bought on recommendation

Hi

As an oftern reader not poster i feel compelled to share my latest purchase, which is the Cello Sonatos of Rachmanonov,Shostokovich and Borodin played by Alexander Chaushian, Yevgeny Sudbin on BIS. Had read a few good reviews and was unfamiliar with this work. I am a relative newcomer and am concentrating mainly on core orchestral although I have a few cello works by Elgar, Dvorak and Bach. I heard some of the recording on Spotify and took the plunge. I must say how much I enjoy these pieces and as not an expert would not know if a 5* performance or a "modern take" on an old work i find it gives me enjoyment and I will replay on numerous occasions which is great for me as other recordings I have played once and never again-perhaps another thread beckons. Anyway I enjoy the forum and the lively exchanges

So, it's not that bad, after all, Vic, even if some "idiosyncrasies" behave a bit differently (to put it mildly). I'm very glad, if I can be of any help for you (or any other member) to visit some new territories or revisit some milestones of Classical Music.

Some more suggestions, then: For something new (a sort of discovery) try the Missa Nunca fue' pena mayor by Francisco Penalosa (predecessor of Victoria and Morales), in a brilliant performance by the Ensemble Binchois, in a splendid recording on the Spanish Glossa.

In the same vein, in the Opera arena, give a shot on a new recording of a quite rare but interesting enough Opera, Der Alchymist, of the underrated but always brilliant Louis Spohr, on the German Oehms.

In the Choral field, there is a very intriguing new recording with some very fine Choral works of Villa-Lobos (!), in very bright performances with the Ensemble Vocal of Stuttgart under Marcus Creed, on the German Hanssler.

To revisit some of the milestones of the absolute Greats, try to indulge in Beethoven's Violin Sonata No.8, in G major, op. 30, 3; it's a true gem, one of the happiest, most inventive and brilliant creations of the Master.

In Mozart, you should listen carefully to the Violin Sonata in e minor (the only work he composed in this key), K.304; a marvelous Sonata, so unusual for its composer (the last movement is a sublime mozartian tribute to Bach). At the same time, give a good shot to the almost unknown Adagio for Piano, in b minor, K.540 (another miracle of the Wunder Kind that could be a considerable revelation).

Finally, I wish to bring to your attention that I initiated a topic on Mozart's String Quintets and, to my surprise (to put it politely), the matter seems to be quite irrelevant to practically all the members (at least the active ones) of this forum. Amazing, if we consider that these miracles of Chamber Music are the response of Mozart to the Late String Quartets of Beethoven! I know, from another thread that you have a high appreciation of them. So, if you revisite them, you may contribute, somehow, to the thread, for example, on the different aspects or the ramifications of the String Quintet in g minor, K.516.

Good hunting and exploration,

Parla

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Sorry JKH, I understood, I was simply joining in your confusion. Mozart of course was a genius, but that was some feat. I'm sure Parla will explain how it was done.

I was sure there will be some reaction to that.

So, I used this term, borrowing from the musical term responsoria or the equivalent from Gregorian chant, the Antiphon, wishing to show what Mozart achieved with these Quintets was the respective one voice in the antiphony with the Late String Quartets by Beethoven. This does not mean that the String Quintets prepare the ground for Beethoven's Late Quartets nor that they were the predecessors of them. It means, however, that, between these two Great and so influential composers, there are equivalent "mirror" works, working like the "Antiphon".

Unfortunately, very few scholars and Chamber Music experts have come to this point of searching for equivalent works to the unique otherwise Late String Quartets by Beethoven, but, examining carefully the features of these miraculous, perfect, in any possible way, and going beyond (their) time and space, Mozart's String Quintets deserve a place in this parallel between the peaks of the respective works of these two composers.

To sum up, Mozart's String Quintets are worth any praise, repeated and extensive listening (like the Late String Quartets) and they can give, in return, an incredibly rich in emotions fulfillment and they can become an amazingly unexpected revelation of a music of the highest order.

Parla

If the word "response" create difficulties to be lost in translation, try this: Mozart left something worthy enough of (or equivalent to) the Late String Quartes by Beethoven. And, of course he left it before Beethoven.

In my introductory remarks on the respective thread, I mentioned also that these Quintets draw the outline of the romantic ideal that later was transcended by Brahms and Reger. So, while there is no "romantic ideal" in Mozart's time, he draws the lines of something to follow. This, among certain professionals, is called the "early response" to the whole phenomenon of the romantic ideal, which means that, when we deal with that, we don't consider only the works of Brahms, Reger and his contemporaries but also those of composers who provided an "early response" (the early or first voice in the Antiphon).

Parla

Vic, re: the Saint-Saens, have you tried the BPO/Levine on DG? It's just about to be reissued at mid-price with an additional raft of Berlioz overtures together with its original coupling, a superb Sorcerer's Apprentice.

It's always been my recording of preference - one of those recordings which forcibly remind you of what an excellent conductor Levine is. Terrific playing and excellent recorded sound too.