Latest Acquisitions
Tue, May 22 2012, 9:59PM
#2
RE: Latest Acquisitions
...and no one appreciated my witty (but trying to be polite and meant with good humour) comeback to Parla [about "the Big Guy"]? :-(
Best wishes,
Petra
p.s. And I'm jealous of anyone that can play an instrument and/or read a score (neither of which I can currently do)! :-(
Wed, May 23 2012, 12:37AM
#3
RE: Latest Acquisitions
I'll have you know that in my humble opinion the Charpentier double has some quite outstanding music on it, notably Didon!
Seems I am not alone in being suddenly interested in Bruckner recordings.
I had started on alternative recordings of Mahler (one, as it happens) but gravitated to Bruckner, I think, because of the EMI SACD issues caught my attention.
Tonight I have just finished listening to La Grande Duchesse de Gerolstein in the Lott/Minkowski recording on EMI and I have seen the Bastille video of the Pelly production. Very funny in a French way (remember the French find Fernandel funny:-().
Wed, May 23 2012, 4:11AM
#4
RE: Latest Acquisitions
(Remember the British found Terry Thomas funny). "La grand Duchesse" was written predominantly for the French audience. So, it's funny for them, because they understand and speak French. However, some bright British (and not only) singers discover not only the humour but also the good music hidden or even being therein.
However, in general terms, "la Grande Duchesse" is of marginal interest and it is addressed to a specific audience, specialised in this kind of works.
Parla
Wed, May 23 2012, 11:37AM
#5
RE: Latest Acquisitions
(Remember the British found Terry Thomas funny). "La grand Duchesse" was written predominantly for the French audience. So, it's funny for them, because they understand and speak French. However, some bright British (and not only) singers discover not only the humour but also the good music hidden or even being therein.
However, in general terms, "la Grande Duchesse" is of marginal interest and it is addressed to a specific audience, specialised in this kind of works.
Parla
Terry-Thomas, don't forget the all important hyphen, was a satirist of the British class system being a working class boy of humble background he adopted this caddish persona, cigarette holder, gapped teeth and all and had a successful Hollywood career in his later years.
Yet again you make a bold statement as if it is fact. This particular production of La Duchesse has received worldwide recognition and acclaim for Pelly, Lott, Minkowski and the rest of a very fine cast having been issued on both DVD and CD.
As for the work itself, hardly marginal as it contains some of Offenbach's finest music and, as far as I know, has never been out of the repertory, internationally, and this is the second recording EMI have produced in twenyty years.
Not bad going for a work "addressed to a specific audience" (French, one assumes).
Great composers and great music transcends the boundaries that some would like to restrict them with.
You defend Italian comic opera urging me to change my mind on the matter and when I show a preference for the French you tell me the work is "marginal" whatever that means in context.
Another example of your double-take on matters?
Wed, May 23 2012, 4:58PM
#6
RE: Latest Acquisitions
You took my comments at face value, Troyen,
I mentioned Terry Thomas because he collaborated very well in the French-British film La Grande Vadrouille, along with Bourvil and Louis de Funes. Very funny all of them. Don't get me wrong. I like Terry.
As for "La Grande Duchesse", I admitted that there is good music therein. Offenbach is a sort of the Rossini of France. However, most of his works have been somehow marginalised, destined to mostly the French audiences, except for some exceptional productions like the one of Virgin Classics with an almost international cast and very good production values. The fact that there have been two recordings in 20 years means very little. The point is how well they promote the work and much more the composer.
However, I'll be very happy to see Offenbach's overall music to be recognised all over the world. A bit unlikely, I'm afraid, for the moment.
Parla
Thu, May 24 2012, 12:33AM
#7
RE: Latest Acquisitions
You took my comments at face value, Troyen,
I mentioned Terry Thomas because he collaborated very well in the French-British film La Grande Vadrouille, along with Bourvil and Louis de Funes. Very funny all of them. Don't get me wrong. I like Terry.
As for "La Grande Duchesse", I admitted that there is good music therein. Offenbach is a sort of the Rossini of France. However, most of his works have been somehow marginalised, destined to mostly the French audiences, except for some exceptional productions like the one of Virgin Classics with an almost international cast and very good production values. The fact that there have been two recordings in 20 years means very little. The point is how well they promote the work and much more the composer.
However, I'll be very happy to see Offenbach's overall music to be recognised all over the world. A bit unlikely, I'm afraid, for the moment.
Parla
I think this may be another breakdown in communication as I have no idea what you mean by "marginalised" as in Offenbach's case this is, clearly, erroneous.
He is, and always will be, popular in Germany, for example, where his works are given in German!
Sat, May 26 2012, 5:34PM
#8
RE: Latest Acquisitions
Adding to my explorations of Scandinavian music, I recently picked up:
Sallinen: Chamber Music with Hynninen/Kamu/Stockholm Chamber Ensemble (BIS)
Klami: Northern Lights; Cherimissian Fantasy; Kalevala Suite with Storgards and the Helsinki Phil. Orch (Ondine)
Klami: Kalevala Suite, Sea Pictures, Karelian Rhapsody (with Petri Sakari & the Iceland Sym. Orch. (Ondine)
Klami: The Cobblers on the Heath;Theme with 7 Variations & Coda; Kalevala Ste. with Vanska & the Lahti S.O. (BIS)
Best wishes,
Petra
Sat, May 26 2012, 6:42PM
#9
RE: Latest Acquisitions
You should be truly young at heart, Petra, to bear so many "marginal" composers...from the coldest North. Anyway, some people can do it.
However, I wonder whether you have explored deeply enough the Bachs (the Grand Father and the Grand Son, namely C.P.E.) and Haydn, who constitute almost the whole basis (and not only) of the Classical Music.
Parla
Sat, May 26 2012, 9:30PM
#10
RE: Latest Acquisitions
Adding to my explorations of Scandinavian music, I recently picked up:
Sallinen: Chamber Music with Hynninen/Kamu/Stockholm Chamber Ensemble (BIS)
Klami: Northern Lights; Cherimissian Fantasy; Kalevala Suite with Storgards and the Helsinki Phil. Orch (Ondine)
Klami: Kalevala Suite, Sea Pictures, Karelian Rhapsody (with Petri Sakari & the Iceland Sym. Orch. (Ondine)
Klami: The Cobblers on the Heath;Theme with 7 Variations & Coda; Kalevala Ste. with Vanska & the Lahti S.O. (BIS)
Best wishes,
Petra
If you like the Klami you should get the 1st Symphony (also has the King Lear Overture). Both works are very enjoyable. The symphony has a subtle humor to it. It's on Ondine with the Tampere Philharmonic under Tuomas Ollila. They also recorded the 2nd Symphony on Ondine but it's a more difficult work to listen to. It's been a long time since I played it so maybe I should give the 2nd another try.
Sun, May 27 2012, 1:35PM
#11
RE: Latest Acquisitions
Thanks Bliss for the further suggestion. I'm tempted by that disc too.
Some time ago, I listened to a series of programs on the BBC R3 of Finnish music post Sibelius which I really enjoyed and found intriguing.
Parla, I do also enjoy Bach though I have more of J.S. and probably not that much of C.P.E. (though I should double-check here) at some point. Holiday weekend in the States so I'm rather busy. Hope that you are enjoying your visit to China!
Best wishes,
Petra
Sun, Jun 3 2012, 12:33PM
#12
RE: Latest Acquisitions
Was at a concert yesterday with Lorin Maazel conducting the Stockholm PO in Beethoven symphonies 8 and 9.Great concert.
In the halls shop I bought Bruckner 8 with Blomstedt and Gewandhaus and the Beethoven symphonies with Blomstedt and Staatskapelle Dresden. I am only recently beginning to understand how good Blomstedt is. Listened the other day to his recording of Bruckner 4 with Staatskapelle Dresden. A truly wonderful performance. i have also heard his recordings of Nielsen, Hindemith and Richard Strauss, all outstanding.
I also bought Bartoks Concerto for Orchestra and Music for strings... with Marin Alsop conducting the Baltimore orchestra. I have seen Alsop live once where she conducted the Barber Violin concerto with Joshua Bell and the Elgar symphony 1. I liked those performances very much. She is really good.
Mon, Jun 4 2012, 12:32AM
#13
RE: Latest Acquisitions
Was at a concert yesterday with Lorin Maazel conducting the Stockholm PO in Beethoven symphonies 8 and 9.Great concert.
In the halls shop I bought Bruckner 8 with Blomstedt and Gewandhaus and the Beethoven symphonies with Blomstedt and Staatskapelle Dresden. I am only recently beginning to understand how good Blomstedt is. Listened the other day to his recording of Bruckner 4 with Staatskapelle Dresden. A truly wonderful performance. i have also heard his recordings of Nielsen, Hindemith and Richard Strauss, all outstanding.
I also bought Bartoks Concerto for Orchestra and Music for strings... with Marin Alsop conducting the Baltimore orchestra. I have seen Alsop live once where she conducted the Barber Violin concerto with Joshua Bell and the Elgar symphony 1. I liked those performances very much. She is really good.
I recommend Blomstedt in Brahms choral works sans the German Requiem which he recorded over twenty years ago.
Mon, Jun 4 2012, 11:54AM
#14
RE: Latest Acquisitions
Blomstedt's Bruckner on Querstadt is a very safe choice. Great recordings, in SACD, and very fine performances from a solid German Orchestra. His latest release, on this series, is Bruckner's Third.
Parla
Tue, Jun 12 2012, 4:40PM
#15
RE: Latest Acquisitions
I purchased a CD today which I am eagerly looking forward to listening to soon. I'm wondering whether or not anyone here might be able to tell me more about when the recordings are from, etc. It's an Ermitage CD of Janos Starker with Rudolf Baumgartner and the Festival Strings Lucerne and also the Orchestra RTSI with Marc Andreae. It's an ADD recording and the P & C are from 1994 with digital remastering. I believe that these are from radio and/or t.v. performances but my Italian is basically non-existent [It also says "Radiotelevisione della Svizzera italians/Rete 2]! If you want more info, I'll type out what it says at the bottom on the back of the CD. Basically, I'm curious as to when the different pieces were recorded.
The CD is ERM 147
It includes Shostakovich's first cello concerto (plus some Bach, Hadyn, and Couperin).Best wishes,Petra
Yes, I've enjoyed Chailly's Mahler too (I don't have the whole set), but overall I'm enjoying Mahler less lately as a come to enjoy Bruckner more. And I certainly listen to more early music and more chamber music than ever before. Plenty more to explore, I think.
Chris A.Gnostic