong]

Thanks, Caliban.... I have been sitting here for 2 days vascillating on whether to download the Poulenc....So I guess, I will...

And did you? And what did you think?

On to this weekend's CD Review ..... that Brahms Piano Concerto double-bill from Barenboim/Dudamel/BerlinRSO

The panel debated its 'heaviness' and roped Dudamel into that ... but from the extract played it was Barenboim. Did anyone hear it? The orchestral intro to No 1 was fine - real impetus and energy...

... and then when the piano came in it was almost half-speed! All pulse disappeared in an instant, and DB swam around in the rubatoid murk.

I know I'm probably too much into performances having a 'pulse' - I keep being struck by contemporary accounts of playing by the likes of Brahms, Chopin etc which seem to point to considerable latitude, very subjective and extreme rubato. Perhaps in this sense, Daniel Barenboim is very authentic.

But I don't like it !!!!

I couldn't help noticing that the forum's most distinguished opera critic is no stranger to his tablet or smartphone, having been in touch with CD Review (yesterday, re Barenboim/Brahms)

Indeed and IGI's reference to 'stodge' seems to me to be bang on the money!

[Barbirollians]

I was also disappointed with the extract from the Barenboim/Dudamel - sounded like pushing a car uphill but frankly that also applied to the conductor's intro too to my ears . Unlike the Barenboim/Barbirolli with starts with a bang and has a terrific sweep .

Wasn't over impressed by the extracts from the Mahler 6 from Harding - sounded a bit superficial to me . Enjoyed the Fucik extracts though .

[silvestrione]

I was also disappointed with the extract from the Barenboim/Dudamel - sounded like pushing a car uphill but frankly that also applied to the conductor's intro too to my ears . Unlike the Barenboim/Barbirolli with starts with a bang and has a terrific sweep .

Wasn't over impressed by the extracts from the Mahler 6 from Harding - sounded a bit superficial to me . Enjoyed the Fucik extracts though .

Couldn't agree more on the Barenboim/Dudamel and Barenboim/Barbirolli...the latter has always been one of my favourite recordings. Brendel, Pollini, Solomon certainly impart more pulse and dramatic structure, but no-one matches Barenboim for youthful engagement combined with a sense of living the music (well, I would have said no-one until recently, when I came across the live Bruno Leonardo Gelber account!).

But I did like the Harding/Mahler, such wonderful clean playing, the harmonic clashes making such an impact...I've ordered it, though I'll have to reverse the order of the middle movements when I play it

[Nick Armstrong]

But I did like the Harding/Mahler, such wonderful clean playing, the harmonic clashes making such an impact...I've ordered it, though I'll have to reverse the order of the middle movements when I play it

And I in turn agree with all that! I heard some colours (e.g. gently clashed cymbals) that I'd not heard before. I started to listen on Apple Music today (with the movement order reversed - like you, I just don't buy 'scherzo third') but wasn't in a Mahler 6 mood; nevertheless this was tempting. Also, a trip to Munich at some point soon is in the pipeline and I propose to consult the orchestra's calendar as they sound terrific and I want to hear them in situ...

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

I was also disappointed with the extract from the Barenboim/Dudamel - sounded like pushing a car uphill but frankly that also applied to the conductor's intro too to my ears .

Agreed! It starts far too portentously... and then gets slower once Barenboim pitches up!

[Alison]

Anyone else get the impression that Sarah was going to lavish superlatives on the Barenboim before Nicey piped up?!

[DublinJimbo]

Two more absolutely outstanding piano concerto discs on yesterday's CD Review - both downloaded and currently being revelled in:

Poulenc Piano Concertos &c. - Louis Lortie, Hélène Mercier, BBC Philharmonic/Edward Gardner

Saint-Saëns Piano Concertos 2 & 5 - Louis Schwizgebel, BBC Symphony Orchestra/Brabbins

Stunning pianism all round - and great work from BBC ensembles

What a golden age it is for piano playing (contrast: singing!!!) - all this, and that Trifonov Rachmaninov 'Variations' disc too...

I'm tipping my cap to that Schwizgebel recording (what a fine talent he is!). Yes too to Trifonov'a Paganini Vars. Totally agree that it's a bit of a golden age right now (don't get me started about Igor Levit!!).

[doversoul1]

Peter and the Wolf and Jazz!

David Tennant (narrator), The Amazing Keystone Big Band
LE CHANT DU MONDE 2742378 (CD)

I thought this was brilliant and I imagine it will appeal to many children (I mean not just to adults) much more than the original which I always thought was rather like a piece written for a classroom listening.

[Nick Armstrong]

David Tennant (narrator), The Amazing Keystone Big Band
LE CHANT DU MONDE 2742378 (CD)

I thought this was brilliant and I imagine it will appeal to many children (I mean not just to adults) much more than the original which I always thought was rather like a piece written for a classroom listening.

Agreed - sounded terrific! Already ordered as a timely birthday present for an eternally childlike (in a good way!) classical-and-jazz-loving friend who I think will enjoy listening to it with his own children!

[aeolium]

Some lovely chamber music discs reviewed by AMcG with Rebecca Franks this morning. I thought all the extracts played sounded very good, especially those from the great Mozart and Brahms string quintets. The Heath Quartet, who've impressed me live in concert in recent years, also sounded excellent in Tippett's quartets and I wish these quartets, which I first encountered decades ago thanks to the Endellion Quartet, were programmed more often.

[Nick Armstrong]

the great Mozart and Brahms string quintets

Yes!

I'm in the market for a great recording of the Brahms string quintets. This one sounded very good, though a slight reservation was expressed compared with the Mozart quintet performance on the disc.

Have members any other top recommendations for the Brahms string quintets please? We need a BAL on No 2 !! (Perhaps there's been one - must look!)

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Some lovely chamber music discs reviewed by AMcG with Rebecca Franks this morning. I thought all the extracts played sounded very good, especially those from the great Mozart and Brahms string quintets. The Heath Quartet, who've impressed me live in concert in recent years, also sounded excellent in Tippett's quartets and I wish these quartets, which I first encountered decades ago thanks to the Endellion Quartet, were programmed more often.

Yes - I liked most of what I heard (and glad, too, for another recording of the Tippett); with some reservations about the opening of the Brahms S5tet, where I thought the violins' "accompaniment" would have benefited from being taken down a notch: I thought it sounded a little too prominent, and forced the 'cellist to make more of an effort to bring out the main melody - with the result that it lost some of its "effortless" swagger, which, for me, is one of its chief delights.